How We Begin & FTWMI/ABRIDGED: “A Few Notes About Holy Events & Reaching a Higher Plane” (the post-practice Monday post) April 13, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Baisakhi, Bihu, Bill Conti, bodhisattva, Bright Week, Counting the Omer, Dharma Singh Khalsa M. D., Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa, Gary Soto, KISS MY ASANA, Pana Sankranti, Pi Mai, Pohela Boishakh, Puthandu, Sikhism, Songkran, Theravada Buddhism, Vaisakhi, Vishu
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“Happy Songkran!” / “Happy New Year!” and/or “Happy Vaisakhi!” to all who are celebrating! Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or celebrating and/or observing Bright Week!
Happy Poetry Month!
This post-practice compilation post for Monday, April 13th, features a quick note and (For Those Who Missed It) the abridged version of a 2025 post. The 2026 prompt question was, “What or how do you like to begin?” WARNING: There is a passing reference to state-sanctioned violence.
You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“How strange that we can begin at any time.”
— quoted from the poem “Looking Around, Believing” by Gary Soto
Even though we could begin a practice (or a story) in a variety of ways, the beginning of something is particularly special because it brings awareness to future possibilities. The way we begin gives us an opportunity to set an intention about how we want to move forward. And, even when we know how the story (or the practice) ends, there is something momentous and exciting about not knowing how we will get there. Again, there are so many possibilities — even when we are beginning again.
All of the things that make the beginning of a story and/or a practice significant also make the beginning of a new job, new day, a new season, or a new year significant. While we are in the habit of starting a new year — not to mention a new day or a new season — at a particular time, that time is slightly arbitrary. The truth is that a new year starts every time we inhale and every time we exhale.
In fact, some people are beginning a new year right now and this new beginning is an opportunity to open up to new possibilities.
For Those Who Missed It: The following is the abridged (slightly revised) version of a 2025 post. The original post included new and “renewed” content and excerpts, plus references to lunar calendar-based holidays. NOTE: The excerpts and linked posts often include references to other holidays/events.
“All you have to do is open up a little bit and then you’ll be experiencing a part of that person’s soul. It’s just there – in the presence of a beautiful painting, a creation, something created by someone else. This is insight into not who they are physically, but who they are on this other plane. So, what makes it magical, always, is to hear music performed live.”
— Bill Conti
People practice yoga for a lot of different reasons; but those reasons usually come down to opening up in some way. The opening up can happen on a lot of different levels: physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and even spiritual and/or religious levels. In addition to opening up, we start coming together — sometimes in surprising ways — and we start noticing the things we have in common. So, more opening up. Part of this opening up is about learning about ourselves and part of it is about learning about the world (and the other people in the world). Finally, there is an element of the practice that is about the Divine and about opening up to a higher plane.
Bill Conti, who was born April 13, 1942, has said similar things about music. Sometimes I have a playlist completely dedicated to the Italian-American composer and conductor known for soaring scores that inspire (underscore) the indomitable human spirit. However, sometimes, his music highlights the fact that there is just so much that is holy.
“When the audience and the performers become one, it is almost nearly divine, where this oneness can actually meet in some, not physical place, but in some spiritual place, in the middle, not the performers performing, not the audience receiving, but all of a sudden that contact is made and it becomes wonderful.”
— Bill Conti
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT BILL CONTI.
NOTE: The 2026 practice included references to Bright Week, which is the week after the Great & Holy Pascha (in some Orthodox Christian traditions). It also included references and a body scan related to Counting of the Omer (in some Jewish traditions). You can click on the link for more information.
NEW HOPES (& OLD SUFFERING)
Passover and Lent / Great Lent have ties to harvest festivals and new beginnings. However, even as people remember those ancient harvest festivals, there are people currently celebrating their own harvest festivals and new beginnings. For instance, Songkran / Songkran Festival (the traditional Thai New Year) and Pi Mai (the Lao New Year) are (usually) three-day festivals that started on April 13th. While Thailand has officially celebrated a secular new year (according to the Gregorian calendar) since 1940, Songkran is a national holiday. Pi Mai is also a government holiday.
Like all new year (and new season) celebrations, Songkran is a liminal time marking the transition between “what is no longer and what is not yet.” In fact, the name is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “to move”, “movement”, or “astrological passage”, and marks the transition of the sun from one zodiac phase to another. Technically, this movement happens repeatedly throughout a year and marks the change from one month to the next on the solar calendar. However, the transition between Pieces and Aries is considered the Maha Songkran (“Great Movement”), which marks the new year. In Laos, the second day is considered “the day of no year” and the new year actually begins on the third day of the celebration.
