Reflections on Patience & “Treats” (the post practice Monday post) ** UPDATED w/extra excerpt** March 3, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 19-Day Fast, Baha'i, Bhakti, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Food, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Meditation, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Ramadan, Religion, Science, Suffering, Vairagya, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 19-Day Fast, 988, Alexander Graham Bell, Baháʼí, Deaf Culture, Feast Day of Saint Katharine, Great Lent, Lundi Gras, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace, mental health, Office of Prevention of Blindness and Deafness, Patience, Ramaḍān, Ramadan, Saint Katharine, Season for Nonviolence, shenpa, Shrove Monday, Shrovetide, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Thich Nhat Hanh, Who HQ, World Health Organization, World Hearing Day, Worldwide Baháʼí Community, Yoga Sutra 1.35
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“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramaḍān!” to anyone observing the holy month of Ramaḍān. Many blessings to all, and especially to those celebrating and/or observing the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, Great Lent, and/or Carnival/Lundi Gras/Shrove Monday on World Hearing Day!
Peace, ease, and patience to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
This post-practice compilation for Monday, March 3rd features new and previously posted content, as well as excerpts. Links to external websites are marked accordingly. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is your favorite indulgence?” (Bonus question was, “How patient are you?” 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.
“Patience and passion both come from a Latin word meaning to suffer or endure. Whenever we practice patience – cheerfully bearing with somebody who is irascible, or enduring discomfort rather than imposing it on others – we are embracing those principles and creating an opportunity to model nonviolence. By practicing patience we can respond rather than react, and by doing so, stay centered and at peace. There is only one way to create a nonviolent world, and that is by being nonviolent ourselves.”
— quoted from the “Reflection” section of the “Day 32 ~ March 3 ~ Patience” page for the “Season for Nonviolence,” provided by the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
Take a moment to consider the moments when you are most impatient. What are the causes and conditions? Are the certain people (or a certain person) that always seems to push your buttons? Are there people (or a particular person) to whom you extend a lot of grace and, therefore a lot of patience? Finally, how much patience do you have for yourself?
I find that I am the most impatient with myself and others when I am “hangry”; when I feel as if I (or someone I admire) is making an avoidable mistake; when I am not feeling heard/understood; and/or when I am not hearing/understanding someone else. I also see impatience arising in others for the same reasons and sometimes a perfect storm occurs and all of these things happen at once.
2024 EXCERPT (revised): “Anger and the Importance of Having ‘Treats’ Before You Speak”
I tend to think of impatience as being akin to frustration and it is important to remember that anger and frustration, fear, grief, worry, and anxiety are all normal human emotions. In fact, many Eastern philosophies, like Yoga and Taoism, consider everything — including our emotions — as manifestations of energy.
The aforementioned philosophies (and their corresponding sciences) view energy as being in or out of balance, stagnate or circulating. Since energy that is in balance and flowing appropriately is still the same energy, simply manifesting in a different way, every emotion has a near-peer and an opposite. In fact, we are often encouraged to cultivate the opposite(s) in order to flip or change the energy. For instance, the flip side of anger and frustration is kindness. So, if you are feeling angry or frustrated, doing something loving and kind — for yourself and/or someone else — can change the dynamic inside of you and all around you.
According to Patanjali’s Yoga Sūtras, when someone is “firmly grounded in non-injury (ahimsa), other people who come near will naturally lose any feelings of hostility.” (YS 1.35) That sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Well, full disclosure, I am not there yet. Sometimes my buttons get pushed and — despite staying mindful and practicing the four R’s and other mindfulness-based techniques — I think, say, or do something that contributes to someone’s suffering. Sometimes, I am the “someone” and everyone else just goes about their business. But, sometimes my actions contribute to the suffering of someone other than myself.
Forewarned is forearmed. So, if we know the causes and conditions exist for us to be irritated, we can take steps to cultivate patience. It is helpful to pause, take a breath, & maybe ask for (or offer) forgiveness. It can also help too indulge in a “treat” (or two).
Most people have go-to foods and/or beverages that could be considered their comfort food. However, sometimes the best “treat” is found on the mat or on the cushion. Just taking some time to sit and breathe can be loving and kind. For that matter, sometimes the “treat” can be found in the pews — especially if we are in the process of giving up certain treats.
“Anger is like a howling baby, suffering and crying. The baby needs his mother to embrace him. You are the mother for your baby, your anger. The moment you begin to practice breathing mindfully in and out, you have the energy of a mother, to cradle and embrace the baby. Just embracing your anger, just breathing in and breathing out, that is good enough. The baby will feel relief right away.”
— quoted from “Two – Putting Out the Fire of Anger: Embracing Anger with the Sunshine of Mindfulness” in Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh
In addition to being the third day of the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast and also of the holy month of Ramaḍān, this Monday was also an auspicious time in the various Christian traditions.
In the Western Christian tradition, the Monday before Lent may be known as Shrove Monday by people already focusing on “shriving”. Shrovetide, which includes the three weeks before Lent, is a period of self-examination, repentance, and amendments of sins. Similarly, in Eastern Orthodox traditions which use a different calendar, this Monday marks the beginning of Great Lent is sometimes referred to as Clean Monday.
On the flipside, some people will spend this same period of time — anything from three weeks to two or three days — focusing on indulging in the things they are planning to give up during Lent. For instance, the Monday before Lent is also the last Monday of Carnival (in some Western Christian communities). In places like New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast, it is also known as Lundi Gras (“Fat Monday”). Rose Monday, Merry Monday, and Hall Monday are also names associated with pre-Lenten festivities around the world. In parts of the United Kingdom, people may refer to this day as Collap Monday, because their traditional breakfast will include collaps (leftover slabs of meat, like bacon) and eggs. In east Cornwall, however, people traditionally eat pea soup and, therefore, call today Peasen (or Paisen) Monday.
Each name reflects what people value and, more importantly, each name reflects the different actions people are taking in order to fulfill their mission or serve the purpose in life. Additionally, the backstories associated with the Lenten season, the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, and the holy month of Ramaḍān are all about getting ready for a change and for a deeper relationship with the Divine (whatever that means to you at this moment).
HEARING/UNDERSTANDING & BEING HEARD/UNDERSTOOD
“Every time a Manifestation of God appears, a fuller measure of inspiration for the next stage in the awakening and progress of humanity is released into the world. A human being—ordinary in every outward respect—is called to be a mouthpiece for God. One may call to mind Moses standing before the Burning Bush, the Buddha receiving enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove, or the archangel Gabriel appearing to Muḥammad.”
— quoted from the “Introduction” section of “Bahá’u’lláh – The Divine Educator” on The Official Website of the Worldwide Baháʼí Community (https://www.bahai.org)
According to every story about every divine messenger, prophet, or spiritual leader, there is a calling and, also, a period of reflection and preparation. This preparation period puts an “ordinary” person in a position to literally and figuratively hear and understand the message from the Divine. We can look at the story of Moses — or even Arjun in the Bhagavad Gita (Song of the Lord) — and notice that the message is not always automatically and instantaneously understood or believed. We can do a little svādhyāya (“self-study”) and imagine that we might feel confusion, fear, awe, disbelief… maybe even a little frustration and impatience.
Up until now, I have mostly been talking in the metaphorical and figurative sense; but, take a moment to consider what happens when we literally and physically can’t hear or have a hard time hearing. It is something that happens to billions of people every year and there is no time period that prepares us to hear (and understand) in those situations. However, there is a time when we can get our hearing checked; take measures to prevent hearing loss; invest in tools, aids, and technology that enhances our hearing; and/or learn a new language. That time is now.
The Office of Prevention of Blindness and Deafness of the World Health Organization (WHO) designated March 3rd as World Hearing Day. Celebrated annually, it is an opportunity “for raising awareness regarding hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care, and calling for action to address hearing loss and related issues.” In addition to various events hosted by WHO and partner organization, the WHO website has a HearWho app that “gives the general public access to a hearing screener to check their hearing status and monitor it over time….clearly [displays] the users’ results and keeps a personalized track record of their hearing status over time.”
“Changing mindsets: empower yourself to make ear and hearing care a reality for all”
— The 2025 theme for World Hearing Day
2025 UPDATE: World Hearing Day coincides with the anniversary of the birth of Alexander Graham (b. 1847), which is also the feast day of Saint Katharine (Drexel) (d.1955) Click on the excerpt title below for more about their lives.
Liminal, Lofty, & Rare Days – Redux (the “missing” Friday post)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
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).
### A Little Patience Goes A Long Way ###
Pepys, peeps, and a peep [of Harmony] (the “missing” Sunday post that is also a “long lost” post w/an excerpt) February 23, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Anne Frank, Arooj Aftab, Black History Month, Booker T. Washington, Carnival, George Frideric Handel, George Handel, Harmony, HBCUs, Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., Lord Braybrooke’s, Mahā Kumbha Mēlā, Rev. Mynors Bright M.A., Samuel Pepys, Sir Isaac Newton, W. E. B. Du Bois, W. E. Burghardt Du Bois
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Many blessings to everyone, and especially those celebrating Carnival and Maha Kumbh Mela!
Peace, ease, and harmony throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
This is the “missing” post for Sunday, February 23, 2025 (and also 2022). 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.
“Dear Kitty,
It’s lovely weather outside and I’ve perked up since yesterday. Nearly every morning I go to the attic where Peter works to blow the stuffy air out of my lungs. From my favorite spot on the floor I look up at the blue sky and the bare chestnut tree, on whose branches little raindrops shine, appearing like silver, and at the seagulls and other birds as they glide on the wind.
He stood with his head against a thick beam, and I sat down. We breathed the fresh air, looked outside, and both felt that the spell should not be broken by words…. I looked out, of the open window too, over a large area of Amsterdam, over all the roofs and on to the horizon, which was such a pale blue that it was hard to see the dividing line. ‘As long as this exists,’ I thought, ‘and I may live to see it, this sunshine, the cloudless skies, while this lasts I cannot be unhappy.’”
— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Wednesday, February 23, 1944
Do you keep a diary, a journal, or maybe write “morning pages”? If so, you probably write about things that are very personal to you; things you believe no one would be interested in reading — and, in most cases, you probably write for your eyes only. However, as you chronicle your daily minutia, you probably also reference things that are happening in the world around you. Just like famous diarists (whose private musings have made it into the public), you probably include references and maybe even details about current events — and how you take care of yourself during challenging (and horrifically tragic) times. In other words, like Samuel Pepys and Anne Frank, you provide an eye witness account of things that will one day be studied.
Born in London, today (February 23rd) in 1638, Samuel Pepys was a Tory politician who had no maritime experience, but somehow rose to the rank of Chief Secretary to the Admiralty (under two different kings). While he played a role in the reformation of what is now the Royal Navy, he is primarily remembered as a writer — and specifically as a prolific diarists. From 1660 until 1669, he wrote detailed daily entries about everything from his marriage, what he ate for any given meal, and the painful urinary tract and (urinary) bladder stone issues1 (which he experienced from a very young age) to the “good honest and painfull [i.e. painstakingly written] sermon” he heard on Sunday, March 17, 1661, and every else going on in the world around him. In fact, his diary entries give modern readers first-hand, eyewitness accounts of the Stuart Restoration (in May 1660), the Great Plague of London (1665-1666), the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665-1667), and the Great Fire of London (in September 1666).
“17th (Lord’s day). At church in the morning, a stranger preached a good honest and painfull sermon. My wife and I dined upon a chine of beef at Sir W. Batten’s, so to church again. Then home, and put some papers in order. Then to supper at Sir W. Batten’s again, where my wife by chance fell down and hurt her knees exceedingly. So home and to bed.”
— quoted from a 1661 diary entry, as published in the “March 1660-1661” section of The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., Clerk of the Acts and Secretary to the Admiralty by Samuel Pepys
Transcribed from the Shorthand Manuscript in the Pepysian Library, Magdalene College Cambridge, by the Rev. Mynors Bright M.A., Late Fellow and President of the College (Unabridged), with Lord Braybrooke’s Notes / Edited with Additions by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A.
