FTWMI: Water Music Peace July 17, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Confessions, Healing Stories, Life, Mantra, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: Anthony Eden, Anthony Hicks, Ayurveda, Bess Truman, Charles de Gaulle, Clement Attlee, Elizabeth Gibson, Foster Furcolo, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, George Frideric Handel, Harry Hopkins, Harry S. Truman, James F. Byrnes, Joseph Stalin, King George I, King George II, nadis, Potsdam Conference, pranayama, Robert H. Ferrell, Stanley Sadie, Vyacheslav Molotov, Water Music, White Sands Proving Ground, William Bullitt, Winston Churchill, World War II
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Peace and blessings to everyone, and especially to those who are dealing with conflict.

FTWMI: The following was originally posted in 2023. Class details, one link, and some formatting have been revised or added.

“I am getting ready to go see Stalin and Churchill…. I have a briefcase filled up with information on past conferences and suggestions on what I’m to do and say. Wish I didn’t have to go, but I do and it can’t be stopped now.”

— quoted from a letter dated July 3, 1945 addressed to his mother (Martha) and sister (Mary) by President Harry S. Truman

In Yoga and Āyurveda, as they come to us from India, the vital energy of the mind-body flows through the nadi like water flows down a river. In fact, nadi or nāḍī (“energy channels”) is also found in some texts as nādi or nadī and translated into English as “rivers.” So, while I sometimes encourage people to bring awareness to the sound of their own personal ocean, it would be more precise to say “your own personal river.” Furthermore, when we tune into the breath during our practice — and especially when we move to the pace of the breath in a vinyāsa practice — what we are really doing is floating (or swimming) down the river.

Peacefully, floating or swimming down the river; thinking peace in, peace out.

Just as it is helpful to breathe “peace in, peace out,” when we are on the mat or cushion, this little exercise in prānāyāma (awareness of breath) can be helpful when we’re off the mat — especially if someone is pushing our buttons and/or we have the expectation that someone will push our buttons. It’s a nice tool to have in your mindfulness-based toolkit… or briefcase. It would have been a really handy tool for certain world leaders today in 1945.

For that matter, it would have been handy for certain members of British royalty today in 1717.

“It is more pertinent to ask why the opera did not function; and the main reason for this was the chaos surrounding relations between George I and his son, the Prince of Wales, which had a profound impact on the social activities of the primary financial supporters of the opera, the aristocracy. The two Georges had never been on particularly good terms.”

— quoted from “8. Royal Academy of Music 1719–28) and its Directors” by Elizabeth Gibson, as published in Handel, Tercentenary Collection, edited by Stanley Sadie and Anthony Hicks

It is easy to forget, when someone is pushing your buttons, that your reaction has a ripple effect. Since it seems like no one can push a person’s buttons like family, I think that forgetting how one’s actions/reactions affect others is magnified when the family in question has a certain amount of power. Take the two Georges, for instance.

George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland (beginning August 1, 1714), as well as the ruler of the Electorate of Hanover, an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire (beginning January 23, 1698). While his positions afforded him some power and wealth, he may have been sensitive about the fact that times were changing. The power of the monarchy started to diminish under his rule and, to add insult to injury, people in London did not think very highly of him (or his intelligence). His son was not always viewed more favorably, but he did throw a good party — and people loved a good party. Additionally, George II, the Prince of Wales, presented himself as 100% English, something his father could not do.

According to the stories, the prince and heir apparent, felt a certain kind of way because his father was still alive and still on the throne. The idea that his own time to rule would be short pushed George II’s buttons and he reacted by throwing lavish parties and dinners — so that he would be the talk of the town. This, in turn, pushed his father’s buttons and the senior George needed a way to, quite literally, turn the tide.

King George I wanted to create an event more lavish and more extraordinary than any party or dinner his son could host. A concert on the river sounded like just the ticket and, so, the elder George turned to the friend and personal composer of his son’s wife: George Frideric Handel, whose “Water Music” premiered on the River Thames today (7/17) in 1717.

“Many other barges with persons of quality attended, and so great a number of boats that the whole river in a manner was cover’d; a city company’s barge was employ’d for the musick, wherein were fifty instruments of all sorts, who play’d all the way from Lambeth (while the barges drove with the tide without rowing, as far as Chelsea) the finest symphonies compos’d express for this occasion by Mr. Handel….”

— quoted from a July 19, 1717, article in the Daily Courant

As reported by the Daily Courant, Britain’s first daily newspaper, one or two royal barges and a city barge started floating down the River Thames at around 8 PM that Wednesday, July 17^th (according to the Julian Calendar). The royal barge(s) carried King George I and a ton of aristocrats. A City of London barge carried about 50 musicians. There is some debate about the original order of the the three suites — as well as about which instruments were on the barge with the musicians — and some modern composers doubt that George Handel composed all the music specifically for the concert on the Thames. However, there is no question that the composition was well received. The music was played as the barges floated (with the tide) from Whitehall Palace — towards Chelsea, where the king and his court debarked for dinner at around 11 PM – and then, again, as the barges were rowed back to the palace. A reference to music being played during the king’s dinner makes it sound like the dinner music was different than what was played on the barge, however, there’s no additional information in the article. The article did note that the musicians played Handel’s music “over three times.”

What always strikes me is the image of all the regular people who came to listen to the music. I imagine some of those who were on boats heard the music from beginning to end. However, people along the shoreline would have heard bits and pieces. Perhaps the beginning and then, hours later, the very end. Someone else could have heard the end and then the beginning — or, the middle twice. It sounds like it could have been fun, and peaceful. Fun and peaceful unless, of course, you were the king — who would rule until his death in June 1727 — or the prince, who became king and elector at the age of 43.

King George II eventually lost popularity among the populace and eventually became estranged from his own son (Frederick, Prince of Wales). But, the conflict between the two Georges did not end with the elder’s death. The latter skipped his father’s funeral and hid his father’s will. Then, in 1749, he hired George Frideric Handel to compose “Music for the Royal Fireworks (HWV 351),” which was rehearsed in front of a paying audience on April 21, 1749 and performed in London’s Green Park (with fireworks) on April 27, 1749. It was a lavish and bombastic display — both musically and visually — meant to celebrate the end of the War of the Austrian Succession and the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) in 1748. Unfortunately, people were severely injured and King George II’s father was long gone, but perhaps using the same composer made the younger feel like he had bested his father.

“We had a tough meeting yesterday. I reared up on my hind legs and told ’em where to get off and they got off. I have to make it perfectly plain to them at least once a day that so far as this President is concerned Santa Claus is dead and that my first interest is U.S.A….. Then I want peace – world peace and will do what can be done by us to get it. But certainly am not going to set up another [illegible] here in Europe, pay reparations, feed the world, and get nothing for it but a nose thumbing. They are beginning to wake to the fact that I mean business.”

— quoted from a letter to U. S. First Lady Bess Truman, dated “Berlin, July 20, 1945,” by U. S. President Harry S. Truman (as published in Dear Bess: The Letters from Harry to Bess Truman, 1910–1959, edited by Robert H. Ferrell)

The Potsdam Conference, held at Cecilienhof Palace in the then-Soviet occupied Potsdam, Germany, started on July 17, 1945. It was a meeting between “the Big Three” Allied leaders — United States President Harry S. Truman, United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Communist Party General Secretary Joseph Stalin — who decided what to do with Germany after the Nazis unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945. The meetings were also attended by UK Prime Minister Clement Attlee (who replaced PM Churchill after the first nine meetings) and foreign ministers and aides, including Vyacheslav Molotov (for the Soviet Union), Anthony Eden and Ernest Bevin (who replaced Mr. Eden as Great Britain’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), and James F. Byrnes (for the United States). While it was a peace conference between allies (and while the leaders shared a love of music, over formal dinners), the meetings were not without tension and conflict.

An obvious point of tension and conflict came from the fact that the conference took place while World War II was still ongoing. Yes, Germany had surrendered, but Japan was still fighting. Some internal tension came from the fact that the conference involved several leaders new to their roles. Meetings were paused for a couple of days, because of British elections, and two key players were replaced. Additionally, Harry Truman had only been appointed as the U. S. president after the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on April 12, 1945. Then there was the fact that France was included in the agreements, but General Charles de Gaulle was not invited to the the Potsdam Conference and previous peace conferences (because of friction with the United States).

The shifting of leadership — especially in the middle of the conference — and friction between leaders would have been challenging no matter what. However, additional tension came from the fact that the Allied leaders had different opinions about Joseph Stalin. Although, to be blunt, there was a consensus: most believed that General Secretary Stalin could not be trusted.

“I just have a hunch that Stalin is not that kind of man. Harry [Hopkins] says he’s not and that he does not want anything but security for his country, and I think that if I give him everything I possibly can and ask for nothing in return, noblesse oblige, he won’t try to annex anything and will work for a world of democracy and peace.”

— President Franklin D. Roosevelt, speaking to American Ambassador to Moscow, William Bullitt, in 1941 (as quoted from the March 7, 1949 remarks of U. S. Representative Foster Furcolo, as printed in the United States of America Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 81st Congress, First Session, Appendix (January 3, 1949 – March 12, 1949)

Prime Minister Churchill compared the Soviet leader to the devil. His predecessor, Prime Minister Attlee, had initially considered communism as a political possibility, but ultimately considered leaders like Joseph Stalin as a cautionary tale. Clement Attlee approached the Soviet leader in a manner similar to President Roosevelt — who thought that the Soviet leader would be honorable — and believed that treating the Soviets as anything other than allies would become a self-fulfilling prophecy. He eventually changed his tune and agreed with Ernest Bevin, who also joined the conference after the election results were announced. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Bevin was publicly anti-communism, but not overtly hostile towards the general secretary. Within five years, however, both British leaders were not only against communism, they were also anti-Soviet.

President Truman, by his own admission, was nervous about being new to his role and about coming to an agreement with the other leaders. He thought his predecessor’s assessment of Joseph Stalin was categorically wrong. However, during the conference he wrote a letter to First Lady Bess Truman stating that he perceived the Soviet leader as being straightforward. In an earlier letter, he also indicated that he had a secret bargaining chip: news of the successful detonation of the first atomic bomb (at White Sands Proving Ground on July 16, 1945). Unbeknownst to the president, two spies were in New Mexico and witnessed the detonation firsthand. The spies had informed the general secretary before he arrived at the conference — possibly, before the president received the information through official channels.

“We are going to do what we can to make Germany a decent nation, so that it may eventually work its way from the economic chaos it has brought upon itself back to into a place in the civilised world.”

– quoted from the August 1945 speech, regarding the Potsdam Conference, by President Harry S. Truman

By the end of The Potsdam Conference, on August 2, 1945, the Allies announced their intention to demilitarization, denazification, democratization, decentralization, dismantling, and decartelization Germany. Their plans included repealing Nazi laws, especially those that allowed discrimination on grounds of race, creed, and political opinion; the organization of new judicial and education systems; the reversal of annexations; the elimination of Nazi officials in government; and the “Orderly and humane” expulsion of (ethnic) German citizens in Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary (but not Yugoslavia). The Allied leaders also made plans for the arrest and trials of Nazi war criminals and post-war reparations (most of which went to the Soviet Union). Additionally, they created a Council of Foreign Ministers — made up of officials from the United Kingdom, the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics, China, France and the United States — which would establish treaties with Germany allies like Italy and Bulgaria. Finally, the leaders at the Potsdam Conference divided Germany and Berlin into four occupied zones — a section controlled by each of “the Big Three” plus France. The division inevitably meant new (and different) standards of living and economic structures for those in the west versus those in the east.

