Still Bending the Arc, in 2026 (the “missing” compilation post for Saturday) September 19, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Bhakti, Books, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Kirtan, Life, Mantra, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 4859, A. R. Rahman, Ganesh Chaturthi, Ganesha, Helena Marwood, High Holidays, Jarek Garliński, Khatija Rahman, Kirtan, Lyra Kadesh, Michael Schudrich, Modak, Norman Davies, Raheema Rahman, Righteous Among Nations, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sacred Couplets, Secret Polish Army, Shabbat Shuva, Ten Days of Atonement, Ten Days of Awe, the Commemoration of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Colossae (Chonae), Theodore Parker, Thirukkural, Tikkun Olam, Tomasz Serafiński, U2, Unetaneh Tokef, Witold Pilecki
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“Chag sameach!” to those observing the High Holidays (as well as Shabbat Shuva). “Many blessings,” to everyone and especially those celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi and/or the Commemoration of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Colossae (Chonae)!
This “missing” compilation post for Saturday, September 19th, includes the slightly revised beginning of a 2023 post and a series of excerpts. Some dated-related information, links, and formatting have been added/updated. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“When marching along the gray road towards the tannery in a column raising clouds of dust, one saw the beautiful red light of the dawn shining on the white flowers in the orchards and on the trees by the roadside, or on the return journey we would encounter young couples out walking, breathing in the beauty of springtime, or women peacefully pushing their children in prams — then the thought uncomfortably bouncing around one’s brain would arise . . . swirling around, stubbornly seeking some solution to the insoluble question: Were we all . . . people?”
— quoted from The Auschwitz Volunteer: Beyond Bravery by Captain Witold Pilecki (Auschwitz Prisoner No. 4859), translated from Pilecki’s original 1945 Auschwitz Report by Jarek Garliński (with an Introduction by Norman Davies & a Forward by Michael Schudrich (Foreword)
It is all too easy to focus on our differences, but what happens when we focus on our similarities? What happens when we focus — or just take a moment to notice — the things we have in common? I think good things happen. I think it makes us more fully human and, possibly, more appreciative of what it means to human. This is why it always feels particularly auspicious when two or more completely different groups of people (from vastly different communities, faiths, and cultures) are celebrating and/or observing sacred times at the same time. It feels particularly notable (to me) when these “holy” times are the same length of time. Take right now, for instance, when two very different 10-day celebrations/observations are overlapping around the world.
Today is the eighth day of the High Holidays (and of the new year) according to the Hebrew calendar and, according to the Hindu calendar, today is the sixth day of Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival celebrating the birthday of Ganesha. I referred to these as “very different” — and it is true that the rituals, traditions, and faiths are different. However, underlying both holidays is something very human: a desire for new beginnings and less obstacles. Additionally, both observations require people to do something in preparation for the better days. Whether it is making an offering and/or offering (or asking for) forgiveness, these auspicious times require people to act. So, there is prayer, there is reflection, there is prayer, and there is a dissolution (or dissolving) or something.
In both cases there is also something sweet.
“Within Ganesha’s tradition, two materials are paramount: Modak and Durva grass.
These twin offerings embody the poles of a disciplined, joyful life. Modak, a crafted, cooked sweet, represents height—refinement, skill, sweetness earned by effort. Durva, a raw, resilient weed, represents depth—humility, endurance, and the patient coolness of Earth. Destiny is mastered by holding both capacities: the ability to create nuanced joy and the capacity to survive heat and hardship. Ganesha is Modakapriya—Lover of Joy—yet he is crowned by grass; the pairing is deliberate. It trains the devotee to be complete.”
— quoted from “Chapter 17 — Offerings of Power: Modak and Durva” in The Ganesha Protocol: Ritual Practice for Clarity and New Beginnings by Lyra Kadesh (edited by Helena Marwood)
Click on the links above or the excerpt titles below for more.
Get Ready… To Pace Yourself (a compilation of notes & excerpts)
New Years / New Habits (a post-practice compilation for Monday)
“… it is [usually] steamed, a union of water and fire, yielding firmness without brittleness. That firmness is discipline, the ethical frame and ego structure needed to navigate the world cleanly. Inside rests the puran—dark, lush sweetness— an anatomy lesson for the inner life. The teaching reverses a common mistake: many are soft and reactive outwardly, yet hard and resentful within. Modak urges the opposite—outer steadiness and inner tenderness. Keep the shape; offer sweetness.”
