May you breathe deeply and savor the richness of doing something amazing for the first time!
Pardon me while I catch up. This is the “missing” post for Sunday, January 14th (which fell during Makar Sankranti in 2024). This post and practice pick up where the Saturday the 13thpost and practice left off. It contains some passing references to the American Civil War and World War II.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.
“I dwell in Possibility – A fairer House than Prose – More numerous of Windows – Superior – for Doors –”
— quoted from the poem “I dwell in Possibility (466)” by Emily Dickinson
Take a moment to consider the very first time you thought, said, did, and/or experienced someone else thinking, saying, and/or doing something. That very first time was (and is) special for a number of reasons — not the least of which being that it created a neural pathway (if we’re using the terminology of Western science) and a saṃskāra (“mental impressions”), if we’re using the terminology of Yoga and Āyurveda (as they come to us from India). When that thought, word, deed, and/or experience is experienced, the neural pathway starts becoming hardwired and connected to other experiences. Repeating a thought, word, deed, and/or experience also creates another mental impression which, over time, could become vāsanā (“dwelling places” of our habits). Even though the terminology is different, the end result is the same: We view life through the lens/veils of previous experiences and, at some point, we establish a status quo that is directly (or indirectly) connected to the first time we did something. The more we do new things — i.e., experience more “firsts” we have — the more we cultivate a foundation for more possibilities.
This may seem really obvious — especially when you first think about it. However, take a moment to consider that “firsts” happen in every moment of every day (even when they are not all happening to us). If we dig deep enough, we could find a “first” that happened today… in any given year. We might even find multiple “firsts.”
Consider what happens, when a “first” is experienced by most of the world? Consider what happens when when we go a little deeper into something simply because it was a “first” — because that is what we typically do on January 14th. We go a little deeper into three “firsts” that include several other “firsts” — some of which were out of this world or, at the very least, above the earth.
FLYING HIGH
“At the concluding press conference on 24 January 1943, Roosevelt stated that General Ulysses S. Grant had been known as ‘Unconditional Surrender’ Grant, and that the Allies were also demanding unconditional surrender from the Germans and Japanese (but not the Italians) in the present struggle. It is often argued that this insistence led the Germans and Japanese to fight more fanatically than would otherwise have been the case, although it cannot be proven. What is plainly untrue, however, is that the policy merely sprang fully formed from Roosevelt’s mind without any consultation with [George C.] Marshall or Churchill.”
— quoted from “12 The Casablanca Conference: ‘We go bald-headed for Husky’ January 1943” in Masters and Commanders: The Military Geniuses who Led the West to Victory in World War II by Andrew Roberts
On Thursday, January 14, 1943, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt became the first sitting United States president to travel by airplane and the first to visit Africa. This was during World War II when the president and his advisors flew from Miami to Casablanca, French Morocco (now known as Morocco) in order to meet with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his advisors. They were meeting to discuss how the Allied forces would proceed in the War. Sultan Muhammad V, as well as French Generals Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud, also attended parts of The Casablanca Conference (sometimes called the Anfa Conference, since it was hosted at the Anfa Hotel). Although Joseph Stalin did not attend the conference at all and the other leaders did not attend the parts related to military strategy, one of the most critical things to come out of the conference was the Casablanca Declaration, a unified Allied statement calling for the “unconditional surrender” of Germany, Italy, and Japan.
The ways in which the call for unconditional surrender was announced — as well as the ways in which people understood the announcement — may have had some unintended consequences. Some historians have theorized that the announcements resulted in the war being extended (because some people in the Axis countries got their backs up and/or felt their backs were against the wall) and that this led to the dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Some have also speculated about how Europe might have been divided had the explanation been different and/or had Joseph Stalin been included in the conference. Another crucial and unfortunate element of the conference was anti-Semitic rhetoric expressed by many of the leaders, including President Roosevelt. Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, the then 14-year-old son of Sultan Muhammad V, grew up to become Hassan II, King of Morocco, whose reign was marked by authoritarianism, and human rights and civil rights abuses. One can only wonder what Hassan II’s reign would have been like had he not been exposed to such rhetoric by the most influential leaders of their time.
“Roosevelt loved the sea, but his ability to draw on the past to put the present into perspective allowed him to see the potentialities of naval and air power working in conjunction as Admiral [Harry E.] Yarnell had suggested. Soon, Roosevelt demonstrated his appreciation of air power as a military and naval defensive weapon.”
— quoted from “VI. The Wings of Democracy” in The Wings of Democracy: The Influence of Air Power on the Roosevelt Administration, 1933–1941 by Jeffrey S. Underwood
FDR’s historic 1943 flight was the beginning of several other presidential-aeronautic “firsts.” That first fight, as well as the return flight, were aboard the “Dixie Clipper,” a Boeing Model 314 long-range Clipper initially operated by Pan Am. The then-President Roosevelt was on board this luxurious flying boat, en route between Trinidad and Miami, when he turned 61 — making him the first sitting U. S. president to celebrate a birthday in an airplane, thousands of feet above the earth.
Some of this may be considered trivial. Consider the fact, however, that the president’s trip promoted the creation of the Douglas VC-54C Skymaster, the first U. S. presidential aircraft. Officially referred to as “the Flying White House,” the specially modified luxury aircraft was nicknamed “Sacred Cow,” because of the security features and designation. It featured modifications that produced increased fuel capacity; an unpressurized cabin with an executive conference room; rectangular bulletproof windows; a private bathroom; a fold down bed hidden behind the sofa; and an electric refrigerator. Although slower and less luxurious than its successor (Air Force One), the Sacred Cow did include a battery-powered elevator to accommodate the President Roosevelt’s wheelchair.
Alas, FDR would only fly on the new plane when he attended the Yalta Conference in February 1945. On the flip side, President Harry S. Truman used the plane quite a bit — including when he attended the Potsdam Conference in the summer of 1945. His frequent flying led then-President Truman to sign the National Security Act of 1947, which restructured the U. S. military in a variety of ways, including: creating a Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency. The 1947 act, which the president signed on board the Sacred Cow, clarified the responsibilities of the Department of the Army (formerly the Department of War), the Department of the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the newly formed Department of the Air Force — making the Sacred Cow the “birthplace” of the United States Air Force.
Retired in 1961, the first plane officially produced specifically for presidential travel was moved to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (in Dayton, Ohio) in 1983 and has been on display since 1993.
SINGING HIGH
“To your arms someday I’ll return to stay till then I will remember too Every bright star we made wishes upon Love me always, promise always Oh, you’ll remember too
I’ll remember you”
— quoted from the song “I’ll remember you” by Elvis Presley, written by Lee Kuiokalani
At 12:30 AM (local time) on Sunday, January 14, 1973, Elvis Presley started performing his “Aloha from Hawai’i” concert. It was not the first time the “King of Rock and Roll” had performed in Hawai’i. In addition to filming three (3) movies on the islands (and selling tickets to the dress rehearsal for the January 14th show), he performed concerts in 1957 (before he served in the U. S. Army) and in 1961 (after he was discharged from the army). Several of these were benefit concerts, as was this notable first in 1973. So, those things weren’t new elements. Neither was this the first time he and the TCB Band (“Taking Care of Business Band”) had recorded a concert live with an orchestra and/or used Richard Strauss’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra” as their into music. Although, this time, that particular song selection did underscore the fact that this 1973 concert was the “first” by a single performer* to be broadcast live, via satellite.
