Living, Dying, & Dreaming of the Mind’s Awareness of the Mind’s Awareness (the “missing” Wednesday post w/2 excerpts) July 9, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Bill Hayes, brain, Christopher Nolan, David Hume, Dr. Gerald Edelman, Dr. Oliver Sacks, dreaming, dreams, face blindness, Health, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ludwig van Beethoven, meditation, mental health, mind, Muriel Elsie Landau, proprioception, prosopagnosia, Rodolfo Llinás, Samuel Sacks, spirituality, wellness, yoga, Yoga Sutras 1.5-1.7
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Peace and blessings to all, and especially to those commemorating the Martyrdom of the Báb!
This is the “missing” post for Wednesday, July 9th. Some links will take you to sites outside of WordPress (and are marked accordingly). 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.
SHADOWS
“Dreams feel real while we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange.”
— the character “Cobb” (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) quoted from the movie Inception, written and directed by Christopher Nolan
Every once in a while, we begin the practice in “your body’s favorite sleeping position” and I will ask how you can know “that you’re starting a yoga practice in your body’s favorite sleeping position versus dreaming that you’re starting a yoga practice in your body’s favorite sleeping position”. Of course, each of us has ways that enable us (we believe) to tell our waking lives from our sleeping lives.
But those ways are dependent on our sense of self.
What if, however, we aren’t the one that is dreaming? What if we are living inside someone else’s dream? How would we even know?
In Christopher Nolan’s science fiction thriller Inception (which premiered July 8, 2010), characters refer to a “totem” the status or presence of which indicates a dream state versus a waking state. In real life, however, we may not have a “spinning top” or “loaded die” — we only have our mind… and our sense of self.
“If a man has lost a leg or an eye, he knows he has lost a leg or an eye; but if he has lost a self—himself—he cannot know it, because he is no longer there to know it.”
— quoted from The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks
Born today (July 9th) in 1933, Dr. Oliver Sacks was a neurologist, naturalist, historian of science, and best-selling author who was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), for services to medicine, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours on November 26, 2008, and received a number of awards and honorary degrees from several professional associations, universities, and colleges. He was also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP), as well as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters (Literature); a Fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences; a Honorary Fellow at the Queen’s College, Oxford; and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Class IV—Humanities and Arts, Section 4—Literature.
With the exception of a four year period, from 1939-1943 — when he and his older brother (Michael) were evacuated and sent to boarding school to escape the Blitz during World War II, Oliver Sacks was born in raised in Cricklewood, a town in North London, England. He was the youngest of four children born to two Jewish doctors. His father, Samuel Sacks, a Lithuanian Jewish doctor. His mother, Muriel Elsie Landau, was one of the first female surgeons in England — and she would sometimes bring “work” home with her.
Given his childhood, it is not surprising that Dr. Sacks had an early interest in chemistry and that, in 1958, he earned a medical degree from The Queen’s College, Oxford. He migrated to the United States soon after he received his degree and, after completing an internship and residency in California, he moved to New York City where he began to make a name for himself.
Dr. Sacks published 18 books and hundreds of articles and essays consumed by scientist as well as lay people. His books included two memoirs (Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood and On the Move: A Life), as well as Everything in Its Place, a posthumously collection of essays. He became a household name when his 1973 book Awakenings — which chronicled his work with survivors of the 1920s sleeping sickness encephalitis lethargica epidemic — was turned into an Academy Award-nominated movie starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro. Some of his other books were also turned into feature films, animated shorts, plays, and an opera. His work also inspired the creation of dance pieces, find art, and music.
Throughout his career, Dr. Sacks wrote about everything from music to color blindness to sign language to migraines to hallucinations to gratitude to his own experience with prosopagnosia (also known as “face blindness”) — which was also the diagnosis of “the man who mistook his wife for a hat”. Finally, he wrote about his own experience with death and dying.
Since yesterday was all about Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and her work related to death and dying and living, part of me wants to skip right to the end — because Dr. Oliver Sacks’s experience with death and dying was just as interesting as his experience with life. But, since his life was so interesting, I am resisting the urge to skip to the end!
SCIENCE (& PHILOSOPHY)
Yoga Sūtra 1.6: pramāṇa viparyaya vikalpa nidrā smṛtayaḥ
— “[The five types of mental activity] are correct knowledge, misconception, imagination, sleep [or knowledge found in deep sleep] and memory.”
While the subjects about which Oliver Sacks wrote may seem very different on the surface, what connected all of his work was the brain (and the way the brain works). These are also subjects that have fascinated me since I was a young child.
Similar to Dr. Sacks, my fascination probably started because I grew up with medicine in the household. My father has a PhD in neurology and physiology and so I grew around him teaching medical students about the brain and the nervous system. Then I started reading about psychoanalysis. Fast forward to my adulthood and, when I started practicing yoga, I (eventually) discovered that Patanjali devoted a lot of the Yoga Sūtras to how the brain/mind works and how we can work the brain/mind.
While there are some obvious differences between Western science and Patanjali’s philosophical discourse related to how afflicted/dysfunctional thought patterns lead to suffering — which can manifest physically as well as mentally, emotional, and/or energetically — it is also interesting to note the ways in which modern science dovetails with ancient science when it comes to perception, understanding, and the ways in which our mind-bodies process sensation/information (when we’re awake and when we are asleep).