These celebrations coincide or overlap with other new year’s celebrations in Southeast and South Asia, including Puthandu (the Tamil New Year, April 14, 2026); the Hindu festival Vishu (April 14, 2026); Bihu in the Indian state of Assam (April 14, 2026); Pohela Boishakh (the Bengali New Year, celebrated on April 14th in Bangladesh and April 15th in various parts of India); Pana Sankranti for the Odia people in India; and a plethora of other celebrations in China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Many of these celebrations are also tied to the Theravada Buddhist calendar.
Songkran also coincides with Vaisakhi (or Baisakhi), which is a spring harvest festival in Punjab and Northern India. Vaisakhi is also a solar new year and is a particularly auspicious time for the Sikh community. In addition to commemorating the creation of the Khalsa order (the Sikh community) by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism (on April 13, 1699), it also commemorates the beginning of the unified Sikh political state when Ranjit Singh was proclaimed as Maharaja of the Sikh Empire (on April 12, 1801). That declaration was intentionally set to coincide around Vaisakhi as people recognized the power of coming together on such an auspicious occasion.
The significance of this date is also one of the reasons people gathered together during a Vaisakhi celebration in Amritsar, on April 13, 1919, to protest the British government’s Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919 (also known as the Rowlatt Act) and the arrest of two members of the satyagraha movement, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Satyapal (Dr. Satya Pal). Tragically, British Indian Army officer Reginald Dyer ordered British soldiers to block the entrance of the Jallianwala Bagh (a historic garden with only one entrance/exit) and fire into the nonviolent crowd. Hundreds, possible thousands (depending on the estimates), were killed and over 1,200 others were injured in what is remembered as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre or the Amritsar massacre.
“I wash myself
In sacred waters
In order to please You.
But if it doesn’t please You,
What is bathing for?
I see,
The vastness of Your wondrous creation.
But without taking action,
How can I merge with Thee?”
— quoted from Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul by Guru Nanak (Translated by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)
While the rituals, traditions, and related stories may be different, there are several common elements in Songkran, Pi Mai, and Vaisakhi celebrations. For instance, water is a prominent feature in these celebrations, which include ritual cleansing and bathing — sometimes in the form of a water fight or, for Hindu communities celebrating Vaisakhi, ritual bathing in one of the sacred rivers. Vaisakhi celebrations can also include gurudwara (Punjabi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ) — an assembly place where everyone is welcomed into “the door of the guru” — as well as processions, kirtans, flag raisings, and alms giving. Sand mounds (sometimes decorated with flowers); processions; and various forms of alms giving are also part of Songkran and Pi Mai celebrations. In Luang Prabang, the capital of Luang Prabang Province in north-central Laos, there is a Miss Pi Mai Lao (Miss Lao New Year) beauty pageant. In both Thailand and Laos, the water may be perfumed. People celebrating in Laos may also spray each other with shaving or whipping cream.
One of the stories related to Songkran is the story of someone born with a deep well of compassion and the desire to see the end of suffering. A bodhisattva (bodistva) is someone on the path to Buddhahood either because of their birth, their practice, or from a spontaneous impulse (that is then joined with practice). In this case, the compassionate person is part of a poor family in a very (materially) rich community. While the community is financially prosperous, it is lacking in many areas. There was a lot of corruption, greed, and sin. People lacked compassion for those who were less fortunate and there was a lack of respect (for elders and for spiritual/religious traditions), as well as improper use of food and medicine. Faith in the dhamma (Buddhist “teaching” or “law”) had been replaced with faith in the dhamma as a business — not unlike the situation described on Passion / Holy / Great Monday.
According to one version of the story, Indra (the ruler of Heaven) looked down at the world out of balance and basically declared that people couldn’t have nice things if they didn’t have compassion and faith. Therefore, there was no longer rain in the proper time, food became scarce, the sun became too hot, and garbage built up in the streets — which, of course, brought disease… and more suffering.
The bodhisattva encouraged people to pray to Mother Earth, in the form of the Golden Tara, who told them they had to follow the dhamma. She also gave them a divine piece of fertile land, divine seeds, a song for rain, and a pots of divine powder in various colors. The people made a paste from the powder, to cool their skin, and then got to work sowing the seeds and singing the songs. Once they had an adequate harvest, they washed the paste off, and washed the feet of their elders. They also served their elders, cared for the less fortunate, and committed to practicing the dhamma.
“Within my own
Awareness
Are jewels, gems,
And rubies,
From listening to the teachings
Of the Divine Teacher
Even once.
All souls come
From the Hand of One Giver.
May I never, ever,
Forget Him.”
— quoted from Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul by Guru Nanak (Translated by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
The 2025 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04132025 All That Is Holy, II”]
The Bill Conti playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04132021 Reaching A Higher Place”]
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 peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
Click here for the first 2025 Kiss My Asana post!