People in 40 countries (mostly in Asia and Oceana) watched the broadcast in real time and people in Europe watched it with a slightly delay (and a little editing). Most people in the United States, however, were not able to watch the concert until April 4th (due to the Super Bowl broadcast and the fact that the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer documentary Elvis On Tour was playing on the mainland). Wearing an iconic white jumpsuit with rhinestones in patriotic designs, Elvis sang his classics and Kui Lee’s “I’ll Remember You.” He also announced that the proceeds from the pay-what-you-will concert were being donated to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund.
Kuiokalani Lee was a Chinese-born American singer-songwriter who served in the United States Coast Guard and penned popular hits by Don Ho during the Hawai’ian Renaissance. Diagnosed with cancer in 1965, he performed (as Kui Lee) until his death in 1966 (at the age of 34). He was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement award by the Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts and inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame. Donations from Elvis’s “Aloha from Hawai’i, live via Satellite” concert totaled $75,000 (which would be almost $514,700 in 2024) for cancer research.
The songs performed for the audience at Honolulu International Center, plus some that Elvis recorded before the concert, were included on the live album and the U. S. broadcast. Four (out of five) additional songs recorded (directly) after the live concert were included in the U. S. special, but were not initially included on the live album. In fact, the five songs recorded after the concert were not issued on any album until the posthumous release of Mahalo From Elvis (in 1978) and were not available as part of the “live” album until it was reissued as a CD in 1998. Additionally, people listening to the album, and/or watching the April 1973 broadcast, did not hear the announcement about the Kui Lee Cancer Fund.
Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite, the live album, was originally released as a two-disc set in quadraphonic sound. Although most people did not listen to the album as it was initially released — because the technology was not in place for people to truly appreciate the “surround sound” — and RCA quickly re-issued the album in standard stereophonic version, it was the first album formatted in such a way to top the Billboard album chart.
LANDING HIGH
“If you want to lift a hundred pounds, you don’t expect to succeed the first time. You start with a lighter weight and work up little by little. You actually fail to lift a hundred pounds, every day, until the day you succeed. But it is in the days when you are exerting yourself that growth is occurring.”
— quoted from the “Notes and References [related to Chapter 6. Brain Lock Unlocked — Using Plasticity to Stop Worries, Obsessions, Compulsions, and Bad Habits]” in The Brain the Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge, M.D.
Every “first” has a back story. We may think, say, and even believe that something happened overnight, but the reality is that there’s always an idea and/or an innovation that precedes the next idea and innovation. For example, the president’s first flight and the king’s first concert broadcast via satellite required an idea and technology — a backstory, if you will — that started firmly on terra firma. The backstory for this final “first” also starts on the ground… with people looking up… in the mid to late 17th century.
Giovanni Domenico Cassini, also known as Jean-Dominique Cassini, was an Italian-French mathematician, astronomer, and engineer (born June 8, 1625) who experienced a lot of significant “firsts” in his lifetime. His contributions to science include determining the rotation periods of Jupiter and Mars; discovering four moons of Saturn, the reason one of those moons varies in brightness, and the Cassini Division (between the two outermost rings of Saturn); and beginning (towards the end of his life) what would become the first topographic map of France. He also published his observations regarding the topography of Mars. However, he was not the first to discover the surface markings on Mars — that distinction belongs to Christiaan Huygens (born April 14, 1629), a Dutch mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and inventor who was also a Dutch nobleman.
In addition to being the first Western scientist to observe the markings on Mars, Christiaan Huygens is considered a significant part of the Scientific Revolution. He discovered the largest of Saturn’s moons; was the first to describe Saturn’s rings as “a thin, flat, ring, nowhere touching [Saturn;]” and developed a system for calculating relative sizes and stellar distances within (and of) the solar system. He also advanced the designs of telescopes; identified and codified laws and/or formulas of elastic collision, centrifugal force, and the wave theory of light; and invented the pendulum clock.
“Cassini is a mission of firsts. Time and time again it has continued to surprise us. Astounding observations. It has changed our thinking irrevocably.”
— Jim Green, NASA Planetary Science Division Director, quoted from the video “Cassini’s First Dive Between Saturn and Its Rings” posted on NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology site
Since Giovanni Cassini and Christiaan Huygens contributed so much to Western scientists’ understanding of Saturn, it is not surprising that a major mission to Saturn bears their names. Known as Cassini–Huygens, the mission to study Saturn and its system was a collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It brought together teams from 27 different countries and featured NASA’s Cassini space probe and ESA’s Huygens lander. The probe, launched on October 15, 1997, was the fourth to visit Saturn. It collected data en route and (on July 1, 2004) became the first to enter Saturn’s orbit. The lander separated from the probe on December 4, 2004, and landed on Saturn’s largest moon (Titan) on January 14, 2005 — becoming the first successful landing in the outer solar system and the first lunar landing on a moon other than Earth’s moon.
The Huygens lander transmitted data, via the probe, for about 90 minutes after landing. The overall Cassini–Huygens mission (also known simply as Cassini) was extended twice; with the first extension known as the Cassini Equinox Mission and the second known as the Cassini Solstice Mission. The extensions allowed the probe to continue collecting data (from Saturn’s orbit) until September 15, 2017, when it entered Saturn’s (upper) atmosphere. The data collected during the nineteen years and eleven months of observation is still being analyzed and will foster better understanding of Saturn, our solar system, and life in (and beyond) our solar system. It will also provide the foundation for the next round of cosmic “firsts.”
“… Don protested. ‘But that’s theoretically impossible— isn’t it?’
Dr. Jefferson brushed it aside. ‘Everything is theoretically impossible, until it’s done. One could write a history of science in reverse by assembling the solemn pronouncements of highest authority about what could not be done and could never happen. Studied any mathematical philosophy, Don? Familiar with infinite universe sheafs and open-ended postulate systems?’
‘Uh, I’m afraid not, sir.’
‘Simple idea and very tempting. The notion that everything is possible—and I mean everything—and everything has happened. Everything.’”
— quoted from “II: ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel,Upharsin’” in Between Planets by Robert A. Heinlein
*NOTE: The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) coordinated national broadcasters, performing artists, and other participants from fourteen different countries for a live variety show that was broadcast via satellite to 24 countries on Sunday, June 25, 1967. The “other participants” included fishermen, construction workers, and other laborers selected by individual countries.
Many blessings to all, and especially to those observing Lent and/or the 19-Day Fast during the “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“Much of one’s spiritual discipline must therefore focus on taming wayward senses and being ever vigilant against the treacherousness of the senses. The refinement of an individual or a society is measured by the yardstick of how well greed and desires are controlled.
The Illumined Ones subdue their senses and hold them in check by keeping their minds ever intent on achieving the overarching goal of union with God. They get in the habit of substituting divine thoughts for attractions of the senses.”
— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (2.60 – 61) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley
Please join me today (Wednesday, March 6th) 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 “09132020 What Is Inside, II”]
“But when you can move about in a world that surrounds you with sense attractions, and yet be free of either attachment or aversion to them, tranquility comes and sits in your heart — and you are absorbed in the peace and wisdom of the Self within. Serenity, Arjuna, is the point at which all sorrow ends!”
— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (2.64 – 65) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley
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 all, and especially to those observing Lent and/or the 19-Day Fast, on World Hearing Day and throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“Let us be practical and ask the question. How do we love our enemies?
