Walking the Big Dogs October 20, 2020
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“In order to control the mind, we have to get to know it. Few of us know, objectively, what the insides of our minds are really like. Our dominating fears and desires have become so familiar to us that we do not even notice them; they are like recurring drumbeats going on in the background of our thoughts. And so, as a preliminary exercise, it is good to spend some time every day simply watching our minds, listening to those drumbeats. We probably shall not like what we see and hear, but we must be very patient and objective. The mind, finding itself watched in this way, will gradually grow calmer. It becomes embarrassed, as it were, by its own greed and silliness. For no amount of outside criticism is so effective and so penetrating as our own simple self-inspection. If we continue this exercise regularly for several months, we shall certainly make some advance toward mental control.”
– quoted from How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (2:53 – 2.55), translated and with commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood
Have you ever walked a big dog or a puppy that’s going to become a big dog? Imagine that for a moment, you’re walking a big puppy that’s going to become a big dog. The dog may be very well trained, not really trained, or somewhere in between – but, it’s still a puppy and it’s going to get distracted to some degree. Sometimes it doesn’t take much: a change in smell or a leaf fluttering in the breeze. Sometimes there’s a big distraction: squirrel, another dog, a little human that wants to play, or a big human that they love. Doesn’t really matter, because at some point you are going to experience the perfect storm where the level of distraction overwhelms the level of training and the puppy pulls you in the direction it wants to go – which is towards the distraction.
Now, let’s say you have five or six of these pups – all with different levels of strength, sensitivity, and training – and they are all on leashes. You see where this is going right? Even if all the puppies get along and are fairly well trained, there’s going to be times the leashes get tangled up and intertwined. Sometimes you’re out a nice little walk with just an occasional tug here or there, but (inevitably) you’re going to get pulled by one or more of the puppies. Hopefully, they pull in the same direction, because that keeps things simple. But that might be a best case scenario, because sometimes you are going to be pulled so hard the direction may not matter. Sometimes they pull so hard that they practically (or actually) pull your shoulder out of its socket, torque your spin, and/or misalign your hip and knee.
“The sense-organs are like animals which instinctively imitate their master. If the master is weak and subject to certain passions, then the sense-organs will imitate and even exaggerate his weakness, dragging him along after them as a child is dragged by a strong, unruly dog. But when the mind is strong and self-controlled the sense-organs become its orderly and obedient servants. They imitate its strength instead of its weakness. Every movement of the body expresses the self-control of the mind.”
– quoted from How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (2:53 – 2.55), translated and with commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood
On Saturday, I mentioned several different analogies for the connection between the mind, body, and senses. Previously, I have mentioned that the untrained mind is often compared to monkeys, elephants, wild horses, or little puppies that want to play. And there are still more in the toolbox; more examples of cittavŗitti (“fluctuations of the mind”). Remember, in the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali explains how the mind works, how to work (or train) the mind, and the benefits of training the mind. Bottom line he explains, right off the top, we can be ruled by the roaming tendencies of the mind-senses or reside or rest in our own true nature.
Consider for a moment, how you make decisions when you feel like you’re being pulled in a hundred different directions versus how you make decisions when you are well rested and guided by the inner movements of your own heart.
Most of us spend most of our lives feeling like the dog walker with six moderately to poorly trained puppies. However, we may also feel like our puppies are the greatest ever and are coming along in their training. We may get a little lax about reinforcement. We may even shrug off other people’s suggestions. (We’re fine. We know what we’re doing. Haven’t we had these pups all of their lives?) There is definite joy in being surrounded by the exuberance of the young, but there is also danger which can cause physical, mental, and emotional harm. To ignore the risks – not only to your own self, but also to others – is irresponsible. And, contrary to what some believe, we control our thoughts. We can train our mind and, in the process, train our senses.
Pratyāhāra (“sense withdrawal”) is the fifth limb of the Yoga Philosophy. It falls directly after the elements of the physical practice, āsana and prānāyāma. So, while I often say that the physical practice (hatha yoga, regardless of the style or tradition) is classically used to prepare the mind-body for deep, seated meditation, the truth is that that simplification skips a step: pratyāhāra.
In order for the mind to focus, concentrate, meditate on a single object it has to first eliminate the distraction of all other objects. Included in “the distraction all other objects” is the minds preoccupation with the name(s) of the single object; all of the meanings associated with the name(s); the fact that you are sitting, breathing, and focusing on the object; and the preoccupation with the process of meditating. All of these are contributing factors to the beginning of the practice and can become obstacles to the practice. Yes, all of these factors can lead to suffering; but, they can also serve as paths towards the ultimate goal. Again, just like with the puppies, the object is not to ignore what is happening – neither is it to abuse and torture them into submission. The object of this part of the practice is to rein in everything. Once your mind-intellect reigns over the body-mind-senses, you begin to go in the direction you want to go.
“The willingness or unwillingness
to withdraw attention from sensory experience
is a significant dividing line between
those who experience true meditation and
those who experience only physical relaxation.”
– Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (Swami J)
Please join me today (Tuesday, October 20th) at 12 Noon or 7:15 PM for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, where we will do what we do. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
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.)
“The senses are turned inwards and the rhythmic breathing calms the mind’s wandering. This brings a feeling of inner peace and one hears the divine voice of his self within, ‘Look here! Look within! not outside, for the source of all peace is within yourself.’”
– the effects of Şanmukhī Mudrā (“Six-face Seal”) described in Light On Yoga (Yoga Dipika) by B. K. S. Iyengar
### NOISE, NOISE < >, less noise ###
Consider What Is Useful October 19, 2020
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“Now I’m allowing myself to lose my inner peace and happiness. This is a much greater loss than losing a portion of my material wealth. Furthermore, such occurrences are commonplace. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. In worldly matters I will do what needs to be done, but never at the cost of losing the pristine nature of my mind. I must adhere to the higher virtues of my heart.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.33 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
Over the past several months I have focused on the practice of “cultivating opposites” a time or two. It is a practice that comes up in Eastern philosophies like Yoga, Buddhism, and Daoism. It can be a tricky practice for the Western mind, because we don’t always have a true understanding of what is actually opposite and how the practice can be useful or helpful. And being useful or helpful is the key.
In Buddhism, the Noble Eightfold Path is comprised of 8 methods or areas of practice, which flow into one another: Understanding (or View), Thought (or Intention or Resolve), Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness, and Concentration (or Meditation). Each area is preceded by a single adjective emphasizing why it is important to practice. Now, it would make sense (for obvious reasons) if the adjective used in English was “Noble” – and perhaps there are teachers who use that, but I’ve never seen or heard that. Instead, I have heard “Right,” “Skillful,” and “Wholesome” – making other ways of thinking, speaking, and acting “wrong,” “unskillful,” and “unwholesome.”