— quoted from the “The Modak: The Geometry of Joy” section of “Chapter 17 — Offerings of Power: Modak and Durva” in The Ganesha Protocol: Ritual Practice for Clarity and New Beginnings by Lyra Kadesh (edited by Helena Marwood)
Each time we repeat the 2026 sankalpa during the Saturday practices, we only say the word “actions” once. However, each part of the vow includes actions: “I trust”; “to align”; “release” all involve us to actively engage and do something. Even the concept of having “abilities” implies action.
An important part of the High Holidays, Ganesha Chaturthi, and a new season (which is also starting this weekend), is the idea that we can all do something little that makes a difference. Some, however, do big things that make a difference.
Click on the link above or the excerpt title below (and scroll down) for a description of Tikkun Olam.
Do You Want a Perfect Tuesday or a Good Tuesday? (the “missing” Tuesday compilation post)
“I do not pretend to understand the moral universe. The arc is a long one. My eye reaches but little ways. I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by experience of sight. I can divine it by conscience. And from what I see I am sure it bends toward justice.”
— quoted from an 1853 sermon by abolitionist and Unitarian minister Theodore Parker
For Those Who Missed It: The following is the 2023 excerpt (revised from a 2020 post).
Click here if you want to read the entire post, which is also a tribute to “The Notorious R. B. G.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).
Calvary Captain Witold Pilecki (also known as Tomasz Serafiński) made such a big sacrifice and such a difference in the world that some believe he should be recognized by Yad Vashem (The World Holocaust Remembrance Center) as “Righteous Among Nations”. Today in 1940, he allowed himself to be captured by the Nazis. He did this in order to report the truth about what was going on in concentration camps like Auschwitz.
Captain Pilecki, served as an officer in the Polish Army during the Polish-Soviet War (1919 – 1920) and during World War II. As part of the Resistance to Nazi Occupied Poland, he co-founded the Secret Polish Army (along with Lieutenant Colonel Jan Henryk “Darwicz” Włodarkiewicz and Lieutenant Colonel Władysław “Stefan” Surmacki ), which eventually became part of the Home Army. When Germany invaded Poland at the end of 1939, very little was known about the concentration camps, but Captain Pilecki had a plan. His idea, which was approved by his Polish Army superiors, was to come out of hiding during a Warsaw roundup in order to be arrested and shipped to Auschwitz, where he could organize the resistance and report on the situation from the inside.
“I’ve been trying to live my life so that in the hour of my death I would rather feel joy, than fear.”
— Witold Pilecki’s statement to the judge after his sentencing, May 15, 1948
He was given a false identity card and was arrested on September 19, 1940. Arrested along with him were 2,000 civilians, including journalist and historian Władysław Bartoszewski (who was designated “Righteous Among Nations” in 1965). After being detained for two days, “Tomasz Serafiński” was assigned number 4859, and shipped to Auschwitz, where he documented the difference between the way the Nazis treated Jewish people versus non-Jewish people. He also documented the escalating move towards genocide.
During his two and a half years at Auschwitz, Witold Pilecki formed Union of Military Organizations (ZOW), a resistance organization within the camp, which set up intelligence networks; distributed extra food, clothing, and medical supplies; boosted morale; and prepared for a possible Home Army coup. At one point, ZOW was even able to construct and use a secret radio receiver and help at least 4 Polish men escape (with one of Captain Witold’s reports).
“Witold’s Report” (also known as “Pilecki’s Report”) was information that was regularly smuggled through the Polish resistance to London and even to the British government. It provided the outside world with the first “official” documentation of the Nazi’s atrocities. For much of the war, however, the reports of genocide were considered too unbelievable. As the Nazi’s plans became more and more obvious, and as his calls for the Allies to bomb the camps were denied, Captain Pilecki realized he was running out of time. He was receiving news from the outside that the Allies supported the idea of a prisoner insurrection — which he too had suggested at one time. However, by 1943, the people inside the camp were too weakened to mount an attack. He thought could be more convincing in person, so he put a new plan into action.
After he escaped in April 1943, Captain Pilecki wrote “Report W”, outlining the conditions of the camps, as well as details about the gas chambers, the selection process, the crematoria, and the sterilization experiments. His report was signed by other escapees and included the names of ZOW members. He continued to work and organize the resistance, while also expanding “Report W”. He participated in the Warsaw Uprising and was reassigned to Italy, but eventually returned to Communist-controlled Poland. In May of 1947, he was arrested by the Communist government and tortured, but he would not reveal other members of the resistance. He was eventually “tried” and executed. His most comprehensive version of the “W Report” (from 1945) was published in 2012, as The Auschwitz Volunteer: Beyond Bravery, and his life has been the subject of a number of books, songs, and articles.