Samuel Pepys wrote his diary entries in his own personal shorthand and also used a little code that mixed English profanities with French, Italian, and Spanish words. He often used the code when talking about illicit affairs — and interactions with women that are so clearly abusive that they can only be described as rape — and/or when he was describing his very frank opinions about people in power. There are, however, some indications that he wanted his diaries to be a historical record. For instance, he preserved them, catalogued them as part of his library, and even transcribed some pages (from his shorthand). In 1669, he stopped writing his daily dairy entries because he was losing his eyesight. He considered dictating his daily entries to a scribe — and did, in fact, briefly dictate some work-related journal entries in 1669–70 and 1683). However, he ultimately decided that he did not want to give up his privacy.
In 1665, Samuel Pepys was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society and was serving as the society’s president, in 1687, when Sir Isaac Newton published the first edition of Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) in 1687. The treatise actually includes correspondence between the two men and a bit of a debate (about probability).
Just as the work of Samuel Pepys gives modern readers a glimpse of 17th century England, the work of W. E. B. Du Bois gives modern readers a glimpse of 19th and 20th century America.
“When the physical war ended, then the real practical problems presented themselves. How was slavery to be effectively abolished? And what was to be the status of the Negroes? What was the condition and power of the states which had rebelled? The legal solution of these questions was easy. The states that had attempted to rebel had failed. The must now resume their relations to the government. Slavery had been abolished as a war measure….
The difficulty with this legalistic formula was that it did not cling to facts. Slavery was not abolished even after the Thirteenth Amendment. There were four million freedmen and most of them on the same plantation, doing the same work they did before emancipation, except as their work had been interrupted and changed by the upheaval of war. Moreover, they were getting about the same wages and apparently were going to be subject to slave codes modified only in name. There were among them thousands of fugitives in the camps of the soldiers or on the streets of the cities, homeless, sick, and impoverished. They had been freed practically with no land nor money, and, save in exceptional cases, without legal status, and without protection.”
— quoted from Black Reconstruction in America (The Oxford W. E. B. Du Bois): An Essay Toward a History of the Part Which Black Folk Played in the Attempt to Reconstruct Democracy in America, 1860-1880 by W. E. B Du Bois
Born William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in 1868, Dr. Du Bois was an author, sociologist, socialist, historian, a Pan-Africanist civil rights activist, and one of the co-founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was the editor of The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP, from 1910 to 1933, and the author of a plethora of articles and speeches, over 24 books, and three autobiographies, including: “The Study of the Negro Problems” (1898), The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches (1903), John Brown (1909), The Gift of Black Folk: The Negroes in the Making of America (1924), Black Reconstruction in America (1935), What the Negro Has Done for the United States and Texas (1936), and I Take My Stand for Peace (1951).
While his paternal great-grandfather was ethnically French-American (from a Huguenot family) and his maternal great-great-grandfather had been enslaved, W. E. B. Du Bois’s father (Alfred Du Bois) was of mixed ethnicity and his mother (Mary Silvina Burghard Du Bois), who was also mixed heritage, was part of a small, free Black population of land owners. Dr. Du Bois, himself, grew up in a mostly European American town. After graduating with honors from an integrated school in his hometown, he earned a Bachelor’s of Art (BA) from Fisk University. He then had to start over from scratch and earn a second Bachelor’s (AB) in history, cum laude, from Harvard University — which, at the time, did not recognize credits and degrees from HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Finally, he earned a PhD in sociology from Harvard. Part of his graduate school studies included a fellowship from the John F. Slater Fund for the Education of Freedman, which enabled him to attend Friedrich Wilhelm University (in Berlin) and to travel throughout Europe. Just as his upbringing shaped his perspective, his travels and studies further informed the way he saw the world, his place in the world, and what he had to offer the world.
“The return from your work must be the satisfaction which that work brings you and the world’s need of that work. With this, life is heaven, or as near heaven as you can get. Without this — with work which you despise, which bores you, and which the world does not need — this life is hell.”
— quoted from the National Guardian article entitled “To an American born last Christmas Day” by W. E. B. Du Bois, published on March 10, 1958, under the header “Dr. DuBois at 90 Offers a Piece of Advice [to his newborn great-grandson]”
Of course, all throughout his school years — even when he was on scholarship and even when he was studying abroad, he had to work and rely on extra income (in the form of loans and gifts) from friends and family. After he graduated, he started teaching at Wilberforce University (in Ohio). He eventually conducted research at the University of Pennsylvania and then accepted a position to teach history and economics at Atlanta University (in Georgia). During his tenure at Atlanta University, he started presenting articles based on his University of Pennsylvania field work, in which he described “the submerged tenth” and, later, “the talented tenth”. These two terms and the people referenced by those terms became the foundation of a late 19th century debate that continues to this day.
The following excerpt is from a post about Social Economics:
Most people associate the two sides of the debate with W. E. B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. Both were educated and both were leaders in the Black community. To a certain degree, they even had the ear of the establishment. However, they had very different ideas about the best way for formerly enslaved people and their descendants to actively participate in and benefit from the US economy.
In a nutshell, Mr. Washington advocated sticking to what people knew (from slavery) and becoming (scholastically) educated in agriculture, crafts, and other trades they had done during slavery. He also encouraged people to purchase property and to be patient when faced with discrimination (even if that discrimination hindered them in pursuing education and the opportunity to purchase property). On the flip side, Mr. Du Bois was considered a radical who believed in an “intellectual” education that would create what he called the “Talented Tenth” – the best and the brightest college educated individuals who could instigate activism in the streets as well as in the courts and in the boardrooms. As I said, this debate continues, in part because the stigma, racism, and prejudice associated with slavery still exists.
“Thus in the far-away Southern village that would lay waiting, half consciously, the coming of two young men, and dreamed in an inarticulate way of new things that would be done and new thoughts that all would think. And yet it was a singular that few thought of two Johns, — for the black folk thought of one John, and he was black; and the white folk though of another John, and he was white. And neither thought the other world’s thought, save with a vague unrest.”
— quoted from “XIII. Of the Coming of John” in The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches by W. E. Burghardt Du Bois
The thirteen essay in The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches, called “Of the Coming of John”, is a study of contrasts. It is an essay/story of two popular, beloved men from the same hometown in Georgia. In some ways, they grow up together — although, like W. E. B. Du Bois and his childhood friends, one is Black and one is white. The latter is also, notably, from a wealthy family with a lot of power in the small town. The two Johns leave home (separately), but their paths awkwardly overlap in New York City, just before they return home, and then tragically overlap when they are back in Georgia.
The awkward meeting in New York happens during a performance of Lohengrin — which provides an odd bit of twisted foreshadowing. However, during today’s practice, I imagined that the music was something by George Frideric Handel, who was born today in 1685 (according to the Julian calendar) in Halle, Duchy of Magdeburg, Brandenburg-Prussia (which is now Germany) and whose music was the backdrop for the drama of it’s own time.
“All this John did not see, for he sat in a half-maze minding the scene about him; the delicate beauty of the hall, the faint perfume, the moving myriad of men, the rich clothing and low hum of talking seemed all a part of a world so different from his, so strangely more beautiful than anything he had known, that he sat in dreamland, and started when, after a hush, rose high and clear the music of Lohengrin’s swan. The infinite beauty of the wail lingered and swept through every muscle of his frame, and put it all a-tune. He closed his eyes and grasped the elbows of the chair, touching unwittingly the lady’s arm. And the lady drew away. A deep longing swelled in all his heart to rise with that clear music out of the dirt and dust of that low life that held him prisoned and befouled. If he could only live up in the free air where birds sang and setting suns had no touch of blood! Who had called him to be the slave and butt of all? And if he had called, what right had he to call when a world like this lay open before men?
Then the movement changed, and fuller, mightier harmony swelled away. He looked thoughtfully across the hall, and wondered why the beautiful gray-haired woman looked so listless, and what the little man could be whispering about. He would not like to be listless and idle, he thought, for he felt with the music the movement of power within him. If he but had some master-work, some life-service, hard, — aye, bitter hard, but without the cringing and sickening servility, without the cruel hurt that hardened his heart and soul.”
— quoted from “XIII. Of the Coming of John” in The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches by W. E. Burghardt Du Bois
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “022322 Pepys, peeps, and a peep”]
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God…. As long as [the simple beauty of Nature] exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”
— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Wednesday, February 23, 1944
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).
12025 NOTE: During the practice, I said that I did not know/remember if Samuel Pepys had problems with his urinary bladder or his gall bladder, but that we would address both in the physical parts of the practice.
### “breathe / take a breath / saans lo” ~ Arooj Aftab ###
Creativity, Light, & Freedom (the “missing” Wednesday post) February 12, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Kumbh Mela, Life, Love, Men, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Vipassana, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Abraham Lincoln, Amrit Snan, Black History Month, Carnival, Charles Darwin, Contemplation, Creativity, Da Shuhua, dǎshùhuā, Diana Galloway, discernment, Dongfang Shuo, Dragon Boat Festival, emotions, First Officer Stephanie Grant, Frances Mayes, Fugitive Slave Act, Jade Emperor, Jan Swammerdam, Judy Blume, Lantern Festival, Lunar New Year, Maha Kumbh Mela, Mahā Kumbha Mēlā, riddles, Strait Times, tangyuan, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Thich Nhat Hanh, Tuskegee Airmen, Tuskegee Institute, Vipassanā, Wang De, Year of the Snake, Yuan Xiao
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Many blessings to everyone, and especially those celebrating Carnival, Maha Kumbh Mela, and the the Lantern Festival!
Peace, ease, and contemplation throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
This “missing” post for Wednesday, February 12th (which was also the 15th and final day of the Spring Festival) is a compilation post. It includes some new material, some revised material, and excerpts. 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.
“Always old, sometimes new…”
— a riddle* (read post for clues, see the end for the answer)
Philosophically speaking, part of our yoga practice is about bring awareness to what we know — or what we think we know — about ourselves and the world around us. Once we do that, we have begun the process of recognizing how what we know or think we know determines our actions, our thoughts, our words, our deeds. Our beliefs influence the we interact with ourselves, with others, and with our environment. Once we really get into it, we also start to notice when — or if — we incorporate new information into our belief system; thereby adjusting our actions as we grow and mature.
At some point, we may start to notice how our experiences shape our beliefs and how our experiences and beliefs determine what we chose to do on any given day. Hopefully, we also recognize that other people make other choices based on the their beliefs and experiences. If we can see that, be open to the reality of that, and maybe dig a little deeper into that reality, we gain better understanding of ourselves (and maybe of the world). In other words, we gain insight.
Vipassanā is a Buddhist meditation technique that has also become a tradition. It literally means “to see in a special way” and can also be translated as “special, super seeing”. In English, however, it is usually translated as “insight”. This insight is achieved by sitting, breathing, and watching the mind-body without judging the mind-body. Part of the practice is even to recognize when you are judging and, therefore, recognizing when you are getting in your own way. This can be seen as a (non-religious) form of discernment — which also requires observation — all of it is part of our yoga practice.
Of course, there are times when what we are feeling and/or the way we are feeling makes it hard to see clearly. In fact, the stronger we feel something, the harder it may be to focus on what is important.
“Anger is a mental, psychological phenomenon, yet it is closely linked to biological and biochemical elements. Anger makes you tense your muscles, but when you know how to smile, you begin to relax and your anger will decrease. Smiling allows the energy of mindfulness to be born in you, helping you to embrace your anger.”
— quoted from “Two – Putting Out the Fire of Anger: Tools for Cooling the Flames” in Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh
Anger, fear, frustration, jealousy, worry, love, hate, anxiety, grief, and joy are some of the strong emotions that manifest in our bodies — e.g., in our expressions and gestures. Born February 12,1637, the Dutch biologist and microscopist Jan Swammerdam probably could have told us which muscles engage and which muscles relax when we smile versus when we frown. He studied muscle contractions; is recognized as the first person to observe and describe red blood cells; and also recognized as one of the first people (in Western science) to use a microscope in dissection.
Like Charles Darwin, who was February 12, 1809, Dr. Swammerdam had some controversial ideas about the origins of things — specifically about the origins of insects. Both men stirred up strong emotions in the peers and the populace, just like Abraham Lincoln (who was born on the exact same day as Charles Darwin — which also happens to be the anniversary of the day President George Washington signed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793).
