FTWMI: How Do We Know? (an *UPDATED* note with excerpts) June 15, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Love, Men, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Adhyayana, Ajna, Blood, Dad's Big Day, Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys, Dr. Paul Emmerez, Dr. Richard Lower, Father's Day, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, siddhis, Sir Walter Scott, Uha, Vihari-Lal Mitra, Yoga Sutra 2.24, Yoga Sutras 1.5-1.7, Yoga Vasishtha
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Happy Pride! Happy Dad’s Day!! Many blessings to everyone!!!
For Those Who Missed It: Most of the following was originally posted in 2024. I have added an extra excerpt, plus a little extra context and excerpt for the Dads!
“Uha means ‘knowledge without doubt, clear understanding, intuitive knowledge.’ It is the power of revelation – the fundamental force behind all human discovery. It has its source in mahat tattva, the pure and pristine manifestation of Ishvara’s prakriti, and is therefore infinite. In our day-to-day life, it manifests in the form of discerning power. This is also the force behind our memory.”
“Adhyayana means ‘study, analyze, and comprehend.’ We have the capacity to study, analyze, and comprehend an abstract idea whether it is spoken, written, or implied. We even have the capacity to decipher our own and others’ intention and predict the causes as well as the far-reaching effects of those intentions.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.24 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
According to Yoga Sūtras 1.5-7, we all have functional/not afflicted thought patterns and dysfunctional/afflcited thought patterns, the latter of which creates suffering. Those two types of thought patterns can come in the form of correct understanding, false understanding, imagination (which is sometimes translated as “verbal delusions”), deep/dreamless sleep, and memory. Obviously, we want as much functional, correct understanding as possible and that comes from direct/sense perception, inference, and revelation documented in sacred text and/or scriptures.
But….
How do you know what you know? How do you know what you know is true? We all know there are things we don’t know; however, there are also things that we don’t know we don’t know. So, how do you know that what you don’t know you don’t know doesn’t negate what you think you know is true?
Maybe you don’t.
Maybe you can’t.
Or maybe you have no interest in going down that particular philosophical rabbit hole at [insert whatever time it is for you here].
There is also the possibility that you are someone who just knows — or who thinks you know — when someone is telling the truth. Maybe you have a feeling, a sense, a sensation that is information. We all have that. Unfortunately, we can all ignore that gut feeling, that prickly feeling, that little Spidey-sense. We can also override it.
Of course, there is another type of person you could be.
You could be the type of person who thinks/feels that you can tell whether a person is trustworthy — or whether they are a good dad — just by looking at them. Not because you are using the first and third of the siddhis (“abilities”) described as “unique to being human,” but because… you know, “blood will tell” or “blood will out.”
Click on the titles to find out why some things don’t mean what we think they mean.
Thicker Than…? (a”missing” 2-for-1 post, for Monday-Tuesday)
“The first words he said when he had digested the shock, contained a magnanimous declaration, which he probably was not conscious of having uttered aloud – ‘Weel – blude’s thicker than water – she’s welcome to the cheeses and the hams just the same.’”
— quoted from “Chapter IX, Die and endow a college or a cat. Pope.” of Guy Mannering, or The Astrologer (pub. 1815) by Sir Walter Scott, Bart
Click on the title below for a post about Dad’s Big Day (that includes additional post links and video tributes)!
“15. You see a man in two ways, the one with his body and the other in his representation in a picture or statues, of these the former kind is more frail than the latter; because the embodied man is beset by troubles and diseases in his fading and mouldering, decaying and dying body, whereby the other is not. (The frame of the living man, is frailer than his dead resemblance).”
— quoted from (Book 6) “CHAPTER XXIX. Pantheism. Description of the World as Full with the Supreme Soul.” of The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated from the original Sanskrit by VIHARI-LALA MITRA)
There is no (Zoom) class today, but I will be back on schedule (and on Zoom) tomorrow. If you are on my Sunday recording list, I have sent you a copy of the 2020 Dad’s Day practice and copies of the (75-minute & 90-minute) philosophical practices from June 15, 2020 & 2024. If you want to be added to my Sunday list (or any other list), please email me or comment below.
