“Peace and good will!” to all. “Happy Holidays!” and “Merry Christmas!” to all who are celebrating.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong! May you be nourished!
“The boys had their say, they said no (all together now)
Stop the slaughter, let’s go home
Let’s go, let’s go (all together now)
Let’s go (all together now), let’s go home
All together now (together, together)
In no man’s land (together, together)”
— quoted from the song “All Together Now” by The Farm
Please join me today (Tuesday, December 24th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class.You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12242023 Christmas 1914”]
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.
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.)
Happy Holidays! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom (no matter how much you struggle).
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong! May you be nourished!
This is the “missing” post for Sunday, December 22nd. It contains some re-purposed (previously posted) content and a couple of excerpts. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes (and holiday cancellations).
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”
— quoted from the poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
There was a time, not too long ago, when we were acutely aware that things were different. We had to adjust almost every ritual, every tradition, every practice, and every habit. For some, that meant that there was less hustle and bustle for some. For some, however, it was just as busy or — in the case of essential workers like parents, delivery people, people in groceries, and/or people in health care — that time was even busier and more chaotic than normal. Either way there was an extra layer of stress and uncertainty.
Maybe you are someone for whom it feels like things are “back to normal”. Maybe you are someone for whom things will never be the way they were. Or, maybe you are someone somewhere in between. Either way, you may be feeling a certain kind of way this time of year — and that certain kind of way may involve stress and uncertainty. You may feel like you are never going to get everything done in time and/or that the only way you can get everything done is to not do the things that you usually do to take care of yourself — all of which just creates more stress.
Bottom line, this time of year can often be stressful, exhausting, and draining regardless of our individual and collective circumstance (and that’s even before we throw in grief). While some of those feelings can be attributed to the fact that it is colder and darker in a lot of places in the Northern hemisphere, some of what we’re feeling can also be because we are going against our natural rhythms: rushing around when everything (and everyone) else is slowing down to rest for a bit.
If you’re a feeling any of these things, you are no alone. In fact, feeling out of sorts (especially this time of year) is so common that it is a common motif in some of our favorite holiday classics.
Click on the excerpt titles below if you’re feeling like Scrooge and/or like life is less than Wonderful.
If you are feeling a little bit of holi-daze, this is a good time to put your legs up, relax, release, and rest. Sure, you may need a little bit of movement (plus some extra hydration and light) in order to get to that place where you can let go of all the busy-ness and settle into the moment — even if it is just for a moment — but it will be worth the effort. Consider for a moment that there is great power in letting go (i.e., surrendering) and being still in the silence. That power is restorative, healing, and can be exactly what you need to keep going forward.
Ironically, we really face and recognize that power when we are struggling to still the body and quiet the mind because…. [insert whatever you think/feel must be done RIGHT, RIGHT NOW]. The struggle is why this is also a good time to remember a wise bit of advice from yoga buddy Dave: You don’t have to do everything to have a happy holiday.
Finally, this is a good time to pause and practice a little gratitude. Express gratitude for those people who were essential to your well-being four years ago, as well as to those who are still taking care of all of us. Appreciate the people with whom you choose to spend your time (and maybe even some of those family members, master teachers, and precious jewels with whom you feel forced to spend your time). Give thanks for anything and anyone who brings meaning to this season.
Now, offer a compassionate moment of peace and ease to everyone, everywhere.
After all, all of the winter holidays being celebrated this week are ultimately about light and peace.
“I know because it’s Christmas, you’re surely hoping for some very special sermon. I don’t think I have one, really, [because] there’s really only one message. And there’s nothing new to tell you. It’s the same message that if you’re praying (and that isn’t always true of Christians), it goes deeper and deeper and deeper. If you’re quiet once in a while (and that isn’t always true of Americans), it goes deeper and deeper and deeper.”
— “Christmas 2016: Really only One Message” homily by Richard Rohr, OFM (delivered on Sunday, December 25, 2016)
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12222020 Winter Holidays”]
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.
Happy Holidays! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom (no matter how much you struggle).
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong! May you be nourished!
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”
— quoted from the poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, December 22nd) 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 “12222020 Winter Holidays”]
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.
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.