The goals of the Potsdam Conference included eliminating the last vestiges of the Nazi party, establishing and ensuring peace, and figuring out a way for the whole world to heal after so much trauma and so much war. While it was successful on some levels, the decisions that were made during the conference laid the foundation for more conflict and friction. In particular, the decision to divide Germany and the German economy resulted in ramifications that are still felt, even after the reunification of Germany (1989 – 1991). Also, the final declaration was that Japan surrender or suffer “prompt and utter destruction.” In the end, that declaration resulted in the United States dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima (8/6) and Nagasaki (8/9). But, in some ways, the end of the war was just the beginning of the process. In fact, looking back, it seems we are still working to fulfill the goals of the Potsdam Conference — still working to remember that the ultimate goal is peace.

“I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.

I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.

The world is not static, and the status quo is not sacred. But we cannot allow changes in the status quo in violation of the Charter of the United Nations by such methods as coercion, or by such subterfuges as political infiltration. In helping free and independent nations to maintain their freedom, the United States will be giving effect to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”

— quoted from the “Truman Doctrine” speech, as delivered to the joint session of the United States Congress by President Harry S. Truman (March 12, 1947)

Please join me today (Wednesday, July 17^th) 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 “07172021 Water Music Peace”]

“The seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and want. They spread and grow in the evil soil of poverty and strife. They reach their full growth when the hope of a people for a better life has died. We must keep that hope alive.

The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms.

If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world — and we shall surely endanger the welfare of our own nation.”

— quoted from the “Truman Doctrine” speech, as delivered to the joint session of the United States Congress by President Harry S. Truman (March 12, 1947)

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.

### PEACE In, PEACE Out ###

[Still] Hooked by the Classics July 16, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, One Hoop, Pain, Pema Chodron, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Four R's, shenpa, Tony Kushner
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone creating peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).

“The work of artists is to find what’s humanly possible — possibility’s furthest reaches. But perhaps the work of citizens is to find what’s immediately possible. I can’t tell you how your work as artists contributes directly to your work as citizens, if in fact art does contribute directly, if in fact certitude and directness are not as inimical to art as despair is to politics. I’ve been writing plays for nearly two decades and I only know, or at least I think I know, that only in activism — organizing, arguing, fundraising, electioneering — can one exercise with some small degree of certainty one’s agency as an actor in politics, on the historical stage. Politics, as they say, is the art of the possible.”

— quoted from the School of Visual Arts commencement speech (in New York City, May 14, 2010) by Tony Kushner (b. 1956)

Please join me today (Tuesday, July 16^th) 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 “07162023 Hooked by the Classics”]

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.

### ###

EXCERPT: “A Little Grace [plus] Compassion and Peace (with regards to Ralph Waldo Emerson)” July 15, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Vairagya, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: Harvard Divinity School, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Religion, shenpa, transcendentalism, yoga philosophy, yoga practice
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone practicing peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).

This is a post-practice post related to the practice on Monday, July 15^th. The 2024 prompt question was, “When is it hard for you to offer compassion (to yourself and/or to someone else)?” 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.

“The intuition of the moral sentiment is an insight of the perfection of the laws of the soul. These laws execute themselves. They are out of time, out of space, and not subject to circumstance. Thus; in the soul of man there is a justice whose retributions are instant and entire. He who does a good deed, is instantly ennobled. He who does a mean deed, is by the action itself contracted. He who puts off impurity, thereby puts on purity. If a man is at heart just, then in so far is he God; the safety of God, the immortality of God, the majesty of God do enter into that man with justice. If a man dissemble, deceive, he deceives himself, and goes out of acquaintance with his own being. A man in the view of absolute goodness, adores, with total humility. Every step so downward, is a step upward. The man who renounces himself, comes to himself.”

— quoted from the 1838 “Divinity School Address” by Ralph Waldo Emerson

On July 15, 1838, Ralph Waldo Emerson addressed the Harvard Divinity School graduating class. Click on the excerpt title below to find out why that speech pushed so many people’s buttons (and got him banned from his alma mater for 27 years… and 6 days).

A Little Grace & FTWMI: Compassion and Peace (with regards to Ralph Waldo Emerson)

There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

### Peace In, Peace Out ###

A Quick Note & Excerpts About Practicing the R’s July 14, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Anushka Fernandopulle, attachment, Buddhism, compassion, compassionate abiding, Elephant Journal, loving-kindness, lovingkindness, Matt Caron, Metta, non-attachment, Pema Chödrön, Pema Chodron, shenpa, Shenpa & The Practice of Getting Unhooked, yoga philosophy
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone practicing peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).

“Somebody says a mean word to you and then something in you tightens — that’s the shenpa. Then it starts to spiral into low self-esteem, or blaming them, or anger at them, denigrating yourself. And maybe if you have strong addictions, you just go right for your addiction to cover over the bad feeling that arose when that person said that mean word to you. This is a mean word that gets you, hooks you. Another mean word may not affect you but we’re talking about where it touches that sore place — that’s a shenpa. Someone criticizes you — they criticize your work, they criticize your appearance, they criticize your child — and, shenpa: almost co-arising.”

— Pema Chödrön

For the record, I am not going to say, practice, teach (or preach) anything I haven’t been teaching, practicing, and saying (or preaching) for years. Maybe I will tweak the phrasing. Maybe you will hear/see/understand things in a special way — thereby gaining new insight. Either way, regardless of all that is happening in the world, it still comes back to this: Sometimes the only thing you can do is not make it worse.

Yes, sometimes we can do things that make our life and the lives around us better. Sometimes we can write legislation, vote for legislation, and/or vote for people who write and/or vote for legislation that creates more opportunity for peace, freedom, prosperity, and wisdom. Sometimes we can create organizations or work, volunteer, and/or donate to organizations that cultivate peace, freedom, prosperity, and wisdom. There are, however, times when we are too poor — in spirit, heart/courage, skills, and/or material resources — to do anything other than send “thoughts and prayers.”

All that being, I am of the mindset that we can not know what we are able to do and/or what is the best way to respond — rather than react — until we sit down, get still, get quiet, and get honest about our intentions. Once we are grounded and centered, then we can act accordingly. In other words, practice the four R’s:

RECOGNIZE (that your buttons have gotten pushed and you have the urge/impulse to react).
REFRAIN (from doing anything, especially that knee jerk reaction).
RELAX (maybe breathe peace in and breath peace out, or do use a centering prayer).
RESOLVE (to move forward with mindfulness and intention).

This is the practice taught by the American Tibetan Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön, who was born today in 1936. I often add another R (or two):

REMEMBER (your intention and why you are doing the thing you are doing).
RECOGNIZE (again, that sometimes the only thing you can do is not make it worse).

You may be thinking, I don’t have time for all that “navel gazing” and introspection. And, yes, there are definitely times that require a quick response. At the same time, if you make this practice a habit, it only takes a split second to engage when you really need it.

CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE!

Compassion and Peace for Pema

Curious About… You (the “missing” Wednesday post)

“By trying this, we learn exactly where we are open and where we are closed. We learn quickly where we would do well to just practice abiding compassionately with our own confused feelings, before we try to work with other people, because right now our efforts would probably make a bigger mess. I know many people who want to be teachers, or feed the homeless, or start clinics, or try in some way to truly help others. Despite their generous intentions, they don’t always realize that if they plan to work closely with people they may be in for a lot of difficulty—a lot of feeling hooked. The people they hope to help will not always see them as saviors. In fact, they will probably criticize them and give them a hard time. Teachers and helpers of all kinds will be of limited use if they are doing their work to build up their own egos.”

— quoted from “Unlimited Friendliness: Three steps to genuine compassion” (Winter 2009 issue of Tricycle) by Pema Chödrön

Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, July 14^th) 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 “07142020 Compassion & Peace for Pema”]

“Prince Guatama, who had become Buddha, saw one of his followers meditating under a tree at the edge of the Ganges River. Upon inquiring why he was meditating, his follower stated he was attempting to become so enlightened he could cross the river unaided. Buddha gave him a few pennies and said: “Why don’t you seek passage with that boatman. It is much easier.”

— quoted from Matt Caron and from Elephant Journal

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).

Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

### OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTIHI OM ###

FTWMI: Rigid Bodies I & II (the “missing” post(s) & First Friday Night Special #45 Invitation) July 5, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Karma, Music, One Hoop, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Science, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Albert Einstein, Andrew Motte, Caroline Myss, Daniel Adee, David Brewster, Dr. Henry Pemberton, Dr. Robert Hooke, fear, Galileo Galilei, hatha yoga, Johannes Kepler, Karma, laws of motion, liberation, Miles Davis, N. W. Chittenden., Nicolaus Copernicus, physics, pranayama, Sally Ride, Sir Isaac Newton, yoga
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone planting seeds for peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).

For Those Who Missed It: This following was originally posted in 2023 as a “missing” post for July 5, 2023 (and also for 2022). It includes playlists for both sets of practices, some slight revisions, and some additional context related to the First Friday Night Special #45: “Seats for a ‘Rigid Body.’” You can request an audio recording of either 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.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.)

“Every body continues in its state of rest, or uniform motion in a right line, unless compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it.”

— “Law 1” quoted from “Axioms, or Laws of Motion” in Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Sir Isaac Newton

NOTE: Some editions use the term “straight line.”

Take a moment to relax, maybe place your hand(s) on your belly, and observe what happens if nothing gets in the way. Notice how your tension-free belly rises and falls as the breath enters and leaves the body. Notice how the “force” of the breath, which is a symbol of our life and a symbol of our spirit, is an agent of change — physically, mentally, emotionally, and even energetically.

You can use your breath, forcefully, to break up and/or release tension. Similarly, lengthening the breath and observing the breath (all of which can be described as prāņāyāma) change things when we are practicing on the mat. The way we breathe and the awareness of our breath can also be an agent of change off the mat. We just have to pay attention and stay focused to things that are naturally occurring.

However, paying attention, staying focused, and even breathing deeply in and breathing deeply out can be challenging in certain situations… especially situations involving challenging people… rigid bodies, if you will.

“I most gladly embrace your proposal of a private correspondence. What’s done before many witnesses is seldom without some further concerns than that for truth; but what passes between friends in private, usually deserves the name of consultation rather than contention; and so I hope it will prove between you and me….

But in the mean time, you defer too much to my ability in searching into this subject. What Descartes did was a good step. You have added much several ways, and especially in considering the colours of thin plates. If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

— quoted from a letter marked “Cambridge, February 5, 1675-76” from Sir Isaac Newton to Dr. Robert Hooke, as published in Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton by David Brewster

Sir Isaac Newton was just a 43-year old “natural philosopher” when he published the first edition of his Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) today in 1687. The treatise included definitions of terms, his laws of motion, and a law of universal gravitation. It was partially based on Sir Isaac Newton’s own observations of the natural world and partially based on the theories, definitions, and observations of others. Those others, which Sir Isaac Newton referred to as “giants,” included Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler — whose laws of planetary motion were themselves modifications of the observations and heliocentric theory of Nicolaus Copernicus, yet another giant.

All of the aforementioned natural philosophers — or scientists, as we now call people who study matter and the mechanics of matter in space and time (i.e., physics) — started with phenomena that was naturally occurring; could be observe in nature; and could be duplicated on some level. Then they went deeper… or farther, depending on your perspective. For Sir Isaac Newton, going deeper and farther meant having discussions with some his peers and even with some people who were skeptical of his work. He even had an ongoing correspondence with one of his master teachers and precious jewels — someone we might refer to as a “rigid body.”

