Getting Ready to BE Imperfectly Perfect (the “missing” Wednesday post w/excerpts) October 2, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Gandhi, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Rosh Hashanah, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, A. R. Rahman, Ahimsa, Aish, Bhagavad Gita, Gandhi Jayanti, High Holidays, Imposter Syndrome, International Day of Non-violence, Jack Hawley, Khatija Rahman, Krishna Kripalani, Leo Tolstoy, Leonard Cohen, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace, mitzvot, Mohandas Gandhi, Mona Miller, niyamas, perfection, Rabbi Binyomin Weisz, Raheema Rahman, Rosh Hashanah, satya, satyagraha, Shofar, Shriman Narayan, Ten Days of Atonement, Ten Days of Awe, Tikkun Olam, U2, Valji Govindji Desai, yama
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“L’Shana Tovah U’Metukah!” to everyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays and, also, “Happy Festival!” to anyone celebrating Gandhi Jayanti. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom on the International Day of Non-violence.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This is the “missing” post for Wednesday, October 2nd. It contains some previously posted content. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“A remark made in Bannu revealed the relationship in Gandhi’s mind between the spinning wheel and nonviolence. ‘God whispered into my heart’, said Gandhi, ‘If you want to work through nonviolence, you have to proceed with small things.’ A week later, addressing Khudai Khidmatgars in the town of Tank in Dera Ismail Khan district, Gandhi offered an observation that would be quoted often in the future:
A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.”
— quoted from “FOUR: Journey to Freedom 1937-46” in Ghaffar Khan: Nonviolent Badshah of the Pakhtuns by Rajmohan Gandhi
“Trust without reservation requires that we say, ‘Yes. Yes it is possible, yes I can, yes I will.’ Today say, ‘I can’ even if you are not aware of how to accomplish your goal. Have faith and say, ‘I can’ until you find a way. Today I practice the art of having faith.
— quoted from the “Affirmation” section of the “Day 10 ~ February 9 ~ Faith” page for the “Season for Nonviolence,” provided by the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
‘How are you spending your time?’ and ‘How could you spend your time?’ are questions that can be asked and answered in a lot of different ways. The latter can be looked at in a purely philosophical way (as in what are all the possibilites) and/or in a pragmatic or practical way (as in, what are the most skillful and wise possibilities). Either way, there are times when those questions hit particularly hard: First, when you notice that you are not spending your time in a skillful and wise way (but you could). Second, when you are given an opportunity to begin something, like a new year.
Tonight (Wednesday) at sunset marked the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, “the Head of the Year,” in Jewish communities around the world (and in communities where people observe the commanded holidays outlined in Deuteronomy). The beginning of the New Year is also the beginning of the High Holidays — known as the “Ten Days of Atonement” and the “Ten Days of Awe” — which culminate with Yom Kippur, “The Day of Atonement.” It is one of the holiest times of the year for some and is celebrated by people who might not typically go to services. Unlike a secular new year, it is more than a celebration — it is an observation: a time for reflection, remembrance, and repentance.
It is also a time to consider how one could spend their time.
“…every person is obligated to say, ‘For my sake alone the world was created.’ That doesn’t mean the world is mine to consume everything indiscriminately (although God does want us to enjoy the pleasures of this world).
What it does mean is that we must take responsibility for any problem in the world. If you recognize a problem – whether it be a piece of litter on the street or a major social issue that needs adjusting – you shouldn’t just say ‘someone else will deal with it.’ There is nobody else. In God’s eyes, the rule is: You saw it, you fix it.”
— Aish Rabbi on Tikkun Olam
Tikkun Olam is a phrase in Hebrew which literally means “repair the world” — although, many people think of it as “heal the world.” Classically, it refers to the rule of law: what is needed in order to restore social order. In the modern context, people think of it as how each person can do something, maybe even has an obligation to do something (when they can), and could even be compared to dharma (“law”) in Indian philosophies.
There are several things that happen when people (in general) start thinking about how they can make a difference. One of those things is that they look for inspiration in others, sometimes in a “great soul” — maybe someone they know personally or maybe a statesman, like former President Jimmy Carter (whose 100th birthday was Tuesday). Today, we celebrate a different great soul and statesman: Mohandas K. Gandhi, who was born October 2, 1869. His birthday is commemorated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday in India, and was designated as International Day of Non-violence by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007.
Known as Mahatma (which means “great soul”), Gandhi was a lawyer who became an activist, first in South Africa and then in his home in India. He was so inspired by the idea of community and nonviolent civil disobedience, as well as by the philosophy of Leo Tolstoy that, in 1910, he established Tolstoy Farm (which was technically his second ashram in South Africa). When he returned to (then British-ruled) India in 1914, he continued using passive resistance to fight for the rights of Indians. He and his followers were rooted in the ethical components of the 8-Limbed Yoga Philosophy, the yamas (external “restraints” or universal commandments) and niyamas (“internal observations”). Their non-violent movement was particularly predicated on the first two yamas: ahimsa (“non-violence” / “non-harming”) and satya (“Truth”).
“Truth (Satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force. I thus began to call the Indian Movement ‘Satyagraha’ , that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence, and gave up the use of the phrase ‘passive resistance’ in connection with it, so much so that even in English writing we often avoided it and used instead the word ‘Satyagraha’ itself or some other equivalent English phrase.”
— quoted from “12. THE ADVENT OF SATYAGRAHA” in Satyagraha in South Africa by M. K. Gandhi (as published in THE SELECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI, VOLUME TWO, translated from the Gujarati by Valji Govindji Desai; General Editor Shriman Narayan)
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT GANDHI & SATYAGRAHA.
“I believe in the message of truth delivered by all the religious teachers of the world. And it is my constant prayer that I may never have a feeling of anger against my traducers, that even if I fall a victim to an assassin’s bullet, I may deliver up my soul with the remembrance of God upon my lips. I shall be content to be written down an impostor if my lips utter a word of anger or abuse against my assailant at the last moment.”
