EXCERPT: “‘Doing: Lessons in unexpected, ridiculously inconvenient, unplayable things’” January 24, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Life, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Improv, jazz, Keith Jarrett
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Many blessings to everyone, everywhere. May everyone breathe deeply and receive the love you need (the way you need it)!
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“You always want to make it as good as it can be, but… But when you have problems that you can’t do anything about, one after another, you start forgetting what you’re actually doing, until it’s time. And that’s one of the secrets….”
— Keith Jarrett in a 2007 interview about his (01/24/1975) Köln Concert
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE!
[FTWMI] “Doing: Lessons in unexpected, ridiculously inconvenient, unplayable things” *link added*
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Saturday, January 24th) at 12:00 PM. 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 me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “0123-24/2022 Doing: Lessons in…”]
[NOTE: If it is accessible to you, please consider using the Spotify playlist (or this link with a Premium YouTube account) for the original music referenced in the practice. Even better, if you already have the album!
An authorized original recording is not available on YouTube (in the US) without a “Premium” membership and, after listening to several different “interpretations” — which do not / cannot include the vocalizations — I decided the Fausto Bongelli sounded the closest to the original. Sadly, one movement is missing and so I used a recording by Tomasz Trzcinkinski, who was the first person to record the music using the transcription. There are also now transcriptions for other instruments — which I didn’t sample, even though I think some of them would be lovely. There are also “covers” using electronic instruments, which I’m considering a hard pass (even if it seems contradictory to the theme), out of respect for the composer. ]
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 an 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.
### TRUST YOUR PLAY! ###
A Quick Note, Links, & Excerpts Related to Freedom [& Dreaming] (a post-practice Monday post) January 20, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Art, B. A. Parker, Buddhism, Code Switch, Dolly Lama, Dolly Parton, freedom, injustice, Martin Luther King Day, Martin Luther King Jr, Michael E. Eidenmuller, Nicholas Buccola, Racism, yoga
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Many blessings to everyone, and especially for anyone celebrating the Holy Theophany of Jesus (Baptism of the Lord) May everyone breathe deeply and savor the richness of living a three dimensional life!
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
This is a short post-practice post for Monday, January 19th (with excerpts). It includes some links that will direct you to a site outside of this blog. The 2026 prompt question was, “‘…which age would you like to live in?’” You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous 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.
“Something is happening in Memphis; something is happening in our world. And you know, if I were standing at the beginning of time, with the possibility of taking a kind of general and panoramic view of the whole of human history up to now, and the Almighty said to me, ‘Martin Luther King, which age would you like to live in?’ I would take my mental flight by Egypt and I would watch God’s children in their magnificent trek from the dark dungeons of Egypt through, or rather across the Red Sea, through the wilderness on toward the promised land. And in spite of its magnificence, I wouldn’t stop there.”
— quoted from the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, delivered Wednesday, April 3, 1968, at Mason Temple (Church of God in Christ Headquarters), Memphis, Tennessee by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
In anticipation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day — which is the third Monday in January for most of the United States1 — the January 17th episode of Code Switch featured B. A. Parker interviewing Nicholas Buccola, the historian and author of One Man’s Freedom. The book uses the activism and political engagement of Martin Luther King and Barry Goldwater to examine the concept of freedom and the interview discussed the ways in which these two public figures had different concepts of freedom.
The idea that “freedom” means something different to different people — and/or different groups of people — is something I have considered before. Of course, in philosophies like Yoga and Buddhism, freedom (and liberation) are related to the end of suffering; with pain being something physical and suffering being something mental and/or emotional. Physical pain can lead to mental and emotional suffering, and vice versa; however, one does not automatically lead to the other. Suffering, ultimately, comes down to attitude — even when someone is intentionally inflicting pain and suffering on others.
This is why someone very rich and (politically) powerful can be miserable, while someone financially and/or physically poor can have a good time.
This is why, as the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. illustrated in his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, someone can be happy even as they are struggling — and, sometimes, specifically because they believe their suffering will ultimately lead to the end of suffering.