“Rodolfo Llinás and his colleagues at New York University, comparing the electrophysiological properties of the brain in waking and dreaming, postulate a single fundamental mechanism for both—ceaseless inner talking between cerebral cortex and thalamus, a ceaseless interplay of image and feeling irrespective of whether there is sensory input or not. When there is sensory input, this interplay integrates it to generate waking consciousness, but in the absence of sensory input it continues to generate brain states, those brain states we call fantasy, hallucination, or dreams. Thus waking consciousness is dreaming—but dreaming constrained by external reality.”
— quoted from the commentary/notes in An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales by Oliver Sacks
MUSIC, BEETHOVEN, & MEMORY
“‘Every act of perception,’ [Dr. Gerald] Edelman writes, ‘is to some degree an act of creation, and every act of memory is to some degree an act of imagination.’”
“Many composers, indeed, do not compose initially or entirely at an instrument but in their minds. There is no more extraordinary example of this than Beethoven, who continued to compose (and whose compositions rose to greater and greater heights) years after he had become totally deaf. It is possible that his musical imagery was even intensified by deafness…. There is an analogous phenomenon in those who lose their sight; some people who become blind may have, paradoxically, heightened visually imagery.”
— quoted from Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Dr. Oliver Sacks
Serendipitously (because the initial impulse had nothing to do with this practice), I did a deep dive into the amygdala on Tuesday night and started learning how the cells many of us associate with fear-based reactions actually processes all sensation and pays particular attention to anything the mind/brain thinks is relevant to survival. This can be things we might (consciously) consider good/positive/safe as well as things we might (consciously) consider bad/negative/dangerous. This process also contributes to how we form and retain memories — all of which also comes up in various texts related to the Yoga Philosophy.
Research has shown that imagining yourself doing something over a period of time can actually help you do the thing better — as long as you’re imagining yourself doing the thing in the best way possible (i.e., doing things the correct way). For instance, you can benefit from imagining yourself practicing yoga… the right way.
What is the wrong way to practice (or imagining yourself practicing)? Any way that is not mindful.
Remember, movement is good for the mind-body and part of what can make yoga good movement is the repetition — which the brain/mind also appreciates.
MORE MUSIC
“There is certainly a universal and unconscious propensity to impose a rhythm even when one hears a series of identical sounds at constant intervals… We tend to hear the sound of a digital clock, for example, as ‘tick-tock, tick-tock’ – even though it is actually ‘tick tick, tick tick.’”
“There are, of course, inherent tendencies to repetition in music itself. Our poetry, our ballads, our songs are full of repetition; nursery rhymes and the little chants and songs we use to teach young children have choruses and refrains. We are attracted to repetition, even as adults; we want the stimulus and the reward again and again, and in music we get it.”
“Music is part of being human”
— quoted from Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Dr. Oliver Sacks
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT BELOW FOR A POST ABOUT MUSIC & THE MIND.
Creating: Music for This Date II (the “missing” Wednesday post)
ONE MORE NOTE ABOUT DEATH & DYING & LIVING
“A MONTH ago, I felt that I was in good health, even robust health. At 81, I still swim a mile a day. But my luck has run out — a few weeks ago I learned that I have multiple metastases in the liver….
I feel grateful that I have been granted nine years of good health and productivity since the original diagnosis, but now I am face to face with dying. The cancer occupies a third of my liver, and though its advance may be slowed, this particular sort of cancer cannot be halted.
It is up to me now to choose how to live out the months that remain to me. I have to live in the richest, deepest, most productive way I can. In this I am encouraged by the words of one of my favorite philosophers, David Hume, who, upon learning that he was mortally ill at age 65, wrote a short autobiography in a single day in April of 1776. He titled it My Own Life.
‘I now reckon upon a speedy dissolution,’ he wrote. ‘I have suffered very little pain from my disorder; and what is more strange, have, notwithstanding the great decline of my person, never suffered a moment’s abatement of my spirits. I possess the same ardour as ever in study, and the same gaiety in company.’”
— quoted from the essay “My Own Life” by Oliver Sacks (published in The New York Times, Feb. 19, 2015)
For most of his life, Dr. Oliver Sacks was pretty quiet about his personal life. For most of his career, he didn’t write about being gay or about the fact that he was celibate for 35 years. However, in his 2015 autobiography On the Move: A Life, he wrote about how his friendship with Bill Hayes, a contributor to The New York Times, whom he met 2008, evolved into a long-term partnership. Their partnership lasted until Dr. Sacks died in 2015.
Just as was the case with everything else he found interesting, Dr. Sacks wrote an essay about the fact that he was dying. It was published in The New York Times a little over six months before he died. It is, in some ways, an obituary. It is also letter of gratitude and thanksgiving, for a life well lived.
Finally, it is a bit of wisdom — really, several bits of wisdom — about living.
Click here to read the entire essay (at Third Act Project)!
“I cannot pretend I am without fear. But my predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved; I have been given much and I have given something in return; I have read and traveled and thought and written. I have had an intercourse with the world, the special intercourse of writers and readers.
Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.”
— quoted from the essay “My Own Life” by Oliver Sacks (published in The New York Times, Feb. 19, 2015)
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07092022 Awareness of the Mind’s Awareness”]
A FINAL NOTE ABOUT MOVING
“There is a direct union of oneself with a motorcycle, for it is so geared to one’s proprioception, one’s movements and postures, that it responds almost like part of one’s own body. Bike and rider become a single, indivisible entity; it is very much like riding a horse. A car cannot become part of one in quite the same way.”
— quoted from the chapter “Muscle Beach” in On the Move: A Life by Oliver Sacks
Click on the excerpt below for my brief Kiss My Asana post and short video about proprioception.
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).
CORRECTION: The original post contained wrong date and class times.
### We Think, Therefore We Are, Therefore We Dream (or maybe it’s the other way around) ###
Living, Dying, & Dreaming of the Mind’s Awareness of the Mind’s Awareness (mostly the music) *UPDATED w/link* July 9, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, brain, David Hume, Dr. Oliver Sacks, Health, meditation, mental health, mind, Rodolfo Llinás, spirituality, wellness
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Peace and blessings to all, and especially to those commemorating the Martyrdom of the Báb!
“Rodolfo Llinás and his colleagues at New York University, comparing the electrophysiological properties of the brain in waking and dreaming, postulate a single fundamental mechanism for both—ceaseless inner talking between cerebral cortex and thalamus, a ceaseless interplay of image and feeling irrespective of whether there is sensory input or not. When there is sensory input, this interplay integrates it to generate waking consciousness, but in the absence of sensory input it continues to generate brain states, those brain states we call fantasy, hallucination, or dreams. Thus waking consciousness is dreaming—but dreaming constrained by external reality.”
— quoted from the commentary/notes in An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales by Oliver Sacks (b. 07/09/1933)
CLICK HERE FOR THE RELATED POST.
Please join me today (Wednesday, July 9th) 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 “07092022 Awareness of the Mind’s Awareness”]
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.)
“A MONTH ago, I felt that I was in good health, even robust health. At 81, I still swim a mile a day. But my luck has run out — a few weeks ago I learned that I have multiple metastases in the liver….
I feel grateful that I have been granted nine years of good health and productivity since the original diagnosis, but now I am face to face with dying. The cancer occupies a third of my liver, and though its advance may be slowed, this particular sort of cancer cannot be halted.
It is up to me now to choose how to live out the months that remain to me. I have to live in the richest, deepest, most productive way I can. In this I am encouraged by the words of one of my favorite philosophers, David Hume, who, upon learning that he was mortally ill at age 65, wrote a short autobiography in a single day in April of 1776. He titled it My Own Life.
‘I now reckon upon a speedy dissolution,’ he wrote. ‘I have suffered very little pain from my disorder; and what is more strange, have, notwithstanding the great decline of my person, never suffered a moment’s abatement of my spirits. I possess the same ardour as ever in study, and the same gaiety in company.’”
— quoted from the essay “My Own Life” by Oliver Sacks (published in The New York Times, Feb. 19, 2015)
CORRECTION: Original post contained wrong date and class times.
### 
###
A Quick Note & Excerpts RE: A 90-Year Old Continuing His Commitments July 6, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Buddhism, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Life, Love, Mantra, Meditation, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, bodhicitta, bodhisattva, Buddhism, Dalai Lama, Geshé Chekawa Yeshe Dorje, Karuna, lojong, loving-kindness, lovingkindness, meditation, Metta, Mindfulness, Philosophy, samkhya, Shantideva, siddhis, spirituality, Sāmkhya, Tenzin Gyatso, yoga philosophy
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating a heart full of peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).
“On the occasion of my 90th birthday, I understand that well-wishers and friends in many places, including Tibetan communities, are gathering for celebrations. I particularly appreciate the fact that many of you are using the occasion to engage in initiatives that highlight the importance of compassion, warm-heartedness, and altruism.
I am just a simple Buddhist monk; I don’t normally engage in birthday celebrations. However, since you are organizing events focused on my birthday I wish to share some thoughts.
While it is important to work for material development, it is vital to focus on achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate, not just toward near and dear ones, but toward everyone. Through this, you will contribute to making the world a better place.”
— quoted from “90th Birthday Message” (dated July 5, 2025) by Dalai Lama
Born today in 1935, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is doing what he typically does: teaching and sending a message to the world.
This year, his birthday message focuses on continuing his “commitments of promoting human values, religious harmony, drawing attention to the ancient Indian wisdom which explains the workings of mind and emotions, and Tibetan culture and heritage, which has so much potential to contribute to the world through its emphasis on peace of mind and compassion.”
He is also spending this weekend sharing how his legacy will continue — and how that legacy includes a 15th Dalai Lama, as well as each and every person dedicated to cultivating a good heart.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
A Quick Note & Excerpts About Life and Cultivating a Good Heart
Lessons of the Teachers
A Big G’s Gift On His Birthday (with video)
The Power and Responsibility of Cultivating a Good Heart (the Wednesday post)
“I develop determination and courage in my daily life through the teachings of the Buddha and Indian masters such as Shantideva, whose following aspiration I strive to uphold.