Sometimes, however, it is hard to wrap our heads around the idea that our regular, every day, “normal” way of being is wrong, unskillful, and unwholesome. Sometimes those adjectives just add another layer of shame to a lived experience that others have already deemed shameful. And I’m not sure we need more mortification – in fact, I’m positive we don’t; because I see too much pain and suffering coming from people’s shame and embarrassment. Also, we live in a world where people are sometimes described as shameful just for existing – which, let’s be honest, is beyond not helpful.
And there it is again: the idea that something is valuable because it is helpful (as opposed to not helpful), useful (as opposed to not useful). In the Yoga Sūtras, as well as in stories about the Buddha teaching, there are explanations about why something is useful. Even the legend about the origin of the written Tao Te Ching declares that the teaching is valuable because of how it can be used. So, what happens if we think of the path as Useful Understanding, Useful Intention, Useful Speech, Useful Action, Useful Livelihood, Useful Effort, Useful Mindfulness, and Useful Concentration – with the understanding that these are the things we use to alleviate suffering?
“Definitions anchor us in principles. This is not a light point: If we don’t do the basic work of defining the kind of people we want to be in language that is stable and consistent, we can’t work toward stable, consistent goals.”
— quoted from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD
In Yoga Sūtra 2.33, Patanjali specifically instructs that when we are not able (for any reason) to practice the ethical components of the practice (the yamās and niyamās), then “thoughts of an opposite kind must be cultivated.” He then goes on to explain the benefits of practicing the five “external restraints” or universal commandments (yamās) and the five “internal observations (niyamās). Great teachers of Yoga Philosophy offer practical commentary about how certain ways of thinking, speaking, and acting are not useful. Specifically, they articulate cause and effect by pointing out what comes from the not useful. Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (Swami J), within the Himalayan tradition of Yoga, offers what is essentially a mantra for each opposite, “[B]y reminding oneself that [while] such behaviors, words, or thinking will only bring personal misery and suffering, the ensuing letting go process allows…”
- “… a natural demeanor towards which others drop any feelings of hostility or ill-will.” (YS 2.35)
- “… a natural flow of goodness or positive fruits to come.” (YS 2.36)
- “… a natural flow of material and non-material positive benefits to come, those which will help on the journey of life.” (YS 2.37)
- “… a natural flow of energy that can be used in positive ways.” (YS 2.38)
- “… there to be a natural awareness of the breadth of the mind-field, revealing the content we typically call past and future.” (YS 2.39)
- “… a natural flow towards the inner reality of the divine to come and also brings purification of the subtle mental essence (sattva), a pleasantness, goodness and gladness of feeling, a one-pointedness with intentness, the conquest or mastery over the senses, and a fitness, qualification, or capability for self-realization.” (YS 2.40 – 41)
- “… a natural flow of contentment, clarity, cheerfulness, and high-mindedness to come.” (YS 2.42)
- “… the deep impressions or samskaras to naturally purify and reduce their potency.” (YS 2.43)
- “… a natural contact, communion with the higher reality or force towards which one is drawn.” (YS 2.44)
- “… a natural flow towards the deep absorption or perfected state of samadhi.” (YS 2.45)
Similar to the reminder offered by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait (see top of post) Swami J also offers a “mantra” for all twenty-seven occasions when you might engage in unhelpful thoughts, words, and deeds:
“Mind, this is not useful; this is going to bring me nothing but more suffering, and lead me into greater ignorance of truth. Mind, you need to let go of this.”
– Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (Swami J)
Please join me on the virtual mat today (Monday, October 19th) at 5:30 PM for a 75-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom.
This is a 75-minute Common Ground Meditation Center practice that, in the spirit of generosity (dana), is freely given and freely received. 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.
If you are able to support the center and its teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” my other practices, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible, class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground practices.
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
– Mother Teresa (born August 26, 1910; baptized August 27, 1910; awarded Nobel Peace Prize October 17, 1979; Feast Day is September 5th (d. 1997); beatified by Pope John Paul II today in 2003
### HONOR YOUR THOUGHTS ###
The Light Is On (the “missing” post) October 18, 2020
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.add a comment
[My apologies for the delayed posting. Hopefully this is not a new trend. You can request an audio recording of Saturday’s 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.]
“It all begins with an understanding of why stretch your body. I ask students that, ‘Why do you want to stretch your body?’ They might answer, ‘Because I want to feel better.’ I don’t stop there. I keep questioning. ‘Why do you want to feel better?’ They might say, ‘Because I want to sleep better.’ And on we go. I don’t let them stop at the first answer. I ask them to keep looking deeper, keep peeling it back and get to the root of all it. What it comes down to is that we all have a longing to thrive.”
– Rod Stryker, quoted from “A Conversation with Yoga Master Rod Stryker” in Healing Garden Journal by Jan Deremo Lundy (2004)
There’s a certain internationally known actor who was in a tropical location filming an action movie in November 2000. Not long after the movie came out, I was talking to a bunch of people (mostly men) who were trying to pinpoint exactly why they found her so appealing. It was more than the role, they said, it was something about the actor… something about her vitality. That, her vitality, I pointed out was exactly the appeal: everything about her in that role was about being alive. And, not just alive… ALIVE!
To be fair, some of it was the role (and the characters singular determination). It also didn’t hurt that the actor was 25 and that the tropical environment – not to mention hair, makeup, and the activity level required for the role – all contributed to a certain glow.
It’s the same kind of glow often attributed to someone who is pregnant. In the base case, during pregnancy, hormones flood the body and there is an increase in blood flow. Additionally, there may be an increase in oil secretion and skin elasticity. Granted, if there is already some imbalance (especially as it relates to the skin), someone might develop or experience an increase in acne or rashes. But, generally, a person changes their diet, drinks more water, takes more vitamins, and eliminates certain toxins (which may counterbalance the imbalance). They may even get more sleep for a period of time. All of which can make someone look younger, vibrant, more alive: glowing. Keep in mind, however, that just like with certain yoga practices (like the practice of bramacarya) what is happening on the outside – what others perceive – is not nearly as important as what is happening on the inside. On the inside, everything in a pregnant person’s body is focused, concentrated, on sustaining the lives of the parent and the child.