“Feliĉan Zamenhof-tagon!” “Feliĉan Feriojn!” (“Happy Zamenhoff Day!” “Happy Holidays!”) Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone sustaining kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong! May you be nourished!
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2021. Some formatting, links, and class details have been updated or added.
“La okulisto skribis post noktmezo. Kiam la homa gefrataro pacos? Kia mistera manko, kia lezo duonblindigas? Kiu ĝin kuracos? Kaj kion povas fari unuopa malriĉa homo por homar’ miopa?”
“The ophthalmologist wrote after midnight. When will the human brotherhood be at peace? What a mysterious lack, what an injury half blind? Who will cure it? And what can be done individually poor man for myopic humanity?”
— quoted (in Esperanto and English) from the poem “La Okulisto” (“The Ophthalmologist”) in Eroj (Items) by Marjorie Boulton
What does culture mean to you? Specifically, what does your culture mean to you? And, when I speak of “your culture,” do you think of how you identify yourself or how others identify you (even if certain things don’t apply to you)? Do you think of something specific and personal to you or something related to the dominant culture around you? Of course, it could be all of the above — because, let’s be real, most of us live bi-cultural (or multi-cultural) lives. Most of us exist in a place where cultures overlap. We move in and out of corporate and other institutional cultures — including school and religious cultures – as well as the cultures of our people and our nations or states.
But, again, what do I mean by culture?
Modern dictionaries include the following definitions (for the noun):
the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.
the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.
the cultivation of bacteria, tissue cells, etc. in an artificial medium containing nutrients.
the cultivation of plants.
Noah Webster’s (intentionally American) 1828 dictionary focuses on the word as it’s related to agriculture and physical labor, with the second definition highlighting that it can be “The application of labor or other means to improve good qualities in, or growth; as the culture of the mind; the culture of virtue.”
So, culture could be work intended to improve what it means to be a good human. Got it. Except…it still doesn’t completely answer the question. It also doesn’t explain why “culture” seems to create so much conflict.
“La okulisto verkis kaj parolis, tradukis, organizis. Kaj la skvamoj de kelkaj okulparoj jam forfalis, la antaŭjuĝoj, timoj kaj malamoj.”
“The ophthalmologist wrote and spoke, translated, organized. And the scales [of] some eyes have already fallen off, the prejudices, fears and hatreds.”
— quoted (in Esperanto and English) from the poem “La Okulisto” (“The Ophthalmologist”) in Eroj (Items) by Marjorie Boulton
When most people think about “culture,” they think about behavior. They think about rituals, traditions, laws, expectations, and belief systems. They think about celebrations and the way people mark milestones. They think about clothes, music, and food. All the things that might seem strange to an outsider (or even an insider who has forgotten, or never learned, the underlying meanings of their customs). Focusing on that sense of strangeness can become a form avidyā (“ignorance”) that leads to suffering.
When we focus on the strangeness of something (or someone) we sometimes miss the things we have in common. When we miss our commonalities, we may all miss out on the opportunity to appreciate what makes us unique. That’s one of the reasons it’s so important to share experiences. Shared experiences can become part of our culture and part of our cultural understanding. For instance, when we break bread with people — especially people we view as (culturally) different from us — we gain some awareness and appreciation of the things we have in common. As David Chang has pointed out in his Netflix series Ugly Delicious, every culture has some kind of dumpling… stir fry… casserole (even if they call it hot dish). People from different cultures may even use similar spices, just in different ways. Or, maybe we just call the spice something different.
Which brings me to one aspect of culture that I left out: language (and how we think, based on the language we use).
Many of the world’s languages share roots. However, those shared roots are not on the mind of the average person when they encounter a language that is foreign to them. If someone doesn’t speak a certain language, they may not take the time to figure out what they can understand based on what they know about their own language. They may not consider that their brain actually has the ability to glean some meaning, based on context, because it’s been cultured (i.e., cultivated). In doing so, they may miss out on the opportunity to make a friend or clear up a misunderstanding.
“Tio, kio malamas vin, ne faru al via ulo. Tio estas la tuta Torao; la resto estas la klarigo. Nun iru studi.”
“That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation. Now go and study.”
— quoted from the story of Hillel the Elder “[teaching] the meaning of the whole Torah while standing on one foot,” in Esperanto and in English
Because it is Zamenhof-tagon (Zamenhoff Day), mi deziras al vi pacon en Esperanto. (I wish you peace in Esperanto.)