As long as space endures,
As long as sentient being remain,
Until then, may I too remain
To dispel the miseries of the world.
Thank you for using the opportunity of my birthday to cultivate peace of mind and compassion.”
— quoted from “90th Birthday Message” (dated July 5, 2025) by Dalai Lama
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, July 6th) 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 “07062021 HHDL Big Day”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlist includes the Dalai Lama’s 2021 birthday message. Since it was not available on Spotify, I substituted a prayer.
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.)
### A Little Metta & Karuna Go A Long Way! ###
A Note & EXCERPT: “Speaking of Things that Were Not Televised…” (a post-practice Monday post) June 30, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, asana, Benjamin Brodie, Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, chakra, Charles Darwin, darwin, evolution, Herbert Spencer, history, John William Draper, Joseph Dalton Hooker, On the Origin of the Species, Oxford debate 1860, Religion, Robert FitzRoy, Science, Thomas Henry Huxley, vinyasa krama, yoga
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Happy Pride! Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to any observing the Apostles’ (Peter & Paul) Fast during this 4th Week after Pentecost!!!
This is the post-practice post and excerpt for Monday, June 30th. The 2025 prompt question was, “Where do you come from?”
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.
“There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”
— from On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life by Charles Darwin
Bring your awareness to where you come from (however you think about that).
We could do a little meditation and contemplation about where we started in life and consider the things that happened — all the things we experienced that led us to being who we are and where we are, in this present moment, right here, right now.
And, on a certain level, we do that during the practice. But, today, I want to go back, back to your origins. I want you to take a moment to consider the causes and conditions that led to your origins being the place that it was when you were born.
Now, I want you to go back even further — to the origins of our origins.
Charles Darwin was not the first person to conceive of what we now consider the “theory of evolution” (a term he didn’t even use in his On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life). However, the 1859 publication of On the Origin of Species kicked off a slew of debates, lectures, protests, and (eventually) trials.
The very first of those public debates occurred today (June 30th) in 1860.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE FOR MORE.
“It has often and confidently been asserted, that man’s origin can never be known: but ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.”
— from The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex by Charles Darwin (pub. 1871)
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 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).
### THINGS ARE MADE TO CHANGE ###
FTWMI: Starting with the Foundation (a prelude) *REVISED* June 11, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, First Nations, Healing Stories, Life, Meditation, Men, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Shavuot, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Afterfeast of Pentecost, asana, Benjamin Franklin, Committee of Five, Constitution, Declaration of Independence, John Adams, Jyeshtha Purnima, Lee Resolution, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, William Butler Yeats, yoga, Yoga Sutra 1.32, Yoga Sutras 1.30-1.32, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.50
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Happy Pride!
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating festivals associated with Jyeshtha Purnima, Pride, and/or observing the Afterfeast of Pentecost.
For Those Who Missed It: The following is a slightly revised version of content original posted in 2023 and reposted in 2023. Some links, class details, and formatting have been added or updated.
Yoga Sūtra 1.32: tat pratiṣedhārtham eka tattvābhyāsaḥ
— “To prevent or deal with these nine obstacles and their four consequences, the recommendation is to make the mind one-pointed, training it how to focus on a single truth, principle, or object.”
On and off the mat, we start with the foundation. We build from the ground up. This is standard operating procedure whether we are building an asana; building a life for ourselves; building a relationship; building an edifice; building an organization or a business; and/or building a country. We may have an idea(l) in mind and our desire may be to build from the concept (i.e., that may be what motivates us to build); however, to make the dream come true — to make the idea(l) a reality — we need awareness and material/matter.
That’s the practice. On and off the mat (or cushion), we bring awareness to the foundation and then establish a foundation that allows us to bring awareness to our awareness… or to any number things which can be our point of focus. In mindfulness-based practices, like Yoga and Buddhist meditation, we are very intentional, very deliberate about this method of building. In fact, Patanjali outlined this practice in the Yoga Sūtras. (YS 2.46-50) More detailed instructions (on building asanas) can be found in texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Shastras, like Yoga Vasistha, and many modern texts also include details on building a practice. And, we can extrapolate from there — taking the practice off of the mat/cushion and into the world.
On a certain level, reality forces us to build from the ground up. However, there is a difference between just doing it and being deliberate and intentional about it. There is also a difference between deliberately and intentionally building from the ground up and starting [everything] with the foundation in mind. For example, in a seated (or moving) meditation practice, when you loose the “thread,” you go back to the beginning — back to the foundation.
Are you still “sitting” in a way that balances effort and relaxation? If the answer is no, adjust. If the answer is yes, bring awareness to the parts of the breath. Notice when (and what) distracts you. Remind yourself that you are “sitting” and breathing. That’s the practice.