As I announced via the class email lists, I am now posting practices on my YouTube channel (so that is another practice option for you) and will post a bonus video this week.
The “Dad’s Big Day” playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
The playlist for June 15th is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06142020 World Blood Donor Day”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### QUESTION WHAT YOU KNOW ###
A Quick PSA & FTWMI: The Power of Giving & Sharing June 14, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Donate, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Super Heroes, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, © National center for blood transfusion (NCBT) Rwanda, Dana, Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys, Dr. Karl Landsteiner, Dr. Linus Pauling, Flag Day, Kristin Houser, No Kings Day, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, samkhya, siddhis, Sāṃkhya Karika, Sāmkhya Karika, WHO, World Blood Donor Day, World Health Organization, Yoga Sutra 2.24
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Happy Pride! Many blessing to everyone on World Blood Donor Day!!!
A Quick Public Service Announcement
My heart and condolences go out to the family, friends, and constituents being affected by the attacks in the Twin Cities.
Be safe today if you are participating in a No Kings Day! observation (or Flag Day celebration) and/or if you are in an area where protests and parades are taking place. Stay centered and calm, breathe, and practice the four (+1) R’s:
Recognize when your buttons are getting pushed (and things are escalating).
Refrain from your knee jerk reaction (which may be to push back).
Relax (even if you just pause and take a breath).
Resolve to move forward, centered and grounded.
Remember why you are doing what you are doing.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2023. It includes updated statistics (compared to the related linked posts). Class details and theme information (as well as some formatting) have been updated. Some links at the end of the post connect outside of this blog.
“I found that [Karl] Landsteiner and I had a much different approach to science: Landsteiner would ask, ‘What do these experimental observations force us to believe about the nature of the world?’ and I would ask, ‘What is the most simple, general and intellectually satisfying picture of the world that encompasses these observations and is not incompatible with them?’”
— quoted from “Fifty Years of Progress in Structural Chemistry and Molecular Biology.” By Dr. Linus Pauling (published in Daedalus, 99, 1005. 1970)
In addition to the typical philosophical questions, this week has been full of very practical questions: “Are you keeping your foundation in mind?” “What do you have a hard time wrapping your brain around (i.e., understanding)?” In other words, “How ignorant are you?” “What ails you?” “How do you cope with what ails you?” “Does the way you cope alleviate suffering or create more suffering?” And, rooted within each of those questions is one more: “Are you willing to alleviate your suffering and/or the suffering of another?”
Honestly, that last question is really just asking if you’re willing to be a hero(ine)?
Heroes and heroines have come up again and again over the last few weeks. Sometimes the reference was inferred; other times it was quite explicit. Either way, the idea that one person could do something to help — even save — themselves and/or another person comes up over and over again. And, yes, I will admit that I have a certain bias towards the idea. I definitely appreciate the fact that many of the heroes and heroines you find in so many cultural stories (not to mention in the stories of certain superheroes) are ordinary people who do extra-ordinary things. Sure, sometimes they are given superpowers, but what is more relevant is the power(s) they cultivate.
“The last category of our innate siddhis is dana, ‘the ability to give.’ We have both the wisdom and the courage to share what lawfully belongs to us with others. We are designed to experience the joy of giving. This joy is the architect of human civilization, characterized by self-sacrifice and selflessness.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.24 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
According to the Yoga Sūtras, when we eliminate suffering and the roots of suffering, we gain awareness of our true nature. We also gain access to the power and vitality of our true nature. In the Sāṃkhya Karika, that power and vitality includes six siddhis (“powers” or abilities) which are described as “powers unique to being human.” Everyone has these powers, but not everyone appreciates and cultivates them. Take for example, what happens when we harness the power of duḥkha-vighātaḥ-trayaḥ (the ability to “eliminate three-fold sorrow”, i.e., physical, mental, and spiritual sorrow) and combine it with the power of dana (“generosity”, i.e., the ability to give to another).
We all have something that legally belongs to us that we could give to another. We also have something that most of us can give away without ever missing. I’m not talking about a material possession — although some of us may have material things that we could give away and not miss. No, here, I am specifically talking about something that is the very essence of our life. Consider how powerful it is to literally give our lifeblood. We have the ability to do that thanks to Dr. Karl Landsteiner, the “Father of Transfusion Medicine”, who was born today in 1868.
