Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to those celebrating and/or observing Lent & Great Lent!
This is the “missing” post for Wednesday, April 9th.The practice and the excerpted post include references to the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. The excerpted post also includes a little something extra.You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. In the first stage of life the mind is frivolous and easily distracted; it misses progress by failing in consecutiveness and persistence. This is the condition of children and barbarians, in whom instinct has learned nothing from experience.”
— quoted from “Chapter XII — Flux and Constancy in Human Nature” The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress (1905-1906) — Vol. I, Reason in Common Sense by George Santayana
Memories are funny things. They always “Light the corners of [our] mind” — whether we realize it or not. They also inform and motivate our thoughts, words, and deeds — whether we realize it or not. They are the “retentiveness” of which people speak when they quote (or paraphrase) George Santayana — and they are big part of how we make history.
In the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali identified memory as one the five types of thoughts patterns (along with correct knowledge, incorrect knowledge, imagination/fantasy, and dreamless sleep) which can manifest as afflicted or not afflicted, functional or dysfunctional. (YS 1.5-1.6) Remember, the afflicted/dysfunctional thoughts patterns are the ones that lead to suffering.
After defining each of the five thought patterns (YS 1.7-1.11) — and after breaking down the practice of yoga — Patanjali outlined siddhis or “powers” that come from the practice. Some of these abilities are related to cause-and-effect, including the ability to understand consequences based on past outcomes (i.e., knowing history.) According to Yoga Sūtra 4.9, “Because memory (smriti) and the deep habit patterns (samskaras) are the same in appearance, the chain of cause and effect is not broken, even though there might be a gap in species [or state of life], location, or time.” Which means, there is power in seeing patterns and understanding [our] history, individually and collectively.
Today, April 9th, is one of those days rich with history — and, in particular, history related to the progress and maturity of a nation. There are some moments that happened today in United States history that, if I removed the names and year, sound like they happened this year! There are also some full circle moments, lessons in persistence, and examples of people who were committed to being changemakers.
“You had an opportunity to lead in an enlightened way and it seems to me that your organization has failed.”
— quoted from a Daughters of the American Revolution resignation letter written by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in the Spring of 1939
“Everybody’s talking Nothing real is happening, ’Cause nothing is new Now when all is tragic And I just feel sedated Why do I feel numb? Is that all I can do? Yeah
And heaven knows I’m not helpless, yeah But I’m only human I can’t see the use in me crying If I’m not even trying to Make the change I wanna see”
— quoted from the song “Preach” by John Legend [Written by John Roger Stephens, Gregory Allen Kurstin, Sarah Aaron]
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04092022 Memories”]
NOTE: I completely remixed this playlist [in 2022], because while I own a copy of the Marian Anderson’s Lincoln Memorial concert with the speeches, it was not available on YouTube. It is available on Spotify; search for “Marian Anderson Let Freedom Ring.”
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.
“We all were sea-swallowed, though some cast again, And by that destiny to perform an act Whereof what’s past is prologue, what to come In yours and my discharge.”
— Antonio, Prospero’s brother, the usurping Duke of Milan, in Act I, Scene i of The Tempest by William Shakespeare
Please join me today (Wednesday, April 9th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom.You can use the link from the “Class Schedules”calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04092022 Memories”]
NOTE: I completely remixed this playlist [in 2022], because while I own a copy of the Marian Anderson’s Lincoln Memorial concert with the speeches, it is not available on YouTube. It is available on Spotify; search for “Marian Anderson Let Freedom Ring.”
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to those celebrating the Buddha’s birthday and the Flower Festival (in Japan) and/or observing Lent & Great Lent!
This “missing” post for Tuesday, April 8th features new and previously posted content, as well as some excerpts. Some embedded links will direct you to sites outside of this blog. My apologies for not posting before the Noon practice. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“A hundred different paths may lighten the world’s load of suffering. Giving up meat is one path; giving up bananas is another. The more we know about our food system, the more we are called into complex choices. It seems facile to declare one single forbidden fruit, when humans live under so many different kinds of trees.”
— quoted from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
Born April 8, 1955, in Annapolis, Maryland, Barbara Kingsolver is the award-winning author of novels, essays, and poetry, as well as one of the co-founders of the rock band the Rock Bottom Remainders. Her fiction and nonfiction reflect her experiences living in rural Kentucky, the Republic of the Congo-Léopoldville (now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Indiana, Arizona, and Appalachia (where she currently resides). The author of novels like The Bean Trees (1988), The Poisonwood Bible (1998), Prodigal Summer (2000), The Lacuna (2009), and Demon Copperhead (2022) — and nonfiction like Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (2007), about her family attempting to eat locally — has won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (2023), a National Humanities Award (2000), the Women’s Prize for Fiction (in 2010 & 2023), and has had every one of her book’s listed on the New York Times Best Seller List since 1993.