An object at rest remains at rest, and object in motion remains in motion (at the same speed and in the same direction, unless acted upon by an unbalanced force).
The acceleration of an object is dependent upon two variables – the net force acting upon the object and the mass of the object.
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

— Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion

In physics, a “rigid body” (or “rigid object”) is a solid collection of matter that (a) does not change in size or shape or (b) changes at such a miniscule level that it is not perceptible. In quantum mechanics, the focus is on a collection of points — which, on a very rudimentary level, takes us back to the original definition. Focusing on a collection of points means highlighting a consistent distance between points that allows for the external appearance of stillness. In Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity, nothing is absolutely rigid and, therefore, something is only considered “rigid” if it is not moving at the speed of light. This latter understanding means that the issue of something (or someone) being rigid becomes an issue of perception (and relativity).

Just like with the laws of motion — and, in particular with “The Law of Inertia” (i.e., the first law), the idea of a “rigid body” is physical science that can be observed on and off the mat. We can observe it in the way we move — physically, mentally, emotionally, and even energetically. We can observe it in the way holding a pose is perceived as “stillness,” even though there is movement and change. If we just go a little deeper, we start to notice cause-and-effect and how the laws of motion are also the laws of karma. For example, if we do something nice for someone, they can do something equally nice for someone else. When we really pay attention, we start to notice the the ways things (and people) change over time — even when they appear not to change.

“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

According to Eastern philosophies, like Yoga and Buddhism, everything is an opportunity for practice. In fact, the Yoga Sūtras include many reminders that everything is an opportunity to learn more about ourselves, about our true nature, and about the universe. Yoga Sūtra 2.18 specifically states that everything is an opportunity to liberate ourselves. Additionally, more than one Yoga teacher has made the connection between stiff minds and stiff bodies, as well as to how being too mechanical in our practice can lead to stagnation in the practice. This is basically the first law of motion (and a little bit of the third)

So, what do we do when we interact with someone who seems resistant to change and/or to seeing things from different perspectives?

We could view them as master teachers, precious jewels, and/or rigid bodies.

Master teachers give us a master classes in ourselves. Precious jewels — like a grain of sand or salt in the shell of an oyster, clam, or other shelled mollusks — can be that irritating source of something we eventually view as valuable. It’s all a matter of perspective. One way to cultivate this perspective is by viewing another person as our reflection. If we are interacting with someone who appears to be “hooked,” we might recognize that we are (possibly) also “hooked” — which is the first step in getting “unhooked.” Similarly, if we feel like we are banging our head up against a brick wall and start seeing someone as a “rigid body,” we might ask ourselves: What/where is the change we are not perceiving?

Remember, according to Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, nothing is absolutely rigid. Ergo, change is always happening… somewhere.

It is happening inside the mind-body of people we may consider rigid; it is also happening inside of our own mind-body. We are not responsible for the change that is happening (or not happening) inside of someone else. However, when we notice the possibility of change inside of ourselves, the question then becomes, do you resist the change or embrace the change? Answering that question does not mean that we give up on our ideas or conform to the way someone else thinks. No, it means going deeper and farther… like Sir Isaac Newton.

“‘But this I immediately discovered in him,’ adds [Dr. Henry Pemberton*], still further, ‘which at once both surprised and charmed me. Neither his extreme great age, nor his universal reputation had rendered him stiff in opinion, or in any degree elated. Of this I had occasion to have almost daily experience. The remarks I continually sent him by letters on his Principia, were received with the utmost goodness. These were so far from being anyways displeasing to him, that, on the contrary, it occasioned him to speak many kind things of me to my friends, and to honour me with a public testimony of his good opinion.’ A modesty, openness, and generosity, peculiar to the noble and comprehensive spirit of Newton. ‘Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty,’ yet not lifted up by pride nor corrupted by ambition. None, however, knew so well as himself the stupendousness of his discoveries in comparison with all that had been previously achieved; and none realized so thoroughly as himself the littleness thereof in comparison with the vast region still unexplored.”

— quoted from “Life of Sir Isaac Newton” by N. W. Chittenden, as published in Newton’s Principia: The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy; To which is added, Newton’s System of the World by Isaac Newton, translated into English by Andrew Motte (first American edition; New York: published [1848] Daniel Adee, c1846)

*NOTE: Dr. Henry Pemberton edited the third edition of the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy).

Up until the twentieth century (and the publication of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity), the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) was the starting point for many scientist as they observed and explored the natural movement of the world. In many ways, that first edition was also Sir Isaac Newton’s starting point.

After sharing his ideas and theories, Sir Isaac Newton went back, reviewed his work, and published a second edition of the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), with annotation and corrections, in 1713. He published a third edition in 1726. Eventually, he was recognized as one of the world’s greatest mathematicians and physicists and his Principia became the foundation for classical mechanics — one of the cornerstones of modern physics.

Eventually, Sir Isaac Newton became one of the “giants.”

“A short time before his death he uttered this memorable sentiment: ‘I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, while the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.’ How few ever reach the shore even, much less find ‘a smoother pebble or a prettier shell!’”

— quoted from “Life of Sir Isaac Newton” by N. W. Chittenden, as published in Newton’s Principia: The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy; To which is added, Newton’s System of the World by Isaac Newton, translated into English by Andrew Motte (first American edition; New York: published [1848] Daniel Adee, c1846)

The July First Friday Night Special features a Restorative practice (** with a chair, table, or bench**). It is accessible and open to all.

Prop wise, as noted above, I recommend using a chair, table, or bench for this practice. It can also be 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).

Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07052024 Seats for a ‘Rigid Body’”]

NOTE: The first tracks are slightly different in length and duration on each platform. I set the practice to the YouTube track. Additionally, the YouTube playlist includes an extra video.

EXTRA MUSIC NOTES:

The playlist for Wednesday, July 5, 2023, is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10202020 Pratyahara”]

Click here if you are interested in a philosophical take on fear and liberation related to the 2022 practice.

The playlist for Tuesday, July 5, 2022, is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05262020 Fearless Play with Miles & Sally”]

### Feel Free… To Move ###

Anger and the Importance of Having “Treats” Before You Speak (a post-practice Monday post) February 12, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Daoism, Faith, Food, Healing Stories, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Movies, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Super Heroes, Wisdom, Writing, Yin Yoga, Yoga.
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, anger, Carnival, Chandraghanta, Charles Darwin, Clean Monday, Durga, Fugitive Slave Act, Gupta Navaratri, Hongjun Lozu, Jan Swammerdam, Judy Blume, Kristen Anderson, Lunar New Year, Lundi Gras, mental health, Navaratri, Nian, Parvati, Season for Nonviolence, Season of Non-violence, shenpa, Shrove Monday, Shrovetide, Ted Hammond, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Thich Nhat Hanh, Who HQ, Year of the Dragon, Yoga Sutra 1.35
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“Happy (Lunar) New Year!” and/or “Happy Carnival!” to those who are already celebrating! Many blessings to anyone preparing for Lent on Shrove Monday / Lundi Gras. “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Gupta (Magha) Navaratri!” Peace and ease for all throughout this “Season for Nonviolence,” and in all other seasons!!!

This is the post–practice post for Monday, February 12^th. It is a compilation post with some new content and some previously posted content. Some links and date-specific information has been updated. You can request an audio recording of either 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.)

“Anger is a mental, psychological phenomenon, yet it is closely linked to biological and biochemical elements. Anger makes you tense your muscles, but when you know how to smile, you begin to relax and your anger will decrease. Smiling allows the energy of mindfulness to be born in you, helping you to embrace your anger.”

— quoted from “Two – Putting Out the Fire of Anger: Tools for Cooling the Flames” in Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh

Born today in 1637, the Dutch biologist and microscopist Jan Swammerdam probably could have told us which muscles engage and which muscles relax when we smile versus when we frown. He studied muscle contractions; is recognized as the first person to observe and describe red blood cells; and also recognized as one of the first people (in Western science) to use a microscope in dissection. Like Charles Darwin, who was born today in 1809, Dr. Swammerdam had some controversial ideas about the origins of things — specifically about the origins of insects.

Even though he considered himself a man of faith, his ideas about insects were not compatible with the religious beliefs of his father and the community around them. For instance, the idea that God would create everything except insects just didn’t make sense to him. So, he combined his knowledge of human anatomy and development with his fascination about insects and studied egg, larva, pupa, and adult insects — and came to a conclusion that really angered people at the time. He concluded that they were all the same animal in different phases of life.

Jan Swammerdam’s ideas may not seem groundbreaking or revolutionary today; but consider that we all have our own ideas about metamorphosis. For example, artistic depictions of people changing because of strong emotions may reflection modern (especially Western) ideas about emotion; but we must remember that each person is still themselves, just in different forms. In other words, the Hulk is still Bruce Banner, She-Hulk is still Jennifer “Jen” Walters, and the Red Panda is still Meilin “Mei” Lee. Furthermore, it is important to remember that anger and frustration, fear, grief, worry, and anxiety are all normal human emotions. In fact, many Eastern philosophies, like Yoga and Taoism, consider everything — including our emotions — as manifestations of energy.

“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”

— quoted from Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume (b. 02/12/1938)

The aforementioned philosophies (and their corresponding sciences) view energy as being in or out of balance, stagnate or circulating. Since energy that is in balance and flowing appropriately is still the same energy, simply manifesting in a different way, every emotion has a near-peer and an opposite. In fact, we are often encouraged to cultivate the opposite(s) in order to flip or change the energy. For instance, the flip side of anger and frustration is kindness. So, if you are feeling angry or frustrated, doing something loving and kind — for yourself and/or someone else — can change the dynamic inside of you and all around you.

According to Patanjali’s Yoga Sūtras, when someone is “firmly grounded in non-injury (ahimsa), other people who come near will naturally lose any feelings of hostility.” (YS 1.35) That sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Well, full disclosure, I am not there yet. Sometimes my buttons get pushed and despite staying mindful and practicing the four R’s and other mindfulness-based techniques, I think, say, or do something that contributes to someone’s suffering. Sometimes, I am the “someone” and everyone else just goes about their business. But, sometimes my actions contribute to the suffering of someone other than myself. In fact, it happened today (Monday, February 12^th). While I paused, took a breath, and thought before I spoke, I did not consider that today was the third day of the Lunar New Year — a day when some people avoid interacting with others in order to avoid conflict.

“恭禧发财
Gong Xi Fa Cai [Congratulations and Prosperity!]
Gong Hey Fat Choy [Congratulations and Prosperity!]

— A common New Year’s greeting in Hanzi [Chinese characters], Mandarin and Cantonese pīnyīn [“spelled sounds”], and English

According to some Chinese creation mythology the third day of the Lunar New Year is the birthday of all boars. As I mentioned yesterday, some people will spend this third day of the Year of the Dragon visiting the temple of the God of Wealth. Others associate this day with the “marriage of mice” and — in addition to providing treats as a “dowry” for the mice — they will go to bed early to ensure the mice have a peaceful ceremony. This tradition is based on the idea that if the mice have a peaceful ceremony, they will not pester humans during the rest of the year. In Vietnam, this third day is a day to honor teachers.