Newborns also have a certain glow to them. Once the detritus of birth is cleaned of them, they look shiny and have a newness about them that extends into their infant and toddler period. Even their skin and hair smell good. Sure, as TM reminded me after class, there are certain things about babies that don’t smell good – but again, that’s a reflection of what’s happening on the inside. The newness, the shininess, the glow also comes from what’s happening on the inside. Everything in the baby’s system focused on one thing: the process of living and growing.
Notice that in all of the above examples, everything comes back to being focused on a single goal or purpose. Now, remember that the Sanskrit word Yoga means “union” and comes from the root word meaning “to yoke.” One classic example is yoking two oxen with the singular purpose of plowing a field. Another classic example is to think of your body as a chariot driven by the charioteer, the intellect (buddhi) that uses the mind-brain’s desire as the reins to steer the horses, which represent the senses. The roads or trails are desires and possibilities. Along for the ride is a passenger, the Atman (the element of the Divine you can call the Soul, the Self, the Consciousness, or the Witness – although, in this case, I call Her “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena”).
When the charioteer is not in control, the horses (senses) attempt to drag the whole contraption in every direction – not even staying on a particular path – and the mind-brain follows like reins flapping in the wind. The charioteer might even fall off the wagon. When the charioteer is in control and balanced, the horses go where they are directed. Keep in mind that the intellect has to be in balance; otherwise, you might find yourself going nowhere. Through it all, no matter what happens, The Little Old Lady from Pasadena sits in the back and witnesses it all.
She can tell you everything She has observed about where you’ve been and also about where you’re going. She can tell you when reins are too loose or too tight; when the horses need to be watered, feed, or rested; when you’re going to be ambushed; when you’re going to successfully arrive at your destination; and when you will be taking the scenic route. She knows and communicates all of this – although you (and your intellect) may or may not be listening.
“The human body is naturally endowed with unique qualities and capacities, such as beauty, charm, vitality, and self-healing power (YS 3:46)…. When the body is feed of impurities and replenished, its innate wisdom awakens spontaneously. Inner balance is restored – our limbs and organs function harmoniously. Our heart, brain, and endocrine and autonomic nervous system become acutely aware of our internal needs. The healing and nourishing process is accelerated. The internal organs are revitalized. The sense organs and the subtle power of the intelligence that empower them with the capacity to comprehend, feel, and act are energized and responsive.”
– commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.43 from The Practice of the Yoga Sūtra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
The basic human body can be viewed as a complex mechanical made up of simple machines. What I mean is that our body is comprised of organs, joints, bones, connective tissue, nerves, and fluids that each have a purpose and all are designed to work together. When each part works as it should, it contributes to the success of the other parts. When one part is not working optimally, it becomes a drag on the entire system. Just as in basic mechanics, an ideal system (which in this case is a healthy system) is one where energy is conserved rather than dissipated; the power put into the system equals the power put out of the system; and it is relatively easy to calculate the energy and power of the system.
Where things get complicated is when we factor in the fact that we are constantly (and sometimes consistently) introducing toxins and other obstacles which deteriorate the system and/or make it harder for the different parts to do their simple jobs. Remember, these toxins and obstacles are not only things we may physically consume, they are also things we may mentally and/or emotionally consume. They are things we do, as well as things we do not do. These toxins and obstacles are distractions – and they take away our luster.
Look around and you will notice that some people shine regardless of their age. Other people seem dull – despite their chronological youth. It all comes back to how well we are functioning as a whole system. Patanjali offers five ways to act ethically on the outside (the yamās); five ways to interact with ourselves internally (the niyamās); and consistently emphasizes the importance of how the practice gives us power by keeping things in balance – working as things are designed to work. In the absence of the practice, he recommends cultivating opposites, which produce a similarly desired effect. In the case of the third niyamā, he offers an opportunity to literally burn away that which no longer serves the system (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and energetically).
Yoga Sütra 2.43: kāyendriyasiddhiraśuddhikşayāt tapasah
– “Impurities of the body and senses are destroyed by tapas, resulting in powerful mastery of the body and senses.”
Tapas is a Sanskrit that can be translated as heat (also “shining heat” and “to melt”), discipline, and austerity. In the philosophy of Yoga, it simultaneously refers to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual qualities and also to the practices that cultivate physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual heat, discipline, and austerity. Sometimes, to cover as many bases as possible, it is translated into English as “discipline and training the senses” or “mortification.” The latter is tricky, because the classic definition of “mortification” – especially when related to religion and spirituality – is specifically defined as the opposite of tapas in Yoga.
To highlight tapas, I often use giving up leaven bread during Passover; giving up anything during Lent; and fasting for Yom Kippur, Lent, the month of Ramadān, and the Bahá’í Nineteen-Day Fast as examples of the correct purpose and practice. In these examples, people are engaging in a multidimensional challenge in order to develop better understanding of themselves and cultivate a deeper spiritual bond with the Divine (and with their community). There is nothing in these ritual practices that is about embarrassment, humiliation, or torture – and the only death is the symbolic death of physical desire. Furthermore, each tradition specifically outlines situations where people should not observe the practice because it could be detrimental to their health.
“‘Some people, due to excessive passions and desires, invent harsh ways to inflict pain on themselves. In their foolishness they hurt their bodies and senses and outrage Me, the Atma who lives within them. They may seem to be endowed with ‘faith’, but such practices are harmful to their spiritual growth.
‘There are other behaviors that bear on spiritual attainment. One’s eating habits play a part in it, a fact that few recognize. And the way one performs the three main spiritual disciplines – sacrifice (yajna, offering up), purification (tapas, austerities), and charity (dana, alms giving) – also influences one’s spiritual development. Each of these three disciplines can also be understood in light of the three guna types.’”
– The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners (17:5 – 7) by Jack Hawley
“‘The purpose The purpose of purification is not pain and penance, but to deliberately refine one’s life, to melt it down and recast it into a higher order of purity and spirituality. The goal is very important; it is not self-punishment but refinement — to shift from human existence into Divinity!’”