“Who will be calm and who will be tormented?
Who will become poor and who will get rich?
Who will be made humble and who will be raised up?
But teshuvah and tefillah and tzedakah [return and prayer and righteous acts]
deflect the evil of the decree.”
— quoted from the poem “Unetaneh Tokef” (“Let Us Speak of the Awesomeness”)
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “High Holidays: Bending the Arc Still, in 2026”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlist contains extra videos of some of the songs featured during the practice.
“Even when a man takes revenge on others who hate him, in spite of him not hating them initially, the pain caused by his vengeance will bring him inevitable sorrow.” (313)
“When a man inflicts pain upon others in the forenoon, it will come upon him unsought in the afternoon.” (319)
— quoted from the English translation of the Tamil lyrics of the song “Ahimsa” by U2 and A. R. Rahman, featuring Khatija and Raheema Rahman (translation from IntegralYoga.org)
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHY I WANT YOU TO KISS SANDRA’S ASANA!
If you are struggling, thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
LIMITED SPACE FOR HOTEL DISCOUNTS!
### MAY YOUR NAME BE WRITTEN & SEALED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE / MAY YOU HAVE FEW OBSTACLES AHEAD ###
Get Ready… To Pace Yourself (a compilation of notes & excerpts) September 12, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Meditation, New Year, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Rosh Hashanah, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Ariel Kendall, Battle of Marathon, Dr. Reena Kotecha, High Holidays, Jane McGuire, Lori Palatnik, meditation, Norman Fischer, Rabbi Alan Lew, Rosh Hashanah, Run like Rel, Ten Days of Atonement, Ten Days of Awe, Tom Craggs
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“L’Shana Tovah U’Metukah!” to everyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“FOR TEN DAYS, THE GATES ARE OPEN AND THE WORLD is fluid. We are finally awake, if only in fits and starts, if only to toss and turn. For ten days, transformation is within our grasp. For ten days, we can imagine ourselves not as fixed and immutable beings, but rather as a limitless field upon which qualities and impulses rise up and fall away again like waves on the sea. Some of these impulses rise up with particular intensity. We may even experience them as afflictions, but they can be the keys to our transformation. Their intensity points to the disequilibrium and dysfunction in us that is in need of transformation.”
— quoted from “Chapter 7, What The Soul Does While The Gates Are Still Open: The Ten Days of Teshuvah” in This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation by Rabbi Alan Lew (with a forward by Norman Fischer)
Towards the end of September 2025, I had a very rich conversation with a dear friend (who was also a dear friend of my mom) and she told me about This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation by Rabbi Alan Lew. I immediately looked it up; but, even though I still haven’t found a copy yet, I am always struck by how people spend their time and how much time they need to get their hearts and minds in the right place for a special occasion (which, in some cases, is the rest of their lives).
For some it is 10 days, for some it is 40, for some it is 49, for some it is 9. Still others spend their whole lives getting ready. My fascination with how people get ready is why I asked people:
“How do you get ready for something big, for something momentous, for something auspicious?”
— The prompt question from Monday’s Common Ground Meditation Center practice (on 9/22/2025)
If you are getting ready for a big sporting event, there are certain things you do… days, weeks, months, even years beforehand. There’s a certain amount of training that gets you ready — physically and mentally. That training may involve changing what you eat and drink (and/or when you sleep). It may involve figuring out (and training with) the gear that helps you perform at your best. It may even involve a team. Training for something like a race or a marathon also involves pace yourself during your training and pacing yourself during the event. Finally, before you set up at the starting line, you have to qualify and/or register.
But, as I mentioned before, when I asked people about getting ready for something, it was towards the end of September 2025. So, I wasn’t thinking about getting ready for a sporting event — and neither were the people attending the practices.
Back in 2025, one of my yoga buddies talked about getting ready for a wedding and, over that weekend, another yoga buddy talked about going to a wedding anniversary party. Those were big, momentous, auspicious occasions. They required people to get ready and, also, to RSVP!
But, how do you RSVP for another year of life?
For that matter, how do you qualify for another year of life?