— quoted from a prayer discourse, Summer 1947, as printed in All Men Are Brothers: Life and Thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi, as Told in His Own Words, by Mohandas K. Gandhi (Compiled and Edited by Krishna Kripalani)
Looking to others for inspiration can be really motivating. However, we have to be careful, because such comparisons can be problematic. For example, people have a tendency of putting their inspirations on pedestals. Such myth building belies the fact that people like Gandhi were (and are) human; that they make mistakes; and sometimes have really horrible opinions that co-exist with their more admirable ones. For instance, Gandhi publicly admitted that early on in his career he “disciplined myself sufficiently never to feel angry with the enemy, but I sometimes lose my temper with friends” and that he could be horrible towards his wife Kasturba, who he at one time viewed as being beneath him. Eventually, however, he saw her as his “teacher in nonviolence… [and a] loyal and faithful comrade in life.” His evolved attitude towards Kasturba, and women in general, was one of the reasons why women were an active part of the Salt Satyagraha in 1930.
On the flip side, comparisons to others can be problematic because they can lead to a really debilitating mindset: Imposter Syndrome, the belief that someone is somehow fraudulent. This type of self-doubt can manifest in a lot of different ways. It can show up as someone dreaming, planning, and/or re-working something so much that they never get to the point of doing the thing. It can also show up as someone never getting started because they are afraid of disappointing themselves (or others) and/or not doing something as well as others. Finally, it can just show up as a general feeling of malaise that saps your energy and makes it harder to focus… let alone do your best. It can be a vicious cycle that is perpetuated by a desire to be perfect and live up to expectations.
But, if we backup a little, we may remember that the important part is not that we do what someone else can do: The important thing is to do what we are able to do and to do the best that we can. This is explicitly spelled out in The Bhagavad Gita when Krishna spoke to Arjuna about “achieving perfection” and said, “‘Your very nature dictates that you perform the duties attuned to your disposition. Those duties are your dharma, your natural calling. It is far better to do your own dharma, even if you do it imperfectly, than to try to master the work of another. Those who perform the duties called for by their obligations, even if those duties seem of little merit, are able to do them with less effort — and this releases consciousness that can be directed Godward.’” (BG 18.47)
This same lesson on perfection and purpose can be found in the lesson of the shofar, as explained by Rabbi Binyomin Weisz.
For Those Who Missed It: A portion of the following is a slightly revised excerpt from a 2020 post.
“But the truth is: ‘All sounds are kosher’ – not only for the shofar, but for the heart as well.”
— quoted from an article entitled “Perfectly Imperfect: The Secret of the Shofar” (09/12/2020) by Rabbi Binyomin Weisz
A shofar is a ram’s horn that is blown (like a trumpet) during most Rosh Hashanah services and at the end of Yom Kippur. Historically, it has also been used at other times, including as a call-to-arms before a battle. During the High Holidays, there are four types of sounds (tekiah = a long, smooth blast, shevarim = three short bursts, terua, = a series of short bursts, and tekiah gedolah = a long, drawn out, smooth blast), which are produced in very specific patterns in order to remind people to turn inward and reflect, remember, repent, and hope. As with most spiritual rituals, the horn has to be produced in a certain way and blown by a specific person. However, the mitzvah (or “commandment”) related to the High Holidays is not related to the blowing — it’s a commandment related to hearing the sound. Obviously, since it is an organic instrument, each shofar sounds slightly different, but what is super fascinating to me (and others) is that certain imperfections do not “ruin” the instrument.
As teachers and scholars like Rabbi Binyomin Weisz point out, a hole can change the sound of the shofar and it’s still kosher. Granted, there are some ways a shofar can be broken — and even fixed — that make it no longer kosher. In fact, the very act of “fixing” a broken shofar so that it sounds like it originally sounded, can make it unusable for its intended purpose — and, therefore, not good — which just strengthens the lesson for me. Given that so many people struggle with “imposter syndrome” and high expectations, here are four steps you can do at any time:
- Let go of expectations and focus on what you can do / are doing;
- Remember Rule 303 (see first embedded link above): Do what you can do, as much as you can, and for as long as you can;
- Appreciate what you’re doing, because it has value/meaning; AND
- Remember the value/meaning of you (being who you are and doing what you do).
“So I draw courage and stand face-to-face with my limitations, without shrinking or running. I allow for honest remorse. Here is my place of Now….
Of course, acceptance does not mean becoming complacent. I still need to honestly evaluate my life and reflect on how I want to act differently this coming year. It also doesn’t preclude trying my best.
But at this very moment my state of ‘now’ is my truth.”
— quoted from an article entitled “Perfectly Imperfect: The Secret of the Shofar” (09/12/2020) by Rabbi Binyomin Weisz
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10022022 Gandhi Jayanti & High Holidays”]
2024 PRACTICE NOTE: This practice included what I call the Lesson of the Oyster. It also included a “Monaism”.
“No man can be a good bishop if he loves his title but not his task.”
— quoted from City of God by Saint Augustine (Bishop of Hippo)
“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.”
— quoted from the poem/song “Anthem” by Leonard Cohen
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
“Even when a man takes revenge on others who hate him, in spite of him not hating them initially, the pain caused by his vengeance will bring him inevitable sorrow.” (313)
“When a man inflicts pain upon others in the forenoon, it will come upon him unsought in the afternoon.” (319)
— quoted from the English translation of the Tamil lyrics of the song “Ahimsa” by U2 and A. R. Rahman, featuring Khatija and Raheema Rahman (translation from IntegralYoga.org)
### MAY YOUR NAME BE WRITTEN & SEALED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE ###
Getting Ready to BE Imperfectly Perfect (mostly the music & quotes) **UPDATED w/post link** October 2, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Gandhi, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Rosh Hashanah, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, ahimsā, Aish, Gandhi Jayanti, High Holidays, International Day of Non-violence, Mohandas Gandhi, Rabbi Binyomin Weisz, Rosh Hashanah, satya, satyagraha, Shriman Narayan, Tikkun Olam, Valji Govindji Desai
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“Chag sameach!” to everyone getting ready for Rosh Hashana and the High Holidays and, also, “Happy Festival!” to anyone celebrating Gandhi Jayanti. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom on the International Day of Non-violence.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“…every person is obligated to say, ‘For my sake alone the world was created.’ That doesn’t mean the world is mine to consume everything indiscriminately (although God does want us to enjoy the pleasures of this world).