– The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners (17:14) by Jack Hawley
The Bhagavad Gita specifically defines appropriate physical and mental tapas, as well as austerity of speech. These neatly coincide and overlap with the yamās and niyamās – with extra emphasis being placed on mental austerity since everything springs from one’s thoughts. One additional nuance here is that when it comes to speech there is an elaboration on words being truthful and also “‘not hurting; not flattering; and devotional chanting (read aloud)…. The point is to express (even under your breath) only beneficial words that promote movement toward Divinity.’” (BG 17:15)
The physical practice of yoga (hatha yoga, regardless of the style or tradition) can be a form of tapas. When engaging in the practice, however, you have to keep in mind the purpose of the practice. In other words: Why you’re stretching your mind-body. The challenges in the practice are not “party tricks;” they are an opportunity to practice discipline and austerity. They should not be painful or compromise your awareness of your breath. My role as a teacher is not to humiliate or embarrass you, but to remind you to consider what is appropriate for your mind-body-spirit on any given day and in any given moment. When we align our movement (mind-body) with our intention (intellect) and our spirit (breath), we tap into our innate wisdom, the wisdom of the heart (intuition) we increase our power and have the ability to go where we want to go and do what we want to do.
This is yoga.
“Over the course of these past six decades, we have actually evolved from being primarily five sensory to becoming multisensory creatures. We are actively intuitive, we have emotional and psychic intelligence, and with any luck eventually we will recognize that our soul is an active intelligent agent in our life system. Our psyches are governed by archetypal patterns, containers of myths and symbols that continually feed our unconscious. Our health and well-being feeds off of the stories we tell ourselves, stories that are created, generated, and rooted in our myths…. All of these systems that combine to make up each human life need to be understood in terms of how they speak to each other, how they participate in acts of creation, how they interact with the creative mechanisms of our psyche and soul, and how their sensitivities influence the development of physical illnesses. And further, how do we interact with this extraordinary system of life that is US when it comes to healing an illness?”
– quoted from “What Can You Heal in Five Minutes” (from the 2014 Online Salon) by Caroline Myss
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. (Some songs after the practice music contain some “explicit” lyrics.)
I will leave the light on…you just have to step into the light. (Please note, this version contains some “explicit” lyrics).
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also call the 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.
### FOCUS/CONCENTRATE/MEDITATE ON THE LIGHT ###
The Light Is On (This is just the music.) October 17, 2020
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.add a comment
Please join me today (Saturday, October 17th) at 12 Noon for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom, where we will do what we do. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify
### Just Step Into The Light ###
Knowing & Unknowing, prequel (the “missing” post) October 13, 2020
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.add a comment
[My apologies for the delayed posting. You can request an audio recording of Monday’s 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.]
“It feels like I should have something momentous to say now that I’ve hit this landmark birthday. There is only this—I feel I’m in the middle of it all. Family, grandkids, work, marriage, good friends, joy, sadness, knowing and unknowing. Hmmm…come to think of it, that is pretty remarkable!”
– my dear friend DB on turning 60 (in an email dated 10/14/2013)
I don’t know about the rest of y’all, but in many ways my life has taken turns I never saw coming. Even beyond the events of 2020, things are very different than I imagined. When we look back, when we see cause and effect – and even the now obvious beginnings of “unforeseen consequences” that absolutely could have seen coming if we had taken the time to pay more attention – it’s only human nature to think, “If I’d only known….” But, let’s be honest, coming where you come from, being surrounded by the people who surround you, and being who you are would you really have done things differently if you had known what was unknown?
Before you answer that question, consider that every moment of lives is spent a liminal moment between “knowing and unknowing,” “the seen and unseen.” Are you, in this moment considering the unknown and unseen forces at work around you and within you? Are you, at this moment, even comfortable considering the unknown (let alone the fact that there are things you know that you might need to “un-know”)?
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
– The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)
“So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
– The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians 4:18 (NLT)
When Paul the Apostle and Timothy, who would become the first Christian bishop of Ephesus, wrote the second letter to the Christian congregation in Corinth, Saint Paul was focused on the church’s internal struggles, division, and quarrels. He intended to use his own personal experiences with external persecution and internal strife to reassure the congregants that was an authority on Jesus and his teachings and, furthermore, that “all this is for your benefit.” He instructed them to “not lose heart,” because their faith would be rewarded in a way that overwhelmed any current troubles. Similarly, Patanjali indicates (in the Yoga Sūtras) that the end results of our efforts (karma) are stored in affliction/pain “that is experienced in seen and unseen lives” (YS 2.12), but that ultimately everything that happens in the objective/perceived world “has a twofold purpose: fulfillment and freedom.” (YS 2.18)
Again and again, the instruction is to trust that things are happening for the good if you are following the path. In the latter case, the path is the philosophy of Yoga, as opposed to Christianity; but, similar guidance is found in sacred text around the world. So the question becomes, how do we balance what we believe (our faith, especially in something unseen) with our reason, logic, and what we can clearly see (i.e., perceive with our senses)? Additionally, how do we “keep the faith” when everything seems to be going wrong?
“… all of us who feel we “know” a certain field—any field, whether scientific or not—should, it seems to me, regularly ponder what we don’t know, admit what we don’t know, and not turn away from what we don’t know…. Perhaps the chance for more civil discussion of these topics lies in our willingness to mark out our own areas of knowing and “unknowing,” to pay attention to one another’s areas of knowing and unknowing, and to proceed humbly together.”
– quoted from an Autumn 2006 Harvard Divinity Bulletin article entitled “Knowing and Unknowing” by Will Joyner
The minute we think we know everything and/or that we know enough to be right is the very moment we stop considering the needs of others – and that’s the very minute we are divided. The minute we think we know everything and/or that we know enough to be right is the very moment we stop learning, adapting, and growing. In other words, it’s the minute we stop truly living (and the minute we stop living a life that serves the greater good). If, however, we can take Joyner’s suggestion and apply it to our daily interactions (even with ourselves) we have the possibility of living in a way that supports the greater good.
Will Joyner’s words from 2006 present us with a challenge, one we can accept on a daily basis. It’s the challenge to turn inward and to move through life with a certain level of humility. Humility is crucial because, as my friend DB so eloquently pointed out, we are not alone in this thing called life. And, as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt so eloquently said, “… either all of us are going to die together or we are going to learn to live together….” To learn to live together we have to figure out a way to balance our wants and needs with the wants and needs of others. We need to figure out a way to connect between our areas of “knowing and unknowing.”
I’m not saying any of this is easy, but it is necessary. It is also self-sustaining, because the more we practice/live with discernment and the wisdom of the heart, the more we want to listen to the heart. One way to start is to consider the yamās (and other similar commandments and precepts) as doing the best for others and the niyamās (and other similar commandments and precepts) as doing the best for your own self. Such a practice creates a feedback loop that can serve the greater good.