RSVP
— Acronym for Répondez s’il vous plaît [French for “Respond if you please”]
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW TO FIND OUT HOW YOUR RSVP FOR ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE!.
In addition to being Rosh Hashanah (and the beginning of the High Holidays) today might be the anniversary of the Battle of Marathon (in 490 BCE).
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
“‘Remember to enjoy it’ says [running coach Tom] Craggs, ‘sometimes take the headphones out, suck the crowd in, when you get to those last few miles dedicate each one to someone important in your life. You’ll bring it home and have a fantastic race.’”
— quoted from the Runner’s World article entitled “Last-minute pacing tips for your best half-marathon: You’ve put in all the hard work in training, but here’s how to make sure you stick to race pace.” by Jane McGuire
Please join me today (Saturday, September 12th) at 12:00 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Rosh Hashanah: Pace Yourself 2026”]
Click here for the P.A.C.E. Yourself guided meditation with Dr. Reena Kotecha (video)
“Start with a dream. Chase after it. Run with it. Hold FAST to Your Dreams. (Your dream is worth chasing.)”
— A little inspiration from Run Like Rel
If you are struggling, thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
LIMITED SPACE FOR HOTEL DISCOUNTS!
### MAY YOUR NAME BE WRITTEN & SEALED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE ###
EXCERPT (repost): “Tolstoy’s Theories & Questions (soooo many questions)” **updated w/extra link** September 9, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Meditation, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Art, Aylmer Maude, Books, Leo Tolstoy, Louise Maude, Mindfulness, Questions, Religion, Writing
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone fasting and/or planting and nourishing the seeds of friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“It once occurred to a certain king that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid; and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.”
— quoted from the short story “The Three Questions” (originally published in the short story collection What Men Live By) by Leo Tolstoy (b. 09/08/1828, according to the Gregorian calendar), translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT LEO TOLSTOY.
FTWMI: Tolstoy’s Theories & Questions (soooo many questions)
Please join me today (Wednesday, September 9th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom (featuring “Three Questions,” one of Tolstoy’s short stories). You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09092020 Tolstoy’s Theory”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlist includes a video in the before/after section that is not available on Spotify. The Spotify playlist includes an instrumental version of the same song.
If you are struggling, thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
### ??? ###
FTWMI: The Devil of a Thing & EXCERPT: “Still Focused On the Outside? [But, What’s On the Inside?]” September 8, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Donate, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alecia Beth Moore, Books, David, education, George Eliot, International Literacy Day, literacy, Mary Ann Evans, Michelangelo, P!nk, PEN America, shabda, Star Trek, UNESCO, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
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Happy International Literacy Day! Happy Star Trek Day! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone carving out space for a mighty good heart, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2025, with the prompt question was, “What is a book or story that left an impression on you (and do you think someone would be interested in it just from the cover)?”.
Class details, some dated-related information, links, and formatting have been added/updated.
“‘“The History of the Devil,” by Daniel Defoe,—not quite the right book for a little girl,’ said Mr Riley. ‘How came it among your books, Mr Tulliver?’
Maggie looked hurt and discouraged, while her father said,—
‘Why, it’s one o’ the books I bought at Partridge’s sale. They was all bound alike,—it’s a good binding, you see,—and I thought they’d be all good books. There’s Jeremy Taylor’s ‘Holy Living and Dying’ among ’em. I read in it often of a Sunday’ (Mr Tulliver felt somehow a familiarity with that great writer, because his name was Jeremy); “and there’s a lot more of ’em,—sermons mostly, I think,—but they’ve all got the same covers, and I thought they were all o’ one sample, as you may say. But it seems one mustn’t judge by th’ outside. This is a puzzlin’ world.’”
— quoted from “Chapter III. Mr Riley Gives His Advice Concerning a School for Tom” in “Book First. Boy and Girl.” of The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
You’ve probably heard the old adage about not judging a book by its cover. However, you may still do it. Previous experiences (and marketing people) may have taught you — or conditioned you to believe — that the stories that interest you will have certain things on the cover, while the stories that are not worth your time will have other things on the cover. Of course, as George Eliot’s Maggie eventually pointed out, it goes both ways.
Every once in a while, you may find yourself reading something that doesn’t interest you. No harm, no foul.
On the other hand, unless someone tells you otherwise, you may miss out on a great story.
