“Missing” Steps to Change April 10, 2021

“Children must be taught ‘that we are one human race. We have a lot of different ethnic groups, cultures, nationalities, but only one human race … and that human race began in Africa,’ [Dolores Huerta] said. ‘So we can say to all of those people in the Ku Klux Klan, the white nationalists: You’re Africans. Get over it.’

That, Huerta said, means ‘We’re all related.’ She invited delegates to take the hand of the person beside them and say, ‘Hello, relative.’

‘You’ve got to start spreading this message,’ she said.”

– quoted from “Civil rights activist Dolores Huerta: We need spiritual guidance and spiritual activism – United Farm Workers co-founder addresses Dioceses of Los Angeles convention” by Pat McCaughan (as posted on the Episcopal News Service website Nov 19, 2019)

It is easy, way too easy, to overlook the obvious when you are overwhelmed or distracted… by other things that are overwhelming and/or obvious. It’s easy (and way too obvious) to (dis)miss how Dolores Huerta and Anne Lamott are related, because some of their differences are so obvious. For example, many people automatically think of Ms Huerta as an activist and Ms. Lamott as a writer – yet they are both both; even though they write very different things. Ms. Huerta has way more schools named after her and Ms. Lamott has published way more novels. Ms. Huerta has called herself a “born-again feminist;” Ms. Lamott identifies as a born-again (evangelical) Christian. Also, in 1988, Ms. Huerta experienced police brutality at a presidential protest that led to a subsequent judgement in her favor; a change in policies within the San Francisco Police Department; and, most likely, a different viewpoint about current events. (NOTE: A key element of her attack was that it was videotaped and broadcasted on the news.)

We could spend all day cycling trivialities; however, the fact that they share a birthday (today) gives us an excuse/reason to start considering their similarities. For instance, although born decades apart – Ms. Huerta in 1930 (Dawson, New Mexico) and Ms. Lamott in 1954 (San Francisco, California) – they have ended up walking through similar spaces. They share the vocation of teaching and they are both activists, strongly passionate about progressive ideas and having the gift of words that inspire others. They both self-identify as feminists and also hold views which fit firmly into Ms. Huerta’s description of a feminist (see below). They both have older brothers; know a thing or two about single mothers; and they both believe in what Ms. Huerta once called “spiritual guidance and spiritual activism.” They also both know a thing or two about pushing through overwhelming challenges and (in some ways) give similar advice: as Ms. Lamott famously wrote, taking/organizing things “bird by bird.”

When we go deeper, we are reminded that nothing – especially people – is one dimensional. Everything and everyone, philosophically speaking, is considered a “compound;” made up of a combination of elements or matter in various energetic stages. You think of these energetic states in terms of physics (considering the movement of atomic particles) and/or you can think of them in terms of the guņas (“attributes” or “qualities” which can be described as active/passionate, stable/passive, and neutral/harmonious). When it comes to people we must consider genetics and history and the layers and layers of samskāras (“mental impressions” based on experiences) that make up a person’s perception of reality and, therefore, their actions. We must also consider how things, even thoughts/perceptions change in form, time, and condition and that we may not always be aware of the fact that change is happening, constantly.

Yoga Sūtra 3.11: sarvarathatā-ekāgrata kşaya-udaya chittasya samādhi-pariņāmah

 

 

– “When all mental distractions disappear and the mind becomes one-pointed, it enters the state called samadhi.”

 

 

Yoga Sūtra 3.12: tatah punah śānta-uditau tulya-pratyayau chittasya-ekāgratā- pariņāmah

 

 

– “The mind becomes one-pointed when similar thought-waves arise in succession without any gaps in between them.”

Yoga Sūtra 3.13: etena bhūta-indriyaşu dharma lakşaņa-avasthā- pariņāmah vyākhyātāh

– “In this state, it passes beyond the three kinds of changes which take place in subtle and gross matter, and in the organs: change of form, change of time and change of condition.”