First, we must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. It is impossible even to begin the act of loving one’s enemies without the prior acceptance of the necessity, over and over again, of forgiving those who inflict evil and injury upon us. It is also necessary to realize that the forgiving act must always be initiated by the person who has been wronged, the victim of some great hurt, the recipient of some tortuous injustice, the absorber of some terrible act of oppression. The wrongdoer may request forgiveness. He may come to himself, and, like the prodigal son, move up some dusty road, his heart palpitating with the desire for forgiveness. But only the injured neighbor, the loving father back home, can really pour out the warm waters of forgiveness.”
— quoted from the “Loving Your Enemies” sermon delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Christmas 1957)
“Again we hear people saying, ‘I will forgive you but I won’t have anything to do with you.’ There again, one hasn’t forgiven if he will not have anything to do with the person or the group that he is supposedly forgiving because forgiveness means reconciliation. Forgiveness means the development of a new relationship. And I submit to you that the first way that one can go about loving his enemy neighbor is to develop the capacity to forgive.
The second thing is this. In order to love the enemy neighbor we must recognize that the negative deed of the enemy does not represent all that the individual is. His evil deed does not represent his whole being. If we look at ourselves hard enough, and if we look at all men hard enough, we see a strange dichotomy, a disturbing schizophrenia. We are divided against ourselves, split up so to speak. There is something within all of us which causes us to cry out with Ovid the Latin poet, ‘I see and approve the better things of life, but the evil things I do.’”*
— quoted from the “Loving Your Enemies” sermon delivered at the Detroit Council of Churches’ Noon Lenten Services by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (circa March 7, 1961)
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, March 3rd) 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 “03052022 Your I-ness”]
“Third we must not seek to defeat or humiliate the enemy but to win his friendship and understanding. At times we are able to humiliate our worst enemy. Inevitably, his weak moments come and we are able to thrust in his side the spear of defeat. But this we must not do. Every word and deed must contribute to an understanding with the enemy and release those vast reservoirs of goodwill which have been blocked by impenetrable walls of hate.
Let us move now from the practical how to the theoretical why: Why should we love our enemies? The first reason is fairly obvious. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
— quoted from the “Loving Your Enemies” sermon delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Christmas 1957)
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 all, and especially to those observing Lent, St. David’s Day, and/or the 19-Day Fast during this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
This is the post-practice post for tonight’s “First Friday Night Special.” You can request an audio recording of tonight’s Restorative Yoga practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at 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.
“Brothers and sisters, Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed, and do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I on the third day of the week on the first of March shall go the way of my fathers. Farewell in the Lord.”
— based on “62. The Assembly of Mourners” in Rhygyvarch’s Life of St. David (circa later 11th century)
I want you to do a little thing, just a little thing: relax you jaw.
You might have to move it around first and/or open it wide first; but, then, soften the lower portion of your face.
Now, take a deep breath in and, as your exhale, relax your shoulders. I know, I know, that’s a second (and a third) thing; but, still just a little thing.
If you do one more little thing — like, say, relaxing your fingers — you may start to notice how little things can make a big difference.
For many people, this time of year is when they do something that is a little different from the things they do throughout the rest of the year. Maybe they just do a little Spring cleaning. Maybe, as many people are doing right now, they give up something for Lent and/or they observe the Baháʼí Faith 19-Day Fast. Maybe, as many people will soon be doing, they fast during Great Lent, Passover, or the holy month of Ramaḍān. Maybe, as many people will soon be doing, they fast and celebrate during Maha Shivaratri.
Each of those examples requires time, effort, and patience. Furthermore, from the outside, doing any of these things requires something that can look like a little inconvenience and/or an imposition. However, in each of the participating communities, these rituals and traditions are a big deal. There is a material and a symbolic aspect of each example, which means that doing little things can lead to big benefits.
The March First Friday Night Special features a Restorative Yoga practice. It is accessible and open to all.
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “03032023 Liminal & Lofty Redux”]
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).
Many blessings to all,and especially to those observing Lent, Ayyám-i-Há,and/or Rare Disease Dayduring this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
This is theabridged version ofa 2023 postrelated to February 29th(which was original posted with information from yesterday’s post). Some context and links (including a video) have been added/updated. There’s no practice today; however, you can request an audio recording of a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at 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.)
“That’s the thing about a rare disease. You fight for a diagnosis for years ― on average, according to Global Genes, it takes seeing 7.3 physicians and trying for 4.8 years before getting an accurate rare disease diagnosis ― and then, even once you know, you must continue being a detective as you try to piece together the clues as to how the illness might progress. You become an expert in a disease you wish you’d never heard of.
As a parent, you also quickly morph into a nurse, therapist, chief operating officer, educational advocate, cheerleader and warrior. You feel alone, because by definition, your child’s diagnosis is exceptional. And yet, 1 in 10 Americans and 300 million people globally are living with a rare disease.
You find community not just in other people who share the specific diagnosis your family is facing, but in those struggling with any rare diagnosis. It doesn’t matter what the exact symptoms or disease trajectory are. What matters is the shared understanding that your dreams as a parent have forever shifted.”
— quoted from the (February 28, 2022*) Huffington Post article entitled “My Daughter’s Rare Disease Was A Mystery For Years. Here’s How We Finally Got A Diagnosis.” by Jessica Fein
In addition to being (what I would consider) a “liminal day,” February 28th can also be a “rare” day. Typically, when we think of a “rare” day on the Gregorian and Julian calendars, we think of February 29th, Leap Day, which is rare because it only happens every four years.** Leap day is the perfect day for Rare Disease Day, which is observed on February 28th during non-leap years like 2023. Observations on this alternate date, coincide with the anniversary of the United States House of Representatives passing the Orphan Drug Act of 1983 on February 28, 1982. The act went into effect on January 4, 1983, and it facilitated the development of “orphan drugs” (i.e., drugs for rare diseases and disorders). Japan and the European Union enacted similar acts in 1993 and 2000, respectively. Prior to the act being passed in the U. S., less than 40 drugs had been approved as treatments for rare diseases and disorders (in the whole history of the United States). In the three decades after the act went into affect, almost ten times as many drugs had been approved.
Why the difference? Why did it take an act of Congress?
Unfortunately for those who face life-threatening and life-changing diseases, research is primarily driven by pharmaceutical companies, which are mostly driven by profits — and there’s just not a lot of profit in rare diseases.
“That referral led us to the geneticist, who ended up delivering the information that changed our lives.
‘Dalia tested positive for a genetic mutation that’s associated with myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers, or MERRF syndrome ― an extremely rare form of mitochondrial disease,’ the doctor said.”
— quoted from the (February 28, 2022*) Huffington Post article entitled “My Daughter’s Rare Disease Was A Mystery For Years. Here’s How We Finally Got A Diagnosis.” by Jessica Fein
Approximately 300 million people are living with a rare disease. That doesn’t sound very rare when you add in their family, friends, and caregivers. But, here’s the thing: those 300 million people are not living with the same disease. They are not even living with the same two or three diseases. In the medical community, a “rare disease” is typically defined as a disease that affects fewer than 1 in 2,000 people. That means it can affect one or two people, or several hundred around the world. In the United States, Huntington’s disease; myoclonus; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – also known as motor neuron disease (MND); Tourette syndrome; muscular dystrophy; Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS); Prader-Willi syndrome; and Usher syndrome are all considered rare diseases or rare disorders. Sickle cell anemia is also considered a rare disease; even though it affects approximately 100,000 people in the United States. Autosomal systemic lupus erythematosus, which is characterized by the presence of (the more common) systemic lupus erythematosus symptoms in two or more members of a single family, is also considered a rare disease.