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
NOTE: Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa’s translation of Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul can be found in The End of Kharma: 40 Days to Perfect Peace, Tranquility, and Joy by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M. D.
### ELEVATE & PRAY FOR PEACE ###
The Emptiness is Full of Connection (the “missing” Saturday compilation post w/excerpt & video) April 11, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Faith, Healing Stories, Lent / Great Lent, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alessia Cara, Alessia Caracciolo, Arjun Ivatury, Atma, Beth Hirsch, Counting the Omer, Drew Taggart, Dylan Wiggins, Eastertide, John Cage, Khalid, Khalid Robinson, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, Logic, Mark Strand, Misuzu Kaneko, Octave of Easter, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Poetry, poetry month, R. S. Thomas, Rainer Maria Rilke, Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Thich Nhat Hanh, Wasis Diop, Xavier Derouin, yoga sutra 1.34, Yoga Sutra 1.5, Yoga Sutra 2.3-2.9, Yoga Sutras 2.54-2.55
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Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or celebrating and/or observing Eastertide and the Octave of Easter or Great Lent.
Happy Poetry Month!!
This “missing” compilation post for Saturday, April 11th , includes new and revised/re-purposed content. Links to the related Kiss My Asana offerings can be found at the beginning of the 2021 post on this date. Links in the notes section will direct you to sites outside of this blog. WARNING: There is a passing reference to suicide in the last half of this post (and in the video). You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
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Yes, the space above was intentionally blank.
What was your reaction to all that “empty” space? Did you react the same way you do in a yoga class when the instructor suddenly stops speaking? Did it make you nervous? Did you think it was a mistake? Did you think I was posting about the first photograph of a black hole? Did you notice it at all?
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions; just the truth. And, the truth is that emptiness, stillness, and nothingness are powerful states that can simultaneously be experienced as uncomfortable and/or as welcoming. We can perceive them as peaceful; as the calm before the storm; and/or as a sign that something is wrong. Just as this is all true when we are talking about external emptiness, stillness, and nothingness; it is also true when we are talking about internal emptiness, stillness, and nothingness.
We live in an overstimulated world full of things — and, that means we are overstimulated and full of things. Yet, we somehow want more. That’s part of what makes us human. It is human nature to crave a sense of belonging and to desire being part of something more than ourselves — to be full. And, yet, those very human desires can lead to very human suffering. The suffering comes, in part, because (as the song goes) “everything is never quite enough”.
The solution to that suffering?
Let everything go.
“We are accustomed to living in a world defined by and confined to the forces of time, space, and the law of cause and effect. Out deep familiarity with ourselves as a limited entity makes embracing our limitless self extremely distressing. We prefer becoming ‘big’ in our familiar little world to losing ourselves in the vastness of pure consciousness.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.6, from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
Emptiness, stillness, and nothingness come up a lot in philosophies like Yoga and Buddhism — and, they are often misunderstood. Concepts like anattā (“non-self” or “no-self”) are hard to grasp (pun intended) if one is not in the habit of practicing non-attachment. Further confusion can ensue when we consider that Patanjali’s Yoga Sūtras (and other ancient texts) discuss Ātman or Ātma (“essence, breath, soul”) as one’s true/highest “Self” and, also, describe a “false sense of self-identity” (āsmita) as one of the five afflicted/dysfunctional thought patterns1 that leads to suffering. (YS 2.3 & YS 2.6) That false sense of self, i-ness, or (sense of) ego comes from the next two afflicted/dysfunctional thought patterns — “attachment” (rāga) and “aversion” (dveṣā)— and lead directly to the final affliction: “fear of death or loss” (abhiniveśāḥ). (YS 2.3-2.9)
“We now see the world through the lens of asmita. The samskaric properties of this false self-identity create a world filled with friends and enemies, virtue and vice. Asmita leads us to experiences of success and failure, gain and loss, honor and insult, and burdens us with inferiority and superiority complexes. Our inner luminosity becomes dim….”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.6, from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
Whether we realize it or not, our attachments turn life into a zero-sum game… that everyone is losing. Of course, giving up our sense of self — not to mention our attachments and aversions — is one of the hardest things to do. Part of the challenge is that giving up how we define ourselves (and/or how we think we fit into the world) feels like physical death. This is why it is so hard for people to leave a community and/or an organization even when being part of said community and/or organization causes harm to themselves and others. It is especially hard when we don’t recognize the harm.
It’s hard, but not impossible.
Non-attachment takes practice. It takes (re)conditioning. It requires an understanding and appreciation of emptiness, stillness, and nothingness that may not be (and probably is not) part of our background.