Remember, as one focuses on a single point, over a long period of time, the level of awareness changes – and it changes repeatedly from that 12 second mark (that establishes concentration) all the way through the five hours, forty-five minutes, and thirty-six seconds mark (that establishes “unwavering absorption” or nirvikalpa samādhi). However, in the middle of the practice we are not noting the time – that would be distracting and totally defeat the purpose! Also, we are moving deeper and deeper inward and therefore not tracking changes externally. All of that means we cannot pinpoint the changes as they are happening. Swami Vivekananda uses the example of a lump of gold to explain the changes that occur in form, time, and condition. Note that underlying this example is the idea that (a) a change in form can occur when something is being used a new manner; (b) a change in time is independent of any action taken by an individual; and (c) a change in condition may occur because of a change in form and/or time and may also prompt action on the part of an individual. All of this can be applied to the mind-body.

Consider Rip Van Winkle, again, who experiences all of the aforementioned changes while he is sleeping and then experiences them a second time, on a different level, when he awakens and can note the changes around him. In this sense, we almost all begin like Rip Van Winkle; the practice enables us start the waking up and wandering phase of our experience. The practice is also the work.

When we move through the stages of the practice and reach the point in where we are able to focus-concentrate-meditate on the rising and falling of our own thought waves – and then experience those thought waves collapsing and converging into themselves – we may find that we cannot identify the exact moment or point of change. We may not even, according to Patanjali, be able to pinpoint and/or describe the catalyst that brings about the change. However, we must note that there is a catalyst: something that creates change, but does not itself change.

Yoga Sūtra 3.14: śānta-udita-avyapadeśya-dharma-anupātī dharmī

– “A compound object, containing the attributes, and is subject to change, either past, present or yet to be manifested.”

In the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali is specifically referring to an internal (and eternal) attribute common to everything and everyone. The practice is about setting aside the layers and layers of change until one reaches that which does not change: the true Self. The underlying idea being that it is existence of the true Self and our own personal desire to know our Self that sparks the change. This, then, is one of the key elements of the practice.

It is also a very challenging (and sometimes overwhelming) part of the practice. This level of introspection and self awareness is particularly challenging and overwhelming when we are facing critical times in history and/or our personal lives. It is sometimes (slightly) easier to look at some external factors that have served as catalysts. We can, in our own lives and the lives of public figures, catalog pivotal moments that brought about change and a different way of viewing the world. Keep in mind: Here I am talking about external factors that tap into am internal experience, self-reflection, and then spark a change in both external and internal engagement. This change affects how someone moves through the world – even the spaces in which the move – and can possibly change the world (or, more specifically, others’ perceptions of the world).

One such example for Dolores Huerta was when her parents divorced, yet still maintained their commitments to grassroots community building and activism. Another example was the realization that came from being falsely accused of cheating in school and being unfairly graded. Then, too, there was her realization, as a teacher, that teaching hungry children is an exercise in futility. For Anne Lamott, loss is often the catalyst for change – this includes the “bird by bird” story about her brother, which can be viewed as a loss of control. Another example, she has said, was feeling a personal “relationship or friendship with Jesus, a connection.” Finally, her faith changed her view of herself and the world in a way that helped her overcome her addition to drugs and alcohol as well as an eating disorder – all of which further changed her view of herself and the world.

“To me, a feminist is a person who supports a woman’s reproductive rights, who supports a woman’s right to an abortion, who supports LGBT rights, who supports workers and labor unions, somebody who cares about the environment, who cares about civil rights and equality and equity in terms of our economic system. That is a feminist. And of course we know that there are many men who are feminists as well as women.”

– Dolores Huerta quoted in the Time Magazine (03/28/2018) article, “Pioneering Labor Activist Dolores Huerta: Women ‘Never Think of Getting Credit’ But Now That’s Changing” by Lily Rothman

Please join me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, April 10^th) at 12:00 PM, for an experience. 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.

Saturday’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.)

For more about Dolores Huerta, Anne Lamott, and how they fit into the practice, check out my April 10, 2019 Kiss My Asana offering.

“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. [It] was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said. ‘Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.'”

– excerpt from Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Ann Lamott

### “When I get there I’ll know / ‘Cause I’m taking it / Step by step, bit by bit” ~ WH ###

Reaching… grasping the Truth (post & music links) April 6, 2021

Please join me today (Tuesday, April 6^th) at 12 Noon or 7:15 PM for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom. 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.

If you are interested, please check out my 2019 post about the Dandi Salt Satyagraha!

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.)

### 🎶 ###

…Waiting for Change (music and links) April 3, 2021

“Happy Passover/Pesach and Happy Holy Saturday,” to those who are observing!

Please join me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, April 3^rd) at 12:00 PM, for an experience. 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.

Saturday’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.)