Another reason people may go to bed early on the third night of the Lunar New Year is that, in certain parts of China, this third day is the “Day of the Red Dog” or “Red Mouth” Day and there is a greater danger of conflict on this day. Since a Chinese word for “red dog” is also a description for the “God of Blazing Wrath,” some people may also stay home and avoid anyone outside of their primary family circle in order not to say the wrong thing in anger. Some people also associate the tendency to say the wrong thing on the third day with the demon (or monster) Nian.

The Hanzi (Chinese character) for Nian also means “year” or “new year.” According to the legends, the monster Nian would come out of the sea or the mountain once a year looking for crops, animals, or villagers to eat. All the villagers would hide at this time of year, but one time an elderly gentleman was outside during the time Nian came to visit the village. One version of the story indicates that the man was a Taoist monk (Hongjun Lozu) who, like Br’er Rabbit, was a bit of a trickster. He somehow convinced the monster that the mand would taste better if he could take off his outer clothing. In the version I often tell in class, there is a big chase and the monster rips the man’s outerwear with his sharp teeth and claws. Either way, when the gentleman’s bright red undergarments are revealed Nian freaks out, because he is afraid of the color red (and of loud noises). Therefore, it became auspicious to start the New Year (or even a marriage) wearing red; placing red throughout the village or town; and making a lot of noise.

If I had thought about it being the “Red Mouth” Day at the beginning of my day, I might have saved myself (and others) a little suffering, by spending my time giving myself a little treat. Most people have go-to foods and/or beverages that could be considered their comfort food. However, sometimes the best “treat” is found on the mat or on the cushion. Just taking some time to sit and breathe can be loving and kind. For that matter, sometimes the “treat” can be found in the pews.

“Anger is like a howling baby, suffering and crying. The baby needs his mother to embrace him. You are the mother for your baby, your anger. The moment you begin to practice breathing mindfully in and out, you have the energy of a mother, to cradle and embrace the baby. Just embracing your anger, just breathing in and breathing out, that is good enough. The baby will feel relief right away.”

— quoted from “Two – Putting Out the Fire of Anger: Embracing Anger with the Sunshine of Mindfulness” in Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh

In the Western Christian tradition, the Monday before Lent may be known as Shrove Monday by people already focusing on “shriving.” Shrovetide, which includes the three weeks before Lent, is a period of self-examination, repentance, and amendments of sins. Similarly, in Eastern Orthodox traditions which use a different calendar, the Monday before Lent is sometimes referred to as Clean Monday.

On the flipside, some people will spend this same period of time — anything from three weeks to two or three days — focusing on indulging in the things they are planning to give up during Lent. For instance, the Monday before Lent is also the last Monday of Carnival. In places like New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast, it is also known as Lundi Gras (“Fat Monday”). Rose Monday, Merry Monday, and Hall Monday are also names associated with pre-Lenten festivities around the world. In parts of the United Kingdom, people may refer to this day as Collap Monday, because their traditional breakfast will include collaps (leftover slabs of meat, like bacon) and eggs. In east Cornwall, however, people traditionally eat pea soup and, therefore, call today Peasen (or Paisen) Monday.

Even though people prepare for and observe the Lenten season in different ways, it is all about getting ready for a change.

“Because some changes happen deep down inside of you. And the truth is, only you know about them. Maybe that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

— quoted from Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume

In addition to being the third day of the Lunar New Year and Lundi Gras, today was also the third day/night of Navaratri, the “nine nights” dedicated to celebrating divine feminine energy in various manifestations. The third manifestation of Durga, the divine mother, is Chandraghanta, whose name “one who has a half-moon shaped like a bell” comes from the image of the newly-wed Parvati. She is depicted as a combination of beauty, grace, and courage, with her third eye open — so that she is always ready to fight evil and demons. In fact, she is sometimes known as the “Goddess Who Fights Demons.”

If one considers “demons” to be a metaphor, then it makes sense that some people have depicted Abraham Lincoln (born today in 1890) as someone who fought demons. He and Charles Darwin were both born on the anniversary of the day President George Washington signed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. In addition to sharing a birthday, they also both pushed a lot of people’s buttons. Darwin’s work led to debates, parlor arguments, and trials. Lincoln’s work led to the end of things like the Fugitive Slave Act and, unfortunately, to his assassination. All of this is to say that while we can get upset about things that are not important, people can also get angry or frustrated over things that make a real difference in world.

Consider that Judy Blume (who was born today in 1938) has written books that often get banned and that have also changed people’s lives — in the best possible way. She writes about topics people often find hard for to discuss, including: racism, gender, menstruation, divorce, bullying, masturbation, sex and sexuality, and emotions like anger, fear, and grief. To some people, the worst part is not only that she has tackled these issues in her books; it’s that most of her books are intended for children and young adults. And, let’s be honest, nothing pushes people’s buttons like someone talking about things they are uncomfortable discussing. While we can say that there are some things better left unsaid, there are also things that need to be said — just in a skillful manner and… while treating ourselves and others with lovingkindness.

“My only advice is to stay aware, listen carefully, and yell for help if you need it.”

— Judy Blume, as quoted in “Starring Judy Blume as Herself” in Who is Judy Blume by Kristen Anderson, Who HQ, Ted Hammond (illustrator)

There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.

SIDEBAR: Last year, when I posted the first half of the special Black History notes, I actually posted following two (2) posts related to February 12^th:

Click here for a post you might find uplifting (because it’s about people who fly).

Click here for the second post; but, fair warning, this one might make you angry.

### TAP INTO THE POWER OF YOUR CREATIVITY ###

Salt of the Earth, the 2024 remix (the “missing” Tuesday post) February 6, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Faith, Food, Gandhi, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Lorraine Hansberry, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yin Yoga, Yoga.
Tags: #Say No to Hate / the spirit of solidarity and peace., Ahiṃsā, Ahimsa, Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, Arun Gandhi, birthdays on February 6, Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson, commandments, Constance Allen Pitter Thomas, Edward A. Pitter, Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, Great Depression, HBCUs, Howard University, Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes, International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, Juana Racquel Royster Horn, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Lincoln School of Nursing, Marjorie Allen Pitter, Marjorie Allen Pitter King, Mary T. Henry, nursing, precepts, salt, Salt Satyagraha, Season for Nonviolence, Season of Non-violence, Season of Nonviolence, Seattle Washington, Steve “Woz” Wozniak, Stewart Brand, The Common Word initiative, The Gospel According to Matthew, United Nations, United Nations General Assembly, University of California LA, University of Washington, World Interfaith Harmony Week, yamas, Yoga Sutra 2.35
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Happy Carnival (to those who are already celebrating)! Peace, ease, and healing on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, the penultimate day of World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW), throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!

This is the “missing” post for Tuesday, February 6^th. It is a revised version of a 2023 “special Black History note” with a new introduction and a slightly different focus from last year. Class details, theme details, and links have been updated. You can request a recording of the Monday practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

WARNING: A portion of this post refers to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), but there is an opportunity to skip that section.

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.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

“The mere imparting of information is not education.”

“It may be of no importance to the race to be able to boast today of many times as many ‘educated’ members as it had in 1865. If they are the wrong kind the increase in numbers will be a disadvantage rather than an advantage. The only question which concerns us here is whether these ‘educated’ persons are actually equipped to face the ordeal before them or unconsciously contribute to their own undoing by perpetuating the regime of the oppressor.”

— quoted from the “Preface” to The Mis-education of the Negro by Carter Godwin Woodson

In 1984, at the first Hackers Conference, the author and publisher Stewart Brand said, “…the right information in the right place just changes your life.” Now, I realize that this part of Mr. Brand’s statement to Apple co-founder Steve “Woz” Wozniak is not the part most people highlight. I also realize that the most quoted part is the part that can lead to a really interesting conversation about commercialism, capitalism, and the proliferation of misinformation. But, the part about the right information really resonates with me — especially during a time when lack of knowledge is leading to so much suffering and especially on a day when part of our focus is education.

As I mentioned last week, Gandhi’s grandson (Arun Gandhi) established the “Season for Nonviolence” (January 30^th through April 4^th) in 1998. Throughout the season, the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace offers daily practices based on principles of nonviolence advocated by Mahatma Gandhi (who was assassinated on January 30, 1948) and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (who was assassinated on April 4, 1968). We could think of these principles as little bits of salt, sprinkled throughout the days, but the thing to remember is that these principles are not unique to one culture, one philosophy, or one religion. Neither did these two great leaders/teachers invent these ideas. Ahiṃsā (non-violence or “non-harming”) is the very first yama (external “restraint” or universal commandment) in the Yoga Philosophy and one of the Ten Commandments according the Abrahamic religions. It is also one of the Buddhist precepts. Courage, smiling, appreciation, caring, believing, simplicity, and education — the principles of the first week of the “Season for Nonviolence” — all predate Gandhi and MLK; they also predate Jesus. [Spoiler alert!] So, too, does tomorrow’s principle: Healing.

Education and healing are also the focus of people who are wrapping up World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW), which was first proposed by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2010. The United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted Resolution 65/5 on October 10, 2010, and designated the first week of February as a time to promote a culture of peace and nonviolence “between all religions, faiths, and beliefs.” The foundation for this week of harmony are the underlying principles of The Common Word initiative: “Love of the Good” and “Love of the Neighbour.” These concepts were incapsulated in the 2023 theme “Harmony in a World in Crisis: Working together to achieve peace, gender equality, mental health and wellbeing, and environmental preservation,” which stressed the fact that we are all better equipped to deal with future pandemics and natural catastrophes when we come together and work together. They also coalesce in the 2024 theme “#Say No to Hate, the spirit of solidarity and peace.”*

Of course, practicing and embodying lovingkindness — especially when interacting with people who are perceived as being different from you — requires compassion and patience. It also requires knowledge and a willingness to learn… which brings me to salt… and basic human rights.

“Next to air and water, salt is perhaps the greatest necessity of life. It is the only condiment of the poor. Cattle cannot live without salt. Salt is a necessary article in many manufactures. it is also a rich manure.

There is no article like salt, outside water, by taxing which the State can reach even the starving millions, the sick, the maimed and the utterly helpless. The salt tax constitutes the most inhuman poll tax that the ingenuity of man can devise.”

— quoted from a letter by M. K. Gandhi, printed in Young India, Vol. XII, Ahmedabad: February 27, 1930

Some people laughed when Mohandas Karamchanda Gandhi decided salt would be the focus of a direct action, non-violent mass protest. People who are world leaders today scoffed back then, because they didn’t get it and they didn’t have his insight and vision. However, Gandhi wasn’t the first radical leader to emphasize the importance of salt. Jesus did it, in the Gospel According to Matthew (5:13 – 14), when he referred to his disciples as “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” In both cases, the teacher whose name would become synonymous with a worldwide religious movement indicated that there was a purpose, a usefulness, to the disciples and their roles (as salt and as light). I think it’s important to remember that Jesus was speaking to fishermen, farmers, and shepherds — people who were intimately familiar with the importance of salt (and light). They knew that (different kinds of) salt can be used for flavoring, preservation, fertilization, cleansing, and destroying, and that it could be offered as a sacrifice. They knew, as Gandhi would later point out, that people in hot, tropical climates needed salt for almost everything — including healing.

Gandhi’s “audience” was different. He was living in a time of industrialization and the beginnings of these modern times in which we find ourselves. He knew that people laughed and scoffed, because they didn’t completely understand the usefulness and vitalness of salt. He understood that some people took salt for granted and, even within the pages of Young India (which he used to educate and inform people), he debated with experts about the benefits and risks of salt consumption. He also knew that some people — inside and outside of British-ruled India — just didn’t get the inhumanity of charging people a tax for something that they could obtain (literally) outside their front door; something that was part of the very fiber of their being.