Remember, our understanding and appreciation of everything reflect (or echo, if you will) our previous experiences. If we learn to embrace moments of stillness and quite, we also learn to appreciate that sense of emptiness. If we study/practice the aforementioned philosophies, we learn — as John Cage did — that there is never nothing: “Every moment is an echo of nothing.” If we get still and quite, we can be full… of the stillness and the quiet.
“We cannot say that emptiness is something which exists independently. Fullness is also the same. Full is always full of something, such as full of market, buffaloes, villages or Bhikshu. Fullness is not something which exists independently.
The emptiness and fullness depends on the presence of the bowl, Ananda.
Bhikshu’s look deeply at this bowl and you can se the entire universe. This bowl contains the entire universe. This is only one thing this bowl is empty of and that is separate individual self.
Emptiness means empty of self.”
— quoted from Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha by Thich Nhat Hanh
Just as these ideas come up in certain philosophies, they also come up in poetry. Rainer Maria Rilke, for instance, wrote about such things. As did R. S. Thomas. In many ways, however, those two poets had similar backgrounds (even though they had some very different life experiences). But, what happens when two very different poets, with vastly different backgrounds and experiences, have similar relationships with emptiness, stillness, and nothingness?
Do their poems highlight the fact that emptiness, stillness, and nothingness are part of life? Can they show us the value of the intangible and (almost) undefinable?
For Those Who Missed It: Variations of the following have previously been posted.
“In a field
I am the absence
of field.
This is
always the case.
Wherever I am
I am what is missing.”
— quoted from the poem “Keeping Things Whole” by Mark Strand
Today is the anniversary of the birth of Misuzu Kaneko (b. 1903) and Mark Strand (b. 1934). Although the two poets lived very different lives in very different places, they wrote poems on very similar themes2 and were both considered literary celebrities during their lifetimes.
Born Tero Kaneko, Kaneko was able to attend school through the age of 17, despite most Japanese girls of the time only attending up to 6th grade. Her poems started to become very popular when she was 20 years old. Unfortunately, her private life as an adult was so tumultuous and tragic that Kaneko committed suicide just before her 27th birthday. At the time of her death, she had published 51 poems.
When Strand was born in Canada, four years after Kaneko’s death, Kaneko’s poems had been all but lost.
Strand grew up moving around the United States, Columbia, Mexico, and Peru. Raised in a secular Jewish home, he went to a Quaker-run college preparatory school in New York; earned a BA at Antioch College in Ohio; moved to Connecticut to study art and graduated with an MFA from Yale; studied poetry in Italy on a Fulbright scholarship; and finally attended the Iowa Writers’ Workshop (where he received an MA in writing) before teaching all over the East Coast and spending a year as a Fulbright Lecturer in Brazil. In addition to ultimately teaching all over the U.S., Strand won a Pulitzer Prize, served as U. S. Poet Laureate, and was honored with numerous other awards and titles. At the time of his death, at the age of 80, he had published at least 21 collections of poetry, plus three children’s books, several books of prose, and served as editor and/or translator for at least 13 more publications.
To my knowledge, Kaneko never left Japan.
Despite the wildly different details of their lives, both poets wrote about loss and darkness, belonging vs. being alone, how personal perspectives create our world, humans vs. nature, and [the concept of] personal responsibility. They may have used different words, but they seemed to share an underlying idea: True power comes from being present with what is despite our desire to possess, change, and understand everything around us.
“Are you just an echo?
No, you are everyone.”
— quoted from the poem (and book) Are You An Echo? by Misuzu Kaneko
Click here (and scroll down) for the 2019 practice of Triangle Pose (Trikonāsana) through the lens of the poems.
“Benten Island was still there
floating on top of the waves
wrapped in golden light,
green as always.”
— quoted from the poem “Benten Island” by Misuzu Kaneko
Click on the excerpt title below for a (slightly) longer physical practice and a special look at Yoga (from 2018).
Keeping Things Yoga…keeping things yoga – 2018 Kiss My Asana Offering #11
“And we stood before it, amazed at its being there,
And would have gone forward and opened the door,
And stepped into the glow and warmed ourselves there,
But that it was ours by not being ours,
And should remain empty. That was the idea.”
— quoted from the poem “The Idea” by Mark Strand
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify [Look for “05252022 Pratyahara II”]
If Misuzu Kaneko’s story resonates with you, because you or someone you know is struggling emotionally, please call dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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 peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
“I want you to be alive” (WARNING: Some images may be disturbing.)
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
NOTES:
1Avidyā (“ignorance”) is the first afflicted/dysfunctional thought pattern and the bedrock of the other four.2Click here to read “Benten Island” by Misuzu Kaneko. Then, click here to read “The Idea” by Mark Strand. Notice how they are connected.