“The practice of contentment begins with a conscious decision not to fixate on the fruit of our actions. It requires a deep conviction that when we perform our actions, the forces governing the law of cause and effect will ensure they bear fruit. When our actions do not appear to best fruit, we remind ourselves that unknown factors are far more powerful than known factors. When our actions bear desirable fruit, we acknowledge the higher reality that arranges unforeseen factors in our favor. When the fruit is undesirable, we accept it while acknowledging the benevolence of divine will. Thus we remain unperturbed by both the desirable and undesirable consequences of our actions.”
– commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.42 from The Practice of the Yoga Sūtra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
### WHAT DO YOU KNOW? ###
Knowing & Unknowing, prequel (Sorry, it’s just the music.) October 13, 2020
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.add a comment
“It feels like I should have something momentous to say now that I’ve hit this landmark birthday. There is only this—I feel I’m in the middle of it all. Family, grandkids, work, marriage, good friends, joy, sadness, knowing and unknowing. Hmmm…come to think of it, that is pretty remarkable!”
– my dear friend DB on turning 60 (in an email dated 10/14/2013)
Please join me today (Tuesday, October 13th) at 12 Noon or 7:15 PM for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, where we will do what we do. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
### What Do I Know? ###
The Hardest Part of Knowing? Unknowing. October 11, 2020
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.add a comment
“One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In stopping to think through the meaning of what I have learned, there is much that I believe intensely, much I am unsure of. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And, the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.”
– quoted from the “Forward” to You Learn By Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt
“I think that somehow, we learn who we really are and then live with that decision.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt, as quoted in Laurence J. Peter’s Peter’s Quotations: Ideas for Our Time (1972)
Having established that all forms of avidyā (“ignorance” manifesting as misunderstanding the nature of things that are temporal, impure, suffering and different from the Soul, YS 2.5) are the bedrock for afflicted /dysfunctional thought patterns (kleśāh) that lead to suffering (YS 2.3 – 4), Patanjali’s Yoga Sutrās encourages us to really consider how we understand ourselves. Remember, the second type of afflicted /dysfunctional thought patterns is asmitā (“false sense of self”), which comes from the third and fourth types, rāga (“attachment” rooted in pleasure) and dveşa (“aversion,” which is attachment rooted in pain). So, when we initially turn inward, we are faced with the fact that our understanding of who we are is based on ignorance. Once we see this, we have to decide if we are ready to let go of what we once believed (about ourselves and the world) in order to embrace an existence with less suffering.
It seems like a no-brainer, right? Of course, we want less suffering. Of course, we want to be happy! Of course, we’re willing to…. Wait. WHAT?!!? I have to let go of my attachments?!!? I have to publicly appear and conduct myself in a way that is different from the way I have previously presented myself? I have to BE something other than what/who I said I was?
Even if what we are coming to understand about ourselves is more consistent with who we are and who we want to be – even if it is more consistent with our current and/or ideal behavior – we can get stuck (and experience a great deal of suffering in the process) because of that last afflicted /dysfunctional thought pattern: abhiniveśāh (“fear of death/loss”). Sure, we’re familiar with the idea Joseph Campbell expressed by equating letting go of our past with a snake shedding its skin. However the reality is painful. It’s painful now, at a moment when we don’t know what the future holds. One can’t help but wonder, “What if I let go of all the things that ‘bring me comfort and joy’ and I face more suffering?”
In the fog of our avidyā-based thinking, we may not be able to distinguish the difference between letting go of an idea, a person, a job, (or even a hat) and physically dying. It is all one and the same. We see this every day – not only in ourselves, but also in the world around us. From the outside looking in, it may be hard to understand how someone else holds on to something that is so clearly causing suffering (to themselves and others). We may question how someone can be so “ignorant.” We may think they are out of their mind to continue believing things that are so clearly (to us) false. And yet, we don’t always see that we are engaged in the same types of beliefs and behaviors. We don’t always notice that we are holding on, just as tightly, to some things that cause us suffering. Nor do we notice that we too are sometimes willing to struggle, even “fight to the death,” in order to protect our status quo.
Right now, someone is thinking, “Oh, no, what I’m doing is it’s different, because….”
Is it? Is it really?
Or are we, as human beings, just as reluctant to change as the other humans we believe need to change? Bottom line, the thought patterns Patanjali describes (as well as the suffering, obstacles, and ailments that follow) are part of being human. However, being human also includes the abilities to overcome this aspect of our lived experience. In fact, some people would say that overcoming that which separates us and causes suffering is exactly the point of living.
“Happiness is not a goal, it is a by-product. Paradoxically, the one sure way not to be happy is deliberately to map out a way of life in which one would please oneself completely and exclusively.”
– quoted from the “Forward” to You Learn By Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt
“When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt, as quoted in Joseph P. Lash’s Eleanor: The Years Alone (1972)
Born today in 1884, in New York City, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was an advocate for change. In many ways, she changed the role of the first lady by actively championing civil rights, challenging her husband’s policies (in order to ensure they equally served minority and underserved communities), and even advancing the rights of the disabled by encouraging the political career of her wheelchair bound husband, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She became the first to hold regular press conferences, speak at a national party convention, and write a daily syndicated newspaper column (“My Day”) as well as a monthly magazine column. She was also the first to host a daily radio show and continue her business and political speaking engagements – all while also being the mother of six children.
FDR served four terms, making Eleanor the longest serving First Lady of the United States. After leaving the White House, she continued her human rights efforts – even serving as a United States’ first Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly (1945 – 1952). She chaired the UN’s Commission on Human Rights; oversaw the drafting of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights; chaired President John F. Kennedy’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Women; and was called “First Lady of the World” by President Harry S. Truman. At the time, some also considered her the most controversial first lady. Yet, she never let the criticism or detractors slow her down – neither did she let her recognized heritage stop her from bring beauty and truth to the world.
“Do what you feel in your heart to be right — for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be ‘damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.’”
– Eleanor Roosevelt, as quoted in Dale Carnegie’s How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (1944, 1948)
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt lived and served during a time of great upheaval and fear. So, like her husband, she is often quoted when people (myself included) are promoting the benefits of being fearless. For instance, she wrote in You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face…. You must do what you think you cannot do.” While people can easily relate this concept of fearlessness with external activity, it is perhaps best applied when we turn it towards our inward activity. It’s still scary and challenging, but the benefit to changing how we understand ourselves extends beyond ourselves.