Approximately 72 — 80% of rare diseases are known to be genetic. About 70% begin in childhood. Tragically, thirty percent of children diagnosis with a rare disease will not reach age 5. While some people have diseases that are degenerative, some people “outgrow” their disease. Another challenge, for people suffering from rare diseases and disorders, is that sometimes people can be suffering with “invisible” ailments — meaning that others perceive them as healthy. All of these differences in symptoms and situations makes it really hard to receive diagnosis and treatment — especially since healthcare practitioners (particularly here in the West) are taught to “lookfor horses, notzebras.” Unfortunately, rare diseases are really colorful zebras. They require patients and their family and friends to take on all the roles normally distributed between professionals.
Recently, another couple of layers have been added to the already complicated story of rare diseases. For a variety of really disturbing reasons — that I want to believe come from a lack of awareness and knowledge — people have started co-opting orphan drugs and using them for non-life threatening issues. In some cases, they are being used for purely cosmetic purposes without any regard for the people whose lives actually depend on the medication. (NOTE: This is also happening with treatments for “common diseases,” with equally devastating effects; however, those common diseases get more publicity, because they make up a larger share of the market.) On the flip side, COVID seems to have created a situation where some rare diseases are becoming more common — which means, as twisted as sounds, that some people are feeling more hopefully, because more research and development is being done with regard to their ailment.
Again, it all comes down to awareness, education, perspective, compassion, and empathy. Which is the whole point of Rare Disease Day.
Established in 2008, by the European Organization for Rare Diseases, Rare Disease Day is a day dedicated to “raising awareness and generating change for the 300 million people worldwide living with a rare disease, their families and [caregivers].” The 2023 theme “ShareYourColours” is an invitation to share your story. Whether you have a rare disease or whether you love and/or care for someone with a rare disease, sharing your story can be a way to raise awareness, stop the ignorance, and end stigma.
If you are not dealing with a rare disease, be open to hearing other people’s stories. As rare as they are, I have known someone dealing with almost all of the rare diseases and disorders that I used as examples (above). Or, I should say, I’ve known that I knew them, because they shared their stories. Listening, as Bruce Kramer pointed out, opens us “… a little bit more.”
“To be open is to embrace your own great big messy humanity, to cry in sadness but not despair, to recognize presence in the emptiness of the bitter moment of truth, to be afraid but not fearful. Dis ease presents the choice of being open or closed, and opening to her lessons, her gifts, her challenges, is not easy. But dis ease clarifies vision, bringing sight to the blindness of what you thought you knew about living, light to the darkness of cynicism that life’s grief piled upon itself can foster. I know ALS is a horror, yet when fully embraced, it has taught me, it has revealed to me pure unsullied, uncontaminated, unbelievable love.
In my heart of hearts, I know that love never dies.”
— quoted from “25. Faith, Part IV: What’s Love Got To Do with It?” in We Know How This Ends: Living while Dying by Bruce H. Kramer with Cathy Wurzer
The 2023 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06142020 World Blood Donor Day”]
NOTE: Not all rare diseases are blood-based, but the playlist contains a blood-borne subliminal message.
*NOTE: A follow-up article by Jessica Fein was also published by Huffington Post [on] February 28, 2023.
**NOTE:According to the Julian calendar, Leap Year is every four years.On the Gregorian calendar, which is used by most people who will come across this post, it’s not that simple.
“A year is a leap year if it is divisible by 4 and is not a century year (multiple of 100) or if it is divisible by 400. For example, 1900 is not a leap year; 2000 is.”
— quoted from “2 — The Gregorian Calendar, 2.1: Structure” in Calendrical Calculations by Nachum Dershowitz, Edward Reingold
Many blessings to all, and especially to those observing Ayyám-i-Há and/or Lent during this “Season for Non-violence” and all other seasons!
The following excerpt is the beginning of a 2023 post. Class details, a little extra context, and a quote have been updated/added.
“Through the years I’ve written and taught extensively about ‘liminal time,’ that pregnant pause between what is no longer and what is not yet. Although liminal time is a known stage in all rites of passage, most people have never heard of it. Whether we’re talking about a pandemic, a war, a refugee crisis, or even a man or womanhood ritual, a graduation, or a new job far away from family and friends, the stages (though not the intensity) of a rite of passage are the same.”
— quoted from “Running the Gauntlet of the Unknown” by Joan Borysenko, PhD (posted at joanborysenko.com, April 1, 2020)
Technically speaking, every day is a “liminal day” — a transitional or threshold day, a doorway in between moments; like the pauses in between the inhale and the exhale. However, Dr. Joan Borysenko talks about “liminal time” in a very specific context, one that fits into the paradigm of The Hero’s Journey. It is a time of ritual; the threshold between the known and the unknown; and — maybe most importantly — it is a moment time-stamped by grief, sandwiched between separation and return. All of this is why I consider the days of this week, and many of the days in the coming weeks, to be “liminal days.”
But this is not just a Myra-thing. These days are specifically designated by various traditions as in-between times. Not “regular” or “ordinary” days, but days when there is a heightened awareness of what’s to come and the need to be ready for what’s to come. On the Baháʼí Faith calendar, February 26th — March 1st are literally in-between days: they are intercalary days between the penultimate month of the year and the final month (which is the month of the 19-Day Fast).
For Those Who Are Not Familiar: The Baháʼí Faith is a monotheistic faith that believes in the oneness of God and religion, as well as the oneness and nobility of humanity. The community believes that, historically, there has been a “progressive revelation of religious truth” which has been shared with the world through the voices of the prophets or Divine Messengers, known as “Manifestations of God” (which include “Braham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and, in more recent times, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh”). People within the faith are taught to honor the value of different religious and philosophical traditions as well as the value of education, especially in science (which is viewed by some faiths as being contrary to religion). The Baháʼí calendar consists of 19 months, each with 19 days, and each month (and day) is named after an attribute of God. To maintain the integrity of the calendar, there are 4 – 5 intercalary days just before the final month.
The four to five intercalary days on the Baháʼí Faith calendar are named for the “essence of God” and known as Ayyám-i-Há or Days of Ha. During the Festival of Ayyám-i-Há, people may exchange small gifts, donate to charity, and participate in activities that cultivate unity.
While the customs and beliefs are different within these different traditions, people all over the world are actually preparing for some of the holiest times of their year: Christians observe Lent and Great Lent to get ready for Easter; the Baháʼí community observes the 19-Day Fast as they prepare for a new year — and these Springtime rituals contain very similar elements to each other and to Passover and Yom Kippur (in the Jewish tradition) and to the holy month of Ramaḍān (in the Muslim tradition). All of these rituals contain elements of the Yoga Philosophy’s niyamās (internal “observations”). They also fall under the rubric that Patanjali called kriyā yoga (“union in action”), which is a combination of the final three: tapas (“heat, discipline, austerity” and the practices that cultivate them), svādhyāya (“self-study”), and īśvarapraņidhāna (“trustful surrender to higher reality”). They involve fasting, prayers, reflection, self-study undertaken within a sacred context, and letting something go.
That last part is where the grief kicks in — because, whether you give something up for the Lenten season or you change your daily routine to accommodate a holy observation, the mind-body will experience some level of loss with some manifestation of grief. It will not be the same intensity of loss we experience when we lose a job or when we lose a loved one. Neither will it be the same level of grief.