February 12th is also the anniversary of two other notable moments in American history. First, it was the day (in 1930) when the executive committee of the Rosenwald Fund approved two grants (totaling $10,000) to the Alabama State Board of Health — which would be used to start a syphilis treatment pilot program in Macon County, at Tuskegee Institute. Later, in 2009, it was the day when then Captain Rachelle Jones Kerr, First Officer Stephanie Grant, and Flight Attendants Robin Rogers and Diana Galloway became the first all African American commercial flight crew. Their historic flights (on Atlantic Southeast Airlines flights #5202 and #5106, between Atlanta and Nashville) were not planned; they happened because someone called in sick. Still, the odds of everything falling into place as it did were pretty low considering there were less Black women licensed to fly then than there are now; and now, there are still less than 1%.
“When we got to the gate in Nashville, and all of the passengers were off, we asked the gate agent would she take our picture. So we stuffed ourselves in the galley and one by one, she took our cell phones and snapped our picture. She asked us, ‘Why do you want your pictures taken?’ Flight Attendant, Diana Galloway said, “Oh, it’s because we’re sisters!’ The gate agent’s response was priceless. She said, “Oh, your mother must be so proud!’”
— quoted from “12th Anniversary of the First All-Female African American Flight Crew” by First Officer Stephanie Grant, Director of Development for Sisters of the Skies, Inc.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
Golden Tigers Made of Steel (a Black History footnote)
En L’Air (a special Black History 2.5-for-1 note)
“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”
— quoted from Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume (b. 02/12/1938)
Since strong emotions also manifest in our words, they show up in the stories of our lives and the stories we tell about our lives — and these stories, in turn, can elicit strong emotions. For example, consider the stories Judy Blume, who was born February 12, 1938. She has written books that often get banned and that have also changed people’s lives — in the best possible way. She writes about topics people often find hard for to discuss, including: racism, gender, menstruation, divorce, bullying, masturbation, sex and sexuality, and emotions like anger, fear, and grief. To some people, the worst part is not only that she has tackled these issues in her books; it’s that most of her books are intended for children and young adults. And, let’s be honest, nothing pushes people’s buttons like someone talking about things they are uncomfortable discussing. While we can say that there are some things better left unsaid, there are also things that need to be said — just in a skillful manner and… while treating ourselves and others with lovingkindness.
Just as we can look to modern fiction and nonfiction for skillful/wise, and kind ways to navigate strong emotions, we can also look to ancient and sacred stories. In fact, strong emotions show up in all the stories I’ve shared over the last few weeks in relation Black History Month, Navaratri, Maha Kumbh Mela, and the Lunar New Year / Spring Festival. “Creativity”, the “Season for Nonviolence” principle for Wednesday, February 12th, also plays a part in the stories and the traditions related to the Lantern Festival, which is the culmination of the Spring Festival.
Click on the excerpt title below for the full post related to Jan Swammerdam, Charles Darwin, and Judy Blume (on a different Lunar New Year day).
Anger and the Importance of Having “Treats” Before You Speak (a post-practice Monday post)
LANTERN FESTIVAL (LUNAR NEW YEAR DAY 15, excerpt):
“We buy blood oranges and tiny green lentils from a jar, chestnuts, winter pears, winy little apples, and broccoli, which I’ve never seen in Italy before. ‘Lentils for the New Year,’ she tells us.”
— quoted from “Green Oil” in Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes
As I mentioned over the last two weeks, some people celebrate the Lunar New Year for a handful of days and then go back to their regular routines. For some, however, there’s the Spring Festival: a 15-day celebration that culminates with the Lantern Festival. The Lantern Festival takes place on the first full moon of the Lunar New Year (which was Wednesday night in 2025). One of the traditional customs turns the event into something similar to modern-day Valentine’s Day. Traditionally, women would write their contact information on oranges and then toss the oranges in the river where men would scoop them up. Then, the men would eat the oranges. A sweet orange meant the couple could potential have a good relationship, but a bitter orange meant the match was best avoided.
The oranges in the river make for a pretty sight, but that’s not the main focus of the Lantern Festival — nor is it the most spectacular. In fact, weather permitting, anyone observing areas celebrating the Lantern Festival would primarily notice cities, towns, and villages adorned in red lanterns and lit up… almost like everything is on fire.
There are several different legends associated with the Lantern Festival. In one story, the Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty wanted every person in every class to honor the Buddha as the monks would on the fifteenth day of the year. According to another story, Dongfang Shuo (a scholar and court jester) came upon a homesick maiden from the palace. To console her and lift her out of her despair, he told the young lady that he would reunite her with her family. Then he dressed up like a fortune teller and told everyone who came to his stall that they must beg the “red fairy” for mercy on the thirteenth day of the new year. If they didn’t ask for mercy, everything would burn down in a couple of days.
When the maiden, Yuan Xiao, appeared all dressed in red, people flocked to her. The only thing the surprised maiden could think to do was say that she would take a message to the emperor. Of course, Dongfang had already “tricked” the emperor and convinced him to tell Yuan Xiao to make her trademarked sweet-rice dumplings called tangyuan, because they were the favorite dessert of the God of Fire.
The whole town, and people from surrounding towns, came together to make the dumplings as a tribute to the God of Fire. As word spread, more people came — including Yuan Xiao’s family. And this is why Dongfang Shuo’s plan was so clever: In Chinese, the dumplings are 湯圓 or 汤圆 (pinyin: tāngyuán), which sounds like 團圓 or 团圆 (pinyin: tuányuán), which means “union”. While the round dumplings are enjoyed at a variety of events and festivals throughout the year, they are a staple during the Lantern Festival, which is actually 元宵節 or 元宵节 (pinyin: Yuánxiāo jié) — Yuan Xiao’s Festival.
“‘When you see it, it’ll affect you profoundly…’”
— Wang De quoted in the Feb. 19, 2019, The Strait Times article entitled “Blacksmiths keep alive the flame of China’s molten steel ‘fireworks’”
There are more variations on this theme, but the legend with which I am most familiar, and the one I share in the practice, is the story of the Jade Emperor and his favorite bird, a crane. This crane was beautiful and unlike any other bird or species. In some stories, the ruler of heaven and earth decided to treat people with a glimpse of the exotic bird. In other versions of the story, the crane got discombobulated and flew close to the earth. Either way, what happened next is why we can’t have nice things: Someone shot the exotic bird.
The Jade Emperor was furious and decided to send down fire breathing dragons to destroy the towns and villages. However, the Jade Emperor’s daughter warned the townsfolk and someone suggested that if they lit lanterns, started bonfires, and set off fireworks, the dragons — who are not very smart in these stories – would think everything was already on fire. The trick worked… on the dragons. The Jade Emperor was not tricked, but his anger had passed and he decided to offer a little compassion to the people on Earth.
To this day, people carry on the tradition of lighting up the skies. Traditionally, lanterns are made of paper, wooden, or jade. Some people will spend months designing and creating delicate lanterns that they will enter into competitions. Other people will make simple lanterns or purchase fancy store-bought lanterns. In addition to the plethora of basic red lanterns, there will also be animal-shaped lanterns — the most popular of which are in the shape of the animal of the year. Many of the lanterns will have riddles at the bottom — which adds to the fun, because if you know the answer to the riddle you can go find it’s owner and they will give you tangyuan (those sweet dumplings that sound like “union”) as a reward.
In addition to the lanterns, there are bonfires, fireworks, and a 300-plus years old tradition called Da Shuhua.
Da Shuhua is one of the English spellings for 打树花 (dǎshùhuā in pinyin), which is a 300-500 years old tradition handed down through families of blacksmiths in China´s northern Hebei province. It is sometimes referred to as the poor man’s fireworks, because it is produced from scrap metal that people in the remote village of Nuanquan give to the local blacksmiths. Dressed in straw hats, sheepskin jackets, and protective eyewear, the blacksmiths and their assistants melt down the scraps and then the blacksmiths throw the molten liquid up against a cold stone wall. When the liquid metal — which can reach up to 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit (1,600 degrees Celsius) — hits the cold wall, sparks fly.
The spectacular display looks like a blossoming tree and so the name of the art form translates into English as “beating tree flowers”. Although there are a few other places in China where this art form is showcased, it is traditional to Nuanquan. There is a square in the remote village (“Tree Flower Square”), which was specifically built to hold tourists who travel to the village to see the display. In addition to three days of performances at the end of the Spring Festival, the tradition is also performed during the Dragon Boat Festival. Also called Double Fifth Festival, this second event takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Lunar New Year (May 31st in 2025).
Although UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) designated Da Shuhua as a prime example of China and Hebei province’s intangible cultural heritage, the tradition may be dying out. In 2019, there were only four blacksmiths trained in the art form and the youngest was 50 years old. Wang De, one of the four, had trained his youngest son; however, like so many of the younger generations, his son moved to the big city and started working in a different industry. His concerns, and hopes, for his legacy are not unlike those of his ancestors.
“‘It’s extremely dangerous and it doesn’t make much money,’ said Wang, who also farms corn to supplement his blacksmith’s income.
[…] Still, Wang De is hopeful he will return to keep the flame alive.
‘When we no longer can pull this off, people can learn from him. I have this confidence that (Da Shuhua) will be passed on.’”
— quoted from the Feb. 19, 2019, The Strait Times article entitled “Blacksmiths keep alive the flame of China’s molten steel ‘fireworks’”
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Lantern Festival 2023”]
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).
“But we can see the past, though we may not claim to have directed it; and seeing it, in this case, we feel more hopeful and confident for the future.
The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one. We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name—liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names—liberty and tyranny.
The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as a liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty, especially as the sheep was a black one. Plainly the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of the word liberty; and precisely the same difference prevails to-day among us human creatures, even in the North, and all professing to love liberty. Hence we behold the processes by which thousands are daily passing from under the yoke of bondage, hailed by some as the advance of liberty, and bewailed by others as the destruction of all liberty.”
— from an address at a “Sanitary Fair” on April 18, 1864 in Baltimore, Maryland by President Abraham Lincoln (b. 02/12/1809)
*RIDDLE NOTE: The riddles at the bottom (or sometimes underneath) the lanterns, are literally called “riddles written on lanterns”, but are sometimes referred to as “tiger riddles”, because solving them (in Chinese) is akin to wrestling a tiger. They often have three parts: the riddle, a hint or suggestion (which is that the answer is in the post and in the practice), and the answer. In this case, I took a page from Dongfang Shuo’s book and only gave you part of an English riddle so that instead of having one definite answer, there are three possible answers. Highlight the space between the hashtags for the answers.
### The moon (which is the original answer), a bit of history you didn’t know, and a legend from a culture with which you are unfamiliar. A habit, was CS’s very clever suggestion in 2025! Let me know if you got the answer(s)! ###
A Quick Note & Excerpts RE: The Power of Being Grounded (the “missing” Tuesday post) February 11, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Kumbh Mela, Life, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, asana, Carnival, Groundedness, JET Magazine, Lunar New Year, Maha Kumbh Mela, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace, Mahā Kumbha Mēlā, Nelson Mandela, Ruth Carol Taylor, Spring Festival, Theodore Dreiser, Thomas Edison, Year of the Snake, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.49
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Many blessings to everyone, and especially those celebrating Carnival, Maha Kumbh Mela, and the Spring Festival (and getting ready for the Lantern Festival).
Peace, ease, and contemplation throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
This is the “missing” post for Tuesday, February 11th. It contains a quick note and excerpts. 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.
“When you are grounded you are completely present, your mind is still, and you are totally focused. It is from this place of being grounded that you can operate most effectively….”
— quoted from the “Reflection” section of the “Day 12 ~ February 11 ~ Groundedness” page for the “Season for Nonviolence,” provided by the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
While Patanjali said very little about asana (“seat” or pose) in the Yoga Sūtras, his initial instruction is literally (and figuratively) the beginning of every practice: “sthirasukham āsanam — cultivate a steady (or stable), easy (comfortable or joyful) seat (or pose).” (YS 2.46) There is a little bit more in the next few sūtras, which can help us deepen the experience, but everything else comes from that very first part: sthira — which is ultimately a sense of groundedness.
Being grounded allows us to relax, to release, to get a little bit more comfortable and breathe. Being grounded allows us to notice the different parts of your breath and to play with the breath. Being grounded allows us to move the body in certain ways; to notice how it feels to move and breathe; and, also to notice what we notice. We can extend and expand, contract and release, and even find our rhythm because we are supported, grounded.