Click on the excerpt titles below for other sermons that I have highlighted on MLK Day and for more about MLK.
A Quick Note, Links, & Excerpts Related to Life (a post-practice Monday post)
“Strangely enough, I would turn to the Almighty, and say, ‘If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the 20th century, I will be happy.’
Now that’s a strange statement to make, because the world is all messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land; confusion all around. That’s a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a way that men, in some strange way, are responding.
Something is happening in our world. The masses of people are rising up. And wherever they are assembled today, whether they are in Johannesburg, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; New York City; Atlanta, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; or Memphis, Tennessee — the cry is always the same: ‘We want to be free.’”
— quoted from the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, delivered Wednesday, April 3, 1968, at Mason Temple (Church of God in Christ Headquarters), Memphis, Tennessee by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Today’s prompt question might seem strange and out of place in the context of a practice about being present, right here and right now. And I debated using it — even though I lifted it directly from Reverend King’s final speech. It is interesting to note that, like MLK’s answers, the answers on Monday night were related to change and, more than once, to times when people were struggling for civil rights and civil liberties.
It seems many people dream of change and, also, of being part of making those dreams come true.
“And I knew that as they were sitting in, they were really standing up for the best in the American dream, and taking the whole nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.”
— quoted from the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, delivered Wednesday, April 3, 1968, at Mason Temple (Church of God in Christ Headquarters), Memphis, Tennessee by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Speaking of dreams, this year (2026), the third Monday in January happens to fall on the birthday of another dreamer, seeker, and preacher: the “Dolly Lama”!
Click on the excerpt title below for more about Dolly Partin, born January 19, 1946.
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”
— Dolly Parton
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: The “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech was Martin Luther King Jr’s final speech, as he was assassinated the following day (on April 4, 1968).
Click here to listen and/or read the speech on the American Rhetoric website.
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 an 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).
NOTE: 1While the third Monday in January is a federal holiday observed in all 50 states and the United States territories, not everyone observes it simply as “MLK Day”. Some states include “Civil Rights”, “Human Rights”, or “Equality” in the name. Other states (umm, specifically states in the South), have historically named the day after King and at least one Confederate general. While some of those Confederate observations have been eliminated, some were simply moved to other dates.
CORRECTION: During the 2026 practice, I erroneously said that Nicholas Buccola wrote about Martin Luther King Jr. and Bull Connors, as opposed to MLK and Barry Goldwater.
### “We need all of you.” ~ MLK ###
EXCERPT: “Searching….” January 18, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Meditation, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Poetry, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 9 Days, 988, A. A. Milne, Alan Alexander Milne, Art, Christopher Robin Milne, E. H. Shephard, Ernest Howard Shephard, Hope, meditation, Poetry, Winnie-the-Pooh, yoga
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Many blessings to everyone. May everyone breathe deeply and have sovereignty over your self!
May you know you are and be safe and protected / peaceful and happy / healthy and strong!
“Christopher Robin came down from the Forest to the bridge, feeling all sunny and careless, and just as if twice nineteen didn’t matter a bit, as it didn’t on such a happy afternoon, and he thought if he stood on the bottom rail of the bridge, and leant over, and watched the river slipping slowly away beneath him, then he would suddenly know everything there was to be known, and he would be able to tell Pooh, who wasn’t quite sure of it. But when he got to the bridge and saw all the animals there, then he knew that it wasn’t that kind of afternoon, but the other kind, when you wanted to do something.”
— quoted from “Chapter Six, In Which – Pooh Invents a New Game and Eeyore Joins In” of The House at Pooh Corner by Alan Alexander Milne, with decorations by Ernest Howard Shephard
Since Alan Alexander Milne was born today in 1882, some people call today Winnie-the-Pooh Day.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE (including a video).
“Every child has his Pooh, but one would think it odd if every man still kept his Pooh to remind him of his childhood. But my Pooh is different, you say: he is the Pooh. No, this only makes him different to you. My toys were and are to me no more than yours were and are to you, not different to me. I do not love them more because they are known to children in Australia or Japan. Fame has nothing to do with love.”