Remember, the human body is 60 – 75% water… and most of that water is saturated with salt.

“Such a universal force [Satyagraha] necessarily makes no distinction between kinsmen and strangers, young and old, man and woman, friend and foe. The force to be so applied can never be physical. There is in it no room for violence. The only force of universal application can, therefore, be that of ahimsa or love. In other words it is soul force.

Love does not burn others, it burns itself.”

— quoted from “Some Rules of Satyagraha” by M. K. Gandhi, printed in Young India, Vol. XII, Ahmedabad: February 27, 1930

(NOTE: The general explanation and rules were followed by a section of rules of conduct for various situations, including for “an Individual” and for “a Prisoner.”)

“Agape is something of the understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill for all men. It is a love that seeks nothing in return. It is an overflowing love; it’s what theologians would call the love of God working in the lives of men. And when you rise to love on this level, you begin to love men, not because they are likeable, but because God loves them. You look at every man, and you love him because you know God loves him. And he might be the worst person you’ve ever seen.”

— quoted from “Loving Your Enemies” sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (11/17/1957)

In 2017, InterFaith Works and Women Transcending Boundaries, two United Religions Initiatives groups in North America celebrated World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) with a program called, “Love is the Answer” — a theme which, again, underscores the basic principles cultivated by Mahatma Gandhi and the Reverend Dr. King. To be clear, we‘re not talking about romantic love or any kind of conditional love. Here, we are talking about the love that Gandhi associated with satyagraha and that MLK referred to as agape. We are talking about an energy that predates us and will exist beyond us.

In speaking and writing about this energy of love, as they both did, Gandhi and MLK highlighted the fact that love is essential to healing and overcoming catastrophes. It does not matter if we are dealing with future pandemics, natural catastrophes, or human-made disasters and catastrophic events, we are ultimately dealing with the same underlying issues that plagued Gandhi and MLK — even Jesus: people who who would take away another person’s ability to be a healthy, thriving, human being. Again, we could look back at salt… or basic civil rights… or we could look at what it (sometimes) means to be like August Wilson’s Risa, “a woman in the world.”

While I do not go into explicit details, you may skip to the next big banner quote if needed.

In addition to being the penultimate day of World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW), February 6^th is also International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. Designated by the UN in 2012, this annual day of events aims to amplify and direct the efforts to eliminate the practice of FGM, which is defined by the UN as “all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights, the health and the integrity of girls and women.” People who endure FGM face short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine, as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health and mental health. According to the UN, 4.32 million girls around the world are at risk of undergoing FGM and approximately 1 in 4, or 52 million worldwide, experience FGM at the hands of a medical professional.

This is not a new practice. In fact, when I was in college (about 30-plus years ago) I had an argument with a male student who insisted there was no such thing as FGM. He was white, from America, and (to my knowledge) had not experienced much outside of his lived experience. He only knew what it was like to be him. If I could go back, and have that discussion again, I might dig a little deeper into why he was in such denial about something that (to date) has been experienced by at least 200 million living people. NOTE: That statistic only refers to survivors.

While the UN acknowledges that cultures are different and that all are in “constant flux,” the General Assembly also recognizes that, in order for cultures to survive, the people within a society must be able to thrive, enjoy basic human rights, and have the physical and mental wellness to reach their potential. Any one of us can think of this as someone else’s problem, but the truth is that (on some level) this is everyone’s problem to solve. In fact, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called, “on men and boys everywhere to join me in speaking out and stepping forward to end female genital mutilation, for the benefit of all.”

The good news is that FGM has declined, globally, over the last 25 years and that a girl is one-third less likely to experience FGM than 30 years ago. Also in the good news category: more awareness means that healthcare professionals are in a better position to help FGM survivors heal from the physical, mental, and/or emotional trauma.

Yoga Sūtra 2.35: ahimsāpratişţhāyām tatsannidhau vairatyāgah

— “In the company of a yogi established in non-violence, animosity disappears.”

Healing begins with people. I’ve seen this up close and personal all of my life, because I grew up around healers. My father taught in medical schools and ran research labs. My mother was a hospital administrator. Her mother went to nursing school with at least one of her sister-in-laws and a couple of her future neighbors. For the most part, they all went to HBCUs (Historically Black Universities and Colleges) in the South, because the times — and the laws at the time — didn’t give them a whole lot of other options. In some ways, my grandmother and her peers would have had very similar experiences as Black nursing students before and after them. In some ways, however, their experiences would have been very different — again, because of the opportunities that were available (or not available to them) based on the color of their skin. For instance, the nurses in my family definitely had to overcome obstacles, but (maybe) not the same walls that Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes had scale in order to become a nurse.

Born February 6, 1919, in Seattle, Washington, Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes was the second of three girls born to Edward A. Pitter and Marjorie Allen Pitter. Mr. Pitter, who was born in Jamaica (like Bob Marley, who was born 02/06/1945), came to the United States as a captain’s steward during the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. After leaving his position on the passenger ship, he became a King County Clerk and then a book editor and publisher. He also worked with the Democratic Party (the Colored Democratic Association of Washington). Mrs. Pitter was a direct descendent of Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, and she knew how to protect her family against the hostilities they encountered. Their daughters (Constance, Maxine, and Marjorie) grew up in the tightknit household that emphasized elegance and education.

“Marjorie Pitter King remembered, ‘Politics opened doors for us and was very helpful. During the Christmas vacations, we were able to work at the post office and earn money to help with our schooling. It also helped my father obtain his job because he had been working on WPA (Works Progress Administration) projects. Then he went from there to deputy sheriff.’ (Horn)”

— quoted from “King, Marjorie Edwina Pitter (1921-1996)” by Mary T. Henry, posted on historylink.org (Juana Racquel Royster Horn cited)

All three of the Pitter girls graduated from high school and made their way to the University of Washington. Like a lot of students, especially during the Great Depression, the sisters had financial struggles. To alleviate their economic problems, the youngest of the three (Marjorie) proposed that they go into business together doing things they had learned how to do at home: typing, printing, and writing speeches. They called their business “Tres Hermanas” or “Three Sisters” — and it would have been nice if all of their troubles could have been resolved through their own hard work. Unfortunately, –isms and –phobias don’t work that way.

All three of the sisters had to deal with racism that manifested as name-calling and teachers ignoring them. Then, they each had their individual crosses to bear. Constance Allen Pitter Thomas, the oldest of the sisters, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre and became a student teacher in the Seattle School District, but was not offered a permanent position for many years. When she was finally offered a regular position by the school district, it was as a speech therapist. She worked with students with special needs for 18 years.

Marjorie Edwina Pitter King, the youngest of the three sisters, struggled academically and then struggled because there weren’t very many women in accounting — let alone Black women. She ended up transferring to Howard University in 1942, for her senior year; but then dropped out of school and went to work for the Pentagon (during World War II). Eventually, she got married, started a family and moved back to Seattle, where she started a successful tax company, M and M Tax and Consultant Services. While she worked with tax clients all along the continental coast, Mrs. Pitter King’s support extended to language translation and letter writing. She also became the first African American to be appointed to the Washington State Legislature (in 1965); served as Chair of the 37th District Democratic Party; Vice President of the King County Democratic Party; and Treasurer of the Washington State Federation of Democratic Women, Inc. While attending the 1972 Democratic National Convention, she helped draft the National Democratic Party Platform.

Then there was Maxine… the darkest-skinned of the three sisters… who wanted to be a nurse.

“It was 1939 in Seattle, and although the city had none of the formal ‘Jim Crow’ segregation laws common in the South, the result was often the same.

Being black and finding a job often meant menial work and a lower standard of living. For some black people, discrimination crushed any hope of working at all.”

– quoted from the article in The Seattle Times entitled “Seattle In The Old Days: No ‘Jim Crow’ Laws, But Blacks Were Held Back Just The Same” by Daryl Strickland (dated Jun 27, 1994)

Like her sisters, Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes enrolled at the University of Washington. She enrolled as a pre-nursing student, but then she was rejected by the the Nursing School, because the degree required nursing students to be housed in Harborview Hall — and the Dean of Nursing would not allow an African American student to live with the white students. The future Mrs. Pitter Haynes had no choice, but to change her major during her junior year. She ended up graduating from the University of Washington, in 1941, with a degree in sociology. Then, she moved to New York City and enrolled at Lincoln School of Nursing where she earned the first of two degrees in nursing. She earned her second degree, a masters in nursing, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and worked in the city of angels before moving back to Seattle.

Maxine Pitter Haynes become the first African American nurse at Providence Hospital (now Swedish Medical Center/Providence Campus). She also served as education director for the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic and taught at Seattle Pacific University, from 1976, until she retired in 1981 as professor emeritus.

And, in the middle of all of that, in 1971, she went back to the University of Washington… as an assistant professor at the same nursing school that had turned her away because of her skin color.

We can look at that as progress and/or we can flip the coin and look at that as healing. Either way, education (i.e., the right information) changed Maxine Pitter Haynes’s life and, in the process, changed the lives of everyone she encountered (and everyone they encountered). Either way, the three Pitter sisters were the exact kind of people the Carter G. Woodson encouraged all of us to be: people with the knowledge to deal with whatever life threw at them.

“Wounding and healing are not opposites. They’re part of the same thing. It is our wounds that enable us to be compassionate with the wounds of others. It is our limitations that make us kind to the limitations of other people. It is our loneliness that helps us to find other people or to even know they’re alone with an illness. I think I have served people perfectly with parts of myself I used to be ashamed of. ”

– Rachel Naomi Remen (b. 2/8/1938) as quoted in At Your Service: Living the Lessons of Servant Leadership by Charles E. Wheaton

MUSIC NOTE: Either playlist can be used for either practice; however, the one designated as “Noon” is purely instrumental and only has one “birthday Easter egg” (see Practice Notes, below), which I do not reference during the practice.

Tuesday’s Noon playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06082021 Building from the Ground”]

Tuesday’s Evening playlist is also available on YouTube and Spotify.

PRACTICE NOTES: I decided to focus this practice on the ways the body naturally heals: with a little yin and a little yang; a little action/resistance and passive/resting. In 2023, the yin part of the practice was actually Yin Yoga. In 2024, however, the yin part of the practice was a adapted from a “Pawanmuktasana” series and from Somatic Yoga. In both cases, there was some dynamic motion (to engage the sympathetic nervous system) and also moments of resting and relaxing (to engage the parasympathetic nervous system). In a practice like this, I also highlighted ahimsa (as I did above) and different techniques for relaxing and getting “unhooked,” including the practice of cultivating the opposites.

I have several playlists related to Gandhi, MLK, and ahiṃsā. However, if I were going to put together a playlist specifically for today (which I did for the 2024 evening practice), I would throw in a little Bob Marley (see reference above) plus some Schumann played by Claudio Arrau (b. 02/06/1903), something by Natalie Cole (b. 02/06/1950), and — if I had the time — I’d look for something appropriate from the soundtracks of one of Robert Townsend’s movies (b. 02/06/1957). Also, cause I’m silly (and I could make it work), I might throw in the “Patience” by Guns N’ Roses ~~cover of “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”~~ (cause, Axl Rose, b. 02/06/1962); however, I might toss it into the before/after music along with this little ditty on YouTube, by an artist born 2/6/1966.

*CORRECTION: During the 2024 practices, I mixed up the The Common Word initiative principles with the 2024 WIHW theme.