CORRECTION:
In earlier posts, I accidently referenced Benton Island as opposed to Benten Island.
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What We Can Do When Waiting for Transcendence/Change (the music & blessings, with extra inspiration) April 4, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Passover, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Counting the Omer, Guy Johnston, Hilary Tann, Lazarus Saturday, Lent / Great Lent, Maya Angelou, Passover, Pesach, Pope Francis, R. S. Thomas
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“Chag Sameach!” to everyone celebrating Passover and/or Counting the Omer! Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating and/or observing Lent & Great Lent during Great / Passion / Holy Week!
Peace, ease, and ahimsa/nonviolence to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“Still; all that close throng
Of spirits waiting, as I,
For the message.
Prompt me, God;
But not yet. When I speak,
Though it be you who speak
Through me, something is lost.
The meaning is in the waiting.”
— quoted from the poem “Kneeling” by R. S. Thomas, with accompanying music composed by Hilary Tann, featuring Guy Johnston
Please join me today (Saturday, April 4th) 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 (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04082023 Transcendence on a Holy Sat, redux”]
An alternate (instrumental only) playlist is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04192020 Noticing Things”] NOTE: These are double playlists. You can start with Track #1, Track #11, or Track #12.
“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.
Never whine. Whining lets a brute know that a victim is in the neighborhood.
Be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity.
I gave birth to one child, a son, but I have thousands of daughters. You are Black and White, Jewish and Muslim, Asian, Spanish-speaking, Native American and Aleut. You are fat and thin and pretty and plain, gay and straight, educated and unlettered, and I am speaking to you all. Here is my offering to you.”
— quoted from the preface to Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou (b. 04/04/1928)
For anyone interested, playlist inspired by Dr. Maya Angelou’s life and work is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04042020 Maya Angelou”]
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 peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
“This year however, we are experiencing, more than ever, the great silence of Holy Saturday. We can imagine ourselves in the position of the women on that day. They, like us, had before their eyes the drama of suffering, of an unexpected tragedy that happened all too suddenly. They had seen death and it weighed on their hearts. Pain was mixed with fear: would they suffer the same fate as the Master? Then too there was fear about the future and all that would need to be rebuilt. A painful memory, a hope cut short. For them, as for us, it was the darkest hour.
Yet in this situation the women did not allow themselves to be paralyzed. They did not give in to the gloom of sorrow and regret, they did not morosely close in on themselves, or flee from reality. They were doing something simple yet extraordinary: preparing at home the spices to anoint the body of Jesus. They did not stop loving; in the darkness of their hearts, they lit a flame of mercy. Our Lady spent that Saturday, the day that would be dedicated to her, in prayer and hope. She responded to sorrow with trust in the Lord. Unbeknownst to these women, they were making preparations, in the darkness of that Sabbath, for ‘the dawn of the first day of the week’, the day that would change history. Jesus, like a seed buried in the ground, was about to make new life blossom in the world; and these women, by prayer and love, were helping to make that hope flower. How many people, in these sad days, have done and are still doing what those women did, sowing seeds of hope! With small gestures of care, affection and prayer.”
— quoted from the Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis, Easter Vigil, Holy Saturday, 11 April 2020
### “You have to imagine
a waiting that is not impatient
because it is timeless.” ~ R. S. Thomas ###
Keeping A Commitment to the Truth, No Joke (just the music & blessings) April 1, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Love, One Hoop, Passover, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Commitment, Lent / Great Lent, Passover, satya, Sidd Finch, Spy Wednesday, Yoga Sutra 2.20, Yoga Sutra 2.30, Yoga Sutra 2.36
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Many blessings to all, and especially to those observing Passion/Holy/Spy Wednesday; Great Lent; the Fast of the First Born and/or erev Pesach!
Peace, ease, and commitment to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
Please join me today (Wednesday, April 1st) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into in 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 “04012026 Spy Wednesday No Joke”]
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 peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### 
###
Reflections & Moving in (7) Mysterious Ways (just the reflections, blessings, & music) March 28, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Faith, Health, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, citizenship, Corneille Heymans, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace, Mirabai Starr, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Season for Nonviolence
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Many blessings to all, and especially to those observing Lent or Great Lent (and Laudation of the Mother of God) and/or participating in No Kings Day (in a way that makes sense for you)!
Peace, ease, and citizenship to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“To be a citizen means to help your community be the best it can be. You are a member of many communities: your family, your place of work or school, your place of worship, your city, your country, and the planet. Participation in your community presents an opportunity to model nonviolent action, peaceful resolution, and how each of us can and do make a difference.”