While we can say that she writes about the the things that are important to her, including the opioid crisis in the United States, “social justice, biodiversity, and the interaction between humans and their communities and environments”, we can also just say that she really only writes about two things: suffering and the end of suffering.
— “Ignorance (or lack of knowledge), false sense of identity, attachment (rooted in pleasure), aversion (attachment rooted in pain), and fear of death or loss are the afflictions.”
If we look back over the previous nine days/nights and the stories associated with Navaratri, we see instances of suffering (in the form of “demons”) and the end of suffering (in the form of the goddesses being victorious in the battles and challenges). If we look back at the the civil rights movements I have mentioned over the last couple of months, we again see suffering (in the form of oppression) and the end of suffering (in the form of people being granted the civil rights). In fact, if we look back at the whole of humanity, we see this same theme play out again and again and again. We also see that every major religion and philosophy, as well as all medical sciences, have the same two ends of a common thread: people suffer and people want their suffering to end.
In the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali outlined how the mind works and how to work the mind. The mind, he explained, has a tendency to wander, move around, and get caught up in those fluctuations. Those fluctuations are either afflicted or not afflicted — meaning some thoughts bring us pain/suffering and others alleviate or don’t cause pain/suffering. He also described nine obstacles, which lead to five conditions (or states of suffering) (YS 1.30-1.31); five dysfunctional/afflicted thought patterns that lead to suffering (YS 2.2-2.9); and specifically pointed to meditation as a way to overcome the suffering (YS 1.32 and YS 2.10-2.11).
Throughout the first two chapters of the text, he gave specific examples about how to overcome the afflicted thoughts; how to alleviate the suffering they cause; and how to overcome the obstacles and painful states of suffering. His recommendation: Various forms of meditation — various forms of sitting and breathing with awareness (āsana and prāṇāyāma).
One meditation technique Patanjali suggested is offering loving-kindness/friendliness to those who are happy, compassion to those who are sad, happiness to those who are virtuous, and indifference to those who are non-virtuous. (YS 1.33) It is similar to a metta meditation, which is actually a great way to start this practice. Another is simply focusing on the breath. (YS 1.34)
Knowing, however, that everyone can’t just drop into a deep seated meditation, Patanjali also offered physical techniques to prepare the mind-body for meditation. Although, Patanjali did not describe any specific āsanas or “seats” — just how to use them (and perfect them) — those physical techniques are our physical practice.
I personally find the yoga philosophy particularly practical, especially when practiced with the physical component. But then again, I tell my own stories and live in a different time and place than Patanjali and Siddhartha Gautama, the prince who would become the enlightened one.
“Prince Gautama, 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.’”
— a Buddhist “joke”, quoted from Matt Caron and from Elephant Journal
Historically speaking, Patanjali was in India compiling the Yoga Sūtras, which outline the 8-Limbed Yoga Philosophy as a way to alleviate current suffering and prevent future suffering, during the Buddha’s lifetime. “I have heard” that Siddhartha Gautama was aware of the Yoga Philosophy, and probably practiced it — but that doesn’t mean he was aware of the yoga sūtras (Sanskrit: “union threads”), simply that he was aware of the lifestyle and the codes of that lifestyle. Perhaps he even had a physical practice.
It is easy to believe that he found the practice helpful when, at 29 years old, he left the palace gates and saw suffering for the first time. In theory, this explains some of the parallels between yoga and Buddhism. It may also help explain why there are so many lists in Buddhism and why the Buddha taught in stories/parables. However, he did not share my sentiment that the yoga philosophy was practical (and accessible).
Remember, different time; different place.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, in the practice of compassion and charity a disciple should be detached. That is to say, he should practice compassion and charity without regard to appearances, without regard to form, without regard to sound, smell, taste, touch, or any quality of any kind. Subhuti, this is how the disciple should practice compassion and charity. Why? Because practicing compassion and charity without attachment is the way to reaching the Highest Perfect Wisdom, it is the way to becoming a living Buddha.”
— The Diamond Sutra (4)
Unfortunately, the caste system in 6th Century India (~563 BCE) prevented some people from practicing Yoga. So, the story goes that the prince sat under the Bodhi tree and was determined to wait there until he awakened to the nature of reality. In some suttas (Pali: “threads”), it says that the Buddha (“the Awakened One”) sat there for an additional seven days. Eventually, at the age of 35, he started teaching from this enlightened state. Some say that he only ever taught about two things: suffering and the end of suffering.
His teachings, which (again) run parallel to those of Patanjali, were codified in the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism and the Noble Eightfold Path. According to the former:
Suffering exists
Suffering is caused by attachment, clinging, craving
There is an end to suffering
The Noble Eight-fold Path is the way to end suffering
Following these paths includes some sitting… and waiting. What is promised at the end of the sitting and waiting is freedom from suffering. What we find in the middle is hope.