What it does mean is that we must take responsibility for any problem in the world. If you recognize a problem – whether it be a piece of litter on the street or a major social issue that needs adjusting – you shouldn’t just say ‘someone else will deal with it.’ There is nobody else. In God’s eyes, the rule is: You saw it, you fix it.”
— Aish Rabbi on Tikkun Olam
CLICK HERE FOR THE POST RELATED TO THIS PRACTICE.
Please join me today (Wednesday, October 2nd) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10022022 Gandhi Jayanti & High Holidays”]
“So I draw courage and stand face-to-face with my limitations, without shrinking or running. I allow for honest remorse. Here is my place of Now….
Of course, acceptance does not mean becoming complacent. I still need to honestly evaluate my life and reflect on how I want to act differently this coming year. It also doesn’t preclude trying my best.
But at this very moment my state of ‘now’ is my truth.”
— quoted from an article entitled “Perfectly Imperfect: The Secret of the Shofar” (09/12/2020) by Rabbi Binyomin Weisz
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
“Truth (Satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force. I thus began to call the Indian Movement ‘Satyagraha’ , that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence, and gave up the use of the phrase ‘passive resistance’ in connection with it, so much so that even in English writing we often avoided it and used instead the word ‘Satyagraha’ itself or some other equivalent English phrase.”
— quoted from “12. THE ADVENT OF SATYAGRAHA” in Satyagraha in South Africa by M. K. Gandhi (as published in THE SELECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI, VOLUME TWO, translated from the Gujarati by Valji Govindji Desai; General Editor Shriman Narayan)
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
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When the Student Arrives (or Arises) [just the music & blessings] October 1, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Donate, Faith, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Volunteer, Yoga.Tags: 988, Jimmy Carter
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone coming together in friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
Please join me today (Tuesday, October 1st) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10012024 When the Student Arrives (or Arises)”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### ###
Still Focused On the Outside? [But, What’s On the Inside?] (the “missing” Sunday post w/related links) September 8, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Donate, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Mathematics, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 1 Samuel, 988, Alecia Beth Moore, blogilates, David, Gwen Costello, International Literacy Day, literacy, Michelangelo, Mike Wohnoutka, Mother Teresa, P!nk, PEN America, shabda, Star Trek, UNESCO, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
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Happy International Literacy Day! Happy Star Trek Day! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone carving out space for a mighty good heart, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This “missing” post for Sunday, September 8th. is a slightly revised (and expanded) version of a 2020 post. Some statistics and links (including the language-related Star Trek link at the very end) have been updated or added. One embedded link directs to a site outside of this blog. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
— Mother Teresa, quoted from “10. Judge Not” in Spiritual Gems from Mother Teresa by Gwen Costello
I was watching an interesting video in September of 2020 (see link at end of post). Some parts were awkward and clumsy. Then, there were times when some of the participants felt bad about themselves (and, as an empathetic viewer I felt bad for them). The parts where people felt bad about themselves were some of the parts that were awkward and handled in a slightly clumsy way. However, the participants felt bad for themselves because the topic of the video is a sore spot for many people, especially women in America: weight and appearance. The video was interesting and good — in that it was meaningful — because it was yet another reminder that there is more going on with a person (and their health) than what we see on the outside.
“True beauty is knowing who you are and what you want and never apologizing for it.”
— 2006 quote attributed to P!nk (born Alecia Beth Moore, today in 1979)
Michelangelo’s David was unveiled in Florence, Italy today (September 8th) in 1504. At various times throughout history, the marble statue has represented the epitome of the male form. What captivates people, however, is not just the beauty of Michelangelo’s masterpiece. People love the story of David; the story of the underdog. When faced with towering figure of Goliath, David used his inner resources. He drew from the experience he had as a shepherd (rather than being preoccupied by the experience he didn’t have as a soldier) and he focused on what he could do (not on what he was “trying” to do).
Once he became king, he again drew on his inner strength, courage, and wisdom. Yes, King David made mistakes — he was human; but, he is remembered because of his wins, not his losses. Those wins became his legacy, which is represented by the statue, the story, and his son Solomon (who is considered the ruler with the wisest heart in the history of the world).
Similarly, the 26-year old Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was a bit of the underdog when he was selected to work on the statue of David. His contemporaries would eventually call him Il Divino (“The Divine One”), because of his ability to bring inanimate objects to life and to create terribilitá (a sense of awesomeness or emotional intensity). However, he was not the first choice — or the second choice — when the statue was first commissioned by the Overseers of the Office of Works of the Florence Cathedral (the Operai). Granted, one reason he wasn’t on the short list was that he wasn’t born when the series of Old Testament statues were first commissioned; but, that’s beside the point.
The point I’m getting to is that neither David nor Michelangelo were Plan A. They weren’t even Plan B. Yet, they both had the possibility of greatness inside of them.
“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”
— quote attributed to Michelangelo
Take a moment to consider Michelangelo, the sculptor, staring at a chunk of marble. To the outside observer, the marble was nothing — or, more specifically, a very expensive and “badly blocked out” hunk of marble. But, the artist saw inside… and got to work.
To someone who is not an artist, the artist’s process may seem magical and impossible. If we were to undertake such a task, without knowing what to look for and what steps to take, the process would be frustrating. The final effort might even be embarrassing. But, even though it takes effort and sometimes it’s harder for some than for others, the artist who is literate in their craft thinks nothing of the process: this is just what they know (or think) they can do.
“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”
— quote attributed to Michelangelo
What an artist does can be very similar to you reading this post (or even me writing this post). Yes, it takes effort and energy; however, if you have the knowledge — if you are a literate adult (who learned how to read as a child and don’t have a learning disability) — you don’t think back to the struggle of the learning process every time you read or write. You just do what you know how to do. Even though the yoga philosophy defines this exchange of words and meaning as one of the “powers unique to being human,” we don’t always think of it as being anything more than a tool. Or something that is part of our landscape… like the rocks on the ground before David picked them up. Or, like the chisel and the hunk of marble before Michelangelo went to work.