### “Unforgettable / That’s what you are” ~ Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole ###

More Like Birds & Trees (the “missing” Tuesday post) July 26, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Daoism, Depression, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Maya Angelou, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Poetry, Science, Suffering, Taoism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Twin Cities, Wisdom, Writing, Yin Yoga, Yoga.
Tags: "Major Heat", 9 Days, 988, Abbie Betinis, anger, Ayurveda, Barbie, Beau Lotto, Carry app, Dà shǔ, Dermot Kennedy, Elyse Meyers, LG, Maya Angelou, mental health, Sarah Powers, Thich Nhat Hanh, Victor Hugo, wellness, White Flag, Yin Yoga, yoga, 大暑
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Stay hydrated, y’all, and “may our hearts be open!”

This is a “missing” post for Tuesday, July 25^th. NOTE: Some links direct to sites outside of this blog. You can request an audio recording of either 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.)

“When we suffer, we tend to think that suffering is all there is at that moment, and happiness belongs to some other time or place.”

― quoted from from “1. The Art of Transforming Suffering: Suffering and Happiness are not Separate” in No Mud, No Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh

How are you doing today?

Seriously. I really want know how you’re feeling and how you’re doing today.

I’m asking because I care.

I’m also asking because, in order to answer (honestly), you have to check in with yourself – and that’s an important part of the practice.

My personal practice includes this blog, my class notes (a. k. a. the notebooks full of hieroglyphics), videos and playlists, and my personal journals. All of those bits and pieces of the process give me the ability to look back and notice how the ways I’m feeling change: from one moment/day/week/month/year to the next. Nestled together are big changes and little changes that I might have missed if I didn’t have this type of practice. There are instances where I find myself experiencing the same things around the same time of year (or month). Similarly, there are times when an emotion/sensation that was simmering in the background comes to a boil.

Then, there are times when something like anger is still present, but no longer carries the same charge.

“Anger is a mental, psychological phenomenon, yet it is closely linked to biological and biochemical elements. Anger makes you tense your muscles, but when you know how to smile, you begin to relax and your anger will decrease. Smiling allows the energy of mindfulness to be born in you, helping you to embrace your anger.”

― quoted from “Two – Putting Out the Fire of Anger: Tools for Cooling the Flames” in Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh

A couple of years ago, I was contemplating anger, because it was everywhere. As I do, I turned to my practice, which included a bit of history and the wisdom of teachers like Thích Nhất Hạnh and Pema Chödrön. I noted that external factors, like the “great heat, major heat”, can affect our emotions. I even dived into the tropes and stereotypes around “angry Black women” and I touched on the flip side of that – people thinking I shouldn’t feel strong emotions because I practice yoga and meditation. That last part is something that some men in certain cultures have also had to deal with because of tropes and stereotypes related to their gender and emotions.

I also mentioned how eastern philosophies and their medical sciences – like Daoism and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Yoga and Ayurveda – view every emotion as an energetic experience (as well as a mental, psychological, physiological, biological, and biochemical experience) whereby energy is either in-balance or out-of-balance. Finally, I outlined some steps any one of us can take in order to move into balance. Keep in mind, as Dr. Beau Lotto pointed out, that what may seem like a baby step to me, may feel like a giant leap to you (and vice versa).

The thing is, all of the anger that I referenced, in 2021, is still present. For some people, it has even been magnified. However, anger is no longer on the top of the list of the things I’m feeling. Instead, I’m a little weary… and tired of the shenanigans that previously made me so angry. This feeling is something that I brought up this time last year, in a “9 Days” video* inspired by a map (that a little kid gave me back in 2008) and a Dermot Kennedy song.

“My sense of wonder’s just a little tired”

― quoted from the song “Lost” by Dermot Kennedy, co-written by Carey Willetts

Considering our emotional experiences from an energetic standpoint may help us accept our emotions as natural (which they are) – even if we don’t believe in the traditional sciences. First, they give us a place to start; a first and second step if you will. The eastern philosophies and their sister sciences can be useful processing paradigms, because every energetic experience has an opposite reaction (as well as what we can consider a near-peer) and we are encouraged to cultivate the opposites (when we are out of balance). As I mentioned on Sunday and Monday, heart (YIN) and small intestine (YANG) meridians have several associations, including joy (when in-balance) versus anxiety (when out-of-balance). The other big emotion pairs (based on Yin Yoga) include:

Anger and Frustration versus Kindness/Lovingkindness
Worry versus Peace, Faith, and Acceptance (or Trustful Surrender)
Grief and Sorrow versus Courage, Resilience, Tenacity (balanced with non-attachment), and Reverence
Fear versus Wisdom

Consider, for a moment, how your emotions shift when you are feeling angry and/or frustrated and then do something kind (for yourself and/or for someone else). Consider, also, what happens when cultivating a moment of peace/acceptance enables you to let go of a worry. Maybe, in that moment, of trustful surrender you find the wisdom inside of yourself that alleviates some fear.

Years ago, in a meditation group, my dharma and yoga buddy Lenice dropped a little wisdom during a particularly harsh winter: What if we were more like the trees? Think about it, as long as they are alive, they grow and blossom and let go of the things that no longer serve them. In the essay, “Africa,” published in the collection Even the Stars Look Lonesome, Maya Angelou wrote about trauma and stated, “An African proverb spells out the truth: ‘The ax forgets. The tree remembers.’” Another way to think about that is: the tree remembers it’s trauma, but keeps living; keeps blossoming and growing; keeps letting go of what no longer serves it.

Of course, Dr. Angelou and Victor Hugo also remind us that we are (or can be) like birds – and, sometimes the practice just comes down to knowing what we need in order to blossom, grow, sing, and let go of what no longer serves us.

“Be like the bird, who
Halting in his flight
On limb too slight
Feels it give way beneath him,
Yet sings
Knowing he hath wings.”

– quoted from the poem “Be Like the Bird” by Victor Hugo

NOTE: In Abbie Betinis’s musical composition (which is on the playlists), “she” has wings.

Again, you might be having a moment where some (or all) of this feels like giant leaps. And, that’s OK. Maybe it’s too much to think about smiling, blossoming, singing, and flying. Maybe you just need to focus on the breathing! The key is to find the thing that makes sense for you in this moment.

Then, when it makes sense, consider what seems like the next logical step, given where you are and how you’re feeling. Maybe, what you need is a different perspective; so, you reach out to a friend or a professional. I recently heard of a new app, called “White Flag,” that cultivates peer-to-peer support. (Full disclosure, I haven’t checked it out or investigated it much, but I’ve heard good things.) Maybe what you need is to go back to that first step and breathe some more.

Maybe what you need is more movement or maybe less movement (depending on the weather). Maybe you don’t wanna move today (and there’s now a video on the Carry app for that). Either way, keep in mind that, as Sarah Powers pointed out in Insight Yoga: An innovative synthesis of traditional yoga, meditation, and Eastern approaches to healing and well-being, “All emotions associated with the organs are considered natural responses to life. Yet when they become compulsive or prolonged, they become injurious to our overall health.”

“If we can learn to see and skillfully engage with both the presence of happiness and the presence of suffering, we will go in the direction of enjoying life more. Every day we go a little farther in that direction, and eventually we realize that suffering and happiness are not two separate things.”

― quoted from from “1. The Art of Transforming Suffering: Suffering and Happiness are not Separate” in No Mud, No Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh

So, how are you doing, in this moment?

While I hope you are doing well, I also recognize that you may be, simultaneously, feeling a certain kind of way about things and that you might label some of those ways as “not so well” and/or “not so good.” You might even be having one of the moments/days/weeks/months/years/lifetimes that you would describe as “mostly good.”

Or, maybe in this moment, you’re “good” and you’re taking everything a moment at a time.

I see all that. I care about that. May you be where you need to be; “[going] in the direction of enjoying life more;” moving towards your experience of happiness – whether that experience is an ecstatic kind of joy, not being miserable, or somewhere in between.

“Happiness is possible right now, today―but happiness cannot be without suffering. Some people think that in order to be happy they must avoid all suffering, so they are constantly vigilant, constantly worrying. They end up sacrificing all their spontaneity, freedom, and joy. This isn’t correct. If you can recognize and accept your pain without running away from it, you will discover that although pain is there, joy can also be there at the same time.”

― quoted from from “1. The Art of Transforming Suffering: Suffering and Happiness are not Separate” in No Mud, No Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh

Due to technical difficulties, we used two different set of playlists for this practice. The evening playlist is the one specifically mixed for this date.

Tuesday afternoon’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04102021 Si se puede & Birds”]

Tuesday evening’s playlist is also available on YouTube and Spotify.

NOTE: The evening playlist on YouTube contains additional videos. I was not aware of this “Birdsong” when I made the playlist, so it is not (currently) included on either format.

“Each morning I offer a stick of incense to the Buddha. I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live.”

― quoted from “Five – Compassionate Communication: Nourishing Ourselves” in Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh

*That aforementioned 9 Days” video

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.

During the practice, I mention a new app (White Flag), which I have not researched, but which may be helpful if you need (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

### NOTICE HOW WHAT YOU’RE FEELING CHANGES ###

A Segue & FTWMI: Still Getting (Un)Hooked, After All These Years July 19, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Life, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Alfred Dreyfus, Bhagavad Gita, Dreyfus Affair, Emile Zola, J'Accuse!, Jack Hawley, shenpa
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Peace and many blessings to everyone!

“Arjuna, the contact of bodily senses with objects and attractions in the world creates feelings like sorrow or happiness, and sensations like heat or cold. But these are impermanent, transitory, coming and going like passing clouds. Just endure them patiently and bravely; learn to be unaffected by them.

The serene person, unaffected by these worldly feelings and sensations, is the same in pain and pleasure, and does not allow him- or herself to get disturbed or sidetracked. This is the person fit for immortality. Realize this and assert your strength, Arjuna. Do not identify your True Self merely with your mortal body.”

– quoted from The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners (2:14 – 2:15) by Jack Hawley

Well, as D. J. Shadow once said, “It is happening again…. It is happening again.” Someone – more than one person, actually – is being publicly accused of something and people are, once again, getting hooked. While I mentioned yesterday that it was serendipitous that I have recently encountered several teachers pulling from lessons like the one above, I should not have been that surprised since these teachers are living in the world.

And the world is full of this lesson.

Similarly, it may not be surprising that my post below (from last year) could have been written today with only a slight adjustment: substitute the word “racism” or the words “unconscious bias” for the word “privilege.” Please be clear – and hear me clearly – these three things are not the same. However, they all can create environments that negatively (and violent) affect people. Additionally, they all three are rooted in avidyā (“ignorance” or “nescience”) in a way that makes it hard for people to see clearly. All of which means that these are the causes and conditions for people getting hooked.

For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2022. Class details have been updated.

“Shenpa thrives on the underlying insecurity of living in a world that is always changing.”

– quoted from “How We Get Hooked and How We Get Unhooked” by Pema Chödrön (published by Lion’s Roar, 12/26/2017)

A random short appeared in my YouTube queue. It was only about 60 seconds, from a channel I have never watched nor followed, and I’ll admit that I got “hooked” within a few seconds. Remember, “hook” is one way the American Tibetan Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön translates the Tibetan word shenpa. It can also be translated as “urge, impulse, charge, or attachment.” It is the first sign that someone has pushed your buttons and activated your sympathetic nervous system, which makes you want to fight, flee, or freeze/collapse. While her teachings related to shenpa and the four R’s (which are a way to get unhooked), are often connected to negative button-pushing, we would be mindful to note that the ability to be hooked is ego-related and, therefore, is also connected to positive things.