However, no matter the intensity of the loss and/or grief, we have to figure out a way to move forward, into a new season of life — and while each person has an individual experience, they have it in community.
“The adoption of a new calendar in each dispensation is a symbol of the power of Divine Revelation to reshape human perception of material, social, and spiritual reality. Through it, sacred moments are distinguished, humanity’s place in time and space reimagined, and the rhythm of life recast.”
— quoted from the letter addressed “To the Bahá’ís of the World” from The Universal House of Justice, dated 10 July 2014
Please join me today (Wednesday, February 28th) 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 “02282021 Lofty and Rare Days”]
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 blessing to anyone observing (or getting ready to observe) Lent. Peace and ease — and more listening — to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“An enemy is one whose story we have not heard.”
— the title of a 1997 essay by Gene Knudsen Hoffman
The following excerpt is from the 2023 revision of a previous post:
“Imagine that, at a very early age, you are exposed to an idea. It doesn’t have to be a big idea, stated and codified in a systematic way. It could just be a simple statement. It could be an idea (or a statement) about age, gender, race, ethnicity, religious and/or political beliefs — it could even be an idea about height or weight or hair texture (or length) or skin and/or eye hue. Or maybe it’s a statement about ability. Either way, the moment that you are exposed to the idea, some part of you questions whether it is true and even considers the validity of the idea/statement based on the source. You may not be conscious of this questioning, but it happens – sometimes quickly, in a blink — and then, as you move forward, other things (and people) either confirm the veracity of the idea or invalidate the idea.
Now, imagine that you grow up with this idea and this idea, whether you feel it is directed at you or at people around you, becomes — on a certain level — the lens through which you view yourself and the world. You may not be conscious of this lens. In fact, in most cases, this bias (whether we view it as positive or negative) is unconscious… subterranean. In the Yoga Philosophy, saṃskāra is a Sanskrit word for mental “impressions,” that can also be defined as “idea, notion, conception.” Saṃskāra are the foundation or roots of our thoughts, words, and deeds. Neurologically speaking, we can think of them as hard-wired pathways that are sometimes such an integral part of us they make habitual responses to certain situations appear instinctual. They are the beginning of the best of us… and also the worst of us.”
NOTE: The linked post contains information about mental health and United States history. It also includes links to a different playlist.
“This can already be seen in the different reception given a new citizen of the world. If the father or someone else asked what ‘it’ was after a successful birth, the answer might be either the satisfied report of a boy, or—with pronounced sympathy for the disappointment— ‘Nothing, a girl,’ or ‘Only a girl.’”
— Bertha Pappenheim (b. 1859) as quoted in The Jewish Woman: New Perspectives, edited by Elizabeth Koultun
Please join me today (Tuesday, February 27th) 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 “08282021 The Heart’s Wildest Dream”]
“If any man at this day sincerely believes that a proper division of local from federal authority, or any part of the Constitution, forbids the Federal Government to control as to slavery in the federal territories, he is right to say so, and to enforce his position by all truthful evidence and fair argument which he can. But he has no right to mislead others, who have less access to history, and less leisure to study it, into the false belief that ‘our fathers who framed the Government under which we live’ were of the same opinion — thus substituting falsehood and deception for truthful evidence and fair argument. If any man at this day sincerely believes ‘our fathers who framed the Government under which we live,’ used and applied principles, in other cases, which ought to have led them to understand that a proper division of local from federal authority or some part of the Constitution, forbids the Federal Government to control as to slavery in the federal territories, he is right to say so. But he should, at the same time, brave the responsibility of declaring that, in his opinion, he understands their principles better than they did themselves; and especially should he not shirk that responsibility by asserting that they ‘understood the question just as well, and even better, than we do now.’”
— quoted from Abraham Lincoln’s address at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, February 27, 1860, (during which he repeatedly quotes a statement made by Senator Stephen Douglas)
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 New Year!” “Happy Spring Festival!” Many blessings to everyone observing (or getting ready to observe) Lent. Peace, ease, and acceptance to all throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
This is the “missing” post for Sunday, February 18th. It includes some previously posted information (updated for 2024) and links to related posts. You can request a recording of the related practice(s) via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at 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. Donations are tax deductible.
“Think of a space in your heart, and in the midst of that space think that a flame is burning. Think of that flame as your own soul and inside the flame is another effulgent light, and that is the Soul of your soul, God. Meditate upon that in the heart. Chastity, non-injury, forgiving even the greatest enemy, truth, faith in the Lord, these are all different Vrittis. Be not afraid if you are not perfect in all of these; work, they will come. He who has given up all attachment, all fear, and all anger, he whose whole soul has gone unto the Lord, he who has taken refuge in the Lord, whose heart has become purified, with whatsoever desire he comes to the Lord, He will grant that to him. Therefore worship Him through knowledge, love, or renunciation.”
— quoted from “Chapter VIII: Raja-Yoga in Brief” in The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 1, Raja-Yoga by Swami Vivekananda
For some people (even some people observing Lent, the Spring Festival, and/or Navaratri), Sunday, February 18th was, once again, just another Sunday. For some people, however, there were celebrations and observations that have particular significance for people in certain regions. They are rituals and traditions that mark a change in season and, in the last two cases, the beginning of peace.
In Belgium, northern France, and parts of Germany and Switzerland, the first Sunday of Lent is referred to as Funkensonntag. Sometimes translated as “Spark Sunday” or as “Bonfire Sunday,” it is a day when people build Lenten (bon)fires in order to burn their Christmas trees and other debris left over from winter. Effigies of the Winter Witch and Old Man Winter are also tossed into the bonfires, making this tradition a way to welcome — even hasten — the arrival of Spring.
Since the Orthodox and Western Christian traditions use a different calendars, there have been times when the First Sunday of Lent in the Western Christian traditions is Shrove Sunday, the last Sunday before Great Lent. It is also known as “Cheesefare Sunday” and “Forgiveness Sunday,” which puts extra emphasis on fasting, prayers, and letting go of past transgressions, sins, animosity, and rivalries. Even this year, when the Christian calendars do not overlap in the aforementioned way, people in all the traditions are engaged in the elements of kriyā yoga (“yoga in action”): that combination of tapah (“heat, austerity, or discipline”), svādhyāya (“self-study”), and īśvarapraņidhāna (“trustful surrender to [God]”).
“Those Samâdhis with which we ended our last chapter are very difficult to attain; so we must take them up slowly. The first step, the preliminary step, is called Kriya-yoga. Literally this means work, working towards Yoga.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.1, in Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda
In 2024, Funkensonntag overlapped with the ninth day/night of Navaratri. The Hindu celebration of the nine feminine manifestations of the Divine is also a story about Durga/Parvati in different stages of life. Each manifestation is a symbolic milestone (and a reminder that women “contain multitudes”). The final day is devoted to Siddhidhatri, whose name literally means “land/earth of achievements.” She is “Giver of Perfection,” believed to be endowed with all the siddhis (“abilities”) in the Universe and, also, to be able to bestow all of them. However, She typically only gives nine of the multitudes. In art and literature, she is sometimes depicted as being half of Shiva (with Him being half of Her), meaning that they are the embodiment the yin/yang symbol. When they are shown together in this way, they are each known as Ardhanarishvara, Ardhanaranari, or similar names that all highlight the fact that They are partially a woman.