Click here to read more about the significance of Dr. Karl Landsteiner’s work.
In honor of Dr. Landsteiner’s birthday, today is World Blood Donor Day. (Coincidentally, it falls just the day before the anniversary of Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys’s 1667 surgery on a 15-year old boy, using sheep’s blood.) Established in 2005, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, World Blood Donor Day is a celebration of and an expression of gratitude for the millions of donors worldwide. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness for the universal need for safe blood and blood products.
In 2023, the host country is Algeria (through its National Blood Transfusion Service) and the theme is “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.”
The 2025 theme is “Give blood, give hope: together we save lives.”
“[The 2023 World Blood Donor Day theme] focuses on patients requiring life-long transfusion support and underlines the role every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma. It also highlights the importance of giving blood or plasma regularly to create a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products that can be always available, all over the world, so that all patients in need can receive timely treatment.”
— quoted from the World Health Organization’s 2023 World Blood Donor Day site
According to WHO, 42% of the world’s blood supply is collected in high income countries, which are home to only 16% of the world’s population. Additionally, as of 2018, only 79 countries have the majority (90%) of their blood supplied by voluntary, unpaid donors. Some of those countries also supply blood transfusions free of charge. Meanwhile, 54 countries depend on family and paid donors. When it comes to plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMP), less than half of the reporting countries (56 out of 171) produce PDMP through the fractionation (i.e., separation) of plasma collected in the reporting countries. A little over 53% of reporting countries (91 out of 171) import all PDMP. The remaining 14% either reported no usage or did not report any data.
Just as the demographics of people who donate is different, how different countries use blood varies. For example, in low income countries, more than half (54%) of blood transfusions are give to children under 5 years old. On the flip side, the majority of people receiving transfusions in high income countries (76%) are over the age of 60.
Go deeper and you will find that even in countries that can depend on voluntary donations, certain parts of those countries experience shortages which can only be alleviated by a mobilized network. In fact, one of the goals of World Blood Donor Day is to “mobilize support at national, regional, and global levels among governments and development partners to invest in, strengthen and sustain national blood programmes.” That mobilized network can include electronic cold chain monitoring systems and drones — both of which can be found in Rwanda and in Ukraine.
“Rwanda’s policy since 1985 is that blood must be donated by unpaid volunteers and provided to patients in need free-of-charge. Donors around Rwanda are eager to help.
‘I always am happy to save a life of someone, even someone I don’t know, because in our (Rwandan) culture, we believe that to be human is to do good things to someone without being remunerated,’ said Euphrasie Uwase Maneno, a blood donor.”
— quoted from the 12 June 2019 World Health Organization report “Drones take Rwanda’s national blood service to new heights” by © National center for blood transfusion (NCBT) Rwanda
Please join me today (Saturday, June 14th) at 12:00 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06142020 World Blood Donor Day”]
“[Canadian drone manufacturer Draganfly’s] medical drones, meanwhile, are equipped with temperature-controlled payload boxes that can be used to transport up to 35 pounds of blood, insulin, vaccines, and other supplies. They can fly for 40 minutes on a single charge.”
— quoted from the Freethink article “Medical drones to transport blood being rushed to Ukraine” by Kristin Houser (dated March 31, 2022)
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
### WHAT QUESTION(S) ARE YOU ASKING? ###
FTWMI: Seeing/Perceiving & Believing in “Dragons” June 3, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Baseball, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Afterfeast of the Ascension, Dr. David Hubel, Dr. Torsten Wiesel, Ernest Thayer, eyes, J. R. R. Tolkien, Martin Gardner, ocular plasticity, Shavuos, Shavuot, truth, visual cortex, yoga, Yoga Sutra 2.20
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Happy Pride!
“Chag Sameach!” to everyone who is celebrating Shavuot. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating the Afterfeast of the Ascension.
For Those Who Missed It: The following post with date-related excerpts was originally posted in 2024. Class details, as well as some formatting and date-related information, have been updated.