And, also, a celebration: the Buddha’s Birthday.
“By this name it shall be revered and studied and observed. What does this name mean? It means that when the Buddha named it, he did not have in mind any definite or arbitrary conception, and so named it. This Sutra is hard and sharp, like a diamond that will cut away all arbitrary conceptions and bring one to the other shore of Enlightenment.”
— The Diamond Sutra (13)
People celebrate the Buddha’s Birthday in different ways and at different times (depending on which calendar they are using). Some people celebrate the birth of Prince Siddhartha. Others celebrate the enlightenment or awakening of the Buddha. Some people celebrate both. While many of these celebrations occur in May (or even June, during a leap year) one of the birthday celebrations occurs in Japan on April 8th. While it is not a national holiday, it has been a major celebration for some Buddhist people (in Japan) since 1873.
Also known as Kanbutsu-e (Japanese: 灌仏会) or Hanamatsuri (Japanese: 花祭り) “the Flower Festival”, it is a day when some temples hold special ceremonies involving a Chinese tradition of bathing small Buddha statues with Amacha (甘茶) “sweet” “tea”, made from fermented hydrangea leaves, as if they were bathing a newborn baby. The tea is caffeine free, but the leaves contain phyllodulcin, which is “400–800 times sweeter than table sugar [and] 2 times sweeter than saccharin.”
People will also sit and breath — and perhaps contemplate and meditate on the teachings and parables of the Buddha.
“It’s not the case that when there is the view, ‘The soul & the body are the same,’ there is the living of the holy life. And it’s not the case that when there is the view, ‘The soul is one thing and the body another,’ there is the living of the holy life. When there is the view, ‘The soul & the body are the same,’ and when there is the view, ‘The soul is one thing and the body another,’ there is still the birth, there is the aging, there is the death, there is the sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, & distress whose destruction I make known right in the here & now.”
— quoted from Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta: The Shorter Instructions Malunkya (translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
The following is excerpted directly from a 2020 post:
“‘I have heard’ two parables the Buddha used to differentiate between (physical) pain and (mental) suffering. Both parables also point to the ways in which we can alleviate our own suffering.
In one parable, a man is shot with a poisoned arrow. As the poison enters the man’s bloodstream, he is surrounded by people who can and want to help him, to save his life. The problem is that the man wants to know why he was shot. In fact, before the arrow is removed he wants to know why he was shot, by whom he was shot, and all the minutia about the archer and their life. While the information is being gathered, the poison is moving through the man’s body; the man is dying. In fact, the man will die before he has the answers to all his questions.
In another parable, a man is shot by an arrow (no poison this time) and then, in the very next breath, the man is shot by a second arrow. The Buddha explains that the first arrow is physical pain, and we can’t always escape or avoid that. The second arrow, however, is the mental suffering (or pain) that is caused when “the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught.” How we respond to moments of pain and suffering determines how much more pain and suffering we will endure.”
“And what is declared by me? ‘This is stress,’ is declared by me. ‘This is the origination of stress,’ is declared by me. ‘This is the cessation of stress,’ is declared by me. ‘This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,’ is declared by me. And why are they declared by me? Because they are connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That’s why they are declared by me.
“So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared, and what is declared by me as declared.”
— quoted from Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta: The Shorter Instructions Malunkya (translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
Click on the excerpt title below and scroll down to “So Much Suffering,” if you are interested in the ways the Buddha and Moses had parallel life experiences and journeys to freedom.
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.
Peace and many blessings to all! “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Chaitra Navaratri!” Peace and many blessings to those observing Lent & Great Lent!
This post-practice compilation for Monday, April 7th features a little new content, slightly revised excerpts, and (For Those Who Missed It) a short 2021 post.The 2025 prompt question was, “Who (or what) comes to mind when you think of a warrior?”
You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“‘O Prince, your ignorance of your True Self Within is the cause of your present reluctance to act, just as the opposite of ignorance, Self-knowledge, would bring fearless action. So with the sword of wisdom sever the doubts in your heart. Arise, O best of men, take your stand. Be a warrior!’”
— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (4.42) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley
What makes someone a warrior? What attributes come to mind when you think of a warrior? More importantly, how can we embody those attributes on and off the mat? Take a moment to consider those questions and then I have two (2) more questions for you….
Do you answers change when you consider that most “Warrior” poses in yoga are actually “Hero Friend” poses?
Do you answers change when you think of the warrior/hero friend as a woman?
The Fierce Mother Goddess (an excerpt):
During Navaratri, each of manifestation of Durga/Parvati manifestation is a symbolic milestone (and a reminder that women “contain multitudes”). The final day* is devoted to Siddhidhatri, whose name literally means “land/earth of achievements”. Her name can also be translated as “Giver of Perfection”, as She is believed to be endowed with all the siddhis (“abilities” or “powers”) in the Universe and, also, to be able to bestow all of them. Typically, however, She only gives nine of the multitudes — some of which are referenced in the Yoga Sūtras.