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, more commonly known as the Second Vatican Council or Vatican II, is a great example of how changing how you understand and identify yourself can be simultaneously challenging and beneficial, even beyond yourself. Opened today in 1962, by Pope John XXIII, the council would entail four sessions and span a little over three years. It “more fully defined the nature of the Church;” changed and expanded the roles of bishops; opened up dialogue with other faith communities; and created an opportunity for Catholics around the world to better understand the teachings of the Church. One of the ways Vatican II opened up understanding within the Church was to refocus the liturgy (so that the Church calendar highlighted the events of the Holy Week, leading up to and including Easter) and to allow for services to be conducted in languages other than Latin. The goal, especially with the streamlining of focus and language options, was to ensure people “take part fully aware of what they are doing, actively engaged in the rite, and enriched by its effects.”
To this day, however, there are Catholics who believe the liturgy and service are not real (and truly sacramental) if they are not in Latin.
Vatican II was attended by four future popes, lay members of the Catholic community, and religious leaders outside of the Catholic Church, including Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. Rabbi Heschel worked with Cardinal Augustin Bea, the Jesuit head of the Secretariat for the Christian Unity, to dynamical change the way the Church teaches and views Jewish people; foster mutual knowledge and respect among congregants of the two faiths; and to ensure the Church officially (and categorically) condemned anti-Semitism. It sounds all good, right? Yet, the Nostra aetate – which specifically states, “… in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel’s spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone” – was one of the most controversial parts of Vatican II.
It turns out; it’s hard to get rid of your perception of others when it is tied to your convictions on right and wrong – even if correct those misconceptions alleviates suffering.
“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt, quoted from a Voice of America broadcast on November 11, 1951
“We have to face the fact that either all of us are going to die together or we are going to learn to live together and if we are to live together we have to talk.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt, as quoted in Rosalie Maggio’s The Beacon Book of Quotations (1992)
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, October 11th) at 2:30 PM. (Don’t be surprised if today’s practice brings up some fond memories, since a man who once described himself as “careless, thoughtless, godless” was born today 1821.)
You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. PLEASE NOTE: Zoom 5.0 is in effect. If you have not upgraded, you will need to give yourself extra time to log into Zoom. You can always request an audio recording of this practice (or any practice) via email or a comment below.
Today’s playlist is available on YouTube and YouTube.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible, class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
“‘That they all may be one.’ (John 17:21)”
– original motto of the YMCA, established in the “Paris Basis” by the First World Conference of YMCAs in 1855
### “When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it? ER ###
Happiness Redux October 10, 2020
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.add a comment
[My apologies for the delayed posting. You can request an audio recording of Saturday’s 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 next week’s class schedule.]
“You don’t start by the action; you start by the motivation, and motivation is something that can be cultivated…..
It is the inner quality that you need to cultivate first, and then the expression in speech and action will just naturally follow. The mind is the king. The speech and the activities are the servants. The servants are not going to tell the king how it is going to be. The king has to change, and then the other ones follow up.”
– Matthieu Ricard, speaking about generosity and other mental attitudes in a 2011 Sounds True interview with Tami Simon, entitled “Happiness is a Skill”
During the week of Sukkot, I ended each post with three things for which I am grateful. I regularly express gratitude for at least three things a day. But, let’s be honest; at the end of the day I usually have more than three things on my list.
Just out of curiosity, for what (or whom) are you grateful today?
Really take a moment, to think about it. Make a mental list, a physical list; you can even comment below.
Now that you’ve thought about it and expressed that appreciation, take a moment to notice how you feel.
This whole week of Sukkot, as I’ve talked about gratitude, happiness, ATARAXIA, and positive psychology, I’ve really just been talking about mental health. The Mental Health Foundation, the largest charity in the United Kingdom devoted to mental health, points out that “Good mental health is not simply the absence of diagnosable health problems, although good mental health is likely to protect against development of many such problems.” Like happiness, good mental health is a state of mind (smile) and while we may have different ways of describing or defining the experience, people with good mental health are capable of doing certain things that may not be possible when experiencing mental health issues.
For instance, the ability to learn; the ability to focus/concentrate; the ability to “feel, express, and manage a range of positive and negative emotions;” the ability to cope and manage change and uncertainty; and the ability to form and maintain meaningful relationships can be severely compromised when we do not have good mental health. Another way to look at it is to consider that the siddhis (“powers”) unique to being human are diminished when our mental health is compromised. In fact, ordered the list above (partially adapted from the Mental Health Foundation’s website) to reflect the order of the siddhis“ unique to being human.”
“I dedicate this song to recession,
Depression and unemployment
This song’s for you”
“Smile
See I just want don’t you to be happy
‘Cause then you have to have something you haven’t been
I want you to have joy ’cause can’t nobody
Take that away from you”
– quoted from “I Smile” (on the Hello Fear album) by Kirk Franklin
There are some people in the Jewish Diaspora who celebrate an eighth day (today) of Sukkot. However, there are also people celebrating two more holidays, part of it in their Sukkah. Yes, for forty days some people prep for the High Holidays; spend ten days reflecting, remembering, repenting, and planning for the new year; take a breath; and then dive into a week of happiness; and then spend two more days celebrating their connection to each other and to the lessons of the Torah. It is a time, within the Jewish community, that can have a profound impact on one’s overall mental health. But, that’s not the main reason we’re still doing the “happy dance.”
Today, October 10th, is designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as World Mental Health Day. In the best of times, one in five adults in the United States experiences mental health issues, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. These issues can range from depression and anxiety to substance abuse and thoughts of harm. Over half of those who acknowledge having had issues in any given year, do not (I repeat, do not) seek treatment. Given, the stigma that can be attached to the conversation of mental health (even when it’s good, but especially when it’s not), there’s a good chance that the percentage of people who experience problems is actually higher than reported.
Not surprisingly, sexual minorities are at a greater risk – as are racial minorities – and treatment in these high risk communities may not be readily accessible. Veterans (of all genders) and men are high risk for suicide or other violent acts, but may not talk about their feelings before they hit a critical point. Additionally, statistics from a 2019 study published in JAMA Pediatrics indicates that half of children with mental health problems (including those experiencing depression, anxiety, and/or attention-deficit or hyperactive disorders) do not receive treatment. Again, part of the disparity in treatment comes from stigma; however, some of it comes from a shortage in providers.
Now, consider for a moment, that all of that (and more) is related to the “best of times.” And, as we all know, 2020, has been less than the best. According to a recent “Mental Illness Awareness Week” article by Sam Romano, 51.5 million American adults reported that they experienced mental health illness within the past year. Additionally, this statistic indicates that there is a steady increase in reported mental health issues (experienced by adults) over the last few years. That’s not surprising; so, you may miss the importance. Look at it this way, a little over 13 million more adults reported experiencing mental health issues in 2019 versus 2008. On the flip side, the population increase in this same time was around 24 million.