During the big celebrations of Navaratri (in the Spring and Fall) the final day is a double celebration — which may mean more feasting in some regions and more fasting in others. Magha Navaratri is one of the celebrations referred to as Gupta Navaratri meaning it is “hidden/secret” — again, not because no one knows about it, but because it is not as obvious as the bigger celebrations. Even one of the biggest days during this particular Gupta Navaratri is hidden in the middle! Vasant Panchami or Sri Panchami, a festival marking the beginning of Spring, occurs on the fifth day of Magha Navaratri.
“On the eve of the ninth day, a pair of sugarcane plants are usually placed one on each side of the offering table or the front door of the house. This pair of the sugarcane symbolises unity, cooperation and strength. The cane itself is a symbol of harmony and a token which can bring good ‘sweet’ results.”
— quoted from “SECTION ONE: CHINESE – Chapter 2. Chinese Community and Culture in Singapore (Variation of Practices during Chinese New Year: Hoikkien) by Soon Su-Chuin, Elvin Xing Yifu and Tong Chee Kiong, as published inThe Singapore Ethnic Mosiac: Many Cultures ,One People edited by Mathew Matthews
The ninth day of the Lunar New Year is the birthday of the Jade Emperor, who is known as the “Ruler of Heaven and Earth.” While he is a prominent figure some religious traditions and is honored throughout in the Lunar New Year celebrations, most people — even people who celebrate the 15-day Spring Festival — have gone back to business as usual by the ninth day of the Lunar New Year. People may do something in private, especially if they are hosting their son-in-law(s); but, for most people, it is not a special day off. There are, however, some people whose celebrations of the Jade Emperor’s birthday are so significant that they rival the festivities at the beginning of the Lunar New Year and the end of the Spring Festival.
The following (revised) excerpt is from a 2021 post:
“Legend has it that the Hokkien people (also known as Hoklo, Banlam, and Minnan people) found themselves under attack. The Hokkien were not warriors, but they came in close proximity with warriors because they were known for building great ships. One version of their story states that the events occurred while they were being hunted and killed during the Song Dynasty (between 960 and 1279 CE). Another version indicates that they were caught between warring factions. Ultimately, to escape the carnage, they decided to hide in a sugar cane field — which, in some versions of the story, just miraculously appeared. The whole community hid until there were no more sounds of horses, warriors, or battle. Legend has it that they emerged on the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, which is the Jade Emperor’s Birthday.
Sometimes referred to as ‘Heavenly Grandfather’ and ‘Heavenly Duke,’ the Jade Emperor is recognized as the ruler of heaven and earth in some Chinese religions and mythology. In Taoism, he is one of the Three Pure Ones or the Three Divine Teachers. Fujian province (in China), Penang (in Malayasia), and Taiwan are three areas where there is a large concentration of Hokkien people and, therefore, places where the ninth day of the Lunar New Year is a large celebration. In some places the celebrations begin at 11 PM on the eighth night and can be so large that they eclipse the celebrations of the first day of the Lunar New Year (in those areas). In fact, the ninth day is actually called ‘Hokkien New Year.’
Those who are religious will go to a temple and engage in a ritual involving prostration, kneeling, bowing, incense, and offerings. For many there is a great feast full of fruits, vegetables, noodles, and (of course) sugar cane. The sugar cane is an important element of the Jade Emperor’s birthday celebrations and rituals — not only because of the aforementioned story of survival, but also because the Hokkien word for ‘sugarcane’ (kam-chià, 甘蔗) is a homonym for (or sounds like) a Hokkien word for ‘thank you’ (kamsiā, 感谢), which literally means ‘feeling thankful.’
Every version of the Hokkien people’s survival story is a great reminder that we can give thanks no matter how hard, how challenging, how infuriating, and/or how tragic our situation. Take [2020, or last year], for instance: When we look back at all the hard stuff, all the grief, all the fear, all the anger, all the disappointment, and all of the trauma, we can get distracted and forget that there were moments of sweetness. There were moments of kindness, moments of love, moments of birth and rebirth, moments of compassion, moments of hope, and moments of joy. In other words, in spite of all the hard stuff, there were moments of sweetness. Take a moment to remember one of those moments; and feel thankful.”
“‘Although we may not have an image of this deity in our temple, as long as devotees have the Jade Emperor in their hearts, their prayers will be heard,’ said [the Kwan Imm Temple’s] principal Shi Fa Zhuo.”
— quoted from The Star article entitled “Legend Behind Hokkien New Year emphasizes unity and solidarity” by Grace Chen (2/24/2018)
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Lunar New Year Day 9 & Funkensonntag 2024”]
### “I want a little sugar in my bowl
I want a little sweetness down in my soul
I could stand some lovin’, oh so bad
Feel so funny, I feel so sad” ~Nina Simone ###
“Happy Spring Festival!” Many blessings to everyone observing (or getting ready to observe) Lent. Peace, freedom, and ease to all throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
This is the “missing” post for Saturday, February 17th. It includes some previously posted information (updated for 2024) and links to related posts. You can request a recording of the related practice(s) via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at 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. Donations are tax deductible.
“‘From this story, we learn that unity, solidarity and the active participation of the community is necessary when it comes to facing challenges,’ said [Klang Hokkien Association president Datuk Teh Kim] Teh.”
— quoted from The Star article (about a version of the story where only some hide) entitled “Legend Behind Hokkien New Year emphasizes unity and solidarity” by Grace Chen (2/24/2018)
The eighth day of the Lunar New Year is not a big deal for a lot of people. Sure, it is the day before the Jade Emperor’s birthday, making it New Year’s Eve for the Hokkien people (also known as Hoklo, Banlam, and Minnan people) — and that is a big deal — and there are some people who celebrate the creation (or birth) of millet, an ancient grain and staple in many households. But, for the majority of people who celebrate the Lunar New Year, the eighth day is a bit of a break from all the feasting. There is still, however, a lot of preparation going on: people getting ready for the Jade Emperor’s birthday (which, again, is a really big deal for some communities) and people getting ready for the Lantern Festival which is the culmination of the Spring Festival.
This year, the eighth day of the Lunar New Year was also the eighth night/day of Navaratri, the Hindu celebration of God as a woman. This penultimate manifestation of Durga/Parvati is known as Mahagauri, the mother Goddess who slays the demon-king. Each of the nine manifestations of Durga represent Her at a different point in her life/journey. By the time we get to the eighth manifestation, Parvati is already married — but the demons can only be killed by a virgin. Obviously, she could not go back; she had to go forward in order to prepare herself for battle.
In some versions of her story, she practiced tapas, prayed, and made offerings. At one point, she bathed in the Ganges River, one of the sacred rivers in India, and emerged with the rosy glow of youth. In parts of India, people begin their eighth day by making pūjā or offerings of flowers to celebrate her wisdom, beauty, and ability to bring peace. Then they get ready for the final celebration. As I mentioned before, this particular Navaratri is one of the two lesser celebrated occasions. So, while there are not as many people celebrating at this time of year, there are still a lot of people preparing for the final celebrations.
This year, these eighth days also fell on Saturday, February 17th, which is Ed Sheeran’s birthday, and coincidentally, the first Saturday of Lent (in most Western Christian traditions). Here again, the first Saturday of Lent is not a huge deal — except for the fact that it is a day, just like the aforementioned days, when people are preparing for something more: for a deeper connection with God (whatever that means to them in the moment). That deeper connection to God also, in these cases, creates an opportunity for deeper commune with community and with oneself.