— quoted from “12. The Toys” in The Enchanted Places by Christopher Milne
Please join me today (Sunday, January 18th) at 2:30 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.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08212021 An Afternoon of Just Knowing”]
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 an 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.
### “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” ~ A. A. M. ###
Trust & EXCERPT: “What We Need to Live Well” (the “missing” Saturday post) January 17, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, First Nations, Healing Stories, Hope, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Life, Mantra, Meditation, One Hoop, Philosophy, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Benjamin Franklin, Dakota, Diné, Japa-Ajapa, Navajo, Noah Webster, Ojibwe, sankalpa, Sanskrit, Sebastian Junger, trust, trustful surrender, Webster's 1828, Yoga Sutra 1.23, Yoga Sutra 2.45
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Many blessings to everyone, and especially to anyone celebrating the Forefeast of the Theophany.
May all beings everywhere experience a trustful surrender. May all beings everywhere feel a sense of belonging!
This is the “missing” post for Saturday, January 17th. The practice and the first post excerpted below include references to mental health issues and connected traumas. There are no graphic descriptions. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous 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.
“TRUST, noun
-
Confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.
He that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25.
-
He or that which is the ground of confidence.
O Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth. Psalms 71:1.
-
Charge received in confidence.
Reward them well, if they observe their trust
-
That which is committed to one’s care. Never violate a sacred trust….”
— quoted from Webster’s Dictionary 1828: American Dictionary of the English Language
The root words of the Sanskrit word sankalpa are “truth” and “vow” and the word itself is often translated into English as “vow or highest vow”, “will”, or “determination”. In various religious and philosophical traditions, it has additional meanings, including (in the Yoga Philosophy) “intentional thought”. It can also be considered a “ritual intention” (in religious law). During the Saturday practices, I often explain it as “a positive, active statement, in the present tense, that comes from the heart.” It is a mantra or “tool”; although, not every mantra is a sankalpa.
While I usually just incorporate the group sankalpa into the last portion of the practice — as a form of japa-ajapa (“repeat and repeat” or “repeat and remember”) that integrates the idea into our being — this year is a little different. This year, I plan to use the (2026) Saturday practices to breakdown the group sankalpa, which begins with something you might find hard to do during these challenging times: “I trust….”
“TRUST, verb transitive To place confidence in; to rely on. We cannot trust those who have deceived us.
He that trusts every one without reserve, will at last be deceived.
-
To believe; to credit.”
— quoted from Webster’s Dictionary 1828: American Dictionary of the English Language
In the 1828 version of his American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster included 12 definitions of the word “trust” as a noun and five (5) definitions for verb forms, plus examples of how the word can be used in a sentence (based on each definition). Some of these definitions relate to legal entities, which I’m not getting into just yet. Neither am I going to spend a lot of time on these 17 different definitions, since most are still understood and used by modern audiences. You may remember, however, that Noah Webster studied (and incorporated) a variety of languages, including Sanskrit and Indigenous / Native / First Nation languages in order to create a dictionary and spelling and grammar tools that were uniquely American — and it is interesting to note how some words in other languages are translated into English as things other than “trust”.
For instance, apenimowin+an (in Ojibwe) can also mean “confidence”, “esteem”, “hope”, “optimism”, and “reliance”. Similarly, wac̣iƞye (in one of the Dakota Languages) can also be used to mean “depend on something” and “appreciate someone”. In Navajo (the language of Diné), one of the words used for “trust” can also be translated as “responsibility” or “duty”.
Whether you consciously realize it or not, these meanings underlie your ability to trust yourself and your skills — especially when you endeavor to do something “‘…of use to Mankind’”, as encouraged by Benjamin Franklin (born today in 1706, according to the Gregorian calendar).
While they may not have used these exact words, this multi-faceted understanding of “trust” is also integral to observations about community made by Mr. Franklin and by Sebastian Junger (born today in 1962).
Click on the excerpt title below for more about Benjamin Franklin and Sebastian Junger.