“After the banquet, at a Harvard decennial class reunion in 1895, [Ernest] Thayer recited Casey and delivered an eloquent speech, tinged with ironic humor and sadness. (It is printed, along with Casey, in Harvard University, Class of 1885: Secretary’s Report No. V, 1900, pp. 88-96.)…. Surely the following passage is but a roundabout way of saying that it is easy to strike out:
We give today a wider and larger application to that happy phrase of the jury box, ‘extenuating circumstances.’ We have found that playing the game is very different from watching it played, and that splendid theories, even when accepted by the combatants, are apt to be lost sight of in the confusion of active battle. We have reached the age, those of us to whom fortune has assigned a post in life’s struggle, when, beaten and smashed and biffed by the lashings of the dragon’s tail, we begin to appreciate that the old man was not such a damned fool after all. We saw our parents wrestling with that same dragon, and we thought, though we never spoke the thought aloud, ‘Why don’t he hit him on the head?’ Alas, comrades, we know now. We have hit the dragon on the head and we have seen the dragon smile.”
— quoted from “There was Ease in Casey’s Manner…” in The Annotated Casey at the Bat: A Collection of Ballads about the Mighty Casey / Third, Revised Edition, Edited by Martin Gardner
In The Hobbit, Or There and Back Again, J. R. R. Tolkien reminded us “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” Well, folks, we have been living with several dragons in our midst and, having not included that fact in our previous calculations, we find ourselves recalculating — and “[hitting] the dragon on the head…” only to see it smile.
I realize that everyone may not identify my metaphorical dragon in the same way that I intend it. So, let me be clear: the dragon equals our problem(s) and how we deal with our problem(s).
The Grace of “Being Sensational and Seeing Clearly” & FTWMI: When Intuition Expands *UPDATED*
“Science is not an intelligence test. Intuition is important, knowing what questions to ask. The other thing is a passion for getting to the core of the problem.”
— Dr. Torsten Wiesel (b. 06/03/1924), co-winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Every person, every organization, every family, village, city, state, and country has a problem (or two… or more). Some problems seem uniquely ours and others transcend all the different labels we may apply to ourselves.
Back in a June 2022 side note, I posted that “… we may have different opinions about why we, here in the USA, have a problem — but we really can’t deny that there is a problem. We also can’t afford to deny or ignore the fact that it’s a problem no one else in the world is having. Neither can we deny or ignore the fact that if we keep speaking with ourselves, instead of with each other, than we will keep having this problem.”
The subtext to my observation is also the subtext to the speech Ernest Thayer gave in 1895 and to his poem, “Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic, Sung in the Year 1888”, which was originally published in The Daily Examiner (now The San Francisco Examiner) today in 1888. To extend the dragon metaphor just a little more, we can look at that subtext as the dragon’s tail. What beats us, bashes us, and biffs us — what lashes us and, ultimately, may defeat us — is our own ego and our reluctance (or inability) to see things from a different perspective.
Again, I realize this metaphor isn’t perfect. I realize some people may interpret in a different way than I intend it and that some people just won’t get it. I also understand that some people may understand it in a different way today than the would have last week or last year (when it wasn’t the Year of the Dragon)… or last century. That’s kind of the point.
Each of us perceives things the way we perceive them based on our previous experiences and then we move through the world accordingly. Patanjali pointed this out in the Yoga Sūtras (particularly in YS 2.20) and outlined ways to bring our awareness to our awareness, to notice what we notice — in order to expand our awareness and, in the process, expand our understanding.
Another way to look at this same concept is through the eyes of scientists like Dr. Torsten Wiesel (who was born today in 1924) and Dr. David Hubel, who collaborated on research that centered on the way we physically see — and sometimes don’t see.
“We’re interested in how the brain works, and we work on the part of the brain that has to do with vision. And we…we record from single cells in the brain, and ask how it is you can influence those cells by shining lights and patterns.”
— Dr. David Hubel, summarizing research with Dr. Torsten Wiesel that won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Please join me today (Tuesday, June 6th) 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 “06032020 How Can We See, Dr Wiesel”]
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.)
ERRATA: Title corrected and included J. R. R. Tolkien’s last name.