You can read my date-related post from 2019 here and a Holy Saturday/Easter/Passover theme-related post from last year here and a second post related to both the day and the theme here.

### Don’t Fall Asleep When… ###

It’s All Tov April 2, 2021

“And God said, ‘There will be light,’ and there was light.

And God saw the light that it was good, and God separated between the light and between the darkness.”

– Beresh’t / Genesis 1:3-4

Tov is a Hebrew word that means “good;” however, as we find in the beginning of the Torah (also the Christian Old Testament), God defines something as “good” when it is useful and serving its purpose. In our physical practice of yoga, regardless of the style or tradition, we want every pose to be “good” in this way. So, when I say that there’s some “special goodness coming your way,” it means it’s time for another “First Friday Night Special!”

Specifically, I am hosting a special virtual class tonight, Friday, April 2^nd, 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST). This practice will focus on a set of poses that are symbolically connected, but not physically linked. (In other words, this will not be a vinyāsa practice.) It will be a non-denominational practice, but will involve religious stories and symbolism. It is open to all.

This year, Good Friday in the Western Christian tradition falls towards the end of Passover (in the Jewish tradition). In the Jewish tradition, it is also “six days of the Omer” – meaning that some people are focused on “Bonding in Love/Lovingkindness” – and these connected traditions and stories are intended to be stories of God’s love and power.

The rituals related to these observations emphasize a specific order of events and how a story is told through the order of events. In the case of Passover, the story of Exodus is told through the symbolic elements of the Passover Seder. The Seder (which means “order” or “arrangement”) moves through 15 steps, including “The Four Questions” that lead to the telling of the story. It’s a ritual pilgrimage wrapped in a dinner party wrapped in a children’s bedtime story disguised as a tradition.

For Good Friday, many Christians move through the Stations of the Cross, a visual pilgrimage of Jesus’ last moments. The earliest “Way of the Cross” or “Way of Sorrows” artwork and the Scriptural Way of the Cross (introduced by Pope John Paul II on Good Friday 1991 and approved by Pope Benedict in 2007) depict 14 scenes or “steps,” ending with Jesus being laid in the tomb. The Resurrection is often considered to be the 15^th Station of the Cross. (NOTE: The Resurrection is the 14^th Station according to the “New Way of the Cross” in the Philippines; however, this version is different from the previous mentioned versions.) The art is meant to mirror Via Dolorosa (the “Way of Sorrow/Pain”) in Jerusalem, the actual path Jesus would have taken to Mount Calvary. So, when people “move through the Stations of the Cross” it is a ritual pilgrimage wrapped in a walking tour wrapped in a children’s picture book disguised as traditional art.

The religious rituals above traditionally involve prayers that will not be part of the practice. However, if you are religious and observing Good Friday or Passover (or Counting the Omer), you will have an opportunity to pray as you feel is appropriate. If you are not religious and/or are not familiar with the stories, think of this as a history lesson wrapped up in a physical yoga practice.

“And God saw that it was good.”

– Words that appear 7 times in the Creation story found in Bereishit /Genesis

Please join me tonight (Friday, April 2^nd) at 7:15 PM for a “First Friday Night Special” virtual yoga practice on Zoom. 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.

Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.

[NOTE: This is a mostly Good Friday playlist and it is very similar to what I have used in the past for a very different style of practice. Feel free to use one of the playlists that are mostly Passover (from 2020 or 2021); use one of the “First Friday Night Special” playlists from previous months; or, of course, practice without music.]

This practice is accessible and open to all. It will include holding a series of poses and you may need something to take notes (but there is no “guided journaling” for this practice).

Prop wise, it will be handy to have ALL your props. Specifically, the following will be useful: a large pillow or cushion (or two); a blanket or towel; a couple of blocks or books; and extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice).

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.)

Here’s a very special guest post about last year’s Good Friday and my own 2020 Good Friday post.

### MANY BLESSINGS (come from being connected through loving-kindness) ###

Doing One’s [Holy] Duty (just the music) March 31, 2021

Please join me today (Wednesday, March 31^st) 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.

You can find last year’s “Spy Wednesday” post here and the non-holiday date-related post here.

In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, playlists, 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). If youplaylists don’t mind me knowing your donation amount you can also donate to me directly. Donations to Common Ground are tax deductible; class purchases and donations directly to me are not necessarily deductible.)