The post excerpted below references mental health issues and connected traumas. There are no graphic descriptions.
Yoga Sūtra 1.23: īśvarapraņidhānādvā
— “[A perfectly still, pristine state of mind] also comes from trustful surrender to Ishvara [the Divine],”
Yoga Sūtra 2.45: samādhisiddhirīśvarapraņidhānāt
— “From trustful surrender to Ishvara [the Divine], [a perfectly still, pristine state of mind] comes.”
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01172021 Franklin Junger”]
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 an 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).
### FAITH ###
EXCERPT: “A Simple, Radical, ‘Bad to the Bone’ Man” January 11, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Meditation, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, Religion, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, activism, Cardinal August Bea, Dr. Susannah Heschel, Feast of the Holy Innocents, habits, John F. Kennedy, kabbalah, Martin Luther King Jr, mitzvot, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, samskāras, Selma to Montgomery, vasanas, Vatican II
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Happy New Year! Many blessings to all and especially to anyone celebrating the Sunday after the Nativity and remembering the 14,000 Infants (Holy Innocents).
May your mind-body-spirit be well, be great, and be in harmony with your thoughts, words, and deeds.
“Our concern is not how to worship in the catacombs but how to remain human in the skyscrapers.”
— quoted from “Part V: The Meaning of this Hour – 40. Religion in Modern Society” in Between God and Man by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was born today in 1907. Click on the excerpt title below to learn why I think he was…
“The hour calls for moral grandeur and spiritual audacity.”
— quoted from a telegram to then U. S. President John F. Kennedy, (dated June 16, 1963) by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
Please join me today (Sunday, January 11th) at 2:30 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.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01112023 To The Bone, II”]
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 an 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.
### WHERE ARE YOUR FEET? ###
FTWMI: A Quick Note & Excerpts (About Grace, Zora, & Galileo’s Moons) January 7, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Mathematics, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Religion, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Dale Carnegie, David Block, Dr. Alan Locke, Dr. Franz Boas, Dr. Ruth Benedict, Galileo Galilei, grace, Harlem Renaissance, italy, Jupiter, Jupiter's moons, Kenneth C. Freeman, Kenneth Freeman, Nicolaus Copernicus, physics, Simon Marius, The Adoration of the Magi, The Nativity of Jesus, Tycho Brahe, Zora Neale Hurston
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“Happy New Year!” & many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating a fast free day and the Nativity & the Adoration of the Magi.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
For Those Who Missed It: The following note and excerpts were posted in 2025. Class details have been updated.
“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose. It is a seeking that he who wishes may know the cosmic secrets of the world and they that dwell therein.”
— quoted from the autobiographical essay “Research” in Dust Tracks On A Road: An Autobiography by Zora Neale Hurston
Today in 1610, Galileo Galilei wrote a letter about something he observed in the heavens.
281 years later, today in 1891, Zora Neale Hurston was born in Notasulga, AL, and grew up to write about what she observed here on Earth (when people were looking up to Heaven).
CLICK ON ONE OF THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE!
NOTE: The second post is the expanded post that ties in a philosophical discussion of Grace.
First Friday Night Special #15: “A Reflective Moment” (a post practice post)
Grace, Zora, & Galileo’s Moons (a “long lost” Saturday post for Sunday)
“…God reveals himself to humanity in two books: the book of nature (I have elucidated already) and the book of Scripture. Now, here comes the punchline, Galileo suggested that both books express eternal truths. That’s very interesting, because the face of science is forever changing. Galileo suggested that both books express eternal truths and are compatible, not incompatible, but compatible of course [because] they have the same author….He’s saying, I’ve got two books in front of me, the book in front of my telescope, the scriptures, but there’s no disagreement because they have the same author.”
— quoted from the lecture “From Tyndale to Galileo: Grace and Space” by David Block, professor emeritus in the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Please join me today (Wednesday, January 7th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a (virtual or in-person) yoga practice. You must be registered and confirmed to attend in person. 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.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01072023 Grace, Zora, & Galileo’s Moons”].