But, what about the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who are functionally illiterate? To those people who lack the basic reading and writing skills to manage daily living and employment tasks, my blog posts can be like Goliath. (I know, I know: Even when you are literate, these blog posts can sometimes be like Goliath — but then, you are David and you have what it takes to conquer!)
Quick Facts: In 2020, approximately 775 million young people and adults (aged 15+) lacked basic literacy and numeracy skills. Between 2015 and 2023, literacy rates have increased 2%; however, an estimated 754 million people are currently considered functionally illiterate.
While we can celebrate the fact that literacy rates are increasing all over the world — and that some of the biggest increases are on the continent of Africa, where literacy rose 5% between 2015 and 2022 — population is also increasing in some places (which means, unfortunately, that the number of people who lack basic literacy and numeracy skills on the continent of Africa rose from 193 million to 217 million).
“Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savour their songs. I again realized that we were not different people with separate languages; we were one people with different tongues.”
— quoted from Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela
There are huge financial costs to being illiterate (an estimated $1.19 trillion (USD) globally), but there are other extreme costs. Illiteracy limits possibilities. It decreases employment opportunities, increases chances for poor health and the inclination toward crime. There is an emotional toll, in that it can lead to depression, anger, frustration, and embarrassment. Illiteracy is often associated with poverty; however, location, age, and disability are also factors. The millions of people who are forcibly displaced face challenges of literacy and digital divides*; only 30% of young people living in crisis-affected areas are literate; children and adolescents with disabilities are 42% less likely to have foundational literacy skills; and (as of 2022) only 10% of elderly women in some sub-Saharan African countries are literate. Which brings us to the fact that there is also a gender component: 63% of the people who are illiterate are also women. (That’s down 1% from 2020; but, that’s still 475 million people!)
According to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), if all women completed primary education, there would be 66 percent fewer maternal deaths. This is one of the reasons UNESCO focuses on educating girls and women. This is also one of the reasons why, in 1965, the United Nations designated today, September 8th, as International Literacy Day.
The 2024 Theme for International Literacy Day is “Promoting multilingual education: Literacy for mutual understanding and peace” and highlights the fact that the world is becoming more and more multilingual and more and more people are interacting with people who speak different languages. In fact, there are approximately 7,000 living languages (unevenly) spread out over 200 countries and “[over] half of the world’s population is bilingual, using at least two languages or dialects daily.” All of that is exciting! What is not exciting is that 40% of those who are bilingual lack access to education in a language they speak or understand.
“David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart….’”
— quoted from 1 Samuel – The Old Testament (17:32 NIV)
It can be a little daunting to look at some of these numbers related to literacy. It can also be frustrating to think about the fact that, according to UNESCO, 250 million children are out of school; 31 million forcibly displaced young people are learning in a language other than their first language; and that “57% of the 102 countries that responded to a UNESCO survey spent less than 4% of their national education budget on adult literacy and education.” Furthermore, you might feel like throwing your hands up if you live in a country (like the United States) where some people are working to ban books and restrict education. But, rather than giving up, let’s celebrate literacy… and books!
This year’s global celebration of International Literacy Day will be held September 9th – 10th, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. This is a time to promote awareness of illiteracy and cultivate compassion around this human rights struggle. It’s also an opportunity to buy a book for a public school or a library in a developing country, a rural area, or an impoverished area (even here in the United States). It’s also a great opportunity to buy a book for a friend or a loved one — maybe a banned book, maybe even a book that tells you not to judge “the book” by its cover.
“As a mother of two who is deeply invested in education and in representation for all races and sexual identities, P!nk wanted to give away banned books to highlight the spike in book bans in Florida and across the country documented by PEN America.
‘Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,’ P!nk said. ‘It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color. We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed. This is why I am supporting PEN America in its work and why I agree with them: no more banned books.’”
— quoted from the November 13, 2023 PEN America press release titled, “Global Pop Icon P!nk Teams Up with PEN America to Give Away 2,000 Banned Books at Florida Concerts: The Giveaway Highlights the Unprecedented Rise in Book Bans in the United States”
*NOTE: Technology makes it easier for people to access stories and (sometimes) facilitates communication between people who speak different languages. However, as referenced above, there is a digital divide. Additionally, some of that technology requires a certain level of literacy. Finally, if someone is not in the habit of reading — and/or if they find reading frustrating, they may not look for other ways to access stories.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09082020 What Is Inside”]
NOTE: Track #11 on Spotify is longer than the corresponding track on YouTube. I neglected to give people the opportunity to fast forward during the 2024 practice (but the silence is obvious).
Here’s that interesting video I mentioned above.
If you are struggling, thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
Final Note: Yes, I know it is (technically) Star Trek Day, since the original series aired today in 1966; however, this is not one of the days when I “officially” celebrate the series.
### BREATHE, READ (or LISTEN) TO A (BANNED) BOOK###
A Quick Note & Excerpts About Using the Hook… (the “missing” Saturday post) July 20, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Mantra, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Poetry, Suffering, Volunteer, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Carlos Santana, Emily Perl Kingsley, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Four R's, Neal Schon, Pema Chödrön, Rosemary Kennedy, Sahasrara, Santana, shenpa, Shenpa & The Practice of Getting Unhooked, Special Olympics
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone putting together the pieces for peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).
This is the “missing” note and excerpts related to the practice on Saturday, July 20th. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a related practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“Today
Is all I really need to find the answers
I’ll find the constant flow
Of all the harmony”
— quoted from the song “All the Love of the Universe” by Carlos Santana (b. 07/20/1947), written by Carlos Santana / Neal Schon
This present moment is the culmination of all our previous moments and — whether we recognize it or not — it is informed by our previous moments So, right here, right now, we all come into this present moment with stuff. Without judging or categorizing the stuff, just recognize that it is a lot of stuff and because we bring this stuff into the moment — and into the practice — each moment and each practice is unique. Even when we repeat a sequence and/or a theme, there is something that is new and different.
Yes, the fact that different people show up at different times means that some things will be different. Plus, I often tweak the sequence, how I cue it, and/or which parts of the theme to share. I may even remix the music or use a different playlist. All of that is part of “the stuff.” So too is how our bodies change as we practice and as we age. So too is whatever is going on in our lives and in the world. All of that (plus how we feel about all of that and how we process all of that) is “the stuff” that makes this present moment different from all the other moments.