Off the mat/cushion, there is a tendency to forget about the foundation once we really get going. No, I’m not ignoring the fact that this also happens in yoga practices where there is a lot of movement and momentum. What I would like to point out, however, is that part of a practice like vinyasa is being mindful of the pace. Being mindful of the pace requires noticing when you are not breathing deeply; when you are moving faster than your breath; and/or when you are “flowing,” but not “placing things in a special way” (which is the literal meaning of vinyasa). Also, over time, not being mindful of the foundation may lead to injuries and/or obstacles to the practice. (YS 1.30-31)
Off the mat/cushion, the tendency to forget about the foundation also has consequences. People get hurt — on a lot of different levels. And, also, obstacles arise that prevent the fulfilment of the original idea(l). What I mean by that is: Sometimes we end up with a final product that looks nothing like the intention. And, sometimes, things fall apart because the center (which is the foundation) could not hold… was not designed to hold without attention/awareness.
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;”
— quoted from the poem “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats
Today in 1776, the Committee of Five started discussing and drafting a document which would be approved by the Second Continental Congress and presented to England as a Declaration of Independence. Representatives John Adams (Massachusetts), Roger Sherman (Connecticut), Robert Livingston (New York), Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania), and Thomas Jefferson (Virginia), worked until July 5th building what became the foundation of the United States of America.
The final document was approved on July 2nd, printed on July 4th, and signed by the delegates of the Second Continental Congress over the course of several months. It contains some of the best and most quoted language associated with democracy and freedom. It is considered, by some, to be the best language regarding an ideal government. Yet, the original language is interesting — as is the language of the final draft.
First, the committee originally included language criticizing English people, slavery, and the British slave trade. Ultimately, they decided to exclude the language about slavery, because they thought including it would cost them votes. Another interesting point (of exclusion) is that the words didn’t exactly mean what they said. The words “all men” was not, in fact, applied to all men (let alone all humans).
A portion of the following is an excerpt from a July 2020 post.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
— from “The Declaration of Independence” drafted by the Committee of Five and (eventually) signed by delegates of the Second Continental Congress
The Declaration of Independence was the formal announcement and explanation of the “Lee Resolution” (aka “The Resolution for Independence”). Its second sentence is often referenced as “one of the best-known sentences in the English language” and is possibly the most quoted sentence in American history. It provided justification for revolution and the building blocks for a new nation. It was, however, not completely true. While we may want to delude ourselves into thinking the founding fathers meant all humans when they signed off on the declaration — or even all males — the “all men” was very specific in that it meant “white men only.” And, if we are being honest, there was also a religious subtext which further restricted who would be granted the subsequently mentioned Rights. (Yes, yes, we can go around and around about religious freedom, but there was a definite assumption within the text that “all men,” see above, believed in one God — even if they had slightly different ways of worshiping said God.)
The Second Continental Congress approved the resolution and the declaration unanimously, but it was never a sure thing. There was debate with the Committee of Five as to how to present their argument to the other delegates in a way that would sway things in their favor. Remember, everyone on the committee and every one of the delegates was, at the time, a subject of the Crown — meaning they were citizens of the British Commonwealth — and what they were proposing was straight-up treason. They knew this would be evidence of treason. Furthermore, they knew that they were placing their family, friends, and neighbors at great risk. They also thought freedom, liberty, and independence were worth the risk.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States can be seen as the cornerstone of our democracy or the two visible sides of that cornerstone. Included within the Constitution is the governments ability to propose, ratify, and implement amendments. One could argue that providing such a proviso was the 1787 Constitutional Convention’s way of strengthening the foundation and of making sure future leaders (and their descendants) kept the foundation in mind.
“It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error. But nature has not given to everyone a talent for that purpose; and among those to whom such a talent is given, there is often a want of disposition or of courage to do it.”
— quoted from the “Preface” (addressed “To the Ministers and Preachers of all Denominations of Religion.”) of “Part III” in The Age Of Reason by Thomas Paine
NOTE: It is not enough to gather your building materials, you also have to be prepared to put things together. You have to cultivate the disposition and the courage, the will and the desire.
Please join me today (Wednesday, June 11th) 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 “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
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.
### OM FREEDOM AUM ###
In The Middle of “The Wild Things” & EXCERPT: “Here Be The Wild Things” (the “missing” Tuesday post) June 10, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, California, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Love, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, addiction, Alcoholics Anonymous, Anne Smith, Bill Wilson, Bonnie Taylor-Blake, Christopher Walken, Dr. Bob Smith, Joseph Campbell, Jyeshtha Purnima, Maurice Sendak, mental health, PRIDE, Quote Investigator, Sir Austen Chamberlain, Terry Gross, Third Day of the Holy Trinity
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Happy Pride!
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating festivals associated with Jyeshtha Purnima, Pride, and/or the Third Day of the Holy Trinity.
This is a “missing” compilation post for Tuesday, June 10th, which includes a date-related excerpt. Some links will direct you to websites other than this blog.
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.
“The earliest strong match known to QI appeared in a March 1936 newspaper report in ‘The Yorkshire Post’ of West Yorkshire, England. The expression was used in a speech by an influential British statesman.
Sir Austen Chamberlain, addressing the annual meeting of Birmingham Unionist Association last night, spoke of the ‘grave injury’ to collective security by Germany’s violation of the Treaty of Locarno.
Sir Austen, who referred to himself as ‘a very old Parliamentarian,’ said:—”
“‘…. We move from one crisis to another. We suffer one disturbance and shock after another.’”