Born December 15, 1859, in a part of the Russian Empire that is now Poland, Dr. L. L. Zamenhof was a Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist and polyglot. He was born into a Lithuanian-Jewish family that spoke Russian and Yiddish, but his father taught German and French — so he learned those languages, as well as Polish, at a young age. Eventually, he would also master German; have a good understanding of Latin, Hebrew, French, and Belarusian; and basic knowledge of Greek, English, Italian, Lithuanian, and Aramaic. At some point, he also studied Volapük, a constructed language created by Johann Martin Schleyer (a German Catholic priest).
The diverse population in his hometown and his love of language exposed Dr. Zamenhof to different cultures and also to the schisms (and wars) that developed between cultures. He imagined what the world would be like without conflict, especially conflict that arose from misunderstandings that he saw were the result of miscommunication. He thought that if people could more easily understand each other they would have a better chance of avoiding and/or resolving conflict. In 1873, while he was still a schoolboy, the future eye doctor started developing Esperanto, a constructed language that he called “Lingvo internacia” (“international language”).
Dr. Zamenhof continued his work even as he studied medicine and began working as a doctor. Eventually, he self-published his work (with a little help from his then future father-in-law) under the pseudonym “Doktoro Esperanto” or Doctor Hopeful. He continued to write and translate grammar books in various languages, including Esperanto, and also to look for solutions to oppression and nationalism. He explored various religions and social movements — he even wrote about humanitarianism or humanism (“homaranismo” in Esperanto), based on the teachings of Hillel the Elder. But, he kept coming back to the concept of language as a unifier.
Promoting the language and the idea behind the language would be Dr. Zamenhof’s legacy — a legacy that lived on through his wife (Klara) and their children. Even though the Zamenhof children, as adults, were killed during the Holocaust, along with millions of others, the language lived on. There are currently at least a thousand native speakers of Esperanto, worldwide, and millions who have some working knowledge of the language.
Ni ne estas tiel naivaj, kiel pensas pri ni kelkaj personoj; ni ne kredas, ke neŭtrala fundamento faros el la homoj anĝelojn; ni scias tre bone, ke la homoj malbonaj ankaŭ poste restos malbonaj; sed ni kredas, ke komunikiĝado kaj konatiĝado sur neŭtrala fundamento forigos almenaŭ la grandan amason de tiuj bestaĵoj kaj krimoj, kiuj estas kaŭzataj ne de malbona volo, sed simple de sinnekonado kaj de devigata sinaltrudado.”
“We are not as naive as some people think of us; we do not believe that a neutral foundation will make men angels; we know very well that bad people will stay bad even later; but we believe that communication and acquaintance based on a neutral basis will remove at least the great mass of those beasts and crimes which are caused not by ill will, but simply by [misunderstandings and forced coercion.]”
— quoted from a speech by Dr. L. L. Zamenhof to the Second World Congress of Esperanto, August 27, 1906
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, December 15th) 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 “12152021 Feliĉan Zamenhof-tagon!”]
Esperanto music can be found in a lot of different genres, including folk music, rap, reggae, rock, rap, and orchestral music. This playlist features music by David Gaines, an American classical composer and Esperantist. He has served on the advisory board of the Esperantic Studies Foundation; is the Honorary President of the Music Esperanto League; and “won First Prize at the 1995 World Esperanto Association’s Belartaj Konkursoj (competitions in the field of Belles lettres).” His work incorporates Esperanto poetry and the quest for peace.
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.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone sustaining kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong! May you be nourished!
“Throw the baby out with the bathwater (or more accurately das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten) is a German proverb that dates to 1512. It was first recorded by Thomas Murner in his satire Narrenbbeschwörung (Appeal to Fools), in which he uses it as a chapter title. Murner uses the phrase several times in his chapter and the original manuscript even has a woodcut of a woman tossing a baby out with the wastewater.”
— quoted from Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends by David Wilton
B. K. S. Iynegar was born today in 1918, in Pune, India. Click on the excerpt title below for a related post (which includes a popular word myth).