There are different ways to be grounded and “groundedness”, the “Season for Nonviolence” principle for Tuesday, February 11th, is just as important off the mat as it is on the mat. For instance, if you were getting ready for the Lantern Festival (as many people were on the 14th day of the Lunar New Year), you would want a stable place to work. Similarly, if you were someone working with electricity and inventing something that allowed people to (more safely) see the light — like Thomas Alva Edison, who was born on February 11, 1847 — you would want be grounded. If you were someone bringing your country out of darkness and oppression, like Nelson Mandela — who was freed from prison on February 11, 1990, after 27 years in prison — you would want to be grounded in your values, heritage, and culture. You would also need to be grounded in your values and purpose if changing/making history required you to soar — as Ruth Carol Taylor did on this same date in 1958.
Of course, none of the stories referenced on Tuesday (or Wednesday) were all sunshine and light. They are, however, reminders that being grounded will help us get through challenging times.
“‘I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come indirectly through accident, except the phonograph. No, when I have, fully decided that a result is worth getting, I go about it, and make trial after trial, until it comes.’”
— Thomas Edison, as quoted in “A Photographic Talk with Edison” by Theodore Dreiser (printed in Success Magazine, Feb. 1898)
Click on the excerpt below for more about Thomas Alva Edison.
“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”
— Nelson Mandela
Click on the excerpts below for more about Nelson Mandela (including a note about Umqombothi a special beer).
More Than 46664 (the “missing” Sunday post, with a reference to Monday’s practice)
“…[Ruth Carol Taylor] didn’t take the job because she thought being a flight attendant would be so great. She says she did it to fight discrimination.
‘It wasn’t something that I had wanted to do all my life,’ she tells JET about being a flight attendant. ‘I knew better than to think it was all that glamourous. But it irked me that people were not allowing people of color to apply… Anything like that sets my teeth to grinding.’”
— quoted from the JET Magazine article entitled, “First Black Flight Attendant Is Still Fighting Racism” (printed in the “Labor” section of the May 12, 1997 issue)
Click on the excerpt below for more about some historic flights, including Ruth Carol Taylor’s 1958 flight.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “02112023 Breath, Light, Freedom”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
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).
###FOUNDATION IS KEY ###
Contemplations on Cleanliness (the post practice Monday post) February 10, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Fitness, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Kumbh Mela, Life, Meditation, New Year, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 1 Epistle General of Peter, 988, Ayurveda, Black History Month, Boris Pasternak, Carnival, Contemplation, David Bowie, Edith Clarke, Efrem Korngold L.A.c. O.M.D., God of War, Harriet Beinfield L.Ac., James West, Jerry Goldsmith, Jim Whittaker, John Wesley, kriya yoga, kriyā yoga, Lou Whittaker, Lunar New Year, Luo Guanzhong, Luther Standing Bear, Maha Kumbh Mela, Mahā Kumbha Mēlā, niyamās, Roberta Flack, saucha, Season for Nonviolence, self-study, Spring Festival, svādhyāya, Year of the Snake
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Many blessings to everyone, and especially those observing Carnival, Maha Kumbh Mela, and the Spring Festival.
Peace, ease, and contemplation throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
This post-practice compilation for Monday, February 10th features new and previously posted content, as well as excerpts. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is something you are consuming (food, beverage, media, etc.) that takes a while for you to digest?” 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.
“I am going to venture that the man who sat on the ground in his tipi meditating on life and its meaning, accepting the kinship of all creatures and acknowledging unity with the universe of things was infusing into his being the true essence of civilization.”
— quoted from the “What the Indian Means to America” in Land of the Spotted Eagle by Luther Standing Bear
“Contemplation”, which is the “Season for Nonviolence” principle for February 10th, comes in a variety of different flavors. It can be sitting with a concept (like contemplation, peace, ease, lovingkindness, etc.) and/or it can be the kind of contemplation Saint Ignatius of Loyola outlined in The Spiritual Exercises — which is similar to svādhyāya (“self-study”), the fourth niyama (internal “observation”) in the Yoga Philosophy, and involves putting yourself in another person’s shoes/circumstances.
For the Monday night practice in 2025, we did a little bit of both of these types of contemplation — starting with contemplations on cleanliness.
“But, before we enter on the subject, let it be observed, that slovenliness is no part of religion; that neither this, nor any text of Scripture, condemns neatness of apparel. Certainly this is a duty, not a sin. ‘Cleanliness is, indeed, next to godliness.’ Agreeably to this, good Mr. Herbert advises every one that fears God: —
Let thy mind’s sweetness have its operation Upon thy person, clothes, and habitation.
And surely every one should attend to this, if he would not have the good that is in him evil spoken of.”
— quoted from Sermon #88 (“On Dress”) by John Wesley, inspired by The First Epistle General of Peter (3:3–4)
Click on the excerpt title below for a 2021 post about cleansing rituals in different traditions.
What It Means To Be Clean on Day 13 (the “missing” Wednesday post, with a nod to Sunday)
For Those Who Missed It: “Coming Clean on Day 13” (original posted in 2023)
“If the cause of disease is understood as imbalance, then the goal of treatment is to recover balance. Problems are resolved through methods of complementarity.”
— quoted from “Problems in Search of a Solution: Treatment” in “Chapter Three – Philosopher in the East: The Doctor as Gardener” of Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine by Harriet Beinefield L.A.c. and Efrem Korngold L.A.c., O.M.D.
Many Eastern philosophies are tied to medical practices: e.g., Yoga and Ayurveda from India, Taoism and (Traditional) Chinese Medicine from China. In each pair of sciences, it is understood that too much or too little of something can create imbalance that leads to discomfort, dis-ease, and inefficiency. When the mind-body does not work optimally, these philosophies and medical sciences offer cleansing practices (and/or rituals) intended to improve overall health — physically, mentally, emotionally, and energetically/spiritually. These practices are ultimately about letting go of what no longer serves us and making room for what will serve us… or, for what we will be served.
People spend a lot of time eating and celebrating during the Lunar New Year, in a way that can be excessive and, therefore, can lead to imbalance. By Day 13, people are ready to give their bodies a break from all the rich and heavy food — especially if they are celebrating the Spring Festival. While there may not be ritual cleansing, people who celebrate the 15-day Spring Festival traditionally eat “clean” on Day 13. A lighter, often vegetarian, meal that can help the body cleanse itself after the heavy feasting of the previous two weeks also prepares the mind-body for one more round of feasting and celebrating during the Lantern Festival (on Day 15).
As referenced in the 2021 post excerpted above, day 13 of the Lunar New Year / Spring Festival is also the day when some people celebrate the birthday of the “God of War”. There are lots of different stories (and names) associated with the “God of War”. Some of the legends relate to a general who showed great loyalty; other stories relate to an acclaimed general who became a goddess who showed great empathy. While this is not seen as a good day to get married or have a big celebration, it is believed that offering prayers and gifts to the God of War on Day 13 will bring peace to a household and give businesses a winning edge. Regardless of the title that is used, the God of War is viewed as a protector of individuals, homes, and businesses; as well as the patron of “fraternities”, including the police (and other brotherhoods).
“‘We three—Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei—though of different families, swear brotherhood, and promise mutual help to one end. We will rescue each other in difficulty; we will aid each other in danger. We swear to serve the state and save the people. We ask not the same day of birth, but we seek to die together. May Heaven, the all-ruling, and Earth, the all-producing, read our hearts. If we turn aside from righteousness or forget kindliness, may Heaven and Human smite us!’”
— quoted from “Chapter 1. The Oath of the Peach Garden” in Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong (English translator unknown)
Contemplation as Self-Study: “The Space Between….”, & “Making Connections”
Since the (secular) Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar, the Lunar New Year falls at different times according to the Western schedule. This year (2025), the thirteenth day coincides with the birthday of several musicians, a mathematician, a couple of mountain-climbing twins, and someone whose work allows us to hear more clearly. Their backgrounds are different, but their stories (and work) are all ultimately about making connections.
While we could put ourselves in any of their shoes, I only referenced the 1972 “earthly debut” of “Ziggy Stardust”, because one of my yoga buddies mentioned needing time to “digest” the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show and I think there are some people who are still (similarly) digesting the symbols and messages of David Bowie.
More to the point, I suggested each person put themselves in the shoes of James Edward Maceo West, who was born today in 1931, Farmville, Prince Edward County, Virginia. The ever-curious child of one of NASA’s “Hidden Figures”, James West attended a HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) — as well as a segregated high school; served in the military during the Korean War (at which time he received two Purple Heart awards); and currently holds several hundred US and international patents.
Like all other creative and innovative people (and everybody, really), James West has had to rest and digest his experiences in order to create — while simultaneously working with people to needed more time to digest the things going on around them.
“In life, racism was my biggest obstacle. I always felt like if I was white, would I have had a better life? I don’t know because I really do have fun. But I had to pay attention to things that more directly affected me than others. For example, I got an email from a colleague a few days ago that said basically I wish I hadn’t accused you of conspiracy theory as much as I did. We used to have lunch together and talk about the disparities between the races, and now he finally understood why I was so upset by getting continuously stopped by police on my way to work through an all-white community.
Now more people understand why the fear is there.”
— quoted from the Acoustics Today interview conducted by Hilary Kates Varghese, entitled “Being a Black Scholar, James West as told to Hilary Kates Varghese” (Winter 2020, Volume 16, Issue 4)
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
The Space Between Need, Conceive, & Invention (a special Black History note)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
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).
ERRATA: The content above is related to February 10th, however, the original posting and email contained the wrong date.
### REST & DIGEST ###
A Quick Note & Excerpts About Dreaming, Being Human, & Answering the Call (the “missing” Saturday post) February 8, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Kumbh Mela, Life, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, Carnival, Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, dreaming, humanity, Jesse Jackson, Lisa Depaulo, Lisa Perez Jackson, Lunar New Year, Maha Kumbh Mela, Mahā Kumbha Mēlā, Martin Buber, Nina Simone, Ronald Gregor Smith, Spring Festival, Walter Kaufmann
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“Happy (Lunar) New Year!”, “Happy Hokkien New Year!”, and/or “Happy Carnival!” to those who are celebrating! Many blessings to everyone, and especially those observing Maha Kumbh Mela.
Peace, ease, and contemplation throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons! May your most hopeful dreams come true!!!
This “missing” post for Saturday, February 8th is a compilation post. It includes some new material, some revised material, and excerpts. 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.
“I want a little sugar in my bowl
I want a little sweetness down in my soul
I could stand some lovin’, oh so bad
Feel so funny, I feel so sad”
— quoted from the song “I Want A Little Sugar in My Bowl” by Nina Simone
Before I ask what you do with leftovers, or things left over from previous seasons, it might be prudent to ask how you feel about leftovers (and things left over from previous seasons). Because, while some people are quick to repurpose leftovers; some people (hello, brother) can’t stand leftovers. Then there are people who love leftovers, and may even prefer leftovers to the first serving. There are people who take leftovers for granted and people who are grateful for the abundance that leads to leftovers. So, yes, it might be prudent to ask how someone feels about leftovers (and things left over), because that informs how attached they are and what actions come from that attachment (even when it’s aversion).
For those who celebrated the Jade Emperor’s birthday (on Thursday), the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth days of the Lunar New Year / Spring Festival are all about leftovers. Some traditions view the Jade Emperor as the creator and/or ruler of heaven and earth, whose origins are beyond the physical; however, in some traditions, it is believed that the Jade Emperor was originally a (real) man who took away the suffering of others. Still others celebrate the Jade Emperor as a savior (see link above). In any of those cases, there can be lots of leftovers.
While I do not serve any food during the practice, I do serve up a little “food for thought” and nourishment for the mind-body-spirit. So, the “leftovers days” are an opportunity to revisit themes, stories, and related poses from earlier in the (Lunar) New Year. On Saturday, this meant revisiting questions about what it means to be human. Especially since February 8th is the anniversary of the birth of the existential philosopher Martin Buber (in Vienna in 1878).
“The basic word I-Thou can only be spoken with one’s whole being. The concentration and fusion into a whole being can never be accomplished by me, can never be accomplished without me. I require a You/Thou to become; becoming I, I say you.”