As you let that sink in, consider what you are doing for your mental health and the mental health of those around you. Consider what is accessible to you. Remember those siddhis “unique to being human?” Start there: turn inward, use your words, understand yourself,(so you know how to) help yourself be free of three-fold sorrow, cultivate your friendships, and give away what no longer serves you – as well as what you know will serve others.
“If you’re not happy with what you have, you’ll never be happy with what you get.”
– Rabbi Noah Weinberg
Yoga Sūtra 2.42: santoşādanuttamah sukhalābhah
– “From contentment comes happiness without equal.”
In English, we have a tendency to equate “being content” with settling – as if there is something we are missing. In truth, contentment is a state of “peaceful happiness,” meaning there is no desire or craving. Rabbi Noah Weinberg points out, in “Way #27: Happiness” in 48 Ways to Wisdom, that one of the big misconceptions about being content is that it diminishes motivation; when in fact being happy gives us energy. Or, at the very least, it doesn’t sap our energy.
Today’s sūtra highlights the importance of accepting what is and also of paying attention to our attitude about what is. Take a moment to notice how often you get swept up in the various forms of avidyā (“ignorance”). Notice how often we are so caught up in how we think things should work that we don’t pay attention to actual cause and effect. Notice how often negative emotions gain power over our innate abilities of the heart (like wisdom, kindness, compassion, generosity, and joy), because we feed those negative emotions by working so hard to ignore or stuff them down.
Flip the script, turn the tables; feed your heart and the positivity that lies within. You can engage joy without being delusional and creating more suffering. You just have to spend some time being present, right here and right now; accept what is; breathe deeply in, breathe deeply out; and smile.
Is that going to fix every problem in the world? Nope. But, it will help you manage whatever challenges you face.
Today’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also call the 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.
### People whose work makes me smile; people whose work makes me think; people whose work makes me wiggle ###
A (Happy) Fork in the Road October 6, 2020
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“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
– Yogi Berra
“Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.”
– commentary for Happiness tip #2, quoted from the Psychology 1504 (“Positive Psychology”) course by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar
Throughout Sukkot, I mention Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar’s “Six Tips for Happiness” and, on any given day, one of the tips really sticks out. For obvious reasons (as we’ll discuss tomorrow), I always highlight his final tip, “Express gratitude, whenever possible.” There is however, another little jewel, tucked in at the beginning, which is easy to gloss over and over look: Tip #2, “Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning.” To figure out what that even means, we have to go a little deeper.
Dr. Ben Shahar is the co-founder of the Happiness Studies Academy (HAS), where you can get a certificate in “Happiness Studies.” At one time, he was a tenure-track professor at Harvard who taught psychology of leadership classes and a class that was referred to as “Happiness 101.” If you are not familiar with this work, let me preface today be saying that Dr. Ben-Shahar and his colleagues are scholars of positive psychology, which is defined as “the scientific study of positive human functioning and flourishing on multiple levels that include the biological, personal, relational, institutional, cultural, and global dimensions of life.” So, basically, it is the interdisciplinary existential science of having a “good life” – whatever that means to you at this moment.
Actually, that last part is a bit tricky, because we humans have a tendency to focus on things in a way that actually makes us unhappy.
“Whoever loves silver will not be sated with silver, and he who loves a multitude without increase-this too is vanity.”
– Kohelet – Ecclesiastes (5:9)
“‘For Epicurus ataraxia was the only true happiness. And how do we achieve it? Not through Plato’s harmony of the soul nor Aristotle’s attainment of reason but simply by the elimination of worry or anxiety. If Epicurus were speaking to you at this moment, he would urge you to simplify life. Here’s how he might put it if he were standing here today….
Lads, your needs are few, they are easily attained, and any necessary suffering can be easily tolerated. Don’t complicate your life with such trivial goals as riches and fame: they are the enemy of ataraxia. Fame, for example, consists of the opinions of others and requires that we must live our life as others wish. To achieve and maintain fame, we must like what others like and shun whatever it is that they shun. Hence, a life of fame or a life in politics? Flee from it. And wealth? Avoid it! It is a trap. The more we acquire the more we crave, and the deeper our sadness when our yearning is not satisfied. Lads, listen to me: If you crave happiness, do not waste your life struggling for that which you really do not need.’”
– the fictionalized Franciscus van den Enden speaking to his students in The Spinoza Problem: A Novel by Dr. Irvin D. Yalom
While scientists focus on what it takes to thrive and flourish, there is also a very definite awareness that people define happiness in different ways and, therefore, the way they approach finding happiness becomes different. Keep in mind that we are still looking at functional/not-afflicted behavior and dysfunctional/afflicted behavior. However, positive psychology emphasizes the functional and does not rigidly define “happiness” – even though the Happiness Studies Academy states that the way in which they define happiness is critical to their mission. It is also critical, as I inferred above, to whether or not we are happy – whatever that means to you in this moment.
For some people, happiness is an ecstatic kind of joy. For others, it is “just not being miserable.” Over the last few days I have mentioned that Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, a Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist monk, equates happiness to “not suffering” or being free of suffering. Then there is the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (an October baby), who said:
“Happiness is the feeling that power increases – that resistance is being overcome.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche
Since I am, all year long, dedicated to “a joyful practice,” every physical practice I lead includes elements of the Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar’s “Six Tips for Happiness.” It wasn’t my original intention to mirror the good doctor’s research. Instead, I was inspired by yoga sūtra 2.46 (“sthirasukham āsanam”), which is all about finding that balance between effort and relaxation (i.e., power without resistance). But, it just turns out that the six tips are things that really work and make sense (if you take a moment to go deeper). Some of the elements are, of course, very obvious: there’s always emphasis on the mind-body connection and there’s always an opportunity to express gratitude. However, what you may not always realize is how we keep coming back to that “intersection between pleasure and meaning.”
Throughout every practice, I combine things that feel good (physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually) with the meaning behind why we do what we do the way we do it. Granted, what feels good in my mind-body may not feel good in yours and vice versa, and what feels good today may not feel good tomorrow – which is why the meaning or purpose is so important. It gives each practitioner agency or stewardship over their own practice. So, sometimes I offer the specific anatomical or physiological meaning/purpose of a pose or sequence. Other times I offer the energetic, emotional, and/or spiritual significance of something we are doing.
Usually, the music speaks for itself, but I might highlight a lyric here or there, just in case you missed it. Then too there is the symbolism of the poses, the sequences, and/or – as I mention during Sukkot and other spiritual observations – the symbolism of rituals within various traditions. Finally, there are the stories (and the smiles), which are just another way to mix in an extra dose of pleasure and meaning.