But, what if you were one of the millions of people around the world who lack basic literacy skills? What if you didn’t read because you have an undiagnosed learning disability and it was exhausting? You might be thinking, “Well, now there’s Audible and other technology that can read for you.” Sure, but even that requires a certain amount of access and digital literacy, which millions of people are also lacking.
Additionally, as our reliance on technology increases, proficiency can decrease. For example, I can verify the spelling and meaning of a word, because I know where to start. I also know how to verify if an image (and the accompanying information) is real and accurate, slightly altered, or completely fabricated. I can do those things (and more), because I can read.
But, some people can’t.
“‘Well,’ said Mr Riley, in an admonitory, patronizing tone as he patted Maggie on the head, ‘I advise you to put by the ‘History of the Devil,’ and read some prettier book. Have you no prettier books?’”
— quoted from “Chapter III. Mr Riley Gives His Advice Concerning a School for Tom” in “Book First. Boy and Girl.” of The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
According to UNESCO, “… at least 739 million youth and adults worldwide still lack basic literacy skills in 2024. At the same time, 4 in 10 children are not reaching minimum proficiency in reading, and 272 million children and adolescents were out of school in 2023.” And, while you may think that’s a THEM problem, it’s actually an (all of) US problem.
In 1966, UNESCO designated today, September 8th, as International Literacy Day (ILD). It is a day that highlights “the critical importance of literacy for creating more literate, just, peaceful, and sustainable society.” The 2025 ILD theme was “Promoting literacy in the digital era.”
Since International Literacy Day and Star Trek are both (technically) 60 years old, this year’s theme feels particularly pointed: “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity”.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW
FOR MORE ABOUT THE INSIDE!
“‘Oh, yes,’ said Maggie, reviving a little in the desire to vindicate the variety of her reading. ‘I know the reading in this book isn’t pretty; but I like the pictures, and I make stories to the pictures out of my own head, you know. But I’ve got “Æsop’s Fables,” and a book about Kangaroos and things, and the “Pilgrim’s Progress….”’
‘Ah, a beautiful book,’ said Mr Riley; ‘you can’t read a better.’
‘Well, but there’s a great deal about the Devil in that,’ said Maggie, triumphantly, ‘and I’ll show you the picture of him in his true shape, as he fought with Christian.’”
— quoted from “Chapter III. Mr Riley Gives His Advice Concerning a School for Tom” in “Book First. Boy and Girl.” of The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
Please join me today (Tuesday, September 8th) at 12:00 Noon or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09082020 What Is Inside”]
Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
### “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” ~ Michelangelo ###
FTWMI: A Quick Note & EXCERPTS: “A Little Maintenance & A Little Playful Inquiry” & “The Art of Moving Meditation” September 6, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Meditation, Minneapolis, Minnesota, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Books, Buddhism, pirsig, Robert Pirsig, Writing, Zen
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone working to maintain friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
For Those Who Missed It: The following notes and excerpts were previously posted. Class details, some formatting, and links have been updated/added.
“It occurred to me that maybe I was the odd one on the subject, but that was disposed of too. Most touring cyclists know how to keep their machines tuned. Car owners usually won’t touch the engine, but every town of any size at all has a garage with expensive lifts, special tools and diagnostic equipment that the average owner can’t afford. And a car engine is more complex and inaccessible than a cycle engine so there’s more sense to this. But for John’s cycle, a BMW R60, I’ll bet there’s not a mechanic between here and Salt Lake City. If his points or plugs burn out, he’s done for. I know he doesn’t have a set of spare points with him. He doesn’t know what points are. If it quits on him in western South Dakota or Montana I don’t know what he’s going to do.”
— quoted from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig
Since today is the anniversary of the birth of Robert Pirsig (b. 1928), we play and maintain and sit — which, in this context, is all the same.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
“I might have thought this was just a peculiar attitude of theirs about motorcycles but discovered later that it extended to other things — .”
— quoted from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig
“The real cycle you’re working on is a cycle called yourself. The machine that appears to be ‘out there’ and the person that appears to be ‘in here’ are not two separate things. They grow toward Quality or fall away from Quality together.”
— quoted from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig
Please join me today (Sunday, September 6th) at 2:30 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09062020 The Art of Moving Meditation”]
NOTE: The before/after music is slightly different on YouTube and Spotify.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
LIMITED SPACE FOR HOTEL DISCOUNTS!
“The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there.”