Please join me today (Saturday, December 14th) 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 “04192020 Noticing Things”]
NOTE: These are double playlists. You can start with Track #1, Track #11, or Track #12
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.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone working for a future full of kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom on International Human Rights Day, the final of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“Crumbling is not an instant’s Act
A fundamental pause
Dilapidation’s processes
Are organized Decays —”
— quoted from the poem “Crumbling is not an instant’s Act (1010)” by Emily Dickinson (b. 12/10/1830)
“There lies before us, if we choose, continual progress in happiness, knowledge, and wisdom. Shall we, instead, choose death, because we cannot forget our quarrels? We appeal, as human beings, to human beings: Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. If you can do so, the way lies open to a new Paradise; if you cannot, there lies before you the risk of universal death.”
— quoted in the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech delivered by Jørgen Watne Frydnes, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, from “The Russell-Einstein Manifesto” by Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein, signed by Max Born, Percy W. Bridgman, Albert Einstein, Leopold Infeld, Frederic Joliot-Curie, Herman J. Muller, Linus Pauling, Cecil F. Powell, Joseph Rotblat, Bertrand Russell, Hideki Yukawa (issued 9 July 1955)
Please join me today (Tuesday, December 10th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class.You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12102022 Call Me Al or Emily”]
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.
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.)
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone working for a future full of kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom on “Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day”, “National Blue Collar Day” (in the US), a Marian feast day (in several traditions), and one of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, December 8th) 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 “12082021 Music for This Date”]
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.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating healing, kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom on one of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“I was beginning to see then what I have learned now. It’s not forgetting that heals. It’s remembering.”
— quoted from Bloodroot by Amy Greene
Today is the anniversary of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
Please join me today (Saturday, December 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 “12/7 and Healing 2021”]
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.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone appreciating kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women / “White Ribbon Day” (in Canada), one of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”.
NOTE: This post references a violent act, but does not go into explicit details.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“At the last session of Congress a proposed amendment of the Constitution abolishing slavery throughout the United States passed the Senate, but failed for lack of the requisite two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives. Although the present is the same Congress and nearly the same members, and without questioning the wisdom or patriotism of those who stood in opposition, I venture to recommend the reconsideration and passage of the measure at the present session. Of course the abstract question is not changed; but an intervening election shows almost certainly that the next Congress will pass the measure if this does not. Hence there is only a question of time as to when the proposed amendment will go to the States for their action. And as it is to so go at all events, may we not agree that the sooner the better?”
— quoted from State of the Union 1864, delivered to the United States Congress by President Abraham Lincoln (on 12/6/1864)
Yoga means union and, every time we step on the mat, we have the opportunity to check in with the state of that union. In the United States, we typically think of Presidents giving a State of the Union address towards the beginning of their term and towards the beginning of the year. However, on December 6, 1864, then-President Abraham Lincoln gave a State of the Union address in which he urged Congress and the States to take action “the sooner the better” on an amendment to abolish slavery. He proceeded to very actively, more actively than had previously been witnessed in other presidencies, work towards securing the votes needed to pass and ratify what would become the 13th Amendment — which was, in fact, ratified exactly one year later, on December 6, 1865.
In addition to those U. S. anniversaries (which are related to efforts to end a violent period of history), December 6th is one of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”. It is also the anniversary of mass gender-based violence that occurred in Canada. Fourteen women were murdered, while an additional ten women and four men were injured by someone who said he was against feminism. In the aftermath of the 1989 Montreal Massacre, many people took stock of the state of Canada’s union. While some say that the media (in particular) arrived at the wrong conclusions, Canada recognizes this day as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women / “White Ribbon Day”.
“The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is about remembering those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who we have lost to it. It is also a time to take action. Achieving a Canada free from gender-based violence requires everyone living in this country to educate themselves and their families and communities on gender-based violence, centre the voices of survivors in our actions and speak up against harmful behaviours.”
— quoted from the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women statement by the Government of Canada
Please join me tonight (Friday, December 6, 2024), 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST) for an opportunity to “Reflect, Remember, & Act for a Peaceful Union” 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.
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 for this practice.
NOTE: Start with track 1 or 6. Either option leads to a variation of a song that some view as liberating.
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.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom on one of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift and not giving it.”
— William Arthur Ward
Please join me today (Tuesday, November 26th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class.You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
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.
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.)
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