— quoted from Ich und Du by Martin Buber (English translation by Walter Kaufmann)
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
“Let us strive to know more about ourselves, –it is human, it is Christian-like to do so. Then there will be minds from which to select students for the college, that may come forth to the community graduates in Pharmacy, Surgery, Dentistry, and Medicine. It is well known that many noble-minded women have graced the chambers of the sick with good service, in different conditions of need, too; but at the present women appear to shrink from any responsibilities demanding patience and sacrifice, or rather seem not to rely on the union of their strength with that of our great Creator, in time of need.
What we need o-day in every community, is, not a shrinking or flagging of womanly usefulness in this field of labor, but renewed and courageous readiness to do when and whatever duty calls.”
— quoted from “Chapter XIX. General Remarks.” in A Book of Medical Discourses, In Two Parts by Rebecca Crumpler, M. D.
The “Season for Nonviolence” principle for Saturday was “Dreaming” — which (I think) is a very important part of being human and a big part of the stories of two exceptional humans who share a birthday with Martin Buber: Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler (who was born in Christiana, Delaware, in 1831) and Lisa Perez Jackson (who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1962). Both women centered their lives around a purpose (or calling) and relationships, the latter of which (as Martin Buber pointed out) is essential to being human.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
“The first girls to attend [the Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy] were previously at the city’s lowest-ranked middle school. This year the school’s eighth graders earned one of the highest scores of all public schools in Atlanta on a state exam.
They’re Jackson’s sweet spot, these kids. African-American girls, who, like her, may have faced obstacles but are full of promise. ‘Listen,’ she says, ‘if these young women don’t grow up strong and talented and committed to our environment, then our country’s gonna suffer, not just them.’
Her speech hits home: ‘You have a right to clean air and clean water,’ she tells the girls, touching on one of her core initiatives, environmental justice—that is, to give a voice to the people, usually poor minorities, who are most severely affected by environmental hazards and calamities. ‘You have a right to have a healthy school to learn in.’ But such heady rights come with responsibility. The girls must be willing to do their part, she tells them—to blow past the wheezing stereotypes that only young men wearing pocket protectors are good at math and science, and that black women don’t set policy or lead. ‘You will bring clean air to your community,’ she tells them. ‘Which you can’t do if you don’t have the education.’”
— quoted from the O, The Oprah Magazine (June 2011) article “Clean Power: Lisa Jackson Fights for Our Right to Healthy Air, Water and Land: Somebody has to do it. We’re lucky it’s her.” by Lisa Depaulo
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “02082023 Being Human, prequel”]
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).
“Alles wirkliche Leben ist Begegnung.”
“All real life is meeting.”
“All actual life is encounter.”
— quoted from Ich und Du by Martin Buber (English translations by Ronald Gregor Smith and Walter Kaufmann, respectively)
### “If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it.” ~ Jesse Jackson ###
A Quick Note & FTWMI: Do You Ever Notice/Observe…? (**REVISED**) February 5, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Baseball, Basketball, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Fitness, Football, Healing Stories, Health, Life, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Vipassana, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: asana, asymmetry, Gupta Navaratri, hatha yoga, Henry Lewis Hank Aaron, Hokkien, Hope Ricciotti MD, John Jeffries, joints, Kalaratri, Lunar New Year, Magha Navaratri, Maha Khumb Mela, Navaratri, pawanmuktasana, Season for Nonviolence, Simplicity / Preparation, Soma Yoga, Somatic Yoga, Toni Golen MD, unilateral, Willis Johnson, Year of the Snake
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“Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Magha Gupta Navaratri!” “Happy (Lunar) New Year!”, “Happy Hokkien New Year!”, and/or “Happy Carnival!” to those who are celebrating! Many blessings to everyone, and especially those observing Maha Kumbh Mela. (Also, “Happy (National Weatherperson Day!”
Peace, ease, and contemplation throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
For Those Who Missed It: The majority of this post was originally posted in 2024. Some additional year-specific information and links have been updated or added.
“Research still hasn’t confirmed a cause-and-effect link between weather and joint pain, though many people insist they can predict the weather based on such aches. It’s believed that changes in barometric pressure — which happen as weather systems change — trigger these sensations in the joints. Less air pressure surrounding the body can allow muscles, tendons, and other tissues around joints to expand. This can place pressure on joints, possibly leading to pain.”
— quoted from “What triggers weather-related joint pain?” — a 2022 “Ask the doctors” post by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women’s Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor, and Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women’s Health Watch (posted November 1, 2022*)
Do you ever notice/observe that you, your mind, and/or your body feel a certain way just before it rains… or snows? Or maybe you notice that you feel a little off when you don’t get enough sun. Or, maybe, you notice how you feel when you get too much sun. “Correlation does not imply causation.” So, washing your vehicle or feeling a certain pain/discomfort in your joints does not automatically mean it’s going to rain — unless there’s a 90% chance of rain in the forecast. Similarly, we are not guaranteed an early Spring just because one (or more) of the groundhogs didn’t see it’s shadow. Unless, of course, the predictions of said groundhogs are based on science.
Still, we shouldn’t discount the way we feel and it is interesting to note how we feel in relation to the weather and how the weather affects the way we feel. It is also interesting to notice when we pay attention to the weather and the effect the weather has on the way we move about our days.
For instance, during the years when I had the opportunity to teach “Rooftop Yoga”, I checked the weather forecast on a daily basis. Sometimes I even checked multiple times a day and got very familiar with the radar. Similarly, I checked the weather fairly often when the possibility of a snow storm meant I might need more winter gear before the end of my day. Other times… I checked the weather by walking outside. My guess is that if you want and/or need to be outside for your job and/or for an outdoor sport — like skiing or baseball — you probably also pay attention to the weather.
The question is: Are you simultaneously paying attention to your body (as you pay attention to the weather) and what do you do based on what you observe?
“Another possibility is that you do things on cold, damp days that can worsen joint pain or stiffness, such as sit on the couch for hours watching movies. Also, since you’re expecting discomfort when the weather shifts, you may notice joint aches more than you would otherwise. To ward off weather-related joint pain, keep moving with regular exercise and stretching.”
— quoted from “What triggers weather-related joint pain?” — a 2022 “Ask the doctors” post by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women’s Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor, and Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women’s Health Watch (posted November 1, 2022*)
If you do unilateral movement — like walking, running, or skiing — you may not automatically notice your body’s asymmetry. The asymmetry of our bodies becomes more pronounced and noticeable when we do unilateral movement in sports like baseball, either type of football (in certain positions), basketball, golf, tennis, pickleball, and even gymnastics and dance. When someone is serious about playing or doing such things — especially on a pro level — they will typically use unilateral/asymmetrical exercises in their training. However, we humans have a tendency to resist where we are already strong and bend where we are already flexible — and it is easy to play into these tendencies. This can be problematic because, if we only cultivate strength where we are already strong and cultivate flexibility where we are already flexible, the body that is trained for a certain type of activity can quickly break down. In fact, several studies have connected low back (and shoulder) pain in baseball players to the asymmetrical movements required for certain positions.
While all of that may seem fairly obvious, how we use yoga to find balance within the imbalance is not always as obvious. For example, a good twisting sequence with some asymmetrical/unilateral movement can come in handy when you plan to be (outside) doing certain sports. Focusing on asymmetrical yoga poses can be a way to realign the body and mixing in a little “wind releasing” and some Somatic Yoga can not only release tension around the spine, it can also help “repattern the brain” — which how we cultivate new muscle memory. I have also noted how good a good twisting sequence feels when (it turns out that) precipitation is in the forecast.
But, just because we do all of that on February 5th doesn’t mean it’s going to rain; does it?
Nope, it just means we’re observing National Weatherperson’s Day (and the anniversary of the birth of John Jeffries), celebrating Hank Aaron (b. 1934), and noting the invention of (what would become) the modern day mixing bowl.
Note: Previous posts may reflect the fact that February 5th often falls during Lunar New Year / Spring Festival celebrations. In 2025, today is the eighth day of the Lunar New Year — which, for some, is Hokkien New Year’s Eve. It is also the seventh day of Navaratri (which is dedicated to Kalaratri, the most ferocious form of Durga/Parvati), as well as a time when people are celebrating Carnival and Maha Kumbh Mela.
Finally, the “Season for Nonviolence” principle of the day is “Simplicity”.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
NATIONAL WEATHERPERSON’S DAY, YOGA, BUDDHISM & CATHOLIC DISCERNMENT
NATIONAL WEATHERPERSON’S DAY & BUDDHISM (DURING THE SPRING FESTIVAL)
Observing the Conditions… of the Light (the “missing” Sunday post)
THE SPECIAL 2023 BLACK HISTORY POST ABOUT HANK AARON & PATENT No. 292,821
Having the Mettle/Metal to Mix it Up (a special Black History 2-for-1 note)
Please join me today (Wednesday, February 5th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Lunar New Year Day 8 KM/N mix on 02052025”]
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).
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.)
*Disclaimer from Harvard Health Publishing: “No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.”
### SIMPLICITY ###
FTWMI: Seeking…. (the “missing” Sunday post) January 19, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma, Life, Love, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Science, Suffering, Super Heroes, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Deborah Evans Price, Dolly Lama, Dolly Parton, Moderna vaccine, Queer News Tonight, Robbie Williams (yoga), Robin Roberts, Stephen Smith
add a comment Many blessings to everyone, especially those observing Maha Kumbh Mela or Theophany. May everyone breathe deeply and be exactly who you are! May you be safe and protected / peaceful and happy / healthy and strong!
For Those Who Missed It: The following version (of a 2021 post) was posted in 2022. Some biographical information, links, additional information, and formatting have been updated or added. 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 I’m inspired, I get excited because I can’t wait to see what I’ll come up with next.”
— Dolly Parton
There are certain puns, specifically homonym puns, that work really well in class but don’t work at all when read. For instance, when you read “the Dolly Lama”, you might think it’s a type-o and that I meant “Llama” — and that I somehow got confused about the animal when talking about the famous cloned sheep. However, when I explain that “Lama” is a term for “teacher” and an honorific specifically used in Tibetan Buddhism things become a little clearer. Hearing it, you might think I’m saying “Dalai Lama”, but, when you read it — and I refer to her as she — there’s no confusion about the identity of this famous teacher. Born January 19, 1946, Dolly Rebecca Parton is a seeker, a dreamer, a reader, a writer, a producer, an entrepreneur, a shopper, a philanthropist, a healer, and a teacher. She has also referred to herself as “A poor sinful creature”. Over the years, I had somehow forgotten that she is also someone who practiced yoga. You might wonder how I could forget something like that; but, in all fairness, the November/December 1984 Yoga Journal article that talked about musicians and actors practicing yoga in Nashville didn’t include a picture of Dolly actually practicing any poses. If you imagine that for a moment — Dolly in Virabhadrasana II — you’re not likely to forget the image. Especially since she continually proves herself as a warrior and a “Hero Friend”.“As the two of us stretched and shared for 90 minutes each morning, I’d get the strangest feeling that there were four of us there, two teachers and two students: me teaching Dolly yoga techniques, Dolly teaching me the value of laughter, spontaneity, nonjudgement, trust – and so much more. Then we’d slip out of our roles and slip into meditation, the four of us becoming two, becoming one.”
— quoted from the Nov/Dec 1984 Yoga Journal article entitled, “Yoga’s Nashville Connection: Well-being and fame co-exist, say these ‘top 10’ hit-makers from country music city.” by Robbie Williams
Reading my list of descriptors, you might think, “Oh, Myra, you left out that she’s a musician, a singer.” But, honestly, when I read about the life of Dolly Parton — the well lived life of the “Dolly Lama” — I feel like her being a singer and a musician are the least interesting things about her. Saying that her music is one of the least interesting things about her does not, in any way, take away or dimension her accomplishments as a musician. Dolly Parton and her fans have assured that nothing can do that! She has written over 3,000 songs and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. As I update this [in 2025], she has won eleven Grammys (including a Lifetime Achievement Award) and received 55 Grammy nominations. She has also won ten out of 45 Country Music Awards (CMA) and is one of only“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”
— Dolly Parton
While she is not an EGOT (a winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony), she has been nominated at least once for all four awards. She is also the focus of a podcast, Dolly Parton’s America; however, for anyone thinking she’s just an American Country music star, keep in mind that her biggest audience (170,000 people) was in Scotland. Also, keep in mind that she’s not done yet! She’s still living and still writing. She’s still innovating… which is why I’ll keep updating. She’s also still married, which might be a surprise for people who just know a song or two. Dolly Parton married Carl Thomas Dean on May 30, 1966. He’s not much for the spotlight and, last time I checked, had only seen her perform live once, but they’ve made it work for (coming up on) 59 years… and counting. She has said that he’s very romantic and that it’s their first marriage; then — with her customary twang — explained that it’s also their LAST marriage. And that right there, his romance combined with her humor (and twang), might be part of the reason their marriage works.“I’m more successful now than I was then, but I still feel like the same girl. I’m just a working girl. I never think of myself as a star because, as somebody once said, ‘A star is nothing but a big ball of gas,’ – and I don’t want to be that.”