— quoted from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig
### BREATHE: You need air in your tires and wind in your sails. ###
How You Can Use What is “Happening” to Un-Cage Yourself (a compilation post with excerpts & a video) September 5, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Life, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Vairagya, Vipassana, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 8 Limbs of Yoga Philosophy, 988, Abhyasa, Allan Kaprow, Art, Bhagavad Gita, dance, elephants, Happening, I Ching, Japa-Ajapa, John Cage, kriyā yoga, La Monte Young, Merce Cunningham, music, Philosophy, Richard Kostelanetz, samskaras, samskāras, silence, tapas, Vairagya, vasana, vāsanā, Walt Whitman, Writing, yoga, Yoga Sutra 2.1, Zen Buddhism
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing Apodosis of the Dormition; offering prayers for forgiveness on Leil Selichot; and/or awakening friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
May you be safe, protected, and appreciated.
“The past is not fact. The past is simply a big field that had a great deal of activity in it. I asked a historian once, ‘How do you write history?’ and he said, ‘Oh, you have to invent it.’ Well, the way we invent history is by doing what we do; and the more we do, the more we look into the past to see if there is anything that is like what we are doing. If there is, we get interested; and if there isn’t, we don’t.”
— quoted from “Three: His Own Music (to 1970)” in Conversing with Cage by Richard Kostelanetz
What we are doing right here, right now, in this present moment, is based on our past moments and our past experiences. What we do next is based on those past moments and experiences as well as whatever we do (are doing) in this present moment. It seems really obvious, right? And, yet, if we are not mindful, intentional, and deliberate, we will continue doing the same things over and over again — even when those things no longer serve us (or we realize they never served us). Even when they are the same mistakes and/or the same bad behavior, over and over again.
Change requires discipline. Tapas (“heat, discipline, austerity” and the practices that cultivate them) is such an important part of the Yoga Philosophy it is one of the niyamas (internal “observations”) and the first element in kriyā yoga (“union in action”). (YS 2.1) It is described in the Bhagavad Gita as a purification tool and defined as “‘to melt’, as in refining ore.” (BG 17.14)
Tapas is a part of the practice that requires repetition.
“And this repetition of the exercises, which resemble print more than electronics, which resemble classing dancing more than Happenings, is nevertheless physically necessary if [Merce Cunningham] is to dance at all. I think this is his principal problem at the present moment. Were he to give up the daily class, all the dancing, as he has lived to do it, it would become impossible, because the things that are done are athletic in character and are not possible unless you maintain a daily discipline in the same sense that one cannot high jump unless the body is physically disciplined.”
— quoted from “Nine: Dance” in Conversing with Cage by Richard Kostelanetz
Because of the discipline involved, a yoga practice has a lot in common with dance (and other athletic endeavors). Yet, a yoga class can also haves a lot in common with a “Happening”: a performance or art event that may be lightly scripted, but/and is ultimately a collaboration between the performers, the audience, the time, and the place. The term (“happening”) is attributed to Allan Kaprow, who studied with John Cage.
Born today in 1912, John Cage played around with musical happenings in the 1950s, while also studying Buddhism and collaborating with his partner Merce Cunningham, the choreographer. He also experimented with prepared instruments and explored silence and chance, while grappling with his ever-evolving feelings about repetition (particularly in music).
“[The composer La Monte Young] is able either through the repetition of a single sound or through the continued performance of a single sound for a period like twenty minutes, to bring it about that after, say, five minutes, I discover what I have all along been thinking was the same thing is not the same thing after all, but full of variety. I find his work remarkable almost in the same sense that the change in experience of seeing is when you look through a microscope. You see that there is something other than what you thought there was.”
— quoted from “Ten: Successors” in Conversing with Cage by Richard Kostelanetz
In some ways, our yoga practice is like a lab or a microscope, giving us the opportunity to “see things [like our habits] in a special way”.
Ancient and modern sciences agree that if we repeatedly do something enough times, we will continue to do that thing. In other words, it will become a habit. It doesn’t matter if we look at this paradigm through the lens of modern science (which focuses on how neural pathways are formed and hardwired) or if we think of it through the lens of ancient sciences like Yoga and Āyurveda (which highlight samskara [a “mental impression”] and vasana [a literal “dwelling” place of our habits]). Do something enough and doing it begins to feel instinctual. This is true whether we consider the behavior good, bad, or neutral.