All of the aforementioned stuff is the energetic and symbolic purview of the Sahasrara (“thousand-petalled”) chakra. Also known as the crown chakra, the seventh chakra is associated with the top of the head; thought, consciousness, and self-knowledge. Some teachers also associate it with our connection to the Divine/Source (whatever that means to you at this moment). Finally, it is associated with this present moment and one’s ability to be present in (any given) moment.
Of course, our ability to truly be present and to truly comprehend the present moment — as well as understand how this present moment is informed by previous moments and will inform future moments — can be hampered when we get “hooked” because something or someone pushed our buttons. Throughout this last week, as we practiced with Pema Chödrön’s teachings related to the the R’s, I have mostly referenced “the hook” in a negative way. However….
Click on the excerpt titles below to learn about a different kind of hook and how past experiences that hook you can also motivate you to create change in the world.
Using the “hook” to get unhooked (the “missing” Tuesday post)
“Like diabetes, deafness, polio or any other misfortune, [intellectual disabilities] can happen in any family. It has happened in the families of the poor and the rich, of governors, senators, Nobel prizewinners, doctors, lawyers, writers, men of genius, presidents of corporations – the President of the United States.”
— quoted from a September 22, 1962 article by Eunice Kennedy Shriver printed in The Saturday Evening Post
“But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.”
— quoted from “Welcome to Holland” by Emily Perl Kingsley ©1987
“Everybody needs a helpin’ hand
Everybody needs a helpin’ hand”
— quoted from the song “All the Love of the Universe” by Carlos Santana (b. 07/20/1947), written by Carlos Santana / Neal Schon
Saturday’s playlist available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07202021 Using the Hook”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlist has an extra track in the before/after section.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
### BIG HUGS ###
“Be Curious….” Für Deine Gesundheit!! (mostly the music) May 28, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Donate, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Hunter Doherty Adams, Jarem Sawatsky, mental health, Patch Adams
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing Eastertide; Counting the Omer, and/or working as a force of peace, freedom, and fulfillment (inside and outside).
“Be curious!”
“And while you’re waiting to come up with a question, I can say that I make me. I decided at 18 to never have another bad day and I am 79 on Tuesday and I haven’t had a bad day since I was 18. I love my life. I chose to make me and to be six qualities: happy, funny, loving, creative, cooperative, and thoughtful.”
— Dr. Hunter Doherty “Patch” (or “Stumpy”) Adams (b. 1945), quoted from the May 25, 2024 live-stream video entitled “Celebrating my 79th Birthday with My Loving Community”
Please join me today (Tuesday, May 28th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10102021 World Mental Health Day (redux)”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
“Then [Patch] sat back and said ‘…. The question is “are you living?” Are you living? Are you being the human being you want to be? Are your relationships healthy? Are you grateful? What is your sense of wonder? What’s your sense of curiosity? What thrills you?
You can decide to love life. You can decide to love your partner. You can decide to know what I mean when I say, a tree can stop your suffering.’
Somehow those words struck me as free. I don’t need to figure out everything about dying. I need to keep living. To be thrilled, to be grateful, to be wonder-filled. To be curious about life and living. These are ways of being that are accessible to me.”
— quoted from ”Diving into an Ocean of Gratitude — Living and Caring with Patch Adams” by Jarem Sawatsky
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### ###
A Memorial Day Post-Practice Note (with excerpts) May 27, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, First Nations, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, beauty, compassion, Daniel Inouye, empathy, grief, Hod, Linda Lear, Memorial Day, mental health, Nature, peace, Rachel Carson, Rosalind Dymond Cartwright, service, Tim Chambers, Tony Hillerman, United States Congressional Record, Veterans
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing Eastertide; Counting the Omer, and/or working as a force of peace, freedom, and fulfillment (inside and outside).
This post-practice post for Monday, May 27th. It includes excerpts from a 2020 post about Memorial Day and a 2023 post about beauty, empathy, and compassion. The prompt question was, “What does Memorial Day mean to you?” You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“But it seems reasonable to believe — and I do believe — that the more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us the less taste we shall have for the destruction of our race. Wonder and humility are wholesome emotions, and they do not exist side by side with a lust for destruction.”
— quoted from Rachel Carson’s acceptance speech for the John Burroughs Medal (April 1952), as printed in Lost Woods: The Discovered Writing of Rachel Carson by Rachel Carson, edited and with an introduction by Linda Lear
“‘Everything is connected. The wing of the corn beetle affects the direction of the wind, the way the sand drifts, the way the light reflects into the eye of man beholding his reality. All is part of totality, and in this totality man finds his hozro, his way of walking in harmony, with beauty all around him.’”
— quoted from The Ghostway (Navajo Mysteries #6) by Tony Hillerman
It has been a long time since I read Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (who was born May 27, 1907) or just sat down with the sole purpose of reading a novel by Tony Hillerman (who was born May 27, 1925). There are, however, certain things from their works that stick with me after all these years. First, there is the way Nature shows up as “character.” Then, there is the reinforced awareness that we are all connected and that what affects one of us, affects all of us. We may not all be affected in the same way, but just as one person’s problem has a ripple effect on the people around them — and the people around them — a problem with (and on) Earth affects everyone and everything on the planet. Finally, the words of Rachel Carson and Tony Hillerman remind me that (a) when things are out of balance, we can all be part of the problem and/or part of the solution and (b) not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something.
To me, Memorial Day is one of the days when I think about the fact that there are people doing things I cannot do, things I am not forced to do (by circumstances and/or laws) — and that some of those people are lost to us because of their service. I wish we lived in a world where everyone engaged more “wonder and humility”; where there was no war; and where personal conflicts never beget violence of any kind. But, that is not the world in which we live.
So, today, I remember those who serve(d) so that others (like me) may live.
“…in our effort to accommodate many Americans by making the last Monday in May, Memorial Day, we have lost sight of the significance of this day to our nation. Instead of using Memorial Day as a time to honor and reflect on the sacrifices made by Americans in combat, many Americans use the day as a celebration of the beginning of summer.”