### We Shall See What We Shall See ###
Für Deine Gesundheit! “Be Curious….” (mostly the music) May 28, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Maya Angelou, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alen Voskanian MD MBA, Hunter Doherty Adams, Jarem Sawatsky, mental health, Patch Adams
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, Counting the Omer, and/or observing the Apodosis of Pascha.
“The purpose of a doctor or any human in general should not be to simply delay the death of the patient, but to increase the person’s quality of life. ”
— Dr. Hunter Doherty “Patch” (or “Stumpy”) Adams (b. 1945), quoted from “Chapter 5. Overwhelmed With Minutia” in Reclaiming the Joy of Medicine: Finding Purpose, Fulfillment and Happiness in Today’s Medical Industry by Alen Voskanian, MD, MBA
Please join me today (Wednesday, May 28th) 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 “10102021 World Mental Health Day (redux)”]
“Then [Patch] sat back and said ‘…. The question is “are you living?” Are you living? Are you being the human being you want to be? Are your relationships healthy? Are you grateful? What is your sense of wonder? What’s your sense of curiosity? What thrills you?
You can decide to love life. You can decide to love your partner. You can decide to know what I mean when I say, a tree can stop your suffering.’
Somehow those words struck me as free. I don’t need to figure out everything about dying. I need to keep living. To be thrilled, to be grateful, to be wonder-filled. To be curious about life and living. These are ways of being that are accessible to me.”
— quoted from ”Diving into an Ocean of Gratitude — Living and Caring with Patch Adams” by Jarem Sawatsky
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.)
“Be curious!”
“And while you’re waiting to come up with a question, I can say that I make me. I decided at 18 to never have another bad day and I am 79 on Tuesday and I haven’t had a bad day since I was 18. I love my life. I chose to make me and to be six qualities: happy, funny, loving, creative, cooperative, and thoughtful.”
— Dr. Hunter Doherty “Patch” (or “Stumpy”) Adams, quoted from the May 25, 2024 live-stream video entitled “Celebrating my 79th Birthday with My Loving Community”
### BLESS YOU! ###
Note & EXCERPT: “The Grace of Knowing How to Feel & FTWMI: How We Learn To Feel (and what we learn from feeling)” May 27, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Life, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, beauty, compassion, Counting the Omer, empathy, Nature, Rachel Carson, Rosalind Dymond Cartwright, sympathy, Tony Hillerman
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer, and/or observing the sixth week of Pascha.
“‘Everything is connected. The wing of the corn beetle affects the direction of the wind, the way the sand drifts, the way the light reflects into the eye of man beholding his reality. All is part of totality, and in this totality man finds his hozro, his way of walking in harmony, with beauty all around him.’”
— quoted from The Ghostway (Navajo Mysteries #6) by Tony Hillerman
Today is the anniversary of the birth of Rachel Carson (b. 1907) and Tony Hillerman (b. 1925). Both writers had a way of making Nature a character with the intention of making readers feel for nature.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
The Grace of Knowing How to Feel & FTWMI: How We Learn To Feel (and what we learn from feeling)
“But it seems reasonable to believe — and I do believe — that the more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us the less taste we shall have for the destruction of our race. Wonder and humility are wholesome emotions, and they do not exist side by side with a lust for destruction.”
— Rachel Carson accepting the John Burroughs Medal (April 1952) and printed in Lost Woods: The Discovered Writing of Rachel Carson
Please join me today (Tuesday, May 27th) 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 “05272020 Carson & Hillerman”]
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.)
### MANY BLESSINGS (to the nth degree) ###
FTWMI: A Well, Well, Well(ness) [Tuesday] (w/ an excerpt) May 13, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Donate, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Jane Hirshfield, Julian of Norwich, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Mantra, Mathematics, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alessandro Rotondo, American Psychological Association, Beau Lotto, Buddha, Buddha's Birthday, Ciro Conversano, Counting the Omer, Eastertide, Elena Lensi, Francesca Arpone, Julian of Norwich, KISS MY ASANA, Mario Antonio Reda, mental health, Olivia Della Vista, Optimism, Our Lady of Fatima, Pessimism, Psychology Today Staff, samskāras, Vesak, vāsanā, Wesak
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating the Feast Day of Julian of Norwich, Vesak / Buddha Purnima / Buddha Jayanti, Counting the Omer, and/or observing the fourth week of Pascha.