Regardless of the value we place on a behavior, most of the things we are in the habit of doing are things that we may not have intentionally set out to do. The Yoga Philosophy, however, encourages us to cultivate the habit of cultivating habits. Abhyasa is the “[continuous and deliberate] practice, [engaged with sincere devotion]”. Paired with vairagya (“non-attachment”), abhyasa is a mindful, intentional, and deliberate way of creating habits that serve you — on and off the mat. (YS. 1.12-1.14) This practice highlights the fact that, although we may find ourselves trapped in habitual behaviors, we forget (or never learned) that we can change our habits.
We just have to do the new thing again and again… and again.
“If something is boring after 2 minutes, try it for 4. If still boring, then 8. Then 16. Then 38. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all.”
— John Cage
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
First Friday Night Special #59 — Invitation for “How to Get Out of Your Cage” (with excerpt & video)
“Get yourself out of whatever cage you find yourself.”
— John Cage
Please join me today (Saturday, September 5th) at 12:00 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09052020 The Cagey Truth About Nothing”]
FAIR WARNING: The volume on these tracks is quite dynamic, especially on the Spotify list. I love this music, however, I know some folks hate it; so, feel free to “randomly” pick another list or…practice in “silence.”
If you are interested in John Cage, and need something a little less dynamic, another playlist is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09052025 How to Get Out of Your Cage”]
Pure Cage
Extreme heat (and a lot of changes) can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
LIMITED SPACE FOR HOTEL DISCOUNTS!
### LIVE UNCAGED ###
Playing with the little puppy, the big green monster, a cow, a cat, dad, mama’s little duckling, a Hanukkah bear, a croc & a turtle II (Should I offer a so big [apology — & some magic] if your emotions are up & down because it’s still mostly just the music… & another title, again?) [the First Friday Night Special #71 Invitation] September 4, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Music, One Hoop, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Mike Wohnoutka, Yoga Sutra 2.19, Yoga Sutras 1.2 - 1.4, Yoga Sutras 1.30 - 1.40
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing a fast; offering prayers on Leil Selichot; and/or awakening friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
Please join me (TONIGHT) Friday, September 4, 2026, 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST) for “A Little Playtime, A Little Rest Time… (for the mind)”.
This Restorative Yoga practice (with a little movement) is accessible and open to all.
(NOTE: There will be a little bit of quiet space in this practice.)
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09062024 The Art of Moving Maintenance”]
NOTE: You can start with Track #1 or #2. The YouTube playlist includes “Pirsig’s Pursuit” by Chris Foster, which I did not find on Spotify. The Spotify playlist has an extra track from the original playlist.
Prop wise, this is a kitchen sink practice and I will suggest using blankets, bolsters, and/or blocks during the practice. You can practice without props or use “studio” props and/or “householder” props. Example of Commercial props: 1 – 2 blankets, 2 – 3 blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. Example of Householder props: 1 – 2 blankets or bath towels, 2 – 3 books (similar in size), 2 standard pillows (or 1 body pillow), a belt/tie/sash, and a face towel.
You may want extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). Having a wall, chair, sofa, or coffee table may be handy throughout this practice.
Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
LIMITED SPACE FOR HOTEL DISCOUNTS!
9/4/2026: Revised with correct invitation number.
### 
###
An Excerpted Note & A Post EXCERPT: “Deep Listening” September 1, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Karma, Mantra, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Vipassana, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Dharma Singh Khalsa M. D., Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa, Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak, Japa-Ajapa, Japji Sahib, John Metcalfe, meditation, sikh, Sikhism, Song of the Soul, spirituality, stillness
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“Deeply Listening,
Yoga
And the hidden systems
Of the body
Make themselves known.
Deeply Listening,
The wisdom
Of all sacred scriptures in the world
Is revealed.
Oh my soul,
Those who surrender themselves in Love
To the Divine
Continuously blossom and bloom.
Deeply Listening
Sorrows
And errors
Depart.”
— quoted from Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul by Guru Nanak (Translated by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)
Our practices, on and off the mat or cushion, give us the opportunity to pay attention to how the mind-body works — and to really listen, deeply.
Listening deeply is one of the important lessons in the Japji Sahib (known in English as The Song of the Soul) an ancient Sikh text at the beginning of the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the Adi Granth or primary sacred text / scripture in Sikhism. Originally compiled and printed by Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh guru, on August 29, 1604, it was placed in the Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India, today (September 1st) in 1604.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
FTWMI: Deep Listening (*Revised) – the post-practice Friday post
Please join me today (Tuesday, September 1st) at 12:00 Noon or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09012024 Deep Listening”]
MUSIC NOTE: The playlist contains John Metcalfe’s album Tree (with the remixes); however, one track has been moved. The story behind the album is beautiful (and it is about working). Additionally, I encourage you to deeply listen to Track #11 (which is the Japji Sahib).