— Veteran and Hawaii Congressman Daniel Inouye, quoted from the “Senate” portion of the Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 106th Congress, First Session (Vol. 145, Washington, Tuesday, January 19, 1999, No. 8)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
“‘I didn’t want to believe it. Too many old friends are dying. I didn’t really think I could learn anything about that diamond out here. I just wanted to see if I could bring back some old memories…. Maybe it would help me get into harmony with living with so many of my friends gone.’”
— quoted from Skeleton Man (Navajo Mysteries #17) by Tony Hillerman
The Grace of Knowing How to Feel & FTWMI: How We Learn To Feel (and what we learn from feeling)
### “Compassion. Respect. Common Sense.” — Retired Marine Staff Sergeant Tim Chambers (a.k.a The Saluting Marine) when asked what he wanted to inspire in people who see him standing/saluting ###
FTWMI: Fearless Play with Miles & Sally May 26, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Men, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alison Beard, ancestors, asana, Christa McAuliffe, Eastertide, fearless, fearless play, Hod, Improv, jazz, Kate Hughes, Lag B'Omer, Lag B'Omer or Lag LaOmer, Lynn Sherr, Miles Davis, Pearle Cleage, play, Robert Alan Benson, Robert Andrews, role models, Sally Ride, Sunday of the Paralyzed Man, yoga
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Sunday of the Paralyzed Man and/or Eastertide; Lag B’Omer and Counting the Omer, and/or working as a force of peace, freedom, and fulfillment (inside and outside).
For Those Who Missed It: This is a slightly revised version of a 2020 post. Some contextual information, class details, links, and formatting have been updated or added.
“‘I’ve discovered that half the people would love to go into space and there’s no need to explain it them. The other half can’t understand and I couldn’t explain it to them. If someone doesn’t know why, I can’t explain it.’”
— Sally Ride, quoted in the “Introduction” of Sally Ride: Americas First Woman in Space by Lynn Sherr
“If you understood everything I say, you’d be me!”
— Miles Davis
I often say that when I think of being fearless, I think of jazz and the rules of improve. I think of saying “yes, and….” I think of people like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus, Dinah Washington, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Joshua Redman, the Marsalis family, and Jason Moran.
I also think about Miles Davis, who would have turned 94 98 today. But we’ll come back to him, because when I think of being fearless I also think of women like Christa McAuliffe and Sally Ride.
Sally Ride, who was born today in 1951, was the first American woman in space and the third woman overall, (after Soviet cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova and Svetlana Savitskaya). She is still the youngest American NASA* astronaut to have traveled into space and, although it wasn’t known at the time, she is now acknowledged as the first LGBTQIA+ astronaut. She once said, “I love the John Glenn model… I may call NASA in 25 years or so, and see it they’d like to send me to Mars.” She probably would have done just that if she hadn’t been so busy teaching, running public-outreach programs for NASA, serving on two aerospace accident investigation boards, writing 7 books for children, and starting and running “Sally Ride Science” (which creates entertaining science programs and publications aimed at upper elementary and middle school children).
Part of what made Dr. Ride fearless was that not only did she (to paraphrase Christa McAuliffe) say yes to a seat on a rocket, she also said yes to being a role model. She kept the focus on the science even as she endured the most sexist questions from the public and the press. When she realized certain people were going to keep coming back to her gender, she used the platform she was being given to make room for more women and girls in the sciences.
“I never went into physics or the astronaut corps to become a role model. But after my first flight, it became clear to me that I was one. And I began to understand the importance of that to people. Young girls need to see role models in whatever careers they may choose, just so they can picture themselves doing those jobs someday. You can’t be what you can’t see.”
— Sally Ride, quoted from the Harvard Business interview (“Sally Ride on Breaking Ground in Aerospace and Education”) by Alison Beard
The fact that pretty much anyone (and everyone) in the public eye ends up as a possible role model can be dangerous — especially when people don’t accept the responsibility, or take it for granted. Miles Davis fits into this category. Born today in 1926, Miles Davis said, “The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does the man project and does the man have ideas.”
Mr. Davis did and had both. He was a musical innovator who studied at the Institute of Musical Art, now known as Julliard, and also studied in jam sessions with jazz greats like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. He was a trailblazer, who kicked off the “cool jazz” movement, developed “hard bop,” and ultimately fused jazz with rock and funk. He would lose old fans, win new fans, and then gain the old fans back — because he did the thing he told other musicians to do: he didn’t play what was there, he played what wasn’t there.
“A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I’m still doing it.”
— Miles Davis, quoted from The New Penguin Dictionary of Modern Quotations by Robert Andrews, with the assistance of Kate Hughes (cited from International Herald Tribune 17 July 1991)
For all his musical success, however, Mr. Davis battled demons. He grew up in a fairly well off family, but people often assumed he grew up poor and was uneducated. He struggled with the fact that although albums like his Birth of the Cool were historically and musically important, they didn’t have the same success as albums by white musicians in the same genre. He also struggled with cocaine and heroin addiction; once broke both ankles in a car accident; and by all accounts (including his own) was physically and emotionally abusive to all three of his wives (and most likely any other women with whom he had a romantic relationship).
Miles Davis was a narcissistic abusive jerk. He was also a genius. Interestingly, even now, Pearl Cleage is one of the few people to speak of his abuse. Not because she personally experienced it, but because she wanted people (especially men) to stop and think about how they engage in relationships. She wanted shine a light on how not to act in relationships.
“No, you should not feel guilty. Miles is dead. We can just hope the next time he comes around his spirit and his personality will be as lovely as his music.”
— Pearl Cleage, author of Mad at Miles: A Blackwoman’s Guide to Truth, in a 2012 interview for Atlanta Magazine (when asked about listening to music by Miles Davis)
PRACTICE NOTE: This week, we reconnect and remember those that came before and consider what lessons their lives have to teach us. Today, in particular, there is a little extra focus on faith, humility, and what it takes to do… the thing you think cannot be done.
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, May 26th) at 2:30 PM. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05262020 Fearless Play with Miles & Sally”]
“Suppose you come across a woman lying on the street with an elephant sitting on her chest. You notice she is short of breath. Shortness of breath can be a symptom of heart problems. In her case, the much more likely cause is the elephant on her chest.