— Dolly Parton’s response when asked how different she was from 1964 when she first arrived in Nashville, in an October 24,2014, billboard article entitled, “Dolly Parton Q & A: The Country Legend on 50 Years in Nashville and Why She Supports Her Gay Fans” by Deborah Evans Price
Another reason behind her successful marriage might be that Dolly Parton has never forgotten where she came from and has a heart that is, metaphysically speaking, bigger than her whole body. In that previously referenced Yoga Journal article from 1984, Robbie Williams noted, “Dolly Parton is very clear on her beliefs, priorities, and loyalties, and she seems to have identified her divine assignment in this lifetime.” In fact, the article goes on to describe signs and encounters that indicated Dolly knew at an early age that she had a great mission. That mission, in her own words: “channeling love energy ’so I’ll stay happy and loving, and, hopefully, make other people happy, too.’” Through her Dollywood Foundation, she has raised money and awareness for disaster relief (close to her home in Tennessee, in other US states, and overseas); HIV/AIDS related charities; cancer treatment; the ethical treatment of animals; and bald eagle conservation. She has also donated her time, energy, and considerable talent to these causes. Not to mention the fact that she has used her considerable wealth and clout to create jobs in economically-depressed areas. In 2020, she donated $1 million towards COVID-19 research and encouraged others (if they could afford it) to do the same. A few months later, Vanderbilt University announced that her donation helped fund the research that produced the Moderna vaccine. Dolly Parton reads about 50 books a year and promotes literacy through her foundation. In fact, one of the biggest ongoing Dollywood Foundation programs is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which gives each enrolled child a book a month, from birth until they reach kindergarten (age 5). As of today (as I update this), 3,197,250 children in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland have received 264,181,752 books! Can you imagine the imagination that is driven by so much reading?? Can you imagine how so imagination changes the world?“It was [ahead of its time]; and it did a lot of good. But, it evidently didn’t do enough good because we’re going to always have the same problems in the workplace with women and men….and there’s still work to be done. I still believe that women should get paid equal and should be treated with respect. I’m all about that, you know, and I don’t get out and have to preach it or march in the streets, I write about it.”
— Dolly Parton talking about the importance of the movie 9 to 5, in a 2019 ABC News Special entitled “Dolly Parton: Here She Comes Again!” with Robin Roberts
It is Dolly Parton’s imagination and hard work that have driven her to create so much wonder, beauty, and fun in the world. In addition to everything else — including helping to raise several of her 11 siblings (she is the fourth of 12) — Dolly Parton has written thirteen books, including her first novel (in 2022), several children’s books, and two cookbooks (one of which she wrote with her sister Rachel Parton-George in 2024). She has also been a featured actor in nine films (including one that was animated); made cameo appearances in four films (one of which was animated); and created a theme park, a water park, multiple entertainment centers, and a production company. That novel (Run, Rose, Run), which was co-written with James Patterson (and released on March 7, 2022) has it’s own soundtrack — consisting of 12 original songs by Dolly Parton — and is slated to be a movie (which she will produce, at the very least).“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”
— Dolly Parton
In 2011, when I was blogging as I practiced a Yoga Journal challenge for the new year, I mentioned celebrating the Dolly Lama’s birthday, as I do. In that post, I admitted, “I can’t exactly call myself an uber-fan when it comes to Dolly Parton, but I like her and I can’t imagine being in a room with her for two seconds and not smiling. I also can’t imagine being a room with her for two minutes and not laughing. Plus, she’s inspiring. She is unapologetic about where she comes from, what she looks like, or how she sounds. There’s a lesson in that. She believes in having fun and being passionate about something. There’s a lesson in that. She’s also a lesson in giving and in looking within for the answers we seek. That last part is key, because (again) we are our own ultimate teacher. We just have to take the time to do a little self-study.” I stand (and stan) by all of that. (Although, in hindsight, maybe I’m more of a fan than I thought. But, honestly, it’s hard not to be — even when I disagree with her about something.) Given all of the above — not to mention the fact that I’ve left some things out — you may be thinking, “What hasn’t Dolly Parton done?” Well, glad you asked. She has never posed nude for Playboy (or anybody else) — despite being asked repeatedly. She did, however, appear on the October 1978 cover… completely covered by a Playboy bunny outfit. A bunny outfit that reappeared for Carl Dean’s birthday in 2021! She has also, as I previously alluded, had a cloned sheep named in her honor: Dolly, because it was created using the breast tissue of an adult sheep.“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”
— Dolly Parton
“You’d be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap!”
— Dolly Parton
“People say, ‘How you stay looking so young?’ I say, ‘Well, good lighting, good doctors, and good makeup.’”
— Dolly Parton in a February 2019 BBC “Newsnight” interview with Stephen Smith
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01192021 The Dolly Lama”]
NOTE: The playlists are slightly different, because the YouTube playlists includes some additional videos “after the practice” of songs included in the practice portion of the playlist.“If you see someone without a smile today, give ’em yours.”
— Dolly Parton
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).
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”
— Dolly Parton
“When the big things in your life get messy, you need to get up and get out. I make a point to appreciate all the little things in my life. I go out and smell the air after a good, hard rain. I re-read passages from my favorite books. I hold the little treasures that somebody special gave me. These small actions help remind me that there are so many great, glorious pieces of good in the world.”
— quoted from Dream On: Celebrate the Dreamer in You by Dolly Parton
CORRECTION: I misspoke during the 2025 practice and referred to the wrong news program when referencing a “Queer News Tonight” segment about current events.
### DREAM ON, DREAMER ###
FTWMI: Out of This World Firsts January 14, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Music, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Admiral Harry E. Yarnell, Andrew Roberts, Christiaan Huygens, Elvis Presley, Emily Dickinson, European Space Agency, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, George C. Marshall, Giovanni Cassini, Harry S. Truman, Hawai’i, Italian Space Agency, Jim Green (NASA), Joseph Stalin, Khumb Mela, Kui Lee, Kuiokalani Lee, Maha Khumb Mela, Makar Sankrantani, NASA, Norman Doidge MD, Robert A. Heinlein, saṃskāra, Sacred Cow, Saturn, Sūrya, the Flying White House, United States Air Force, vāsanā, Winston Churchill, World War II
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“Happy Makar Sankranti!” to all who are celebrating a new beginning. May everyone breathe deeply and savor the richness of doing something amazing for the first time!
For Those Who Missed It: The following is a slightly expanded version of a 2024 post (that picks up where the Saturday the 13thpost and practice left off). Class details and a link have been added. It contains some passing references to the American Civil War and World War II.
“I dwell in Possibility –
A fairer House than Prose –
More numerous of Windows –
Superior – for Doors –”
— quoted from the poem “I dwell in Possibility (466)” by Emily Dickinson
Take a moment to consider the very first time you thought, said, did, and/or experienced someone else thinking, saying, and/or doing something. That very first time was (and is) special for a number of reasons — not the least of which being that it created a neural pathway (if we’re using the terminology of Western science) and a saṃskāra (“mental impressions”), if we’re using the terminology of Yoga and Āyurveda (as they come to us from India). When that thought, word, deed, and/or experience is experienced, the neural pathway starts becoming hardwired and connected to other experiences. Repeating a thought, word, deed, and/or experience also creates another mental impression which, over time, could become vāsanā (“dwelling places” of our habits). Even though the terminology is different, the end result is the same: We view life through the lens/veils of previous experiences and, at some point, we establish a status quo that is directly (or indirectly) connected to the first time we did something. The more we do new things — i.e., experience more “firsts” we have — the more we cultivate a foundation for more possibilities.
This may seem really obvious — especially when you first think about it. However, take a moment to consider that “firsts” happen in every moment of every day (even when they are not all happening to us). If we dig deep enough, we could find a “first” that happened today… in any given year. We might even find multiple “firsts”.
Consider what happens, when a “first” is experienced by most of the world? Consider what happens when when we go a little deeper into something simply because it was a “first” — because that is what we typically do on January 14th. We go a little deeper into three “firsts” that include several other “firsts” — some of which were out of this world or, at the very least, above the earth.
FIRST CHANGE (for some)
In Nepal, parts of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan (Sindh), Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, and among Tamil diasporas worldwide, January 14th (or the 15th during some leap years) is Makar Sankranti, a festival marking change and new beginnings. Also known as Uttarāyana, Makara, Sankrānti, and other names determined by various regions, Makar Sankranti marks the sun’s transition from south to north, moving from the zodiac of Sagittarius (dhanu) to Capricorn (makara).
Multi-day celebrations dedicated to Sūrya, the Hindu sun God, feature fireworks, colorful decorations, singing, dancing, kite flying, bonfires, and feasts. There are also prayers and thanksgiving, as well as pilgrimages and fairs/festivals called melas. One of the largest pilgrimages is Kumbh Mela, which occurs every 12 years (in different locations) and features ceremonial bathing in sacred rivers and lakes — another common element during Makar Sankranti.
FLYING HIGH
“At the concluding press conference on 24 January 1943, Roosevelt stated that General Ulysses S. Grant had been known as ‘Unconditional Surrender’ Grant, and that the Allies were also demanding unconditional surrender from the Germans and Japanese (but not the Italians) in the present struggle. It is often argued that this insistence led the Germans and Japanese to fight more fanatically than would otherwise have been the case, although it cannot be proven. What is plainly untrue, however, is that the policy merely sprang fully formed from Roosevelt’s mind without any consultation with [George C.] Marshall or Churchill.”
— quoted from “12 The Casablanca Conference: ‘We go bald-headed for Husky’ January 1943” in Masters and Commanders: The Military Geniuses who Led the West to Victory in World War II by Andrew Roberts
On Thursday, January 14, 1943, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt became the first sitting United States president to travel by airplane and the first to visit Africa. This was during World War II when the president and his advisors flew from Miami to Casablanca, French Morocco (now known as Morocco) in order to meet with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his advisors. They were meeting to discuss how the Allied forces would proceed in the War. Sultan Muhammad V, as well as French Generals Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud, also attended parts of The Casablanca Conference (sometimes called the Anfa Conference, since it was hosted at the Anfa Hotel). Although Joseph Stalin did not attend the conference at all and the other leaders did not attend the parts related to military strategy, one of the most critical things to come out of the conference was the Casablanca Declaration, a unified Allied statement calling for the “unconditional surrender” of Germany, Italy, and Japan.
The ways in which the call for unconditional surrender was announced — as well as the ways in which people understood the announcement — may have had some unintended consequences. Some historians have theorized that the announcements resulted in the war being extended (because some people in the Axis countries got their backs up and/or felt their backs were against the wall) and that this led to the dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Some have also speculated about how Europe might have been divided had the explanation been different and/or had Joseph Stalin been included in the conference. Another crucial and unfortunate element of the conference was anti-Semitic rhetoric expressed by many of the leaders, including President Roosevelt. Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, the then 14-year-old son of Sultan Muhammad V, grew up to become Hassan II, King of Morocco, whose reign was marked by authoritarianism, and human rights and civil rights abuses. One can only wonder what Hassan II’s reign would have been like had he not been exposed to such rhetoric by the most influential leaders of their time.
“Roosevelt loved the sea, but his ability to draw on the past to put the present into perspective allowed him to see the potentialities of naval and air power working in conjunction as Admiral [Harry E.] Yarnell had suggested. Soon, Roosevelt demonstrated his appreciation of air power as a military and naval defensive weapon.”
— quoted from “VI. The Wings of Democracy” in The Wings of Democracy: The Influence of Air Power on the Roosevelt Administration, 1933–1941 by Jeffrey S. Underwood
FDR’s historic 1943 flight was the beginning of several other presidential-aeronautic “firsts”. That first fight, as well as the return flight, were aboard the “Dixie Clipper”, a Boeing Model 314 long-range Clipper initially operated by Pan Am. The then-President Roosevelt was on board this luxurious flying boat, en route between Trinidad and Miami, when he turned 61 — making him the first sitting U. S. president to celebrate a birthday in an airplane, thousands of feet above the earth.