“You give me life (yay, yay) You help me see when I’ve been blind (yay, yay) Even when I’m feeling paralyzed yeah (yay, yay) You help me seek so I can find Happiness on a rainy day Wo ama me ni agye oh Wo ama me ni agye oh Awurade yeah”
— quoted from the English and Twi song “Boa Me” (“Help Me”) by Fuse ODG, featuring Ed Sheeran (written by Edward Christopher Sheeren, Joseph Addison, Mugeez Abdul Rashi, and Nana Richard Abiona)
The Twi/English lyrics can be translated as “You’ve given me a smile oh / You’ve made me so happy oh Lord yeah”
Although the rituals and traditions are different, although the stories are different, everyone is getting ready for something, something deeper. For some people it is a deeper relationship: a deeper relationship with themselves, a deeper relationship with their community, and/or a deeper relationship with God (whatever that means to you at this moment). Just as we can explore the ways people/communities make (and reinforce) spiritual connections, we can examine the ways we (individually) make connections — and the freedom that can come from going a little deeper into some of the causes and conditions that lead us to make (or not make) connections.
For better or for worse, we are creatures of habits. According to the Yoga Philosophy, every experience creates a saṃskāra (“mental impression”) through which we view future experiences. Over time, our layers of saṃskāra become vāsanā (the “dwelling” place for our habits). In other words, new experiences create new neural pathways, which get “hardwired” and become “muscle memory.” This cultivation of habit can be so unconscious that we believe certain things are innate or instinctive — when, in fact, they are conditioned behaviors.
Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, our past experiences — and the past experiences of our elders and ancestors — makes certain situations more probable than others. We can say that there are infinite possibilities in the Universe, but all of that narrows down into our unique experience, where some things are more probable than other things. For instance, if you are born into a family (and country) where education is highly valued, you are more likely to pursue higher education than if you are born into a family where a degree is not prioritized. This is true even if the generations before you were not able to pursue a degree. This does not mean, however, that you absolutely will — or that it is the best option for you. It simply means that the causes and conditions are in place to increase the likelihood of a particular outcome.
Now, if you go to a trade school, college, or university there is a good possibility that you will meet people you have never met before — maybe, even, people who are very different from the people around whom you grew up. In fact, relationships are one of the things people get out of going to school. The thing is, even when/if you continue your education and encounter people unlike the people with whom you previously attended school, your habits are still rooted in those past experiences. And those habits, rooted in past experiences, continually cultivate the opportunity for connections… or disconnections. As we move through the world, our saṃskāra and vāsanā travel with us — and, in some ways, limit us.
Freedom comes from bringing awareness to cause and effect; to how things (and people) are connected; and to the causes and conditions that result in the choices (we believe) we are given. One way we can heighten our awareness is delving into the hips (as the “energetic and symbolic centers of our relationships…”).
“Every relationship you develop, from casual to intimate, helps you become more conscious. No union is without spiritual value.”
— quoted from “Morning Visual Meditation” (Chakra 2) by Caroline Myss
Yoga and Āyurveda, as the come to us from India, are based on an energetic mapping system consisting of nadis (“rivers or channels” of vitality), marmani (“vulnerable/vital points” of intersection), and chakras (”discus or wheels”). Some ancient texts indicate that there are thousands or millions of nadis associated with the body. While the Shiva Samhita outlines a system of 350,000 total nadis — and highlights 14 as “most important,” three as “preeminent,” and one of the preeminent ones as “most important,” many people who practice āsana (i.e., the postures) are only vaguely aware of the chakras, which are the points where the aforementioned preeminent chakras overlap.
The first chakra, which was our January focus, is the Mūlādhāra or Root chakra. The second, the Svādhiṣṭhāna chakra, is energetically and symbolically associated with the hips (including the lower portion of the abdominal cavity) and with the relationships we make outside of our first family, tribe, and/or community of birth. (I think we can also include some relationships we make as adults with people from our first family, tribe, and/or community of birth.) Note that in Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism,* the divine attributes of yesod (“bonding”), hod (“humility”), and netzach (“endurance”) are also associated with this same area of the body.
Please keep in mind, that a ”relationship,” in this context, is not limited to a romantic interaction or even to someone with whom you feel a kind of kinship. It is anyone with whom you interact, which means that it can be related to people you have never met and will never meet. It can be related to people who have different ideas than you; different philosophies, different spiritual and/or religious practices than you; and even different politics than you. It can even be related to people you do not like and/or for whom you have very little respect. And, yet, part of the practice is about figuring out how we can have more respect, more reverence (if you will), more lovingkindness, more compassion, and more joy in every interaction.
“Contrary to what many think or feel, Lent is a time of joy. It is a time when we come back to life. It is a time when we shake off what is bad and dead in us in order to become able to live, to live with all the vastness, all the depth, and all the intensity to which we are called. Unless we understand this quality of joy in Lent, we will make of it a monstrous caricature, a time when in God’s own name we make our life a misery.”
— quoted from “An Introduction to Lent” (dated February 17, 1968) by Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
Saturday playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Lunar New Year Day 8 2024”]
*NOTE: During the practices, I have been referencing some (but not all) of the different symbolic and energetic associations of each chakra and, therefore, each part of the body. As they relate to Christianity, first chakra is related to baptism and second chakra is related to communion. Notice, again, the connection between foundation in physical and religious life, as well as how people “share or exchange intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level” (which is one way to define communion).
Errata: This post originally misnamed the Svādhiṣṭhāna chakra, which is the second chakra.
It’s Mardi Gras, y’all! It’s also Shrove Tuesday and the last week of Shrovetide, for those who are feeling more prayerful!! “Happy Spring Festival!” Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Gupta (Magha) Navaratri!” Peace and ease to all on Galentine’s Day, Black Love Day, and during this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
This is the “missing” post for Tuesday, February 13th. It includes some previously posted information (updated for 2024) and embedded links to related posts (one of which will be added after this is posted). You can request a recording of the related practice(s) via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at 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. Donations are tax deductible.
The Tuesday before Lent has many names, but for a lot of people it is Mardi Gras, French for “Fat Tuesday,” the end of the Carnival season and the day before the Lenten season in Western Christian traditions. It is also known as Shrove Tuesday or (especially in the UK) Pancake Tuesday. It is a “moveable feast,” meaning the date on the secular calendar changes depending on the date of Easter each year. It also means that it coincides with different events each year. This year, Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday (in the Western Christian traditions) overlapped the “Season for Nonviolence” and coincided with day Galileo Galilee returned to Rome in 1633; the day Wendall P. Dabney started publishing The Union in 1907; the fourth day of Navaratri; the fourth day of the Lunar New Year; Galentine’s Day; and Black Love Day.
These observations, traditions, and rituals are very different on the outside, however, they are all inspired by similar beliefs and the very human desire for deeper connections with something Divine, something more than one’s self. While not religious, even Galentine’s Day (which is about celebrating friendship) and Black Love Day (which is about African Americans connecting/reconnecting with each other in a loving and kind way) are about making and reinforcing deeper connections within a community. And there’s the rub: While some people may think of community as being Divine, others think of “God.”
I would normally add, “Whatever that means to you at this moment” — which, on a certain level, is still valid in this discussion — but, one of the things these holidays underscore is that people have very different ideas about the identity of the ruler of heaven and earth. What the major religions seem to agree upon, however, is the idea that there is a Divine entity who can present as anthropomorphic (with human features, emotions, and motivations); that there are certain ways to connect with the Divine; and that some preparation is needed to make that connection.