In art and literature, she is sometimes depicted as being half of Shiva (with Him being half of Her), meaning that they are the embodiment the yin/yang symbol. When they are shown together in this way, they are each known as Ardhanarishvara, Ardhanaranari, or similar names that all highlight the fact that They are partially a woman.
When we look at the hero(ine)’s journey — as told through each day’s story, we are reminded that Durga/Parvati is a warrior or, if you will, a hero friend.
*NOTE: During the big celebrations of Navaratri (in the Spring and Fall) the final day is a double celebration — which may mean more feasting in some regions and more fasting in others. For this current celebration of Chaitra Navaratri, some people are also celebrating Rama Navami — the birth of Rama.
For Those Who Missed It: How One Does Their Duty
“Who is the happy Warrior? Who is he
That every man in arms should wish to
be?”
— quoted from the poem “Character of the Happy Warrior” by William Wordsworth
It’s unlikely that you’ve heard someone referred to as “America’s Lord Nelson”. Unless, of course, the person being referenced was a member of the peerage whose name was Nelson. However, several modern politicians — including Minnesota’s own Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. (the 38th Vice President of the United States) and Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. (the 47th Vice President and 46th President of the United States) — have been called “the Happy Warrior”; because their personal constitutions fit the poem “The Character of the Happy Warrior” by William Wordsworth.
Born April 7, 1770, in Cockermouth, Cumberland, England, Wordsworth was the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from April 6, 1843 — April 23, 1850. He wrote the poem about “the Happy Warrior” to eulogize (& idolize) Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB — whose views on slavery are currently under much scrutiny and debate.
“Whose high endeavors are an inward light That makes the path before him always bright;”
— quoted from the poem “Character of the Happy Warrior” by William Wordsworth
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
The 2021 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04072021 Character of the Happy Warrior”]
“Dedicated To all spiritual activists Truth seekers and peaceful warriors Worldwide ‘I regard myself as a soldier Though a soldier of peace’”
— MC Yogi and Mohandas Gandhi, quoted from the Intro to the song “Be the Change (Niraj Chag’s Swaraj Mix)” by MC Yogi and Niraj Chag
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.
CORRECTION & ERRATA: During the practice and in the original post, I indicated that Rama Navami was the day after the ninth day/night of Navaratri; however, it is usually celebrated on the ninth day/night. Dussehra (which is literally the “ten[th]” and “defeat”) is after the celebration in the Fall.
Peace and many blessings to all! “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Chaitra Navaratri!” Peace and many blessings to those observing Lent & Great Lent!
“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.”)
Bring your awareness to this present moment and to how you feel in this present moment — right here, right now. This present moment is the culmination of all the previous moments and the beginning of what’s to come. So, how you feel, right here and right now, is partially based on what you (and others) did years ago, a few months or weeks ago, and even days ago and yesterday.
Yesterday: Some people were angry, some were fearful, and some were cheerful. Some people were grieving, celebrating, and/or observing something. Some people were going about their day-to-day life, business as usual; while others interrupted their daily life by protesting — or had their business as usual interrupted by others protesting — or protested just by going about their day-to-day life. Some people did all (or some) of the above while also practicing.
All of this was also happening in India, 95 years ago. Oh, maybe the birthdays, weddings, and funerals were different. Maybe it was not Lent or Great Lent. It might not have even been Navaratri.
The following excerpt has been previously posted:
[Today is] also the eighth night/day of Navaratri, the Hindu celebration of God as a woman. This penultimate manifestation of Durga/Parvati is known as Mahagauri, the mother Goddess who slays the demon-king. Each of the nine manifestations of Durga represent Her at a different point in her life/journey. By the time we get to the eighth manifestation, Parvati is already married — but the demons can only be killed by a virgin. Obviously, she could not go back; she had to go forward in order to prepare herself for battle.
In some versions of her story, she practiced tapas, prayed, and made offerings. At one point, she bathed in the Ganges River, one of the sacred rivers in India, and emerged with the rosy glow of youth. In parts of India, people begin their eighth day by making pūjā or “offerings” of flowers to celebrate her wisdom, beauty, and ability to bring peace. Then they get ready for the final celebration.
While the details related to personal, cultural, and religious celebrations might have been different. All of the other stuff was happening in similar ways and for similar reasons 95 years ago yesterday. And also today, in 1930, when Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi woke up in Dandi, after marching for 24 days during the Salt Satyagraha, prayed, and then broke an unlawful act: he made salt (from the sea water) without paying a tax.
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, April 6th) at 2:30 PM.Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04062021 Salt Satyagraha”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlist includes extra videos of featured songs.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
Peace and many blessings to all! “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Chaitra Navaratri!” Peace and many blessings to those observing Lent & Great Lent!