For Those Who Missed It: The following is a slightly edited version of a May 8th post-practice post for Monday and included the prompt question, “Would you describe yourself as an optimist or a pessimist?”
Some links, dated-related context, and class information have been updated and/or added.
“optimism
n. hopefulness: the attitude that good things will happen and that people’s wishes or aims will ultimately be fulfilled. Optimists are people who anticipate positive outcomes, whether serendipitously or through perseverance and effort, and who are confident of attaining desired goals. Most individuals lie somewhere on the spectrum between the two polar opposites of pure optimism and pure pessimism but tend to demonstrate sometimes strong, relatively stable or situational tendencies in one direction or the other. See also expectancy-value model. —optimistic adj.”
— quoted from the American Psychological Association’s APA Dictionary of Psychology
Take a moment to consider how your outlook on life (and future events) factors into the way you move through your life and engage future events. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? I tend to describe myself as an optimist — who can be pessimistic about certain things; but there are people who would (credibly) argue that I am a pessimist. Maybe that makes me a realist.
Or maybe, as indicated by the American Psychological Association (APA), I’m just like most people: somewhere in the middle.
It all comes down to perspective and that perspective can change the way we interact with ourselves, with other people, with challenges, with new experiences, and even with our physical and mental health. In 2009, a group of researchers presented a paper (published in May 2010), about the effect of optimism. The abstract of the paper indicated that being (even a little bit) optimistic can be healthy and promote wellness.
“Through employment of specific coping strategies, optimism exerts an indirect influence also on the quality of life. There is evidence that optimistic people present a higher quality of life compared to those with low levels of optimism or even pessimists. Optimism may significantly influence mental and physical well-being by the promotion of a healthy lifestyle as well as by adaptive behaviours and cognitive responses, associated with greater flexibility, problem-solving capacity and a more efficient elaboration of negative information.”
— quoted from “Optimism and Its Impact on Mental and Physical Well-Being” by Ciro Conversano,1,† Alessandro Rotondo,2,† Elena Lensi,1 Olivia Della Vista,1 Francesca Arpone,1 and Mario Antonio Reda1
“1Istituto di Scienze del Comportamento Università degli Studi di Siena
2Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana
†These authors contributed equally to the work.”
Obviously, there is a difference between being optimistic (or pessimistic) and being delusional — or, in the case of pessimism, being fatalistic and/or riddled with anxiety. In some cases, however, the difference is a matter of perspective and that perspective brings our awareness to why some people are optimistic and some people are pessimistic. Notice that the source of optimism is not addressed in the APA’s definition of optimism. Many people may point to faith as the source of their optimism — especially this time of year, when there are so many holy obligations and sacred observations (including today’s celebrations of Julian of Norwich, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fátima, and the Buddha). But, notice that the APA’s definition doesn’t even include the word “believe” — and, yet, these mental attitudes are all about what our beliefs.
Neuroscientists like Dr. Beau Lotto highlight the fact that our beliefs are at the heart of this discussion. He often directs our attention to our previous experiences and the idea that we not only interpret current events through the filter of past events, we anticipate future events based on our past experiences. To me, his explanation sounds a lot like the concept of samskara (a “mental impression”) and vasana (a literal “dwelling” place of our habits). It also highlights why someone like Julian of Norwich thought she was dying back in 1373 and why, once she recovered, she was able to “shew” her experiences in a positive and loving light.
“Your brain is, at its core, a statistical distribution. Thus, your history of experiences creates a database of useful past perceptions. New information is constantly flowing in, and your brain is constantly integrating it into this statistical distribution that creates your next perception (so in this sense ‘reality’ is just the product of your brain’s ever-evolving database of consequence). As such, your perception is subject to a statistical phenomenon known in probability theory as kurtosis. Kurtosis in essence means that things tend to become increasingly steep in their distribution… that is, skewed in one direction. This applies to ways of seeing everything from currents events to ourselves as we lean ‘skewedly’ toward one interpretation positive or negative.”