THERE’S A SOME GOODNESS COMING YOUR WAY! This Friday (April 2nd) is the next “First Friday Night Special” 7:15 – 8:20 PM, CST. It is Good Friday (in the Western Christian tradition) and towards the end of Passover (in the Jewish tradition). Also in the Jewish tradition, it is “six days of the Omer” and a time when people will be focused on “Bonding in Love/Lovingkindness.” Additional details (including ZOOM information) are posted on the “Class Schedules” calendar!

### 🎶 ###

Let Your “Talents” & Your Light Shine (just the music) March 30, 2021

Please join me today (Tuesday, March 30^th) at 12 Noon or 7:15 PM for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom. 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 “Passion Tuesday April 7, 2020” or “04072020 Passion Tuesday.”]

If you are interested, please check out last year’s Passion Tuesday post!

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.)

THERE’S A SOME GOODNESS COMING YOUR WAY! This Friday (April 2nd) is the next “First Friday Night Special” 7:15 – 8:20 PM, CST. It is Good Friday (in the Western Christian tradition) and towards the end of Passover (in the Jewish tradition). Also in the Jewish tradition, it is “six days of the Omer” and a time when people will be focused on “Bonding in Love/Lovingkindness.” Additional details (including ZOOM information) are posted on the “Class Schedules” calendar!

### 🎶 ###

Questions of Faith March 28, 2021

“What makes this night different from all [other] nights?
1) On all nights we need not dip even once, on this night we do so twice?
2) On all nights we eat chametz or matzah, and on this night only matzah?
3) On all nights we eat any kind of vegetables, and on this night maror?
4) On all nights we eat sitting upright or reclining, and on this night we all recline?”

– The Four Questions (“Ma Nishtana”)

How is this practice different from all the other practices? Good question. It is a question you can ask before any practice. It is also a question that sounds a lot like “The Four Questions,” traditionally asked by the youngest person at a Passover Seder. The word seder is a Hebrew word that means “order” or “arrangement,” and it refers to the ritual feast people in the Jewish community have on the first night of Passover (or first two nights for Orthodox and Conservative communities outside of Israel). The meal is a symbolic celebration of the Exodus story, which is the story of how the Jews were freed from slavery in Egypt. Really, the meal is the story – beginning with the questions, which are also symbolic.

Passover, which is also called Pesach and The Feast of Unleavened Bread, is considered a spring festival and, in ancient times, was directly connected to the harvesting and offering of barley – which was the first grain to ripen and harvest in the Holy Land. For seven days (eight days for the Orthodox and Conservative communities, especially in the diaspora), people commemorate the story of Exodus, which is a story of faith. The ritual observation actually begins before the Passover Seder, with the removal of chametz (“leavening”), as it is forbidden to consume, keep, or own chametz during Passover. Some forms or chametz will be burned; other forms can be given away or even sold. Keep in mind that the agents of “rising” or fermentation are not forbidden – in fact, wine is a required part of the celebration. However, the action of rising is symbolic and part of the story (2. where the Jews have to flee so fast their bread doesn’t have time to rise.)

Another part of the story and another ritual that occurs before the Passover Seder is the Fast of the Firstborn, which falls on the day before the evening of the Passover Seder (with adjustments made when Passover begins on a Saturday night – which is the end of the Sabbath). Again, this is a symbolic element of the story as first-born sons (and “newborn” sons) play critical roles in the Exodus story (as you will see below).

Saturday night marked the beginning of Passover, making today the first day of Passover. Today is also Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week or Passion Week (also known as Passiontide) in the Western Christian community. As I mentioned last year, in reference to a question from my brother, it is not a coincidence that so many holy obligations are happening at the same time even though different faiths use different calendars. While how the holidays overlap is different from year to year, according to the Gregorian calendar, the fact that they overlap is significant and relevant – because the stories of Exodus and the story of Jesus’ last week are connected.

“For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who do not believe, no proof is possible.”

– Stuart Chase

Historically speaking, Jesus was a Jewish teacher or rabbi, who returned home to Jerusalem for Passover. The Gospel According to Saint John (12:1) is the only New Testament gospel that specifically refers to Passover as a reference point for the beginning of the last week of Jesus’ life. However, all four of the canonical Gospels mention preparation for the festival, feast, or first day (depending on the translation) of “Unleavened Bread” and describe a jubilant and memorable moment where Jesus rides into town on a donkey (a symbol of peace) and is greeted by people who honor him by laying down palm fronds and possibly coats to cover his path. This is a day remembered, in Christian communities, as Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday. It is the final Sunday of Lent and marks Christians’ final preparation for Easter.