The lure is the pretty or shiny thing that draws us in so that we can get hooked. There’s nothing wrong in feeling a sense of pride in your work, your appearance, and/or your child. Part of the practice, however, is being mindful of the fact that that pride is a button that can be pushed. And this is where I first got hooked by the short video, because the content creator was highlighting their hard work. That hard work and (let’s call it) artistry was what caught my attention. But, that’s not the point of this post – neither, in some ways, was it the point of the video.

You see, the people in the video had been accused of something. They had been publicly accused, by someone who doesn’t know them, of something that, in some ways, is not inherently a bad thing. Although I personally think that not acknowledging the thing can be detrimental, I also understand that everyone is not in position to see the thing: privilege.

Yes, they had been accused of having privilege. It’s something we all have to a certain degree; however, it is also something that people are starting to understand in a different way than perhaps they understood it in the past. Hence it becoming a point of accusation. To be clear, being accused of having (and using your) privilege is not even close to the same thing as being accused of murder or treason or conspiracy to commit either, it is a hot button. It is something that results in shenpa and, therefore, creates some of the same feelings and reactions. So, it was interesting (but not surprising) that the content creators were quick to defend themselves. It was also interesting that the way they went about defending themselves, ultimately, proved the accusers’ point (to a lot of people). Equally interesting is that, for every person pointing out that their accusers were correct, there was someone vehemently defending the content creator. That’s the thing about public accusations; they lead to public shenpa. They can also lead to public awareness and public action.

Today’s practice highlights public accusations, as well as the resulting public shenpa and public awareness and action. While we can see the parallels to events happening today, these events took place in France in 1898.

As I noted in 2020: “We are living in a time when a lot of people are getting “hooked” by a large number of things. One thing in particular that stands out is people experiencing shenpa because of loud, public, and blunt accusations. The accusations are all related to what in the yoga philosophy would be called avidyā (ignorance) and all four of the other afflicted or dysfunctional thought patterns. The loudest of the accusations comes in the form of one of several words: racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, Islamaphobic, or xenophobic. And, let’s be honest, if someone uses the right “mean” word, they don’t have to do it loudly (or publicly) for the accused to feel the bite of the hook. Furthermore, this shenpa-related reaction is so prevalent right now that we don’t have to turn on the news, read about it, or look online to see someone experiencing this particular form of suffering: all we have to do is look in the mirror.” Click here to read more about shenpa and Émile Zola, who fled France today in 1898.

Please join me today (Wednesday, July 19^th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07192020 Compassion & Peace, J’Accuse!”]

“As they have dared, so shall I dare. Dare to tell the truth, as I have pledged to tell it, in full, since the normal channels of justice have failed to do so. My duty is to speak out; I do not wish to be an accomplice in this travesty. My nights would otherwise be haunted by the spectre of the innocent man, far away, suffering the most horrible of tortures for a crime he did not commit.”

– from “J’Accuse” by Emile Zola, published in L’Aurore on January 13, 1898

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.)

### RRRR(R) ###

Water Music Peace (the “missing” Monday post that is also a “long lost” post) July 17, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Confessions, Healing Stories, Life, Mantra, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: Anthony Eden, Anthony Hicks, Ayurveda, Bess Truman, Charles de Gaulle, Clement Attlee, Elizabeth Gibson, Foster Furcolo, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, George Frideric Handel, Harry Hopkins, Harry S. Truman, James F. Byrnes, Joseph Stalin, King George I, King George II, nadis, Potsdam Conference, pranayama, prānāyāma, Robert H. Ferrell, Stanley Sadie, Vyacheslav Molotov, Water Music, White Sands Proving Ground, William Bullitt, Winston Churchill, World War II
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Peace and blessings to everyone, and especially to those who are dealing with conflict.

This is a “missing” post for July 17, 2023 (and also for 2022). You can request an audio recording of either 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.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.)

“I am getting ready to go see Stalin and Churchill…. I have a briefcase filled up with information on past conferences and suggestions on what I’m to do and say. Wish I didn’t have to go, but I do and it can’t be stopped now.”

– quoted from a letter dated July 3, 1945 addressed to his mother (Martha) and sister (Mary) by President Harry S. Truman

In Yoga and Āyurveda, as they come to us from India, the vital energy of the mind-body flows through the nadi like water flows down a river. In fact, nadi or nāḍī (“energy channels”) is also found in some texts as nādi or nadī and translated into English as “rivers.” So, while I sometimes encourage people to bring awareness to the sound of their own personal ocean, it would be more precise to say “your own personal river.” Furthermore, when we tune into the breath during our practice – and especially when we move to the pace of the breath in a vinyāsa practice – what we are really doing is floating (or swimming) down the river.

Peacefully, floating or swimming down the river; thinking peace in, peace out.

Just as it is helpful to breathe “peace in, peace out,” when we are on the mat or cushion, this little exercise in prānāyāma (awareness of breath) can be helpful when we’re off the mat – especially if someone is pushing our buttons and/or we have the expectation that someone will push our buttons. It’s a nice tool to have in your mindfulness-based toolkit… or briefcase. It would have been a really handy tool for certain world leaders today in 1945.

For that matter, it would have been handy for certain members of British royalty today in 1717.

“It is more pertinent to ask why the opera did not function; and the main reason for this was the chaos surrounding relations between George I and his son, the Prince of Wales, which had a profound impact on the social activities of the primary financial supporters of the opera, the aristocracy. The two Georges had never been on particularly good terms.”

– quoted from “8. Royal Academy of Music 1719–28) and its Directors” by Elizabeth Gibson, as published in Handel, Tercentenary Collection, edited by Stanley Sadie and Anthony Hicks

George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland (beginning August 1, 1714), as well as the ruler of the Electorate of Hanover, an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire (beginning January 23, 1698). While his positions afforded him some power and wealth, he may have been sensitive about the fact that times were changing. The power of the monarchy started to diminish under his rule and, to add insult to injury, people in London did not think very highly of him (or his intelligence). His son was not always viewed more favorably, but he did throw a good party – and people loved a good party. Additionally, George II, the Prince of Wales, presented himself as 100% English, something his father could not do.

According to the stories, the prince and heir apparent, felt a certain kind of way because his father was still alive and still on the throne. The idea that his own time to rule would be short pushed George II’s buttons and he reacted by throwing lavish parties and dinners – so that he would be the talk of the town. This, in turn, pushed his father’s buttons and the senior George needed a way to, quite literally, turn the tide.

King George I wanted to create an event more lavish and more extraordinary than any party or dinner his son could host. A concert on the river sounded like just the ticket and so, the elder George turned to the friend and personal composer of his son’s wife: George Frideric Handel, whose “Water Music” premiered on the River Thames today (7/17) in 1717.

“Many other barges with persons of quality attended, and so great a number of boats that the whole river in a manner was cover’d; a city company’s barge was employ’d for the musick, wherein were fifty instruments of all sorts, who play’d all the way from Lambeth (while the barges drove with the tide without rowing, as far as Chelsea) the finest symphonies compos’d express for this occasion by Mr. Handel….”

– quoted from a July 19, 1717, article in the Daily Courant

As reported by the Daily Courant, Britain’s first daily newspaper, one or two royal barges and a city barge started floating down the River Thames at around 8 PM that Wednesday, July 17^th (according to the Julian Calendar). The royal barge(s) carried King George I and a ton of aristocrats. A City of London barge carried about 50 musicians. While there is some debate about the original order of the the three suites – as well as about which instruments were on the barge with the musicians – and while some modern composers doubt that George Handel composed all the music specifically for the concert on the Thames, there is no question that the composition was well received. The music was played as the barges floated (with the tide) from Whitehall Palace – towards Chelsea, where the king and his court debarked for dinner at around 11 PM – and then, again, as the barges were rowed back to the palace. A reference to music being played during the king’s dinner sounds like it was different music than what was played on the barge, however, there’s no additional information in the article. The article did note that the musicians played Handel’s music “over three times.”

What always strikes me is the image of all the regular people who came to listen to the music. I imagine some of those who were on boats heard the music from beginning to end. However, people along the shoreline would have heard bits and pieces. Perhaps the beginning and then, hours later, the very end. Someone else could have heard the end and then the beginning – or, the middle twice. It sounds like it could have been fun, and peaceful. Fun and peaceful unless, of course, you were the king – who would rule until his death in June 1727 – or the prince, who became king and elector at the age of 43.

King George II eventually lost popularity among the populace and became estranged from his own son. But, the conflict between the two Georges did not end with the elder’s death. The latter skipped his father’s funeral and hid his father’s will. Then, in 1749, he hired George Frideric Handel to compose “Music for the Royal Fireworks (HWV 351),” which was rehearsed in front of a paying audience on April 21, 1749 and performed in London’s Green Park (with fireworks) on April 27, 1749. It was a lavish and bombastic display – both musically and visually – meant to celebrate the end of the War of the Austrian Succession and the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) in 1748. People were severely injured and King George II’s father was long gone, but perhaps using the same composer made the younger feel like he had bested his father.

“We had a tough meeting yesterday. I reared up on my hind legs and told ’em where to get off and they got off. I have to make it perfectly plain to them at least once a day that so far as this President is concerned Santa Claus is dead and that my first interest is U.S.A….. Then I want peace – world peace and will do what can be done by us to get it. But certainly am not going to set up another [illegible] here in Europe, pay reparations, feed the world, and get nothing for it but a nose thumbing. They are beginning to wake to the fact that I mean business.”

– quoted from a letter to U. S. First Lady Bess Truman, dated “Berlin, July 20, 1945,” by U. S. President Harry S. Truman (as published in Dear Bess: The Letters from Harry to Bess Truman, 1910–1959, edited by Robert H. Ferrell)

The Potsdam Conference, held at Cecilienhof Palace in the then-Soviet occupied Potsdam, Germany, started on July 17, 1945. It was a meeting between “the Big Three” Allied leaders – United States President Harry S. Truman, United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Communist Party General Secretary Joseph Stalin – to decide what to do with Germany after the Nazis unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945. The meetings were also attended by UK Prime Minister Clement Attlee (who replaced PM Churchill after the first nine meetings) and foreign ministers and aides, including Vyacheslav Molotov (for the Soviet Union), Anthony Eden and Ernest Bevin (who replaced Mr. Eden as Great Britain’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), and James F. Byrnes (for the United States). While it was peace conference between allies and the leaders shared a love of music (over formal dinners), the meetings were not without tension and conflict.

The shifting of leadership – especially in the middle of the conference – and friction between leaders would have been challenging no matter what. However, additional tension came from the fact that the Allied leaders had different opinions about Joseph Stalin. Although, to be blunt, there was a consensus: most believed that General Secretary Stalin could not be trusted.

“I just have a hunch that Stalin is not that kind of man. Harry [Hopkins] says he’s not and that he does not want anything but security for his country, and I think that if I give him everything I possibly can and ask for nothing in return, noblesse oblige, he won’t try to annex anything and will work for a world of democracy and peace.”