Some of this may be considered trivial. Consider the fact, however, that the president’s trip promoted the creation of the Douglas VC-54C Skymaster, the first U. S. presidential aircraft. Officially referred to as “the Flying White House,” the specially modified luxury aircraft was nicknamed “Sacred Cow,” because of the security features and designation. It featured modifications that produced increased fuel capacity; an unpressurized cabin with an executive conference room; rectangular bulletproof windows; a private bathroom; a fold down bed hidden behind the sofa; and an electric refrigerator. Although slower and less luxurious than its successor (Air Force One), the Sacred Cow did include a battery-powered elevator to accommodate the President Roosevelt’s wheelchair.
Alas, FDR would only fly on the new plane when he attended the Yalta Conference in February 1945. On the flip side, President Harry S. Truman used the plane quite a bit — including when he attended the Potsdam Conference in the summer of 1945. His frequent flying led then-President Truman to sign the National Security Act of 1947, which restructured the U. S. military in a variety of ways, including: creating a Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency. The 1947 act, which the president signed on board the Sacred Cow, clarified the responsibilities of the Department of the Army (formerly the Department of War), the Department of the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the newly formed Department of the Air Force — making the Sacred Cow the “birthplace” of the United States Air Force.
Retired in 1961, the first plane officially produced specifically for presidential travel was moved to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (in Dayton, Ohio) in 1983 and has been on display since 1993.
SINGING HIGH
“To your arms someday
I’ll return to stay till then
I will remember too
Every bright star we made wishes upon
Love me always, promise always
Oh, you’ll remember too
I’ll remember you”
— quoted from the song “I’ll remember you” by Elvis Presley, written by Lee Kuiokalani
At 12:30 AM (local time) on Sunday, January 14, 1973, Elvis Presley started performing his “Aloha from Hawai’i” concert. It was not the first time the “King of Rock and Roll” had performed in Hawai’i. In addition to filming three (3) movies on the islands (and selling tickets to the dress rehearsal for the January 14th show), he performed concerts in 1957 (before he served in the U. S. Army) and in 1961 (after he was discharged from the army). Several of these were benefit concerts, as was this notable first in 1973. So, those things weren’t new elements. Neither was this the first time he and the TCB Band (“Taking Care of Business Band”) had recorded a concert live with an orchestra and/or used Richard Strauss’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra” as their into music. Although, this time, that particular song selection did underscore the fact that this 1973 concert was the “first” by a single performer* to be broadcast live, via satellite.
People in 40 countries (mostly in Asia and Oceana) watched the broadcast in real time and people in Europe watched it with a slightly delay (and a little editing). Most people in the United States, however, were not able to watch the concert until April 4th (due to the Super Bowl broadcast and the fact that the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer documentary Elvis On Tour was playing on the mainland). Wearing an iconic white jumpsuit with rhinestones in patriotic designs, Elvis sang his classics and Kui Lee’s “I’ll Remember You”. He also announced that the proceeds from the pay-what-you-will concert were being donated to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund.
Kuiokalani Lee was a Chinese-born American singer-songwriter who served in the United States Coast Guard and penned popular hits by Don Ho during the Hawai’ian Renaissance. Diagnosed with cancer in 1965, he performed (as Kui Lee) until his death in 1966 (at the age of 34). He was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement award by the Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts and inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame. Donations from Elvis’s “Aloha from Hawai’i, live via Satellite” concert totaled $75,000 (which would be almost $514,700 in 2024) for cancer research.
The songs performed for the audience at Honolulu International Center, plus some that Elvis recorded before the concert, were included on the live album and the U. S. broadcast. Four (out of five) additional songs recorded (directly) after the live concert were included in the U. S. special, but were not initially included on the live album. In fact, the five songs recorded after the concert were not issued on any album until the posthumous release of Mahalo From Elvis (in 1978) and were not available as part of the “live” album until it was reissued as a CD in 1998. Additionally, people listening to the album, and/or watching the April 1973 broadcast, did not hear the announcement about the Kui Lee Cancer Fund.
Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite, the live album, was originally released as a two-disc set in quadraphonic sound. Although most people did not listen to the album as it was initially released — because the technology was not in place for people to truly appreciate the “surround sound” — and RCA quickly re-issued the album in standard stereophonic version, it was the first album formatted in such a way to top the Billboard album chart.
LANDING HIGH
“If you want to lift a hundred pounds, you don’t expect to succeed the first time. You start with a lighter weight and work up little by little. You actually fail to lift a hundred pounds, every day, until the day you succeed. But it is in the days when you are exerting yourself that growth is occurring.”
— quoted from the “Notes and References [related to Chapter 6. Brain Lock Unlocked — Using Plasticity to Stop Worries, Obsessions, Compulsions, and Bad Habits]” in The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge, M.D.
Every “first” has a back story. We may think, say, and even believe that something happened overnight, but the reality is that there’s always an idea and/or an innovation that precedes the next idea and innovation. For example, the president’s first flight and the king’s first concert broadcast via satellite required an idea and technology — a backstory, if you will — that started firmly on terra firma. The backstory for this final “first” also starts on the ground… with people looking up… in the mid to late 17th century.
Giovanni Domenico Cassini, also known as Jean-Dominique Cassini, was an Italian-French mathematician, astronomer, and engineer (born June 8, 1625) who experienced a lot of significant “firsts” in his lifetime. His contributions to science include determining the rotation periods of Jupiter and Mars; discovering four moons of Saturn, the reason one of those moons varies in brightness, and the Cassini Division (between the two outermost rings of Saturn); and beginning (towards the end of his life) what would become the first topographic map of France. He also published his observations regarding the topography of Mars. However, he was not the first to discover the surface markings on Mars — that distinction belongs to Christiaan Huygens (born April 14, 1629), a Dutch mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and inventor who was also a Dutch nobleman.
In addition to being the first Western scientist to observe the markings on Mars, Christiaan Huygens is considered a significant part of the Scientific Revolution. He discovered the largest of Saturn’s moons; was the first to describe Saturn’s rings as “a thin, flat, ring, nowhere touching [Saturn;]” and developed a system for calculating relative sizes and stellar distances within (and of) the solar system. He also advanced the designs of telescopes; identified and codified laws and/or formulas of elastic collision, centrifugal force, and the wave theory of light; and invented the pendulum clock.
“Cassini is a mission of firsts. Time and time again it has continued to surprise us. Astounding observations. It has changed our thinking irrevocably.”
— Jim Green, NASA Planetary Science Division Director, quoted from the video “Cassini’s First Dive Between Saturn and Its Rings” posted on NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology site
Since Giovanni Cassini and Christiaan Huygens contributed so much to Western scientists’ understanding of Saturn, it is not surprising that a major mission to Saturn bears their names. Known as Cassini–Huygens, the mission to study Saturn and its system was a collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It brought together teams from 27 different countries and featured NASA’s Cassini space probe and ESA’s Huygens lander. The probe, launched on October 15, 1997, was the fourth to visit Saturn. It collected data en route and (on July 1, 2004) became the first to enter Saturn’s orbit. The lander separated from the probe on December 4, 2004, and landed on Saturn’s largest moon (Titan) on January 14, 2005 — becoming the first successful landing in the outer solar system and the first lunar landing on a moon other than Earth’s moon.
The Huygens lander transmitted data, via the probe, for about 90 minutes after landing. The overall Cassini–Huygens mission (also known simply as Cassini) was extended twice; with the first extension known as the Cassini Equinox Mission and the second known as the Cassini Solstice Mission. The extensions allowed the probe to continue collecting data (from Saturn’s orbit) until September 15, 2017, when it entered Saturn’s (upper) atmosphere. The data collected during the nineteen years and eleven months of observation is still being analyzed and will foster better understanding of Saturn, our solar system, and life in (and beyond) our solar system. It will also provide the foundation for the next round of cosmic “firsts.”
“… Don protested. ‘But that’s theoretically impossible— isn’t it?’
Dr. Jefferson brushed it aside. ‘Everything is theoretically impossible, until it’s done. One could write a history of science in reverse by assembling the solemn pronouncements of highest authority about what could not be done and could never happen. Studied any mathematical philosophy, Don? Familiar with infinite universe sheafs and open-ended postulate systems?’
‘Uh, I’m afraid not, sir.’
‘Simple idea and very tempting. The notion that everything is possible—and I mean everything—and everything has happened. Everything.’”
— quoted from “II: ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel,Upharsin’” in Between Planets by Robert A. Heinlein
Please join me today (Tuesday, January 14th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01142024 Out of This World Firsts”]
*NOTE: The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) coordinated national broadcasters, performing artists, and other participants from fourteen different countries for a live variety show that was broadcast via satellite to 24 countries on Sunday, June 25, 1967. The “other participants” included fishermen, construction workers, and other laborers selected by individual countries.
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).
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.)
### FIRST! ###
Understanding [Your] Karma & Putting Cash in Your Karmic Bank Account (a revised post-practice Monday post) January 13, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Donate, Faith, First Nations, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Karma Yoga, Life, Meditation, Movies, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Super Heroes, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: Anstalten Österåker, “Pam” Hendricks, Österåker Prison, Österåkersanstalten), Beverly Mahr, Carl Perkins, Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Ray, Ecclesiastes, Folsom State Prison, Glen Sherley, Gordon Jenkins, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, kamma, Kamma Sutta, Karma, Karma Yoga, kriya, kriya yoga, Little Brother Montgomery, Martin Luther King Jr, Merle Haggard, prison, saṃskāra, San Quentin State Prison, Sir Isaac Newton, Soledad State Prison, Swami Jnaneshvara, Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati, Thannissaro Bhikkhu, The Tennessee Three (music), The Tennessee Two (music), vāsanā, Yoga Sutra 2.1, Yoga Sutra 2.12
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May your mind-body-spirit be well, be great, and be in harmony with your thoughts, words, and deeds.
This is a revised post for Monday, January 13th. In an ongoing effort to not throw the baby out with the bath water*, I have mixed some new quotes with a post from 2024. Some formatting, class details, and links have also been added or updated. The 2025 prompt question was, “Is the way you live your life a reflection of something people taught you or a reflection of your life experience?” NOTE: This post contains a passing reference to suicide.
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.
“‘Monks, I will teach you new & old kamma, the cessation of kamma, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma. Listen and pay close attention. I will speak.
‘Now what, monks, is old kamma? The eye is to be seen as old kamma, fabricated & willed, capable of being felt. The ear… The nose… The tongue… The body… The intellect is to be seen as old kamma, fabricated & willed, capable of being felt. This is called old kamma.
‘And what is new kamma? Whatever kamma one does now with the body, with speech, or with the intellect: This is called new kamma.
‘And what is the cessation of kamma? Whoever touches the release that comes from the cessation of bodily kamma, verbal kamma, & mental kamma: This is called the cessation of kamma.’”
— quoted from “Kamma Sutta: Action” (SN 35.145), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013
This present moment is the culmination of all the previous moments and the beginning of all the moments that come after it. Mindfulness-based practices — like the philosophies of Yoga and Buddhism — are an opportunity to observe cause-and-effect in action. Throughout a practice, we note how one thing can lead to another. Even in this moment, you can notice…
- How an inhale leads to an exhale and an exhale leads to an inhale;
- How moving with the breath allows us to notice how one pose leads to another;
- How what we do in one part of our body affects another part of the body (and vice versa). For example, notice how stability in the lower body allows you to extend your upper body and how extending your upper body allows you to stretch out the lower body.
If you’ve practice with me a bit, you have probably heard the aforementioned example a lot. (And, hopefully, you’ve tested it out for yourself.) You have probably also heard me state, “What happens in the body, happens in the mind; what happens in the mind, happens in the body; and both affect the breath… So we harness the power of the breath to affect the body and the mind.” At various points throughout the year, I reference saṃskāra (“mental impressions”) and vāsanā (“dwelling places” of our habits) and encourage people to notice how what happened to our hearts (and ourselves) in the past informed this present moment and how what happens in this present moment — i.e., what we do in this present moment — informs our future moments. All of this applies to our thoughts, our words, and our deeds.