— quoted from the “Reflection” section of the “Day 58 ~ March 28 ~ Citizenship” page for the “Season for Nonviolence,” provided by the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Saturday, March 28th) at 12:00 PM. 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.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “03282023 Moving in 7 Mysterious Ways” ]
“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 (New Translation and Introduction by Mirabai Starr)
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 peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### BE MOVED & (ALSO) MOVE YOURSELF ###
Synchronization, Bach, & God as a Woman (just the music & blessings) March 21, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 9-Day Challenge, Art, Baha'i, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Meditation, Music, New Year, Nowruz, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Advocacy, Chaitra Navaratri, Chandraghanta, Johann Sebastian Bach, Lent / Great Lent, Naw-Rúz, Nowruz, Season for Nonviolence, World Down Syndrome Day
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“Nowruz Mubarak!” Happy New Year to those who are celebrating! “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Chaitra Navaratri!” Happy Spring to those in the Northern Hemisphere & Happy Fall to those in the Southern Hemisphere. Many blessings to all, and especially to those observing Lent or Great Lent! Don’t forget to rock your socks on World Down Syndrome Day!
Peace, ease, and advocacy to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Saturday, March 21st) at 12:00 PM. 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.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “03212020 Bach’s Day Too” or “03212021 Bach’s Day Too” ]
NOTE: Some tracks have slightly different timings on the different platforms.
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 peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### ###
This World We Are In (w/excerpts) *revised (with correct playlist)* March 18, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 19-Day Fast, Art, Baha'i, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Ramadan, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Ecology, Franz Wright, Laylat al-Qadr, nasheeds, Ramaḍān, Ramadan, Reba McEntire, Sami Yusuf, Season for Nonviolence
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“Ramaḍān Mubarak, Blessed Ramaḍān!” to anyone observing the holy month of Ramaḍān. (Keep your eyes open!) Many blessings also to all, and especially to those celebrating and/or observing the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, Lent, and/or Great Lent (and the Adoration of the Cross)!
Peace, ease, and (healthy) ecology to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“II
The long silences need to be loved, perhaps
more than the words
which arrive
to describe them
in time.”
— quoted from the poem “Home Remedy” in God’s Silence by Franz Wright (b. 1953)
Today’s practice almost started in silence. Silence and stillness, they are such powerful things and, also, such healing elements. They are a part of our landscape that also brings awareness to the landscape or ecology.
It may seem odd to think of “ecology” as a principle for the “Season for Nonviolence”. And, yet, when we start looking at nonviolent action, especially as it relates to equity, we must look at the world — we must look at how our actions impact the world, positively as well as negatively.
We live on a planet that is completely capable of sustaining life — and not just life as a general concept. We live on a planet that could sustain and provide sustenance for everyone living on the world. Yet, somehow (and we know how), there are people who go without the bare necessities. There are people who do not have clean water to drink or enough food to eat. There are people without shelter from the storm. There are people whose little space in the world is constantly under bombardment — which also takes a toll on the earth. And, even if we feel like we are not directly responsible for any of these things, we still play a part. We still have a part to play.
While I have referenced a whole lot of very tangible things that affect the physical environment, I would remiss if I didn’t point out the fact that just as our thoughts, words, and deeds can heal (and/or harm) the physical environment around us, the can heal (and/or harm) the ecology within us.
How we treat ourselves and others makes a difference.
“What is the meaning of kindness?
Speak and listen to others, from now on,
as if they had recently died.
At the core the seen and unseen worlds are one.”
— the poem “Solution” by Franz Wright (b. 1953)
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
FTWMI: A Night of Great Power & Great Peace (a “renewed” post)
“I know I’m waiting
Waiting for something
Something to happen to me
But this waiting comes with
Trials and challenges
Nothing in life is free”
“My Lord, show me right from wrong
Give me light, make me strong
I know the road is long
Make me strong”
— quoted from the song “Make Me Strong” by Sami Yusuf
Please join me today (Wednesday, March 18th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into in 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 “Ramadan & Eid 2024”]
Some quick notes about the music: First, my playlists for the final days of Ramadān are not halal (“permissible”) in all Islamic traditions, because of the orchestrations. They do, however, feature musicians who are Muslim (with a few exceptions).
Some remixes include some (Gregorian) date-related exceptions. Reba McEntire is another notable exception — notable, because in previous years she was the only female soloist and the only non-Muslim singer on the playlists. While this year’s playlists include several Muslim women as musicians and composers, “Pray for Peace” is still highlighted because it was re-released during the month of Ramadān in 2014 — but not just randomly in the month, the song was released in the last ten days of the month (during the holiest part of the month)!
Some songs on the playlist are Nasheeds (meaning they are religiously moral songs) that, in some traditions, are meant to be sung without instrumentation or only with percussion. I have, however, included orchestrated versions of these songs, because this seems to have worked best in an in-studio setting. I mean no disrespect by this choice. As far as I know, percussion or voice only recordings of the Nasheeds are available (if you want to build your own playlist). Alternatively, you can practice without the music — which is always a suitable option.