Remember, Jesus is seen by Christians as the Messiah – the one whose life (and death) ushers in an era of peace, salvation, and forgiveness from sins. His story – especially the story of his last week – is seen as a story of freedom and also of God’s power and love for humankind. On the other hand(s), we have Aaron and Moses – as well as Miriam – who are instrumental in the story of how God ushers in an era of peace and freedom for “Children of Israel.”

In both stories, we are meant to see the hand or power of God (and the Holy Spirit) and in both stories people are required to have faith in order to be saved. In the first, the story of Exodus, the Jewish people are told to have faith – even when they are suffering the suffering through the Ten Plagues along with the Egyptians – and to not only envision, but also to celebrate, freedom that has not yet come. That is the whole point of the first Seder, which happens before the exodus (3 & 4). Finally, for Christians, faith in Jesus as the Messiah is the “ticket to heaven.”

Here’s the thing I think it is important to remember – especially as this year marks the second year many people are observing these holy times in some version of lockdown due the pandemic: these stories about faith and the power of God, all require action on the part of humankind. The first to act is Jochebed (or Yocheved) who hides her baby (Moses) for three months when she hears the Pharaoh wants all newborn males thrown in the Nile. She acts again when she throws him in the river, but only after placing him in a waterproof basket. The next to act is Miriam, the sister, who watches her baby brother floating down the river until he is picked up by the Pharaoh’s daughter (whose actions should not be discounted since the woman had to know the baby was Jewish) and then acts again when she offers to provide a “wet nurse.” Miriam also acts to connect Moses to his community.

Then there is Moses, who is called to action by the burning bush. Because he, in some ways, lacks faith (in himself and, one could argue, in God), he calls his brother Aaron (a first-born son?) to action. Together, the brothers inform Pharaoh and the people of Israel how God wants them to act. Pharaoh, as the story is told, does not act appropriately; but the story of Exodus – and in particular of the first Seder – is the story of a whole community of people putting their faith into action.

Finally, we get to Jesus (another first-born son), the apostles, and the stories that lead up to Easter. Pay attention this week and you will see, time and time again, how people are called to action… called to put their faith into action. We can debate what we believe all day long, but ultimately, what is important is not what you believe so much as how you act based on your beliefs. Then, finally, we see can/will see if our actions (and therefore our beliefs) lead to sweet freedom (1) and the grateful end of suffering (1) or just more suffering (3).

“Remember: If you want to make progress on the path and ascend to the places you have longed for, the important thing is not to think much but to love much, and so to do whatever best awakens you to love.”

– quoted from “The Fourth Dwelling .1.” of The Interior Castle by Saint Teresa of Ávila (born March 28, 1515) (New Translation and Introduction by Mirabai Starr)

Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, March 28^th) at 2:30 PM (CST). 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 “04122020 All That Is Holy”]

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 ###

The Live Experience March 27, 2021

“This has been such a very difficult time for live performance and many artists, technicians and craftsmen and women have struggled in a profession that is already fraught with insecurity.

Maybe that always present insecurity has made them more able to survive this pandemic with wit and courage.

Their imagination has already translated itself, in these new circumstances, into inventive, entertaining and moving ways to communicate, thanks of course in large part to the internet.

Human beings have told each other stories for as long as they have been on the planet.

The beautiful culture of theatre will live for as long as we stay here.”

– Helen Mirren, Stage, Screen and Television Actress, World Theatre Day Message Author 2021  

For the second year in a row, most theatres are shuttered, most box offices are closed, artists and technicians are laid off and/or working their backup hustle during World Theatre Day. However, there are a handful of places in the world where people will celebrate today as it was intended when initiated by the International Theatre Institute in 1961 (and first celebrated in 1962) – with live theatre.

Still others are getting ready. Because the time is coming… people will take their seats, theatres will darken, the curtain will rise and for a spectacular moment in time people will be transfixed by three-dimensional lives that are not their own. For a brief moment in time, people’s awareness will be drawn into a single point – the stage – as if nothing else exists.