This is the “missing” post for Saturday, April 5th.My apologies for not posting before the practice. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“I find a lot of similarity between Goddess Kalaratri, who symbolizes the spiritual power of transcendence, and Goddess Chandraghanta, who represents the power of transformation (in chapter 3). While transformation happens from taking strong, consistent action to overcome our fears, transcendence results from applying spiritual knowledge to see traumas we have experienced through the eyes of wisdom. This ensures we never see ourselves as helpless victims at the mercy of a cruel world but rather as powerful manifesters of our own destinies.”
— quoted from the “Cultivating Transcendence” section of “Chapter 7 — Transcending Trauma with Wisdom” in The Way of the Goddess: Daily Rituals to Awaken Your Inner Warrior and Discover Your True Self by Ananta Ripa Ajmera
Today (Saturday) is the seventh day of Navaratri, the Hindu festival of “nine nights” celebrating divine feminine energy in various manifestations. This seventh day of Navaratri is dedicated to Kalaratri, the most ferocious form of Durga/Parvati. I will admit that I sometimes have a hard time with elements of the Divine that show up as ferocious. However, I appreciate that sometimes strong, fierce energy/medicine is needed to eliminate negative energy — and this is why Kalaratri is so strong: She eliminates negativity.
Some believe that Kalaratri destroys all demons, ghosts, evil spirits just be showing up. She is associated with nighttime (which is when plants grow) and the crown chakra (which is this present moment). Her name is sometimes used interchangeably with Kali, who is the dark-skinned Goddess associated with destruction, time, and change. Because people believes she can give her devotees siddhis (“abilities”) like knowledge, power, and wealth, she is also known as Shubankari (“Auspicious”). People also believe Kalaratri can make someone fearless.
Of course, being fearless comes in handy if you want to being about major change in the world — especially when you are committed to non-violence.
“Despite Goddess Kalaratri’s frightening appearance, I find her to e the most loving form of Goddess Durga because she removes everything that is not us: the illusions, lies, and myths we have subscribed to (without even knowing we have done so!). Because only when we are free from illusions are we truly free. This goddess brings the Gospel of John to life: ‘And you shall know the Truth, and that Truth shall set you free.’
Vedanta spiritual philosophy describes Truth, to be true, must be so at all times: past, present, and future.”
— quoted from the “Cultivating Transcendence” section of “Chapter 7 — Transcending Trauma with Wisdom” in The Way of the Goddess: Daily Rituals to Awaken Your Inner Warrior and Discover Your True Self by Ananta Ripa Ajmera
Today in 1930, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and other participants in the Salt Satyagraha reached Dandi. Click on the excerpt title below for the story and to how it connects to what’s happening today.
“Truth (Satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force. I thus began to call the Indian Movement ‘Satyagraha’ , that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence, and gave up the use of the phrase ‘passive resistance’ in connection with it, so much so that even in English writing we often avoided it and used instead the word ‘Satyagraha’ itself or some other equivalent English phrase.”
— quoted from “12. THE ADVENT OF SATYAGRAHA” in Satyagraha in South Africa by M. K. Gandhi (as published in THE SELECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI, VOLUME TWO, translated from the Gujarati by Valji Govindji Desai; General Editor Shriman Narayan)
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04062021 Salt Satyagraha”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlist includes extra videos of featured songs.
“Even when a man takes revenge on others who hate him, in spite of him not hating them initially, the pain caused by his vengeance will bring him inevitable sorrow.” (313)
“When a man inflicts pain upon others in the forenoon, it will come upon him unsought in the afternoon.” (319)
— quoted from the English translation of the Tamil lyrics in the song “Ahimsa” by U2 and A. R. Rahman, featuring Khatija and Raheema Rahman (translation from IntegralYoga.org)
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.
Many blessings to all! “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Chaitra Navaratri!” Many blessings to those observing Lent & Great Lent!
Peace, ease, and celebration to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
Some elements of the following have previously been posted.
“My life has been long, and believing that life loves the liver of it, I have dared to try many things, sometimes trembling, but daring, still. I have only included here events and lessons which I have found useful. I have not told how I have used the solutions, knowing that you are intelligent and creative and resourceful and you will use them as you see fit.
You will find in this book accounts of growing up, unexpected emergencies, a few poems, some light stories to make you laugh and some to make you meditate.”
— quoted from the preface to Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou
Today (Friday) is the sixth day of Navaratri, the Hindu festival of “nine nights” celebrating divine feminine energy in various manifestations. This sixth day of Navaratri is dedicated to Katyayani, one of the fiercest (and most violent) ways that Durga shows up in the celebration. She rides a lion; is associated with red (as a color symbolizing courage); kills the biggest demon(s); and has multiple hands (4, 10, or 18, depending on the depiction). One of those hands is in the “stop the ignorance” mudra.