– President Franklin D. Roosevelt, speaking to American Ambassador to Moscow, William Bullitt, in 1941 (as quoted from the March 7, 1949 remarks of U. S. Representative Foster Furcolo, as printed in the United States of America Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 81st Congress, First Session, Appendix (January 3, 1949 – March 12, 1949)

Prime Minister Churchill compared the Soviet leader to the devil. His predecessor, Prime Minister Attlee, had initially considered communism as a political possibility, but ultimately considered leaders like Joseph Stalin as a cautionary tale. Clement Attlee approached the Soviet leader in a manner similar to President Roosevelt – who thought that the Soviet leader would be honorable – and believed that treating the Soviets as anything other than allies would become a self-fulfilling prophecy. He eventually changed his tune and agreed with Ernest Bevin, who also joined the conference after the election results were announced. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Bevin was publicly anti-communism, but not overtly hostile towards the general secretary. Within five years, however, both British leaders were not only against communism, they were also anti-Soviet.

President Truman, by his own admission, was nervous about being new to his role and about coming to an agreement with the other leaders. He thought his predecessor’s assessment of Joseph Stalin was categorically wrong. However, during the conference he wrote a letter to First Lady Bess Truman stating that he perceived the Soviet leader as he straightforward. In an earlier letter, he also indicated that he had a secret bargaining chip: news of the successful detonation of the first atomic bomb (at White Sands Proving Ground on July 16, 1945). Unbeknownst to the president, two spies were in New Mexico and witness the detonation firsthand. The spies had informed the general secretary before he arrived at the conference – possibly, before the president received the information through official channels.

“We are going to do what we can to make Germany a decent nation, so that it may eventually work its way from the economic chaos it has brought upon itself back to into a place in the civilised world.”

– quoted from the August 1945 speech, regarding the Potsdam Conference, by President Harry S. Truman

By the conclusion of The Potsdam Conference, on August 2, 1945, the Allies announced their intention to demilitarization, denazification, democratization, decentralization, dismantling, and decartelization Germany. Their plans included the repealing Nazi laws, especially those that allowed discrimination on grounds of race, creed, and political opinion; the organization of new judicial and education systems; the reversal of annexations; the elimination of Nazi officials in government; and the “Orderly and humane” expulsion of (ethnic) German citizens in Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary (but not Yugoslavia). The Allied leaders also made plans for the arrest and trials of Nazi war criminals and post-war reparations (most of which went to the Soviet Union). Additionally, they created a Council of Foreign Ministers – made up of officials from the United Kingdom, the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics, China, France and the United States – which would establish treaties with Germany allies like Italy and Bulgaria. Finally, the leaders at the Potsdam Conference divided Germany and Berlin into four occupied zones – a section controlled by each of “the Big Three” plus France. The division inevitably meant new (and different) standards of living and economic structures for those in the west versus those in the east.

The goals of the Potsdam Conference included eliminating the last vestiges of the Nazi party, establishing and ensuring peace, and figuring out a way for the whole world to heal after so much trauma and so much war. While it was successful on some levels, the decisions that were made during the conference also laid the foundation for more conflict and friction. In particular, the decision to divide Germany and the German economy resulted in ramifications that are still felt, even after the reunification of Germany (1989 – 1991). Also, the final declaration was that Japan surrender or suffer “prompt and utter destruction.” In the end, that declaration resulted in the United States dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima (8/6) and Nagasaki (8/9). But, in some ways, the end of the war was just the beginning of the process. In fact, looking back, it seems we are still working to fulfill the goals of the Potsdam Conference – still working to remember that the ultimate goal is peace.

“I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.

I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.

The world is not static, and the status quo is not sacred. But we cannot allow changes in the status quo in violation of the Charter of the United Nations by such methods as coercion, or by such subterfuges as political infiltration. In helping free and independent nations to maintain their freedom, the United States will be giving effect to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”

– quoted from the “Truman Doctrine” speech, as delivered to the joint session of the United States Congress by President Harry S. Truman (March 12, 1947)

There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.

The playlist for previous years is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07172021 Water Music Peace”]

“The seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and want. They spread and grow in the evil soil of poverty and strife. They reach their full growth when the hope of a people for a better life has died. We must keep that hope alive.

The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms.

If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world — and we shall surely endanger the welfare of our own nation.”

– quoted from the “Truman Doctrine” speech, as delivered to the joint session of the United States Congress by President Harry S. Truman (March 12, 1947)

### PEACE In, PEACE Out ###

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A Joyful Practice

FTWMI: Water Music Peace July 17, 2024

“I am getting ready to go see Stalin and Churchill…. I have a briefcase filled up with information on past conferences and suggestions on what I’m to do and say. Wish I didn’t have to go, but I do and it can’t be stopped now.”

— quoted from a letter dated July 3, 1945 addressed to his mother (Martha) and sister (Mary) by President Harry S. Truman

— quoted from “8. Royal Academy of Music 1719–28) and its Directors” by Elizabeth Gibson, as published in Handel, Tercentenary Collection, edited by Stanley Sadie and Anthony Hicks

— quoted from a July 19, 1717, article in the Daily Courant

— quoted from a letter to U. S. First Lady Bess Truman, dated “Berlin, July 20, 1945,” by U. S. President Harry S. Truman (as published in Dear Bess: The Letters from Harry to Bess Truman, 1910–1959, edited by Robert H. Ferrell)

“We are going to do what we can to make Germany a decent nation, so that it may eventually work its way from the economic chaos it has brought upon itself back to into a place in the civilised world.”

– quoted from the August 1945 speech, regarding the Potsdam Conference, by President Harry S. Truman

“I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.

I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.

— quoted from the “Truman Doctrine” speech, as delivered to the joint session of the United States Congress by President Harry S. Truman (March 12, 1947)

“The seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and want. They spread and grow in the evil soil of poverty and strife. They reach their full growth when the hope of a people for a better life has died. We must keep that hope alive.

The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms.

If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world — and we shall surely endanger the welfare of our own nation.”

— quoted from the “Truman Doctrine” speech, as delivered to the joint session of the United States Congress by President Harry S. Truman (March 12, 1947)

### PEACE In, PEACE Out ###

[Still] Hooked by the Classics July 16, 2024

— quoted from the School of Visual Arts commencement speech (in New York City, May 14, 2010) by Tony Kushner (b. 1956)

### ###

EXCERPT: “A Little Grace [plus] Compassion and Peace (with regards to Ralph Waldo Emerson)” July 15, 2024

— quoted from the 1838 “Divinity School Address” by Ralph Waldo Emerson

### Peace In, Peace Out ###

A Quick Note & Excerpts About Practicing the R’s July 14, 2024

— Pema Chödrön

RECOGNIZE (that your buttons have gotten pushed and you have the urge/impulse to react).

REFRAIN (from doing anything, especially that knee jerk reaction).

RELAX (maybe breathe peace in and breath peace out, or do use a centering prayer).

RESOLVE (to move forward with mindfulness and intention).

REMEMBER (your intention and why you are doing the thing you are doing).

RECOGNIZE (again, that sometimes the only thing you can do is not make it worse).

— quoted from “Unlimited Friendliness: Three steps to genuine compassion” (Winter 2009 issue of Tricycle) by Pema Chödrön

— quoted from Matt Caron and from Elephant Journal

### OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTIHI OM ###

FTWMI: Rigid Bodies I & II (the “missing” post(s) & First Friday Night Special #45 Invitation) July 5, 2024

“Every body continues in its state of rest, or uniform motion in a right line, unless compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it.”

— “Law 1” quoted from “Axioms, or Laws of Motion” in Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Sir Isaac Newton

But in the mean time, you defer too much to my ability in searching into this subject. What Descartes did was a good step. You have added much several ways, and especially in considering the colours of thin plates. If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

— quoted from a letter marked “Cambridge, February 5, 1675-76” from Sir Isaac Newton to Dr. Robert Hooke, as published in Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton by David Brewster

An object at rest remains at rest, and object in motion remains in motion (at the same speed and in the same direction, unless acted upon by an unbalanced force).

The acceleration of an object is dependent upon two variables – the net force acting upon the object and the mass of the object.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

— Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion

“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

### Feel Free… To Move ###

Anger and the Importance of Having “Treats” Before You Speak (a post-practice Monday post) February 12, 2024

— quoted from “Two – Putting Out the Fire of Anger: Tools for Cooling the Flames” in Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh

“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”

— quoted from Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume (b. 02/12/1938)

“恭禧发财 Gong Xi Fa Cai [Congratulations and Prosperity!] Gong Hey Fat Choy [Congratulations and Prosperity!]

— A common New Year’s greeting in Hanzi [Chinese characters], Mandarin and Cantonese pīnyīn [“spelled sounds”], and English

— quoted from “Two – Putting Out the Fire of Anger: Embracing Anger with the Sunshine of Mindfulness” in Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh

“Because some changes happen deep down inside of you. And the truth is, only you know about them. Maybe that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

— quoted from Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume

“My only advice is to stay aware, listen carefully, and yell for help if you need it.”

— Judy Blume, as quoted in “Starring Judy Blume as Herself” in Who is Judy Blume by Kristen Anderson, Who HQ, Ted Hammond (illustrator)

Click here for a post you might find uplifting (because it’s about people who fly).

Click here for the second post; but, fair warning, this one might make you angry.

### TAP INTO THE POWER OF YOUR CREATIVITY ###

Salt of the Earth, the 2024 remix (the “missing” Tuesday post) February 6, 2024

“The mere imparting of information is not education.”

— quoted from the “Preface” to The Mis-education of the Negro by Carter Godwin Woodson

“Next to air and water, salt is perhaps the greatest necessity of life. It is the only condiment of the poor. Cattle cannot live without salt. Salt is a necessary article in many manufactures. it is also a rich manure.

There is no article like salt, outside water, by taxing which the State can reach even the starving millions, the sick, the maimed and the utterly helpless. The salt tax constitutes the most inhuman poll tax that the ingenuity of man can devise.”

— quoted from a letter by M. K. Gandhi, printed in Young India, Vol. XII, Ahmedabad: February 27, 1930

Love does not burn others, it burns itself.”

— quoted from “Some Rules of Satyagraha” by M. K. Gandhi, printed in Young India, Vol. XII, Ahmedabad: February 27, 1930

— quoted from “Loving Your Enemies” sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (11/17/1957)

While I do not go into explicit details, you may skip to the next big banner quote if needed.

Yoga Sūtra 2.35: ahimsāpratişţhāyām tatsannidhau vairatyāgah

— “In the company of a yogi established in non-violence, animosity disappears.”

— quoted from “King, Marjorie Edwina Pitter (1921-1996)” by Mary T. Henry, posted on historylink.org (Juana Racquel Royster Horn cited)

“It was 1939 in Seattle, and although the city had none of the formal ‘Jim Crow’ segregation laws common in the South, the result was often the same.

Being black and finding a job often meant menial work and a lower standard of living. For some black people, discrimination crushed any hope of working at all.”

– quoted from the article in The Seattle Times entitled “Seattle In The Old Days: No ‘Jim Crow’ Laws, But Blacks Were Held Back Just The Same” by Daryl Strickland (dated Jun 27, 1994)

– Rachel Naomi Remen (b. 2/8/1938) as quoted in At Your Service: Living the Lessons of Servant Leadership by Charles E. Wheaton

### “Unforgettable / That’s what you are” ~ Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole ###

More Like Birds & Trees (the “missing” Tuesday post) July 26, 2023

Stay hydrated, y’all, and “may our hearts be open!”

“恭禧发财
Gong Xi Fa Cai [Congratulations and Prosperity!]
Gong Hey Fat Choy [Congratulations and Prosperity!]

“Be like the bird, who
Halting in his flight
On limb too slight
Feels it give way beneath him,
Yet sings
Knowing he hath wings.”