— quoted from the December 18, 2015, Quote Investigator post, “Quote Origin: May You Live In Interesting Times” (with credit to “top researcher Bonnie Taylor-Blake”)
The other day I asked a question — “What are we doing?” — and noted that intonation (and adding a few choice words) can change the context. So, today, I am very much asking with a certain tone (and some choice words): “What in the ever-loving world are we doing?”
People might use the old adage and say we are “living in interesting times”. I’m going to say that we are in the middle of wild times and in the middle of wild things. So, the next question I want to ask you is, “What do you do when you’re in the middle of wild things”?
That last question, like my other questions, can be taken in different ways and will have different answers depending on how you react when your sympathetic nervous system is activated. Some people immediately fight (and that means different things to different people). Some people freeze up or collapse. Some people flee. While all of these very natural reactions are activated by our sympathetic nervous system, they can manifest in different ways. For instance, some people fight the with joy or other positive emotional expressions (like a little bit of random fun and silliness). Some people use prayers, mediation, plus rituals and traditions to battle whatever plagues them or those they love.
This year, Jyeshtha Purnima started today (June 10th) and runs through June 11th. This “elder” full moon is dedicated to Vishnu and is one of the most auspicious “moon days” in some Hindu traditions. It falls in the month of Jyeshtha, which some consider sacred to the Goddess Ganges (who is the embodiment of forgiveness, purification, and the river Ganges). In addition to a procession and ritual bathing ceremony in the Ganges, people will pray and meditate; make a puja (“offering”); and also donate to charities. This is a particularly auspicious time for married women — some of whom will pray and wrap thread around a banyan to ensure good health and good fortune for their husbands.
It is important to keep in mind that our sympathetic nervous systems can be activated when we are physically in the wild space (where wild things are happening), and/or when we mentally and emotionally find ourselves in the wild space, from viewing wild things on television, hearing things on the radio, or reading and/or viewing something on social media. All of our nervous systems are being activate.
So again, the question is, what do we do when we’re in the middle of the wild things? What do you (specifically) do? What allows you to respond more like Wayman Tisdale than Cole Porter?
And, don’t take this as me being flippant; because, I am absolutely serious when I suggest that you go a little deeper into your knee jerk response(s) and notice what you do when you find yourself “where the wild things are” — and what it takes for you to be like Max (and become the “most wild thing of all”).
“‘And now,’ cried Max, ‘let the wild rumpus start!’”
— quoted from Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Today is the anniversary of the birth of children’s book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak (b. 1928) and the anniversary of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous (in 1935). The excerpted post includes passing references to mental health issues and addiction.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
FTWMI: Here Be The Wild Things (a post-practice Monday re-post)
“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again. You really don’t have a sacred space, a rescue land, until you find somewhere to be that’s not a wasteland, some field of action where there is a spring of ambrosia—a joy that comes from inside, not something external that puts joy into you—a place that lets you experience your own will and your own intention and your own wish so that, in small, the Kingdom is there. I think everybody, whether they know it or not, is in need of such a place.”
— quoted from A Joseph Campbell Companion: Reflections on the Art of Living by Joseph Campbell
As noted in the excerpted post, it is important to have a sacred space when battling things and people that push you off center. For some people, a sacred space is on the outside; for some it is on the inside; and for some it is both. For some it is all of that mixed in with tradition, ritual, and intention. Ultimately, to go back to the words of Joseph Campbell and Maurice Sendak, it is a place where everything falls into place — where we have good “luck”. It is a place we have to find and/or cultivate, as we do in our practice.
“There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen.”
— quoted from Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06102020 Here Be The Wild Things”]
MUSIC NOTE: YouTube is the original playlist and includes the video below.
My all time favorite rendition!
Practice Note: Since I changed the narrative for this year’s practice, I did not include the story about Maurice Sendak’s correspondence with a young fan (courtesy of the child’s mother). You can find the story (and a little history about the story) on the Truth of Fiction? website.
“GROSS: Well, I’m so glad you have a new book. I’m really glad we had a chance to talk.
SENDAK: I am too.
GROSS: And I wish you all good things.
SENDAK: I wish you all good things. Live your life, live your life, live your life.”
— quoted from the NPR Fresh Air interview “Maurice Sendak: On Life, Death And Children’s Lit” with Terry Gross and Maurice Sendak (originally aired September 20, 2011)
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’LL EAT YOU UP!”• “I LOVE YOU!” ###
A Third Poem [for the poets born today] June 7, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, First Nations, Healing Stories, Life, Love, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Poetry, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Commemoration of the Dead, Gwendolyn Brooks, Louise Erdrich, Nikki Giovanni, PRIDE, Prince Rogers Nelson, Yoga Sutra 3.15-3.16
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating PRIDE and/or observing the Commemoration of the Dead.
Happy Pride!
Here is a third poem
for the poets born today
[in 1917, 1954, 1943, and 1958]
because I have just a little, tiny bit
more to say.
A good writer moves you and makes you feel
cool, beautiful, and strong / And also warns you.
A good writer moves you and makes you feel
love and anger (at strangers) and grief and more.
A good writer moves you and makes you feel
gratitude for the history within every part of you… including your feet.
A good writer moves you….
And makes you move.