Finally, the YouTube version currently includes some additional before/after music.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### “Don’t Hate.” ###
A Quick Note & Excerpts RE: Change, Power, & “Keeping the Overcome Promise” (the revised version) March 15, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 19-Day Fast, Baha'i, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Mysticism, One Hoop, Philosophy, Ramadan, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Civil Rights Movement, Imam Khalid Latif, kriya yoga, Laylat al-Qadr, Lyndon B. Johnson, Mastery, nasheeds, Ramaḍān, Ramadan, Reba McEntire, Religion, Richard Goodwin, Season for Nonviolence, Selma to Montgomery
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“Ramaḍān Mubarak, Blessed Ramaḍān!” to anyone observing the holy month of Ramaḍān. (Keep your eyes open!) Many blessings also to all, and especially to those celebrating and/or observing the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, Great Lent, and/or Lent!
Peace, ease, and (self) mastery to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
NOTE: I have maintained the language of the quotes.
“Our mission is at once the oldest and the most basic of this country: to right wrong, to do justice, to serve man.
In our time we have come to live with moments of great crisis. Our lives have been marked with debate about great issues; issues of war and peace, issues of prosperity and depression. But rarely in any time does an issue lay bare the secret heart of America itself. Rarely are we met with a challenge, not to our growth or abundance, our welfare or our security, but rather to the values and the purposes and the meaning of our beloved nation.
The issue of equal rights for American Negroes is such an issue. And should we defeat every enemy, should we double our wealth and conquer the stars, and still be unequal to this issue, then we will have failed as a people and as a nation.
For with a country as with a person, ‘What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?’”
— quoted from “Special Message to the Congress on Voting Rights and the American Promise,” original draft by Richard Goodwin; delivered by President Lyndon B. Johnson, March 15, 1965
Bring your awareness to where change begins, inside you and all around you, every time you inhale and every time you exhale. Change is literally beginning (inside you and all around you) every time you inhale, every time you exhale. Even when you are not harnessing the power of your breath and your ability to activate change, you can still observe it. Notice the belly rising as you inhale, falling as you exhale. Observe the low ribs and intercostal muscles expanding and releasing. Bring awareness to the giving and receiving — and notice how the very act of noticing what you notice, bringing awareness to your awareness, actually sparks more change.
Change begins with each of us taking a step towards change, harnessing the power of who we are individually and collectively, and giving what we can (every time we inhale, every time we exhale). Lasting change begins when we make the commitment to change… to promise (ourselves and others) to overcome what stands in the way of change. That commitment, that promise, takes us deeper.
“Many Muslims will give emphasis to the 27th night of Ramadan being Laylatul Qadr, but the opinions on what day it is varies. The Qur’an doesn’t mention a specific date for Laylatul Qadr and the Prophet Muhammad’s recommendation: to ‘Seek it in the last 10 days, on the odd nights,’ indicates the importance of searching for it. I would recommend for those observing to take advantage of every night remaining and if we are amongst those who find ourselves in Ramadan next year, to stand in every night that we possibly can.”
— quoted from the (Aug 14, 2012) Huffington Post essay “Ramadan Reflection Day 26: In Search Of Laylat al-Qadr: Be with those who give you hope and courage, who help you to be bold in your prayer. Forget the judgments and harshness of any who have lead you to believe that you cannot ask of your Creator for whatever your heart wishes. ” by Imam Khalid Latif
All over the world, during these final nights of Ramaḍān — especially during the odd nights — there are people making a commitment to their future.
Today in 1965, then President Lyndon B. Johnson made a similar commitment for the future, a promise (if you will) to overcome… to change.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE!
FTWMI: A Night of Great Power & Great Peace (a “renewed” post)
“In Selma as elsewhere we seek and pray for peace. We seek order. We seek unity. But we will not accept the peace of suppressed rights, or the order imposed by fear, or the unity that stifles protest. For peace cannot be purchased at the cost of liberty.
In Selma tonight, as in every city, we are working for just and peaceful settlement.”
— quoted from “Special Message to the Congress on Voting Rights and the American Promise,” original draft by Richard Goodwin; delivered by President Lyndon B. Johnson, March 15, 1965
Please join me today (Sunday, March 15th) 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 in 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.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
Some quick notes about the music: First, my playlists for the final days of Ramadān are not halal (“permissible”) in all Islamic traditions, because of the orchestrations. They do, however, feature musicians who are Muslim (with a few exceptions).