“And it’s up to me to try and meet my fate with a smile”
– quoted from “Joyful” by X Ambassadors
Please join me today (Tuesday, October 6th) at 12 Noon or 7:15 PM for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, where we will do what we do. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. (Look for “Sukkot 2”)
Yoga Sūtra 2.18: prakāśkriyāsthitiśīlam bhūtendriyāmakam bhogāpavargārtham dŗśyam
– “The objective world (what is seen), consisted of a combination of elements and senses, and having a nature of illumination, activity, and stability, has two purposes: fulfillment and freedom.”
### (yummy) food, (comfy) sheets, shelter from the storm ###
Consider Being In the Stream September 30, 2020
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.2 comments
“Yin and Yang
Hidden in the mystery of the Tao
lies the original unity.
This unity contains the duality
of yin and yang.
Yin and yang together
produce the energy of creation
and give rise to all things.
Every atom of the cosmos
contains the yin and yang together.
We feel this harmonious process
In the rising and falling of the breath.”
– (42) quoted from A Path and A Practice: Using Lao-tzu’s Tao Te Ching as a Guide to an Awakened Spiritual Life by William Martin
“When the mind lacks any hindrances, it automatically becomes bright, luminous, and clear. Such a mind is receptive to the development of wholesome states; to concentration, and to the ability to see clearly into the impermanent nature of things.”
— quoted from Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness by Bhante Henepole Gunaratana
Yoga Sutra 1.34: pracchardanavidhāraņābhyām vā prāņasya
– “The mind can be calmed by regulating the breath, especially with emphasis on the exhalation and the natural stilling of breath [retention that comes with the practice].”
Ever notice when the inhale becomes the exhale, when the exhale becomes the inhale? I don’t just mean on the mat or on the cushion. I mean, do you notice the beginning of the end (or the ending that is the beginning) in your day to day life? It’s kind of like trying to unpack why we react or respond to certain things/people in certain ways and/or where an idea begins, really begins. It’s also like trying to figure out where something went horribly wrong.
“Life is like stepping into a boat that is about to sail out to sea and sink.”
– Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
Sometimes we miss the moment when we actually start to sink, slip, get pushed off center, and/or the moment when our buttons get pushed. Even when we are in the middle of a volatile situation – and we recognize it as such – we may think, “I’m handling this so well. I got this! Look at me behaving like a grown-up and using my words (instead of fisticuffs).” And that right there is the moment we miss. That right there is the moment we actually start to slip or sink, because, more often than not we miss the little slips that mark the beginning of our fall. Instead, we focus on what happens when all the little things come together to make the big thing. We continue on our merry way, without regard for the fact that we have already started moving in the wrong direction.
Contemplative and mindfulness-based practices help in cultivating awareness. We can develop awareness so that we start to notice the little slips and we can also develop awareness around the fact that we are on a slippery slope or have somehow lost traction. One of the best things about the practices, however, is that they can also give us tools to regain traction. These tools are the opposites of what you think – and I mean that quite literally.
Yoga Sūtra 2.33: vitarkabādhane pratipakşabhāvanam
— “When troublesome thoughts prevent the practice (of yamās and niyamās), cultivate the opposite thoughts.”
As mentioned in earlier posts, the yoga philosophy, details five afflicted thought patterns (ignorance, false sense of self, attachment, aversion, and fear of loss/death), which lead to and/or feed nine obstacles to the practice and to life (disease, mental inertia, doubt, carelessness, sloth, an inability to withdraw from sense craving, clinging to misunderstandings, frustration [from failing to reach a goal], and the [frustration] inability to maintain a clear and present mind). The nine obstacles produce five debilitating conditions (physical pain, mental agitation, unsteadiness or trembling of limbs, abnormal inhalation, and abnormal exhalation) which feed into the five afflicted thoughts and the nine obstacles. It can be a continuous feedback loop – or, more appropriately, it’s the endless cycle of karma.
We don’t always see the beginning of the cycle when we are in the middle of it, neither do see the beginning (or end) of the circle when it is already completed. So, in the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali offers ways to work the mind and one of those ways is by cultivating the opposites. A similar practice is found in Buddhism, where the five hindrances, also considered obstacles to practice and to life, are defined as sensory desire or greed; ill will; dullness and drowsiness; restlessness and worry; and doubt). Notice the overlap, not only in the impediments (or stumbling blocks), but take a moment to notice that the Buddha also encourages the cultivation and awareness of opposites that is mentioned in the Tao te Ching and the Yoga Sūtras.
“The Buddha taught a four-step approach to working with the mind. You should apply Skillful Effort to:
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prevent negative states of mind
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overcome negative states of mind
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cultivate positive states of mind
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maintain positive states of mind”
“…sometimes people say that spiritual growth takes ‘effortless effort.’ I’m sorry to disillusion you, friend, but there is no effortless effort. Effort must be balanced.”
— quoted from Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness by Bhante Henepole Gunaratana
Another parallel in the practices is the emphasis on the work/effort (karma) required to reach a pristine, clear mind and to tap into our intuitive wisdom. For example, the Taoist concept wu-wei is usually translated as “effortless effort,” but some commentators (and even the Tao itself) highlight the effort. You could even explain the practice as just “doing what we do,” but with awareness – and that awareness allows us to find the way of progressing with the least amount of resistance. It’s kind of like having a certain body type; even if you are born with your desired genes and physique, even if you are born with certain talents and/or have a propensity for certain skills, effort goes into the maintenance of your mind-body and skills. Some things may be easier for some people (at certain times), but they still require effort.
When we overlook the effort that unintentionally produced our current circumstances, we may find ourselves overwhelmed by the effort to change course. The teachings dispel the misconception that something magical happens which enables some people to “keep calm” or to avoid snake-bit situations and focuses instead on the action of actively keeping calm and actively avoiding situations that seem to get worse the more we do. When we become more aware of cause and effect, we can be more conscious about how we work our way towards a desired situation or outcome.
“You must remember that it is not some other person or some difficult situation that is causing your problems. It is your own past conditioning.”
— quoted from Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness by Bhante Henepole Gunaratana
Please join me today (Wednesday, September 30th) 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 will need to register for the 7:15 PM class if you have not already done so. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. 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. (Today’s playlist is dated 07192020 “Compassion & Peace (J’Accuse!)”)
This come to mind, and it turns out the message fits.
### FIRST, FIND THE FLOW… THEN GO ###
A Joyful Practice 