What people may not immediately realize is that all of these things are related (or can be related) to karma and kriyā, two Sanskrit words that can be translated into English as “work” or “effort”.
“Although both kriya and karma can be translated as ‘action,’ there is a vast difference between them. Both are derived from the verb root kri…, which means ‘to do.’ Kriya refers to an action in process as well as to the dynamic force propelling the action. Karma refers to completed action. Unless a fresh wave of action is exerted on karma, it remains unchanged. Karma is an unchanging field of completed action waiting to be harvested by the performer of the action, while kriya is ever-moving, ever-changing energy. Kriya yoga is yoga in action, not yoga of action, and should not be confused with karma yoga.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.1 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
While karma (or kamma, in Pali) can have two different definitions in Buddhism — and while many Western practitioners of Yoga may be most familiar with some idea of “karma” — sacred texts about the Yoga Philosophy use two different words for the two different types of action/work. Karma is the effect or consequence, while kriyā is the cause. Kriyā is an ongoing process and also the steps within the process; it is active. You could also think of karma as fate and kriyā as destiny; where the former is unchangeable and the latter as the journey to your destination.
Some traditions take the latter concept a step further and specifically use kriyā in relation to internal action or work and speak of karma when referring to external work. In some ways, this dovetails with Yoga Sūtra 2.1, which defines kriyā yoga (“union in action”) as a combination of the final three niyamas (internal “observations”): discipline/austerity, self-study, and trustful surrender to a higher power (other than one’s self). In this context, kriyā yoga is a purification ritual and, as I mention throughout the year, there are several religious and philosophical observations that would fit within this rubric (including Lent, Yom Kippur and Passover, the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, and the holy month of Ramaḍān).
Additionally, in the Kundalini Yoga tradition, “kriyā” is the term applied to sequences with specific energetic intentions.
This is where it gets (even more) convoluted, because karma can also be the intention. Classically, when we talk about karma, we talk about planting seeds and things coming into fruition. So, one way to think of it is that we plant seeds that already have within them the image of the final product and kriyā is what we do to nurture and harvest what’s been planted — and/or what we do when we need to uproot the poisonous weeds.
“The literal meaning kriya is ‘verb.’ Every verb is representative of a distinct process or function and no process of function reaches fruition without a doer.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.1 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
After the Saturday practice in 2024, someone asked me if “karma” was going to be our philosophical focus for 2024. At first, I was going to answer no. Then I thought, not exactly. Yet, when I really sat with the question, the actual answer was, sort of and partially. During the Saturday practices in 2024, we focused on how our past moments lead us to these present moments (karma) and how the things we do in this present moment can lead to certain future moments (kriyā) — and we used the chakra system as a paradigm for understanding where we are, how we got here, and where we’re going (or, all the places we could go).
Just to clarify, this practice is a moving meditation with some self-study, contemplation, and reflection. While I do not put a lot of focus/emphasis on the concept of past lives and reincarnation — although those ideas do make up part of the foundation of karma/kamma in the Buddhist and Yoga philosophies — there are times when we reflect on generational trauma — and, of course, there will always be stories… and music.
“[Verse 1]
I hear the train a-comin’, it’s rolling ’round the bend
And I ain’t seen the sunshine since I don’t know when
I’m stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps draggin’ on
But that train keeps a-rollin’ on down to San Antone”
— quoted from the song “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash
On January 13, 1968, Johnny Cash, June Carter (who wouldn’t become a Cash until March 1, 1968), Carl Perkins, The Tennessee Three, and the Statler Brothers performed and recorded two (2) concerts at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, California. Although, the subsequent live album made these performances the most well known, they were not the first time Johnny Cash performed at Folsom Prison, nor the last time he performed at a prison… in California, in the United States, or in the world. In fact, he performed at least 30 prison concerts in the United States — including one at Correctional Training Facility (also known as Soledad State Prison) in 1980. He also recorded live albums in places like San Quentin State Prison (now known as San Quentin Rehabilitation Center) at Österåker Prison (known as Anstalten Österåker and Österåkersanstalten), north of Stockholm, Sweden.
We could just listen (or listen and move) to the music. But, let’s put a little “cash” in our karmic bank account and look at how the performances, as well as much of the music — not to mention the stories behind the music and how the concerts came about — are great illustrations of cause-and-effect and of karma and kriyā.
“[Verse 2]
When I was just a baby, my mama told me, ‘Son
Always be a good boy, don’t ever play with guns’”
— quoted from the song “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash
While serving in the United States Air Force in Germany (~ 1951/1952), Johnny Cash saw the film Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison (released in U. S. May 18, 1951) and he was inspired to write a song. Keep in mind that, even though he had more than his fair share of troubles and spent some time in county (or city) jail, he never served time as a prisoner. (Unlike Merle Haggard, who would be incarcerated and in the audience during at least one prison concert.) Mr. Cash did, however, have an imagination. So, as he sat not far from Landsberg Prison (in Bavaria), inspired by the film about Folsom and the instrumental song “Crescent City Blues” by Little Brother Montgomery (1930) as well as the lyrics by Gordon Jenkins (released by Beverly Mahr in 1953), he thought about the worst thing someone could do to wind up in prison. Keep in mind that his “worst thing” was based on his previous experiences.
Then he wrote a song that (he said) he never expected to get as big as it got: “Folsom Prison Blues”. Johnny Cash went on to write songs about prison life, in general, and about San Quentin (1969) — the latter of which he also sang as “Österåker”. In between cobbling together one of his most famous hits and some of those other prison songs, Mr. Cash decided he wanted to go to prison… not to serve time, but to serve the inmates.
By playing a series of concerts, he and the other musicians were giving back, doing a little karma yoga. The songs they sang simultaneously lifted the spirits of the inmates and spoke to/of the experiences of the inmates. In some cases, the songs, the concerts, and the live albums changed the way people perceived Johnny Cash and the inmates. They also changed the way some of the inmates saw themselves. For instance, during the first January 13th concert, the inmates at Folsom barely reacted to the music, because history had taught them that making too much noise would result in a loss of privileges. But, the musicians and their producers needed/wanted the crowd reactions for the live albums. So, perceptions and expectations changed. Consider how you would feel if you spent your days (and nights) suppressing your natural reactions because you feared punishment. Consider how you feel knowing the cheers, laughs, and applause on the live recording were re-mixed after the concerts.
The life of Glen Sherley is another example of the effect of the concerts. It is also an example of how past actions inform present actions and influence future actions. Mr. Sherley was an inmate at Folsom, who had written a song. Someone played Johnny Cash a tape of the song, thinking the morale of the inmates might be boosted if the “Man in Black” referenced the song and the songwriter. Johnny Cash and the other musicians took the idea a step further: they learned and sang the song. Glen Sherley had no idea the popular musicians were going to sing his song. Neither could he know how much his life was going to change because of that simple act; but, change it did. Even while still in prison, Glen Sherley became a popular songwriter who eventually released his own album and (for a brief period) performed under the House of Cash label.
However, despite being given a “second act” and a different way of life, Glen Sherley couldn’t handle it. He had a long history of violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and other illegal tendencies. Johnny Cash dismissed him from the House of Cash out of an abundance of caution (because people feared he would follow through on some of his threats) and, in 1978, within 7 years of his release from Folsom, those fears came to fruition when Glen Sherley shot a man while he (Mr. Sherley) was high. A couple of days later, after telling his daughter couldn’t go back to jail, the fledging musician died from a suicide. He was 42 years old.
Johnny Cash understood that, given a chance, some people could break the cycle of violence and poverty. He also understood his affect on people like Glen Sherley and on people who would judge someone like Glen Sherley. Understanding cause-and-effect is part of the reason he sometimes said he shouldn’t have singled Glen Sherley out. It is also the reason Mr. Cash met Mr. Sherley when he was released, gave him a job; and (ultimately) paid for his funeral.
“Well, you wonder why I always dress in black
Why you never see bright colors on my back
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone
Well, there’s a reason for the things that I have on
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down
Livin’ in the hopeless, hungry side of town
I wear it for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime
But is there because he’s a victim of the times”
— quoted from the song “The Man in Black” by Johnny Cash
As they do with Martin Luther King, Jr (especially around his birthday and the holiday dedicated to him), people often quote and/or coopt Johnny Cash’s legacy. Throughout his life, he told people not to put words in his mouth — a message his children continue spreading to this day — and to, instead, pay attention to what he said and what he did. If we do that, if we really listen to what he said and what he did, we find that Johnny Cash advocated for the poor and the disenfranchised. He wrote protest songs about people in prison and how they were treated (before and after they were released); the Vietnam War (and war in general); and the oppression of Native Americans. Then he backed those lyrics up with actions/deeds.
I can’t help but wonder what he would say about other musicians being investigated and incarcerated because of their lyrics and/or the political climate here in the U. S. and around the world. Neither can I blame someone with different views from mine doing the same thing. I think such thoughts are natural, human, inclinations. However, I am very careful to come back to his words, his action, his karma, and (in a way) his kriyā.
His kriyā, because the music is still alive and still actively acting on the world.
“Each week we lose a hundred fine young men
And I wear it for the thousands who have died
Believin’ that the Lord was on their side
I wear it for another hundred-thousand who have died
Believin’ that we all were on their side
… Well, there’s things that never will be right, I know
And things need changin’ everywhere you go
But ’til we start to make a move to make a few things right
You’ll never see me wear a suit of white
Ah, I’d love to wear a rainbow every day
And tell the world that everything’s okay
But I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back
’Til things are brighter, I’m the man in black”
— quoted from the song “The Man in Black” by Johnny Cash
Given all of the above, take a moment to consider your first lesson in “karma”.
Was it called that or was “cause-and-effect” first taught to you in a different way, with different words (and in a different language)? Maybe it was taught to you in the scientific way. Remember this is just a different spin on the laws of nature and Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion. According to Yoga Sūtra 2.12: kleśamūlah karmāśayo dŗşţādŗşţjanmavedanīyah / “The reservoir of our actions is rooted in affliction/pain that is experienced in seen and unseen lives.” So, take a moment to consider that how you view all of this is based on your previous experiences and lessons (about the subject at hand and, also, about the historical and cultural context of these concepts). Now, take a moment to consider how you use this information (about yourself) when you are really grounded in it. Meaning:
- What do you believe (or not believe)?
- How much of what you believe (or don’t believe) is based on lessons you were taught (or not taught) and how much is based on what you’ve experienced/learned in the meanwhile?
- How do your thoughts, words, and deeds reflect your beliefs?
Just like I wonder about his thoughts on current events, I wonder about Johnny Cash’s first lesson in karma. Again, he never served time in prison, but he spent time in prisons and that time was spent serving others — which I consider a form of karma yoga. He put his beliefs into action and is often quoted as saying, “ … I’m the biggest sinner of them all….” Then, in the very next breath, he would talk about his faith in Jesus. The Man in Black wrote a song called “The Man in Black” and, also, a historical novel called The Man in White (about how Saul became Paul). So, it is possible that his first lesson in “karma” was similar to mine, someone quoting or paraphrasing “the Teacher” (King Solomon) in Ecclesiastes 11. Even though he may not have called it karma yoga, Johnny Cash spent a lot of time doing things that came back to him.
What are you doing and how is coming back to you?
“Cast your bread upon the water and it shall return to you.”
— My great-grandmother Pam, quoting Ecclesiastes 11:1
“The law of Karma is a universal process, whereby causes lead to effects. This is something that all of us are already familiar with, whether or not we use the word Karma to describe it. Newton’s third law of motion, that every action leads to a reaction, is an application of the law of Karma.”
— Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
The playlist used in previous practices is available on YouTube and Spotify. [“01132021 Karma Cash I”]
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).
Looking for more? You can scroll through all my posts tagged with karma or check out one of the posts highlighted below:
- We Begin With a Curious Teacher, or 2 (the “missing” Saturday post) September 16, 2023
- The Last Appointment (a “long lost” Saturday post) June 5, 2023
- Leadership & Kriya Yoga (the “missing” Monday post) February 21, 2023
- Effort and Effect (a “missing” post from a week ago) February 28, 2022
- When You Need A Good Hard Rain (the “missing” Sunday post) February 7, 2022
01/13/2026 Errata: The reference to the reaction of the Folsom inmates during the first concert originally contained the wrong month.
A Joyful Practice 