©MKR 2025
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT BELOW FOR THE OTHER POEMS.
NOTE: The original poem is embedded in the second poem (and contains links to the poets’ poems).
Please join me today (Saturday, June 7th) 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 “06072020 Birthday of Poets”]
MUSIC NOTE: The YouTube playlist includes extra videos related to three of the four poets. The poem linked here is interactive and also includes one of those videos.)
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.)
### REMEMBER: DON’T WASTE ANY SWEETNESS ###
First Friday Night Special #56 — Invitation to “What We Believe II” (w/excerpts) June 6, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yin Yoga, Yoga.Tags: 988, D-Day, George Williams, Plato, Ralph Waldo Emerson, World War II, YMCA, yoga, yoga philosophy
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating PRIDE and/or the Apodosis of the Ascension on the anniversary of D-Day.
Happy Pride!
“And what is the right way of living? Are we to live in sports always? If so, in what kind of sports? We ought to live sacrificing, and singing, and dancing, and then a man will be able to propitiate the Gods, and to defend himself against his enemies and conquer them in battle. The type of song or dance by which he will propitiate them has been described, and the paths along which he is to proceed have been cut for him.” (Book 7)
— quoted from The Laws by Plato
Before we consider the “right way [to live]”, we must consider what we believe. Not “In what” or “In whom”; but simply what is it that we believe with every bone and every fiber, and every day of every year? It is a simple, yet tricky question.. Because if you believe something — really, truly, believe with your whole heart and every fiber of your being — then your actions will reflect your beliefs. Right? Everything will be in alignment. Right?
Only, we humans tend to be a little more complicated than that. So, maybe the next thing to consider isn’t whether your every thought, word, and deed perfectly reflects what you believe. Maybe the next thing to consider is whether or not you are willing to put all of your efforts — all of your thoughts, words, and deeds — on the line, in support of a campaign (or an organization…or a country…) in which you believe.
What would you do for freedom, for country, for God (whatever that means to you at this moment)?
On a certain level, this last question was answered by George Williams and the other founders of the YMCA, today in 1844, and by those who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, exactly 100 years later (today in 1944).
The stories of these two events are very (very) different and yet they come back to the same thing(s): What people believe.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
“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 1875 essay “Social Aims” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Please join me tonight, Friday, June 6, 2025, 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST) for “What We Believe II”. 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 Yin Yoga practice is accessible and open to all.
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
NOTE: At the beginning of the practice, you will be prompted to pause and select a track. The playlist tracks are slightly different in length and duration; however, the overall content is the same.
A playlist inspired by D-Day and the founding of the YMCA is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06062020 D-Day & YMCA]
Prop wise, I will suggest using a table or a chair and 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 will also be handy.
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.)
ERRATA: Updated invitation number.
### PEACE TO & FROM EVERYTHING & EVERYONE WE ENCOUNTER ###
Noticing Ruth & EXCERPT: “Noticing Things [on… June 2nd]” (a post-practice post for Monday June 2, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Life, Love, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Shavuot, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, awareness, Book of Ruth, ethics, Exodus, foundation, Jon Lord, morals, PRIDE, Religion, Shavuos, Shavuot, Shemot, Sir Edward Elgar, Ten Commandments, the Afterfeast of the Ascension, Thomas Hardy, Torah
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Happy Pride!
“Chag Sameach!” to everyone who is celebrating Shavuot. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating the Afterfeast of the Ascension.
This post-practice post for Monday, June 2nd, includes a short excerpt. The 2025 prompt question was, “What are you noticing (about yourself and/or others)?”
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.
“And will any say when my bell of quittance is heard in the gloom,
And a crossing breeze cuts a pause in its outrollings,
Till they rise again, as they were a new bell’s boom,
‘He hears it not now, but used to notice such things?’”
— quoted from the poem “Afterwards” by Thomas Hardy, set to music by Lon Lord
The bulk of this Monday night practice was about noticing things (in general) and about noticing things in the practice. There are elements inspired by the Sunday practice and, also by the fact that it June 2nd is the anniversary of the birth of two people who noticed things: Thomas Hardy (OM), born today in 1840, and Sir Edward William Elgar (1st Baronet, OM, GCVO), born today in 1857.
One of the things they both noticed was people’s patterns and how those patterns reflect what was at the core or the heart of certain people and what motivated those people — in other words: they noticed the roots/foundations of people’s actions.
“‘I had a neat stock of fixed opinions, but they dropped away one by one; and the further I get the less sure I am. I doubt if I have anything more for my present rule of life than following inclinations which do me and nobody else any harm, and actually give pleasure to those I love best.’”
— quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
Take a moment to notice that everyone and everything has foundations. People have physical foundations and, also, ethical and moral foundations. In some cases, our ethical and moral foundations are also religious and/or philosophical. For example, for people within the Abrahamic religious traditions (i.e., Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) the Ten Commandments and the stories in the Torah — also known as the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament — make up the cornerstone of the foundation.