A First Friday playlist is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09012023 Trusting, Listening… Deeply”]
When using the First Friday playlist you can start with Track #1, #2, #3, or #5. These are instrumental tracks. Track #4 is the Japji Sahib.
“If you
Trust what you hear
When you listen,
Then you will know
What you see,
How to understand
And act.”
— quoted from Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul by Guru Nanak (Translated by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)
Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
LIMITED SPACE FOR HOTEL DISCOUNTS!
NOTE: The translation by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa is the foundation for The End of Karma: 10 Days to Perfect Peace, Tranquility, and Joy by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M. D., which I quote during the practice.
### BREATHE, LISTEN, REST (& do it all over again) ###
[FTWMI] A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “I Can’t Say That… Can I?” August 30, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Life, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Vairagya, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, environment, journalism, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Molly Ivins, Moscow-Washington Direct Communication Link, politics, SCOTUS, Second Battle of Bull Run, Second Battle of Manassas, Supreme Court, Technology, Thurgood Marshall, Washington-Moscow Direct Communication Link
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May you be safe, peaceful, healthy, and hydrated.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was previously posted. Class details, links, and some formatting has been updated/added.
“‘You are in the wrong,’ replied the fiend; ‘and instead of threatening, I am content to reason with you. I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all…? Shall I respect man when he condemns me? Let him live with me in the interchange of kindness, and instead of injury I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance. But that cannot be; the human senses are insurmountable barriers to our union. Yet mine shall not be the submission of abject slavery. I will revenge my injuries; if I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, and chiefly towards you my archenemy…’”
— quoted from Chapter 17 of Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (b. 1797)
I stand by the statements I made in the post excerpted below and yet… and yet. While I do not ever choose the monster’s path, I do recognize that any of us could be the monster. I recognize that it is a choice and that recognition can make all the difference in the world.
Part of this practice is noticing our choices and, also, noticing cause-and-effect — as well as our samskara (a “mental impression”) and vasana (a literal “dwelling” place of our habits). Part of this practice is noticing the conditioning and habitual patterns that make us, in a moment, forget that we have a choice. It is natural to run, hide, and/or come out swinging when backed into a corner by someone that means us harm. However, take note of what happens when the danger is passed. Are you still running, hiding, or swinging?
Now, take note of the times when you back yourself into a corner.
Are you still running, hiding, or swinging?
And, if you are not swinging, what are you doing?
“Nothing is more painful to the human mind than, after the feelings have been worked up by a quick succession of events, the dead calmness of inaction and certainty which follows and deprives the soul both of hope and fear.”
— quoted from Chapter 9 of Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Click on the excerpt title below for the short post related to this date.
“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.”
— quoted from the movie based on Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Please join me today (Sunday, August 30th) at 2:30 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10202020 Pratyahara”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not researched, but which may be helpful if you need (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
LIMITED SPACE FOR HOTEL DISCOUNTS!
### THE LIGHT IS STILL ON & THE LINE IS STILL OPEN!! ###
EXCERPT (repost): “All These Easter Eggs Are About Hope… Not Blind Optimism” August 23, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Abhyasa, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Music, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Suffering, Tragedy, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Adrienne Wilkinson, Books, Captain Lexxa Singh, Fitness, mental health, Philosophy, Stoicism, William Ernest Henley, Writing
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Many blessings to you all. Make sure to rest, relax, hydrate, and smile (when you can) — especially if you are observing the Dormition (Theotokos) Fast.
Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!
“Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.”
— quoted from the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley
Click on the excerpt title below for more about William Ernest Henley (b. 1849) and how his life and work continues to inspire billions.
FTWMI: All These Easter Eggs Are About Hope… Not Blind Optimism
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
— quoted from “The Sermon on the Mount,” in The Gospel According to Matthew (7:14)
“It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.”
— quoted from “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley
Please join me today (Sunday, August 23rd) at 2:30 PM for a “spirited” yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08232020 Henley’s Invictus Day”]
(NOTE: The playlists have slightly different before/after practice content. Both include the poem, but the YouTube playlist has a little more!)
Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or need a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