For a long time, society put obstacles in the way of women who wanted to enter the sciences. That is the elephant. Until the playing field has been levelled and lingering stereotypes are gone, you can’t even ask the question”
— Sally Ride in a 2006 USA Today interview with Robert Alan Benson
*NOTE: While private (non-government) companies have now made spaceflight available to individuals who can afford the ticket, Sally Ride is still the youngest American astronaut whose spaceflight is considered public (because it was funded by a government agency).
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
Thank you to everyone who Kiss[ed] My Asana!
We surpassed the overall fundraiser goals & one of my personal goals!!! Whether you showed up in a (Zoom) class, used a recording, shared a post or video, liked and/or commented on a post or video, and/or made a donation — you and your efforts are appreciated! Thank you!!!
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### THERE’S A COUPLE OF ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM ###
It’s Not About What We’re Saying… (a short post with links & an excerpt) May 25, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Japa-Ajapa, Karma, Karma Yoga, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: Aaron Lindsey, chakras, Counting the Omer, Eastertide, George Floyd, India.Arie, mantra, Ralph Waldo Emerson, United States, Veterans, Yoga Sutras 3.15-3.16
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing Eastertide, Counting the Omer, and/or working as a force of peace, freedom, and fulfillment (inside and outside).
“Don’t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary. A lady of my acquaintance said, ‘I don’t care so much for what they say as I do for what makes them say it.’”
— quoted from the essay “Social Aims” in Letters and Social Aims by Ralph Waldo Emerson (b. 1803)
Yesterday, a group of United States veterans reportedly spent part of their Memorial Day weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina with the intention of asking people at the Republican National Convention to honor the basic principles of the “republic, for which it stands” and they were (reportedly) escorted out of the area. Even if I don’t talk about it, this practice is about that and the about the idea of still serving even after one’s official service is over — and about how people react to that.
Four years ago today, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis. Even if I don’t talk about it, this practice is about that and the about the importance of treating someone you perceive as being different from you with respect — and about how we seem to keep forgetting that.
Two hundred, twenty-one years ago today, Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in Boston, Massachusetts. I often say that I am blown away by the fact that his words are still relevant to our present circumstances. And, even if I don’t talk about it, this practice is about that.
The excerpt below is from a 2021 post. Click on the title for the entire post.
Please join me today (Saturday, May 25th) at 12:00 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05252022 Pratyahara II”]
Thank you to everyone who Kiss[ed] My Asana!
We surpassed the overall fundraiser goals & one of my personal goals!!! Whether you showed up in a (Zoom) class, used a recording, shared a post or video, liked and/or commented on a post or video, and/or made a donation — you and your efforts are appreciated! Thank you!!!
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### “Continue to breathe / In honor of your brother / That’s what your heart is for” ~ India.Arie (Aaron Lindsey / India.arie Simpson) ###
The Fools and the Angels [“Came out by the same door…”] (the “missing” Tuesday post) May 21, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: Alexander Pope, American Red Cross, Battle of First Manassas, Brian Theodore Tyler, Civil War, Clara Barton, Edmund Dwight, Elizabeth Brown Pryor, First Battle of Bull Run, Graeme Edge, International Committee of the Red Cross, Ishbel Ross, John Butler, Klaus Badelt, Moody Blues, Omar Khayyám, Patanjali, World Meditation Day, Yoga Sutra 4.15, Yoga Sutras 2.17-2.20
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing World Meditation Day, Eastertide, Counting the Omer, and/or working as a force of peace, freedom, and fulfillment (inside and outside).
This is the “missing” post for Tuesday, May 21st. Even though there are some philosophical references, this is not the deep-dive we did in 2022. This post contains passing references to war and natural disaster. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a related practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
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“For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”
— quoted from “Part 3” of An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope
Before we get into why someone might fear to go somewhere, we have to figure out the difference between a fool and an angel. For that matter, what is the difference between a doctor and a saint or a poet or an essayist? We have archetypes, stereotypes, and tropes in our mind that lead us to visualize someone — like a citizen — in a certain way. But, the truth is that a single person can be many things: saint and sinner, doctor and mathematician, devoted poet and nihilist.
Furthermore, there is no rule of nature that keeps a very educated person from being foolish. Nor is there anything that proves a person perceived as being foolish can never be wise. People, like most things in the world, are multi-dimensional. This could go without saying, except for the fact that our perceptions tend to flatten out our understanding and, in doing so, cause us to interact with a person or a situation as if they are one dimensional. So, then, it needs to be said:
Yoga Sūtra 4.15: vastusāmye cittabhedāttayorvibhaktaḥ panthāḥ
— “Although the same objects may be perceived by different minds, they are perceived in different ways, because those minds manifested differently.”
As I mentioned on Saturday, Omar Khayyám, who was both a mathematician and a poet (among other things), noted that doctors and saint “Came out by the same door where in I went.” This line in The Rubáiyát can be applied to every aspect of life (and death); meaning that while the details may be different, the journey is the same. The circumstances of our birth, life, and death may be different, but our ultimate journey — for fulfillment and freedom — is the same.
Patanjali — known as the author of books on Sanskrit grammar and linguistics, the Yoga Philosophy, and Ayurveda — indicated that everything in the known/perceived world (including ourselves) is a manifestation of the gunas, energy moving in three (3) different ways, and our sensory perception of that energy. In Yoga Sūtra 2.18, he stated that the purpose of everything (including ourselves) is to bring about fulfillment and freedom (or liberation) and described the gunas as active/changing; resting/stabilizing; and illuminating. The only problem, as Patanjali pointed out in the sūtras is that we are attached to our understanding, which is based on our perception — which is limited by our experiences and what our mind-intellect shows us (YS 2.20).
And before you think that this idea is only limited to Eastern philosophers, allow me to point point out that the English poet and translator Alexander Pope also encouraged people to be aware of their perceptions and noted that wisdom can be found within that practice.
“’Tis with our judgments as our watches, none
Go just alike, yet each believes his own.”