NOTE: The before/after music is slightly different, because I could only find one of the folk songs, related to Zora Neale Hurston, on Spotify.
EXCERPT NOTE: The first excerpt (above) features a different playlist.
“You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him to find it within himself.”
— Galileo Galilei, as quoted in How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
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 an 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.
### OM / LOVE NO MATTER WHAT ###
2026 EXCERPT: “What You Will See” January 5, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Christmas, Faith, Healing Stories, Mantra, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, William Shakespeare, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 12 Days of Christmas, 988, Art, Books, entertainment, Epiphanytide, Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ, Nativity Fast, New Year, St. Philip's Fast, Theophany, Twelfth Night, Twelvetide, William Shakespeare, Yoga Sutra 1.28, Yoga Sutras 1.32-1.39
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“Happy New Year!” to everyone. “Merry Christmastide/Twelvetide!” to anyone observing. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Nativity Fast / St. Philip’s Fast and the Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction.”
— Fabian (a servant for the Countess Olivia) in Act III, scene iv of Twelfth Night, or What You Will by William Shakespeare
Click on the excerpt title below for more.
Please join me for a 75-minute (virtual or in-person) yoga practice today (Monday, January 5th) at 5:00 PM**. You must be registered and confirmed to attend in person. 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.
Monday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01052021 and Twelfth Night” or “01052021 aka Twelfth Night”]
“I’ll do my best”
— Viola (a twin in disguise) in Act I, scene iv of Twelfth Night, or What You Will by William Shakespeare
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 an 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.
**NOTE: This practice is at a special time!
### Yoga Sūtra 1.39 ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “The Power of a Good/Meaningful Push” January 4, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Christmas, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 12 Days of Christmas, 988, Books, Caroline Myss, David Brewster, Dr. Robert Hooke, Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ, inspiration, laws of motion, master teachers, Nativity Fast, New Year, Poetry, precious jewels, relationship, Sir Isaac Newton, St. Philip's Fast, Stacey Flowers, Twelvetide, Yoga Sutra 4.29, Yoga Sutras 1.12-16
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“Happy New Year!” to everyone. “Merry Christmastide/Twelvetide!” to anyone observing. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Nativity Fast / St. Philip’s Fast and the Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“Every body continues in its state of rest, or uniform motion in a right line, unless compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it.”
— “Law 1” quoted from “Axioms, or Laws of Motion” in Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Sir Isaac Newton (b. 1643)
NOTE: Some editions use the term “straight line.”
Once upon a time, a young woman — that would be me, about twenty-odd years ago — took a temporary job. Four weeks turned into four months. Four months turned into four years. Someone I met at the beginning of my assignment was surprised to see me (still) at the same desk four years after we met. When he asked what happened, I just shrugged and said, “Inertia.”
Born today in 1643, Sir Isaac Newton (and his name) are closely associated with his “Laws of Motion” and, yet, that first law is also known as the “Law of Inertia”. Isn’t it funny how one name resonates with people — and sticks in their memory — more than the other?
Isn’t it interesting that most of us focus on what pushes us?
Click on the excerpt title below for the post about Sir Isaac Newton and how his “Laws of Motion” affect us on and off the mat (in surprising ways). The post includes a video by Stacey Flowers!
“I most gladly embrace your proposal of a private correspondence. What’s done before many witnesses is seldom without some further concerns than that for truth; but what passes between friends in private, usually deserves the name of consultation rather than contention; and so I hope it will prove between you and me….
But in the mean time, you defer too much to my ability in searching into this subject. What Descartes did was a good step. You have added much several ways, and especially in considering the colours of thin plates. If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
— quoted from a letter marked “Cambridge, February 5, 1675-76” from Sir Isaac Newton to Dr. Robert Hooke, as published in Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton by David Brewster
Please join me today (Sunday, January 4th) at 2:30 PM, for a 65-minute (virtual or in-person) yoga practice. You must be registered to attend in person. 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.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01042022 New(ton’s) Beginnings”]
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 an 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.