This remix includes some (Gregorian) date-related exceptions. Reba McEntire is another notable exception — notable, because in previous years she was the only female soloist and the only non-Muslim singer on the playlists. While this year’s playlists include several Muslim women as musicians and composers, “Pray for Peace” is still highlighted because it was re-released during the month of Ramadān in 2014 — but not just randomly in the month, the song was released in the last ten days of the month (during the holiest part of the month)!
Some songs on the playlist are Nasheeds (meaning they are religiously moral songs) that, in some traditions, are meant to be sung without instrumentation or only with percussion. I have, however, included orchestrated versions of these songs, because this seems to have worked best in an in-studio setting. I mean no disrespect by this choice. As far as I know, percussion or voice only recordings of the Nasheeds are available (if you want to build your own playlist). Alternatively, you can practice without the music — which is always a suitable option.
Finally, the YouTube version currently includes some additional before/after music.
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.
### Change is Coming ###
A Quick Note & Excerpts RE: Openness, Bitterness, & Sweetness March 11, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, 19-Day Fast, Art, Baha'i, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, James Baldwin, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Lorraine Hansberry, One Hoop, Philosophy, Ramadan, Religion, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Fred L. Standley, James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, Louis H. Pratt, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace, Openness, santosha, santoşā, Season for Nonviolence, shoshin, Wisdom Commons
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“Ramaḍān Mubarak, Blessed Ramaḍān!” to anyone observing the holy month of Ramaḍān. Many blessings also to all, and especially to those celebrating and/or observing the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, Great Lent, and/or Lent!
Peace, ease, and openness to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“Openness means keeping our minds and hearts available for new experiences, ideas, and relationships. It means working to move beyond the boundaries of the familiar, in particular the walls that can be erected by tribe and tradition.
Openness and curiosity are two of the primary conditions for discovery. Openness feels risky, because it means venturing onto unfamiliar ground, but can also be full of unexpected delights….
…When we are open, we notice that life is constantly presenting us with new information and opportunities for growth. (Wisdom Commons)”
— quoted from the “Reflection” section of the “Day 41 ~ March 11 ~ Openness” page for the “Season for Nonviolence,” provided by the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your openness? Maybe your rating depends on the situation. For instance, are you more open to new ideas and new experiences that resemble what you already know? Or, are you pretty open to anything new?
Are you open to other people’s experiences when their experiences lead them to opinions that are vastly different from your own?
Are you open to your dreams, goals, and desires, showing up in a way different than you envisioned (based on your previous experiences)?
In a way, I asked a variation of that last question on Monday, when I asked people how they dealt with setbacks. In a way, all of these questions paly out in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, which premiered on Broadway, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, today in 1959.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
Svādyāya III: Being In the Middle (the “missing” Wednesday post)
“Baldwin: It is hard for me to talk about Lorraine in a way because I loved her. She was like my baby sister, in a way. I can’t think of her without a certain amount of pain….
…Lorraine, who was very vivid, very young, very curious, very courageous, very honest. ”
— quoted from the “The Black Scholar” in Conversations with James Baldwin, edited by Fred L. Standley and Louis H. Pratt
Please join me today (Wednesday, March 11th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into in 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 “05192021 Being in The Middle”]
NOTE: The before/after music includes different artists performing Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” (with an intro I don’t think I had ever heard): on YouTube it’s Jennifer Hudson; on Spotify it’s Aretha Franklin.
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 peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### “May Our Hearts Be Open” ~ Beautiful Chorus ###
EXCERPT: “More Songs for the DJ’s Adventure (a remix*)” March 10, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 19-Day Fast, Art, Baha'i, Dharma, Healing Stories, Hope, Kirtan, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Ramadan, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, music, Rachel Martin, Rick Rubin, Season for Nonviolence
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“Ramaḍān Mubarak, Blessed Ramaḍān!” to anyone observing the holy month of Ramaḍān. Many blessings to all, and especially to those celebrating and/or observing Lent, Great Lent, and/or the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast.
Peace, ease, and unity to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“Each of these moments
is an invitation
to further inquiry:
looking deeper,
zooming out, or in.
Opening possibilities
for a new way of being.”
— quoted from the prelude to The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin (b. 1963)
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE FOR MORE.
“We’re making something with our hearts and souls, and then we’re sharing it with the world. And if people like it, it’s great, and if they don’t, we wouldn’t change it, because we’ve made it with our hearts and souls, and it’s true. It’s a true thing we’re doing.”
— Rick Rubin, quoted from an NPR, All Things Considered interview with Rachel Martin entitled “Rick Rubin on taking communion with Johnny Cash and not rushing creativity” (December 10, 2023)
Please join me today (Tuesday, March 10th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into in the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “03102021 Songs for the DJ’s Adventure”]
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 peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
A Joyful Practice 