Of course, the best way to stop ignorance is with a little wisdom.
“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.
Never whine. Whining lets a brute know that a victim is in the neighborhood.
Be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity.
I gave birth to one child, a son, but I have thousands of daughters. You are Black and White, Jewish and Muslim, Asian, Spanish-speaking, Native American and Aleut. You are fat and thin and pretty and plain, gay and straight, educated and unlettered, and I am speaking to you all. Here is my offering to you.”
— quoted from the preface to Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou
For Those Who Missed It: The following, slightly revised, excerpt was originally posted in a slightly different context. An extra video offering has been added. WARNING: There is a passing reference to sexual violence.
“History, despite its wrenching pain, Cannot be unlived, but if faced With courage, need not be lived again.
Lift up your eyes upon This day breaking for you.
Give birth again To the dream.
Women, children, men, Take it into the palms of your hands.
Mold it into the shape of your most Private need. Sculpt it into The image of your most public self. Lift up your hearts Each new hour holds new chances For new beginnings.”
— from the poem “On the Pulse of Morning” by Maya Angelou, recited at the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton (1993)
PROLOGUE & EPILOGUE
Once upon a time, there was a little girl who didn’t have the best start in life. In fact, you could say that parts of her life were twisted and “rooted in pain.” Born in St. Louis, Missouri, about a year after her brother, Marguerite Annie Johnson was the daughter of Bailey Johnson, a doorman and navy dietitian, and Vivian Johnson (née Baxter), a nurse and card dealer. The Johnsons did not have the best marriage and, for a variety of reasons, they sent their young children (ages 3 and 4) to live with the elder Bailey’s mother, Annie Henderson.
The four years in Stamps, Arkansas weren’t too bad, because the siblings were together and Ms. Henderson owned a general store which, along with her investments, allowed the Black proprietress to flourish when so many others were struggling during the Great Depression and World War II. But then, when Bailey Jr. was 8 and Marguerite was 7, their father collected them and took them back to St. Louis to be with their mother. About a year later, when she was 8, this little girl was sexually assaulted and raped (by her mother’s boyfriend). She told her brother, who told the family, who reported it to the police — but the man who violated her was only in jail for a single day. A few days after he was released, he was murdered. And the little girl blamed herself, blamed her voice and the power of her voice — and she refused to speak for almost five years.
Just as she struggled to survive, she grew up during a time when the whole country was struggling to survive — and when some were struggling more than others. She grew up to be a lot of things, including a streetcar conductor, a fry cook, a sex worker, a singer, and a dancer. All noble endeavors; however, the twist in the story came when she “found” her voice and she started to “sing”, despite being locked in a cage of oppression. The twist in the story is that when she started to use her talents, and really started to shine, she became the a woman whose words and name are known all over the world.
But, you probably don’t know her by her birth name. You probably know her by a variation of the nickname her older brother used when he called her “My” or “Mya Sister”. You probably know her as Dr. Maya Angelou, born on April 4, 1928. You may have even read a biographer (or an interview) indicating that the period of silence in the early part of her life, and everything she did to survive before she became a household name, was preparation for her destiny.
“When you learn, teach. When you get, give.”
— Dr. Maya Angelou
When she died on May 28, 2014, at least one obituary referred to Dr. Maya Angelou as “poet of many talents.”Like her friend, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on April 4, 1968*, she shared her talents with the world and she advocated for others to share their talents. Of course, to share our talents, we need to understand the value of our talents.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna makes it very clear that we will be remembered by how (and/or if) we fulfill our purpose. (BG 2:34-36), Of course, before we can fulfill our purpose, we have to see our purpose and truly see ourselves. In order to see ourselves and our purpose, we need a little light. Patanjali says that light is inside of us. (YS 1.36)
So, the next obvious question is, what fuels the light? It turns out that that power is also inside of us, just waiting for us get charged up.
“TATE: You are a writer, poet, director, composer, lyricist, dancer, singer, journalist, teacher and lecturer. Can you say what the source of such creative diversity is?
ANGELOU: I don’t do the dancing anymore. The rest I try. I believe talent is like electricity. We don’t understand electricity. We use it. Electricity makes no judgment. You can plug into it and light up a lamp, keep a heart pump going, light a cathedral, or you can electrocute a person with it. Electricity will do all that. It makes no judgment. I think talent is like that. I believe every person is born with talent.”
— quoted from “Maya Angelou: An Interview” by Claudia Tate, as published in I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings: A Casebook, edited by Joanne M. Braxton
Please join me tonight, Friday, April 4, 2025, 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST) for “Unlocking/Celebrating Many Talents.” You can use the link from the “Class Schedules”calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
This Restorative Yoga** practice is accessible and open to all.
[**NOTE: Some of the sequencing for this practice is from Yin Yoga. There will be a little bit of quiet space in this practice.]