That moment, however brief, when nothing else exists and someone is completely absorbed into the object of their focus, is a mere taste (or hint) of what Patanjali described in the Yoga Sūtras. Think of how you can get involved in a television program with which you constantly have to reengage your awareness, because of the commercials and any other distractions from within your home. There is focus and concentration, but you are constantly having to make adjustments to maintain that focus and concentration. Now, think of something aired or streamed with limited commercial interruptions and how there is less need for “course corrections.” Then there is a movie, where you have continuous flow – but it’s still flat, two-dimensional; with limited engagement of the senses. Finally, there is the play, musical, ballet, opera, or other live performance where your attention is held AND (more importantly) all of your senses are engaged. With cell phones silenced and everyone around you also focused on the same point, your awareness continuously flows into (and out of) the action on stage.

My analogy isn’t even close to perfect, of course; because these various mediums do not really represent a single point. Instead, what I want you to consider is the progressive transitions of awareness from all-pointedness to single-pointedness.

Yoga Sūtra 3.9: vyutthāna-nirodhah-samskāra abhibhava-prādurbhāvau nirodhah-kşaņa-chitta-anvayah nirodhah-pariņāmah

– “When the vision of the lower samadhi is suppressed by an act of conscious control, so that there are no longer any thoughts or visions in the mind, that is the achievement of control of the thought-waves of the mind.”

Yoga Sūtra 3.10: tasya praśānta-vāhitā samskārāt

– “When this suppression of thought waves becomes continuous, the mind’s flow is calm.”

Yoga Sūtra 3.11: sarvarathata ekagrata ksaya udaya chittasya samadhi-parinamah

– “When all mental distractions disappear and the mind becomes one-pointed, it enters the state called samadhi.”

Yoga Sūtra 3.12: tatah punah shanta-uditau tulya-pratyayau chittasya ekagrata-parinimah

– “The mind becomes one-pointed when similar thought-waves arise in succession without any gaps in between them.”

As I’ve mentioned before, what is described in the Yoga Sūtras is meant to be experienced and explored through the experience and explored in stages. In his translation and commentary of Yoga Sūtra 3.12, Swami Vivekananda said that we know the mind has become concentrated, “Because the idea of time will vanish. The more time passes unnoticed the more concentrated we are. In common life we see that when we are interested in a book we do not note the time at all, and when we leave the book, we are often surprised to find how many hours have passed. All time will have the tendency to come and stand in the one present. So the definition is given: When the past and present come and stand in one, the mind is said to be concentrated.”

 Please join me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, November 21^st) at 12:00 PM, for an experience. 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.

Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10202020 Pratyahara”]

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.)

You can read my post from last year here and check out online World Theatre Day celebrations here. For anyone interested in more information about my old job/career, here’s a little glimpse into what I use to do, courtesy of someone getting ready to do it all again!

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Walk with Me… I walk with You March 24, 2021

“It is the single small step that begins the journey of thousand miles.”

– 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

Fifty-six years ago today, Tuesday, March 24th, Civil Rights protesters stepped into Montgomery County (Alabama). The next morning they would stand in front of (but not on) the steps of the Alabama State Capital Building. It had been a long journey…even longer than the 5 days and 54 miles it took them to arrive from Selma, Alabama. And as he stood in front of (but not on) the steps of the capital, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of how much longer the journey would be.

For anyone who is interested, here are two (2) posts I wrote (in January 2019 and January 2016)about the experience of some of those marchers, and how it works out on the mat.

Three years ago today, in 2018, survivors from Majory Stoneman Douglas High School led 200,000 to 800,000 people in a student-led demonstration supporting gun control legislation. Approximately 1.2 million people participated in the “March for Our Lives (MFOL) demonstration in D. C. and around the world.

We are, once again, at a pivotal point – a critical point – and anniversary that looks a lot like the past. All I can ask is that you walk with me… as I walk with you.

Please join me today (Wednesday, March 24^th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You 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.

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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Fannie’s Recipe Ingredients (just the music) March 23, 2021

Please join me today (Tuesday, March 23^rd) at 12 Noon or 7:15 PM for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom. 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.

[NOTE: I updated/revised the playlists after the Noon class. They are slightly different in lengths and for someone reason I can’t get a single version of Bob Dylan’s Catfish to show up on my computer when I pull up the Spotify. Clearly, my computer has a baseball problem. You can find the Albert Castiglia’s version here and below.]

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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