I have noticed, as others have also noticed, that when someone converts to a religion (or a philosophy different from one they were taught as a child) they often spend a lot of time studying the sacred texts, scripture, and history of their adopted faith. They often consciously consider what brings peace and what creates suffering. As a result, converts are often more knowledgeable and more devout than people who grow up within a religion (or philosophy). Take Ruth, for instance, whose story is found in the Book of Ruth (in the Hebrew Bible / Christian Old Testament).
Ruth was someone from one culture, who married into another, and decided to stay with her Hebrew mother-in-law and her adopted culture even after her husband died. Her acceptance and devotion to G-d (and her mother-in-law) are emphasized throughout her short story. The harvest time and the reaping at harvest time are also big elements in her story — and set a time frame for her story, which is one of the reasons her story is read as people celebrate Shavuot.
“And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law [Ruth], ‘Blessed be he of the Lord, who did not leave off his kindness with the living or with the deceased.’”
— quoted from The Book of Ruth (Rut) 2:20
Shavuot (also known as Shavuos), the Festival of “Weeks”, started at sunset on Sunday night. It comes at the very end of the 49-Day period when people were Counting the Omer — a ritual preparation of prayer and contemplation that started on the second night of Passover. Shavuot is celebrated for one day in Israel and two in the diaspora. According to Shemot / Exodus (34:22), Shavuot traditionally occurred at the beginning of the wheat harvest and, therefore, is also known as the “Festival of Reaping” or “Day of the First Fruits”. It is currently celebrated as the commemoration of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments and, by extension, the revelation of the Torah.
In addition to reading the Book of Ruth, people celebrating Shavuot may attend services, recite extra prayers and blessings, feast, and celebrate with joy. Dairy-based products, which vary depending on the region, are often prominent during these feasts. Additionally, some people will decorate their home and/or synagogue with greenery. Some people will also celebrate the birth and/or passing of King David, Ruth’s great-grandson. Finally, some people will pull an all-nighter studying Torah — a tradition that dates back (at least) to the 1300s and is symbolically associated with the story of Moses having to wake people up to receive the Torah.
Which brings me to another thing I, and others, have noticed: Many people may identify themselves as having a certain foundation — in other words, identify themselves as member of a group — without following the basic tenets outlined in that foundation. They are basically asleep and sleep-walking through life, not noticing if their actions are creating suffering or alleviating suffering.
Now, the question is: Have you noticed your patterns?
Click on the excerpt title below for the post about Thomas Hardy and Sir Edward Elgar.
Noticing Things [on Friday, June 2nd] (the “missing” and revised invitation)
“‘There, gentlemen, since you wanted to know how I was getting on, I have told you. Much good may it do you! I cannot explain further here. I perceive there is something wrong somewhere in our social formulas: what it is can only be discovered by men or women with greater insight than mine–if, indeed, they ever discover it– at least in our time. ‘For who knoweth what is good for man in this life?–and who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?’”
— quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: If you are interested in the poems and music referenced in the excerpted post (and practice), there is a remix available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06022023 Noticing Things II”] At some point I may (or may not) update it to include more of the “Enigma Variations.”
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).
### BRING YOUR AWARENESS TO YOUR AWARENESS ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “When Awareness Expands” June 1, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Black Wall Street, Cable News Network, CNN, Greenwood District, Indian Territory, Randy Hopkins, Swami Vivekananda, The CNN Effect, trauma, Tulsa, yoga sutra 3.5
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer, getting ready to celebrate Shavuot, and/or celebrating the Seventh Sunday of Pascha: The Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council.
Yoga Sutra 3.5: tád jayat prajñā lōkāh
— “Through the mastery of that [three-part process of samyama] comes the light of knowledge, transcendental insight, or higher consciousness.”
“When one has succeeded in making this Samyama, all powers come under his control. This is the great instrument of the Yogi. The objects of knowledge are infinite, and they are divided into the gross, grosser, grossest and the fine, finer, finest and so on. This Samyama should be first applied to gross things, and when you begin to get knowledge of this gross, slowly, by stages, it should be brought to finer things.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 3.5 from Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda
Ted Turner’s CNN (Cable News Network) premiered Sunday, June 1, 1980, at 5 PM EST; making it the first 24-hour news channel and the first all-news television in the United States. While other news channels made fun of the new outlet, CNN stayed focused (with the slogan “Go live, stay with it, and make it important.”) and changed the way government made and addressed policy and also the way people interacted with each other and the news.
There was no such thing as CNN back in 1921, when the Greenwood District (in Indian Territory) — also known as “Black Wall Street” — was destroyed in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
NOTE: The post excerpted below does not reference the shooting which happened in Tulsa today in 2022.
“On Thursday morning, June 2, 1921, one of Tulsa’s many problems was that of optics. A large chunk of the city had been obliterated in a matter of hours and an embarrassingly large portion of the city’s population had a hand in the obliterating. How this was going to look to outsiders was far from an irrelevant concern for many Tulsans, especially the city’s elite for whom pride in the city’s accomplishments was keen…. Would businesses go elsewhere? Would other ‘better citizens’ from other places look down their noses?”
— quoted from The Center for Public Secrets Journal article entitled, “Mask of Atonement: The Plan to Rebuild the Homes of Greenwood” by Randy Hopkins
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, June 1st) 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 “06012021 The Difference A Day Made”]
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.)
A Joyful Practice 