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04142023 Time/Space Possibilities”]
Music Note: The tracks are slightly different. The YouTube playlist is the original. Unfortunately, Spotify may add tracks if you are using a free account.
A playlist inspired by Dr. Maya Angelou’s life and work is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04042020 Maya Angelou”]
Prop wise, this is a kitchen sink practice. You can practice without props or you can use “studio” and/or “householder” props. Example of “Studio” props: 1 – 2 blankets, 2 – 3 blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. Example of “Householder” props: 1 – 2 blankets or bath towels, 2 – 3 books (similar in size), 2 standard pillows (or 1 body pillow), a belt/tie/sash, and a face towel.
You may want extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). Having a wall, chair, sofa, or coffee table may be handy.
“Here on the pulse of this new day You may have the grace to look up and out And into your sister’s eyes, and into Your brother’s face, your country And say simply Very simply With hope Good morning.”
— from the poem “On the Pulse of Morning” by Maya Angelou, recited at the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton (1993)
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
*NOTE: This marks the end of the “Season for Nonviolence,” but it is not the end of the practice.
Happy International Children’s Book Day! Many blessings to all! “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Chaitra Navaratri!” Many blessings to those observing Lent & Great Lent!
Peace, ease, and commitment to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“Make pictures
for my poem,
and please feel free:
these words
belong to you
even though they came from me.”
— quoted from the 2025 International Children’s Book Day poem & message “The Language of Pictures” by Rian Visser (translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson)
“[Kushmanda] also lives in our hearts. The fact that she is smiling reminds us that we too are our most creative when we are smiling and feeling positive, courageous (a quality of heart), and strong. The fact that this goddess, like Chandraghanta, rides a lion shows that the power of love is just as potent as the fire of transformation. It reminds us that the ability to love comes from inner strength. When we feel clouded by fear, anger, and grief, it can be difficult to imagine one day having the strength to love again. But Kushmanda is here to remind us that, no matter how brokenhearted we may feel at time, the power of love lives within us, and we can tap into it and become our creative best at any time.”
— quoted from the “Knowing Kushmanda” section of “Chapter 4 — The Art of Loving Your True Self” in The Way of the Goddess: Daily Rituals to Awaken Your Inner Warrior and Discover Your True Self by Ananta Ripa Ajmera
If you read a lot, you may learn more about your world (e.g., your culture and history), as well as about the world of other cultures. You may, for example, learn that Hinduism is not the only religion where the feminine aspects of the Divine are celebrated. It’s not even the only religion where an observation related to a woman, as the Divine, is associated with a period of nine days/nights. To my knowledge, however, Navaratri (“nine nights”) is unique in that it celebrates many different aspects of a single woman. Each night/day is associated with a different manifestation of Durga/Parvati, the mother goddess, and is part of nine-part story cycle/journey that ends with a demon-king being destroyed.
International Children’s Book Day is the anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen (b. 1805). This year’s celebration coincides with the fourth day of Chaitra Navaratri, which is dedicated to dedicated to the Goddess Kushmanda who, it is said, “created the world with her divine smile”— a smile that also powers the sun. She is recognized as Shakti (the creative force) and associated with good health (specifically with improving health), wealth, and strength. She is like the aspects of the Virgin Mary that are remembered on Candlemas.
Click on the excerpt titles below for other posts about International Children’s Book Day.
Please join me today (Wednesday, April 2nd) 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 “11142021 A Day for Children”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
Many blessings to all! “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Chaitra Navaratri!” Many blessings to those observing Lent & Great Lent!
Peace, ease, and even more peace to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
Not proud or demanding in nature.”
— quoted from “Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha’s Words on Loving-Kindness” (SN 1.8), translated from the Pali by The Amaravati Sangha. Access to Insight (2004)
This time of year is full of stories (including in poems) associated with various rituals, traditions, celebrations, and observations related to people overcoming challenges (and personal demons) in order to achieve peace. This is true about the Season of Nonviolence, as well as about Lent and Great Lent (for many Christians). It is also true about Chaitra Navaratri, the third day of which is today (Tuesday).
EXCERPT: The following slightly revised excerpt was originally posted in a slightly different context.
Navaratri, the Hindu festival of “nine nights” celebrating divine feminine energy in various manifestations, occurs four times a year. Magha Navaratri is one of the celebrations referred to as Gupta Navaratri meaning it is “hidden/secret” — again, not because no one knows about it, but because it is not as obvious as the bigger celebrations in the Spring and Fall.
Each day and night is dedicated to a different manifestation of Durga, the divine mother. Some people see the manifestations as nine different women; however, they are also seen by some as the same woman at different points in her story. For instance, her third form 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 — the result of all the (yoga) preparation performed by Her previous manifestation. That open third eye means that she is always ready to fight evil and demons. In fact, she is sometimes known as the “Goddess Who Fights Demons.”