Navaratri, the “nine nights” and days of celebration in the Hindu tradition, is different from the other celebrations, because it is a celebration that focuses on Durga, the divine mother, in various manifestations. The fourth day is dedicated to the Goddess Kushmanda who, it is said, “created the world with her divine smile” — a smile that also powers the sun. She is recognized as Shakti (the creative force) and associated with good health (specifically with improving health), wealth, and strength.
Although, I haven’t gone into it in detail, this year, the names of each of Durga’s forms is symbolic and each form is associated with different colors, which have symbolic meanings. Similarly, symbolic colors and names are part of the Lunar New Year celebrations and significant to the ways people prepare for the Lenten season.
“[Kushmanda] also lives in our hearts. The fact that she is smiling reminds us that we too are our most creative when we are smiling and feeling positive, courageous (a quality of heart), and strong. The fact that this goddess, like Chandraghanta, rides a lion shows that the power of love is just as potent as the fire of transformation. It reminds us that the ability to love comes from inner strength. When we feel clouded by fear, anger, and grief, it can be difficult to imagine one day having the strength to love again. But Kushmanda is here to remind us that, no matter how brokenhearted we may feel at time, the power of love lives within us, and we can tap into it and become our creative best at any time.”
— quoted from the “Knowing Kushmanda” section of “Chapter 4 — The Art of Loving Your True Self” in The Way of the Goddess: Daily Rituals to Awaken Your Inner Warrior and Discover Your True Self by Ananta Ripa Ajmera
For a lot of people who are celebrating the Lunar New Year, the fourth day is the day when things start going back to normal (whatever that is these days). People go back to work and back to school. People who were able to travel to see family start heading back home (or are already home). Even those celebrating the Spring Festival for 15 days will rein in the festivities a bit. However, each day still has significance and special rituals. For instance, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year is the birthday of all sheep (in some Chinese traditions) and also the day when the Kitchen God returns to the hearth.
According to one set of stories, the Kitchen God was once a man who was full of everything except virtues like humility (the principle of the day for the “Season for Nonviolence”). After gaining a certain amount of power and wealth, he abandoned his first wife and married a younger woman. Years after the original couple divorced, the man fell on hard times. He lost his wealth, his power, his second wife, and his eyesight. He became a beggar on the streets. One day, the stories tell us, the man’s first wife saw her former husband begging in the streets. She was a woman of great kindness and compassion and so she invited him to her simple home and offered him a shower, some food, and a moment of warmth by the fire.
Remember, the old man could no longer see; so, he didn’t know that this generous woman was the same woman he had treated so poorly. Full, clean, and sitting by the fire, however, he started to talk about his first wife. He lamented about his first marriage and the life they could have had if he hadn’t dumped her. In the process of soothing her now sobbing former husband, the woman revealed her identity and said that she forgave him. Miraculously, the man was suddenly able to see; but he was so distraught that he threw himself into the kitchen stove.
Legend has it, the woman could only save his leg — which became the fireplace poker — and the man became the “Kitchen God,” who leaves the kitchen alter just before the New Year and returns to heaven in order to give the Jade Emperor an accounting of each household’s activities during the previous year. In the final days of the old year, people clean up their homes — so the alter(s) will be ready for the return of their ancestors and the household deities. Sometimes, people will smear honey on the lips of the Kitchen God so that his report is extra sweet. Then, the Kitchen God and other household gods return (later in the afternoon or early evening) on the fourth day of the New Year.
I always imagine that some years the Kitchen God’s report is really, really, wild. Can you imagine? Seriously, imagine what he would say about the way we have treated each other over the last few years. Sure, some of us might not be portrayed too badly; but others of us….
More to the point, consider what might be included if the Kitchen God reported on Mardi Gras, Carnival, and Shrove Tuesday celebrations.
“Laissez les bons temps rouler!”
— Louisiana French for “Let the good times roll!”
As I mentioned before, the Tuesday before Lent can be a moveable feast day of indulgence, when people treat themselves to anything and everything — but especially the things they are planning to give up during Lent. It is, simultaneously, a day of self-examination, repentance, and amendments for Christians who are focused on “shriving.”“Shrove” comes from the word “shrive,” meaning “to absolve.” While people observing Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day may indulge in “fatty foods,” they often do so with an eye on symbolism. Different countries and cultures have different traditional recipes, but the recipes generally include what can be considered symbols of the four pillars of Christianity: eggs for creation; flour as the staff of life or mainstay of the human diet; salt for wholesomeness; and milk for purity. Some churches will even make a point of ringing the bells on this day to “call the faithful to confession” — and to remind people to begin frying up the pancakes.
Carnival season begins with Three Kings’ Day (also known as Twelfth Night or Epiphany in some traditions) and ends with the biggest celebrations of the season, Mardi Gras (not to mention Lundi Gras)! In much of the Americas, Carnival and Mardi Gras are traditionally celebrated with parades, beads, masks and costumes, and parties from sunrise to sunset. Of course, Brazilian Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is the largest and most well known Carnival celebration — while New Orleans is practically synonymous with Mardi Gras. However, in the mid-80’s, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Australia started drawing large numbers of celebrants from around the world.
In New Orleans, it is customary to celebrate with a King Cake, featuring a little plastic baby figurine. The person who finds the baby is promised health and wealth — and is often expected to provide the following year’s King Cake. While many people toss or “request” beads during the parades, very few people remember that there was a time when the beads were made of glass and that the bead colors had special meanings: purple for justice; gold for power; and green for faith.
“… don’t tell no lie! Cause we gonna have fun, y’all, on Mardi Gras! … I’m not gonna tell no lie. We not gonna let Katrina, y’all, turn us ’round.”
— Theodore “Bo” Dollis, “Big Chief” of The Wild Magnolias opening the song “Brother John Is Gone / Herc-Jolly-John” on Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album
Carnival and Mardi Gras have outlasted gangs, political coups, police strikes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. In 2021, while much of New Orleans was shut down, the good times still rolled on — just not in a way that would turn Mardi Gras into a super spreader. Remember, as glutinous as the tradition may appear on the outside, its roots are deeply embedded in something more than the desires of the flesh. Thus, just as has been the case with so many other cultural traditions and religious rituals, the pandemic forced people to figure out how to honor the traditions while maintaining social distancing guidelines.
One New Orleans business owner decided to follow the normal parade route — but in his car and in the early, early morning. Of course, he was blasting New Orleans jazz all the way! Many others tweeted and created virtual events. Then there were the thousands of people who decorated their homes and businesses in the same way they would have decorated their krewe’s floats: They called it “Yardi Gras!”
In some ways, the creativity and ingenuity to work around challenging conditions while still holding on to what one values is very much part of the human spirit — and very much indicative of the spirit of New Orleans. It is is also a reflection of the seasons themselves: Shrovetide, Carnival, the “Fat” celebrations, and Lent are all about the dichotomy between what feeds the body and what feeds the soul. Of course, all this focus on wealth, indulgences, and vices, makes me think about the things we like and the things we don’t like — and how those preferences contribute to our overall experiences of life.
Remember, all of these observations, celebrations, rituals, and traditions are about making connections that transcend our mundane existence and alleviate suffering.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Mardi Gras 2023”]
NOTE:The first before/after music track hits different on YouTube. If you know, you know. Some before/after music has been added for the Spring Festival!
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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A Joyful Practice 