“Yet if we look more closely we shall find
Most have the seeds of judgment in their mind;
Nature affords at least a glimm’ring light;”
— quoted from “Part 1” of An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope
Born May 21, 1688 (according to the Old Style / Julian calendar), Alexander Pope experienced the dangers of narrow-mindedness almost as soon as he was born. Anti-Catholic sentiment in London caused his family to relocated to the countryside when he was a baby and also led to him being homeschooled by his aunt and a priest. When he was 12 years old, a bout of tuberculosis stunted his growth and caused severe kyphosis in his back. Even though bullies mocked him for his height (4’6”) and hunched back, Mr. Pope had a brilliant mind and wrote some of the most quoted works in the English language. In fact, his words are so well-known that people who have never read poems like The Rape of the Lock and An Essay on Criticism may find that the quote from the poems on a regular basis.
People may also notice that his words are as true to his time and circumstances as they are to ours. For example, in An Essay on Criticism, Mr. Pope wrote cautioned poets and literary critics to be aware of their own subjectivity when it comes to art — words that can also be applied to everything from our own inner critic, our criticism of others, and/or our criticism of ideas.
“Be not the first by whom the new are tried,
Not yet the last to lay the old aside.”
— quoted from “Part 2” of An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope’s advice about letting go of what no longer serves us and being open to new ideas, brings us back to the concept of fools and angels — and to Clara Barton, who founded the American Red Cross today (May 21st) in 1881, and who was simultaneously perceived by her contemporaries as a fool and an angel.
Clara Barton’s journey as a healer began in 1832, when her brother David fell off of a barn roof. He initially seemed fine, but then he (as is often the case with insults to the brain) he developed a headache and fever. A doctor prescribed the administration of leeches — which was quote common at the time — and 10-year-old Clara started nursing her brother back to health. It took 2 years for David to recover. In addition to applying leeches, young Clara also assisted with a “steam treatment,” which some would argue was more beneficial than the bloodletting.
“A little learning is a dang’rous thing;”
“Good nature and good sense must ever join;
To err is human; to forgive, divine.”
— quoted from “Part 2” of An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope
It’s hard to know if sitting by her brother’s bedside and taking care of him suited Clara Barton because she was shy or if being David’s nursemaid led to her being uncomfortable in big groups. Either way, because she was noticeably shy and developed a stutter, her mother took her to a phrenologist (also quite common at the time) who suggested that Ms. Barton study to become a teacher. She started teaching when she was 18 years old and was very successful.
When she retired from teaching, at the age of 33, she started working at the United States Patent Office where she was again, very successful. In fact, she was so successful that she lived up to her ideal that, “I may sometimes be willing to teach for nothing, but if paid at all, I shall never do a man’s work for less than a man’s pay.” However, some people (in particular, some men) were upset with her success. That friction led her to leave her patent job for a few years; but, she returned to Washington, D. C. just before the Civil War broke out. In 1861, she started nursing wounded Union soldiers in her area. Soon, news of the devastation during the First Battle of Battle of Bull Run (also known as the Battle of First Manassas) reached Washington and Clara Barton realized the neither army was prepared to take care of the wounded. So she stepped in and did what she could — just as she did when she was a 10-year-old kid.
“‘I will remain here while anyone remains and do whatever comes to my hand,’ she declared stoutly. ‘I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them.’”
— quoted from Clara Barton, Professional Angel by Elizabeth Brown Pryor
After the war, Clara Barton traveled to Geneva, Switzerland to learn about the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Her idea to establish a Red Cross society in the United States was initially met with doubt and criticism. Government officials didn’t believe there would be another war like the Civil War and, therefore, did not see the need for a neutral organization like the Red Cross. But, Ms. Barton was persistent and pointed out that the American Red Cross could be used for things like natural disasters.
Her point was proven when over 2,209 people died and thousands more were injured because of the Johnstown Flood in Pennsylvania on May 31, 1889. At the time, it was one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. Ms. Barton and five Red Cross volunteers arrived in Pennsylvania five days after the flood. Just like Jean-Henri Dunant did in Solferino, Italy in 1859, Ms. Barton assembled doctors, nurses, and relief workers while also requesting and distributing supplies (including food and water). She and her team also established “Red Cross Hotels” to shelter those whose homes were destroyed. Then, Clara Barton become instrumental in rebuilding Johnstown and the surrounding area. In total, she spent 5 months in Johnstown. Her efforts not only restored the area, it cemented her efforts to establish the American Rec Cross.
Today, the American Red Cross is the designated U. S. affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and is one of the 191 member Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which provides emergency assistance and “first-line disaster response services, as auxiliaries to the national authorities in their countries.” It is also a critical part of disaster preparedness and education in the United States.
“Clara promptly wrote to her Boston friend of the Franco-Prussian War days, Edmund Dwight:
There seems to be such a muddle of ideas growing out of the mishaps in Congress that it was very apparent that somebody must say something and that, you know, is the place where I always come in; the door that nobody else will go in at, seems always to swing open widely for me.”
— quoted from “PART TWO – XIV. Johnstown Flood” in Angel of the Battlefield: The Life of Clara Barton by Ishbel Ross
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05212022 The Fools and the Angels”]
POST SCRIPT— PRACTICE/MUSIC NOTES :
Even though I consider my practice a moving meditation and pulled from different medical/movement-based sciences to make this particular practice a mediation on healing, I did not realize that May 21st in World Meditation Day. Also, even though the playlist includes a track by John Butler Trio, I didn’t know (until after the practice) that John Butler was livestreaming a musical meditation today, which could absolutely be used for a practice.
“Ask the mirror on the wall
Who’s the biggest fool of all
Bet you’ll feel small, it happens to us all
See the world, ask what’s it for
Understanding, nothing more
Don’t you feel small? It happens to us all”
— quoted from the song “Don’t You Feel Small” by The Moody Blues (written by Graeme Edge)
Thank you to everyone who Kiss[ed] My Asana!
We surpassed the overall fundraiser goals & one of my personal goals!!! Whether you showed up in a (Zoom) class, used a recording, shared a post or video, liked and/or commented on a post or video, and/or made a donation — you and your efforts are appreciated! Thank you!!!
A Joyful Practice 