Here “demons” can be a metaphor for anything that ails you physically, mentally, emotionally — even energetically, spiritually, and religiously. They can be challenges and hurdles that need to be over come. They can even be mistakes… sins… or vows (as I referred to them during the High Holidays) that can be absolved or forgiven. In fact, the faithful of all the different religions believe that there are ways (and even special times) when mistakes, sins, and broken vows are turned away… or washed away.
But, for a moment, let’s step back to the idea of overcoming challenges and hurdles.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2023. Links, formatting, and some date related information have been updated.
“‘He told me his name was Hayden Finch, but he wanted to be called Sidd Finch. I said that most of the Sids we had in baseball came from Brooklyn. Or the Bronx. He said his Sidd came from “Siddhartha,” which means “Aim Attained” or “The Perfect Pitch.” That’s what he had learned, how to throw the perfect pitch. O.K. by me, I told him, and that’s what I put on the scouting report, “Sidd Finch.” And I mailed it in to the front office.’”
— quoted from the Sports Illustrated article (originally in the April 1, 1985 issue) entitled “The Curious Case Of Sidd Finch: He’s a pitcher, part yogi and part recluse. Impressively liberated from our opulent life-style, Sidd’s deciding about yoga—and his future in baseball.” by George Plimpton
During a conversation with one of my yoga-buddies [in March 2023], I mentioned that “context matters.” That statement can be taken in several different ways, but consider that — like kids during a spelling be — our understanding of a situation is based on context. Another way to say that is that our perception is based on context. Our perception is also based on expectation, which is based on our past experiences. This comes up in Yoga Sūtra 2.20, where Patanjali explained that we “see only what the mind-intellect shows [us].” This is also connected to what neuroscientists, like Dr. Beau Lotto, call our “space of possibility”. Politically (and socially), we can even think in terms of the Overton window (also known as the window of discourse) — just on a personal, individual level. How ever you look at it, it all boils down to one of the reasons why we humans make “bad” witnesses: We don’t always perceive The Truth; we perceive a truth (our truth).
In some ways, it’s like a Venn Diagram for “art”, where art is not an object, but, rather, the overlap between the artist’s intention and the audience’s perception. Similarly, if you have a subset of Facts in one circle and two other circles containing the understanding and/or awareness of two different people, there will be some overlap — which we will call the truth. But very rarely (if ever) will there just be one big, giant circle duplicated three times — which we can call The Truth. Yet, one of the yamas (external “restraints” or universal “commandments”), is a commitment / dedication to The Truth. (YS 2.30 – 31, YS 2.36)
Is that even possible? Especially today, in this day and age?
Please join me today (Tuesday, April 1st) 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 “04012022 An “Important” Story”]
— “When a yogi is established in truthfulness, actions begin to bear fruit. [Truth is the foundation for fruitful action.]”
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
### As far as I know,everything I’ve stated above is true ###
Many blessings to all on National Doctors’ Day (in the US)!
“Eid Mubarak, Blessed Festival!” to anyone celebrating the end of the holy month of Ramaḍān. “Happy Ugadi, Samvatsarādi, or Yugadi, Happy New Year!” to those who are celebrating! “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Chaitra Navaratri!” Many blessings to those observing Lent & Great Lent!
Peace, ease, and intervention to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“It’s a blessing to have seen another Ramadān but it’s also a blessing to see the first day of Shawwal and every tomorrow that I will see. Don’t focus on what you don’t have. Definitely don’t focus on what others see that you have. But just take a moment and think about all that you do have and let gratitude carry you through the days.”
— quoted from a 2013 “Ramadān Reflection” (Day 30) for Huffington Post by Imam Khalid Latif
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, March 30th) 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.
Some quick notes about the music: First, my playlists for the final days of Ramadān are not halal (“permissible”) in all Islamic traditions, because of the orchestrations. They do, however, feature musicians who are Muslim (with a few exceptions). They also include some notable exceptions. For example, this playlist includes songs related to other holidays (and events) being observed today.
Reba McEntire is another of the notable exceptions — notable, because in previous years she was the only female soloist and the only non-Muslim singer on the playlists. While this year’s playlists include several Muslim women as musicians and composers, “Pray for Peace” is still highlighted because it was re-released during the month of Ramadān in 2014 — but not just randomly in the month, the song was released in the last ten days of the month (during the holiest part of the month)!
Some songs on the playlist are Nasheeds (meaning they are religiously moral songs) that, in some traditions, are meant to be sung without instrumentation or only with percussion. I have, however, included orchestrated versions of these songs, because this seems to have worked best in an in-studio setting. I mean no disrespect by this choice. As far as I know, percussion or voice only recordings of the Nasheeds are available (if you want to build your own playlist). Alternatively, you can practice without the music — which is always a suitable option.
Finally, the YouTube version currently includes some additional before/after music.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
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A Joyful Practice 