### “Every relationship you develop, from casual to intimate, helps you become more conscious. No union is without spiritual value.” ~ Caroline Myss ###
First Friday Night Special #63 — Invitation & EXCERPTS: “The Purpose of Naming [the Business]” & “Nom de Destiné” January 2, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 7-Day Challenge, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Mysticism, New Year, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 12 Days of Christmas, 988, Art, Books, Cornelius Eady, James Baldwin, Jhumpa Lahiri, Johannes Mercurius, mantra, New Year, Oscar Hammerstein II, Pope John II, Richard Rodgers, sankalpa, shabda, Swami Vivekananda, travel, Twelvetide, William Shakespeare, Yoga Sutra 3.17, Yoga Sutra 4.1
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Happy 2026 to Everyone!
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“The power of words. There are certain sacred words called Mantras, which have power, when repeated under proper conditions, produce these extraordinary powers. We are living in the midst of such a mass of miracles, day and night, that we do not think anything of them. There is no limit to man’s power, the power of words and the power of mind.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 4.1 from Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda
Shabda (“Word”) is one of the six siddhis (“powers” or “abilities”) described in Yoga and Sankhya as “unique to being human”. According to the Yoga Sūtras, our words have an external vibration and an internal vibration that leads to internal/external reaction — meaning their power is layered. They are also described as one of the things that can lead to someone attaining great powers. For instance, we can focus/concentrate/meditate on a word to gain insight and a deeper understanding of words and language in general. In fact, there is a practice — and a sūtra (YS 3.17) — for that. However, when we talk about the power of words, we don’t always recognize or appreciate that a name is a word that has power.
Oh, sure, we may consider a (surface level) meaning of a name if we are naming a child or a pet and/or a business. People who choose a new name or nickname for themselves may, naturally, choose something that sends a message. However, most of us don’t deliberately and intentionally choose a name to send a message. Most of us are not like Johannes Mercurius — even though we are living in a time that is as interesting as his time.
Today in 533 AD, Johannes Mercurius quite literally made a name for himself. He changed his name to John II and, in doing so, became the first pope to change his name at the beginning of his papacy. Pope John II was very deliberate in his decision to change his name and in the name he chose. He understood the power of words and was sending a message about how he was planning to move forward as a leader. He was also sending a message about what he would not tolerate.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE FOR MORE.
Nom de Destiné (the “missing” Sunday post *with and update*)
“Me, a name I call myself”
— quoted from the song “Do-Re-Mi” by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
Today is a day when I usually suggest you contemplate a name you would use to indicate how you plan to show up in this new year. Normally, the suggestion focuses on a personal name. This year, however, I want you to (also) consider a business name. As you go about your business this year — the business of living your life, what is a name that reflects the alignment of your deepest desires, beliefs, and actions? What is a name that sends the message, as Pope John II sent, about what no longer serves a purpose?
Just imagine the name that is proof of what you will do this year.
“You have to imagine it.
Who said you must keep quiet?
Who heard your story, then rolled their eyes?
Who tried to change your name to invisible?
You’ve got to imagine.
Who heard your name and refused to pronounce it?
Who checked their watch and said, ‘Not now’?
James Baldwin wrote,
‘The place in which I’ll fit will not exist until I make it.’”
— quoted from the poem “Proof” by Cornelius Eady, recited at the New York mayoral inauguration of Zohran Mamdani (01/01/2026) and dedicated to the poet’s “…trans, queer, foreign, students of color at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. So they have, so they can see this is possible.”
Please join me (tonight) Friday, January 2, 2025, 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST) for “The Purpose of Naming [the Business]” for a (virtual or in-person) yoga practice. You must be registered and confirmed to attend in person.
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.
This practice is scheduled as a Yin Yoga practice. If the room is heated (as it was last night), it will be a Restorative Yoga practice. Either is accessible and open to all.
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
Music Note: You can start with Track #1, #2, or #3 (which will include #4). Track #24 is also an option.
Prop wise, this is a kitchen sink practice. You can practice without props or you can use “studio” and/or “householder” props. Example of “Studio” props: 1 – 2 blankets, 2 – 3 blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. Example of “Householder” props: 1 – 2 blankets or bath towels, 2 – 3 books (similar in size), 2 standard pillows (or 1 body pillow), a belt/tie/sash, and a face towel.
You may want extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). Having a wall, chair, sofa, or coffee table may be handy.
“In Bengali the word for pet name is daknam, meaning, literally, the name by which one is called , by friends, family, and other intimates, at home and in other private, unguarded moments. Pet names are a persistent remnant of childhood, a reminder that life is not always so serious, so formal, so complicated. They are a reminder, too, that one is not all things to all people.”
— quoted from The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
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 an 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.
### Trusting, Aligning, Releasing ###
HAPPY New Year 2026! ** UPDATED** January 1, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Mala, Mantra, Meditation, Mysticism, New Year, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Vipassana, Wisdom, Writing, Yin Yoga, Yoga.Tags: 108 Sun Salutations, Anthony Shumate, Kwanzaa, New Year's Day, Nguzo Saba, Nia, Sun Salutations, Surya Namaskar
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“Happy New Year!” “Kwanzaa, yenu iwe na heri!” – “May your Kwanzaa be happy!” to everyone who is celebrating!
Many blessings to all!
Part of the 6-piece “Monumental Moments” series
by Anthony Shumate, 2015
(located in Buffalo Bayou Park, along the Kinder Footpaths)
TRANSFORM • RENEW • HEAL • ENERGIZE
Celebrate the New Year with 108 Sun Salutations 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM CST!
AND/OR
RELAX • RELEASE • REST • RENEW • HEAL
Celebrate the New Year with Restorative Yoga+Meditation
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM CST!
The New Year is a beginning and an ending… and it is also a middle. On New Year’s Day we honor and celebrate transition with 108 Sun Salutations in the morning (10 AM – 1 PM, CST) and/or a Restorative* Yoga plus Meditation practice in the evening (5 – 7 PM, CST). We also put things in perspective.
These practices are open and accessible to all, regardless of experience.
*NOTE: In previous years, the evening practice has been Yin Yoga.
Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and make sure you are well hydrated before the practice. It is best to practice on an empty stomach (especially for the 108 ajapa-japa mala), but if you must eat less than 1 hour before the practice, make sure to keep it light. Make sure to have a towel (at the very least) for the 108 practice. For Restorative Yoga, a pillow/cushion or two, blocks or (hardcover) books, and a blanket or towel will be useful. I always recommend having something handy (pen and paper) that you can use to note any reflections (and will have some supplies handy).
IN-PERSON IS FULL! Use the link above for login information (or click here for more details about these practices and other practice opportunities related to the New Year).
The 108 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “New Year’s Day 108 Ajapa-Japa Mala.”] NOTE: This playlist was revised for 2024, but should still sync up with the 2021 — 2023 recordings.
The Restorative playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01072022 A Reflective Moment”]
Both practices are available in-person (if you are registered) and online. They are also donation based. If you don’t mind me knowing your donation amount you can donate to me directly. You can also email me to request my Venmo or Ca$hApp ID. If you want your donation to be anonymous (to me) and/or tax deductible, please donate through Common Ground Meditation Center (type my name under “Teacher”).
Please note that there is still no late admittance and you must log in before the beginning of the practice (so, by 9:45 AM for the 108 or by 4:45 PM for the Restorative Yoga+Meditation). You will be re-admittance if you get dumped from the call.)
Part of the 6-piece “Monumental Moments” series
by Anthony Shumate, 2015
(located in Buffalo Bayou Park, along the Kinder Footpaths)
Part of the 6-piece “Monumental Moments” series
by Anthony Shumate, 2015
(located in Buffalo Bayou Park, along the Kinder Footpaths)
*Anthony Shumate’s “Monumental Moments” sculptures are located in Buffalo Bayou Park, along the Kinder Footpaths in Houston, Texas. They are unexpected reminders to “Explore,” “Pause,” “Reflect,” “Listen,” “Emerge,” and “Observe” – all things we do in our practice!
A Joyful Practice 