— quoted from “Chapter 5. The Frog Who Dreamed of Being a Prince” in Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently by Beau Lotto
Dr. Lotto went on to write, “We’re really talking about math when we say, ‘The optimist sees the glass as half full and the pessimist as half empty,’ though in my view maybe true optimists are just glad to have a drink in the first place!” Julian of Norwich, an anchoress and Christian mystic who lived in the 14th and 15th centuries, fit that definition of a “true optimist.” Her Revelations of Divine Love (Revelations of Love in 16 Shewings) — which is the oldest surviving book written in English by a woman — refers to giving thanks (through prayer) as a way to truly understand oneself and ones situation. She even gave thanks for her illness!
Although she recovered on May 13, 1873, Julian was given last rites on May 8th, and experienced visions which she eventually related in her book. One of the most well known quotes from her book can be considered a mantra for optimists (and for those wanting to be more optimistic):
“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and (in) all manner of thing(s) shall be well.”
— quoted from Chapters 1 of Revelations of Divine Love (Revelations of Love in 16 Shewings) by Julian of Norwich
The feast days for Julian of Norwich are May 8th in Anglican and Lutheran traditions and May 13th in the Roman Catholic tradition.
Today, May 13th is also the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fátima in some Catholic traditions and (as referenced yesterday) celebrations of the Buddha are beginning or continuing in some Asian countries and the diaspora.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about Julian.
A Graceful Saturday & FTWMI: An “All Will Be Well” Wednesday
“Optimists are likely to see the causes of failure or negative experiences as temporary rather than permanent, specific rather than global, and external rather than internal. Such a perspective enables optimists to more easily see the possibility of change.”
— quoted from the Psychology Today webpage entitled, “Optimism” (Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff)
Please join me today (Tuesday, May 13th) 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 “05132020 All Will Be Well Wednesday”]
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.)
You can still click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (Or, you can also still click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)
### BE WELL & BE GREAT ###
EXCERPT: “Grace & FTWMI: What Dreams May Come (on May 6th)” May 6, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Donate, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Anna O, Bertha Pappenheim, dream interpretation, dreams, Josef Breuer, KISS MY ASANA, psychoanalysis, rabbits, Sigmund Freud, yoga, Yoga Sutra 1.10, Yoga Sutra 1.38, Yoga Sutras 1.5-1.10
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or observing the third week of Pascha.
“Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.”
— from a letter written by Sigmund Freud to Dr. Wilhelm Fleiss, otolaryngologist (dated 10/15/1897)
Sigmund Freud was born today in 1856. Click on the excerpt title below for more.
If you’re curious about what I might “dream up” next, please join me today (Tuesday, May 6th) 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 “05062020 What Dreams May Come”]
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.)
You can still click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (Or, you can also still click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)
### How Do You Know What You Know About Yourself? ###
First Friday Night Special #54 — Invitation to “Trust Yourself to Soothe Yourself” May 2, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Meditation, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Baby and Child Care, compassion, Dorothea Fox, Dr. Benjamin Spock, emotions, Health, KISS MY ASANA, mental health, movement, Restorative Yoga, soothing, yoga, yoga practice
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Many blessings to anyone Counting the Omer or observing the second week of Pascha!
Peace and many blessings to everyone!!
Some elements of the following have previously been posted.
“TRUST YOURSELF.
1. You know more than you think you do.”
— quoted from “Preparing for the Baby” in The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (pub. 1946) by Benjamin Spock, M. D. (with illustrations by Dorothea Fox)
Dr. Benjamin Spock, who was born today in 1903, started off his bestselling book with advice to parents that also applies to our yoga practice (on and off the mat). Even if this is your first time on the mat, trust yourself. Even if this is your 50,000th time on the mat, trust yourself. See what you see and notice how you engage what you see, inside and outside.
Bring awareness, also, to how you engage what is unseen — and, how you engage yourself. Notice what makes you tense up — as if you are bracing for impact — and notice what allows you to relax, release, and rest. Notice the state in which you are most comfortable. Notice the state in which you are most productive. Notice if you are relaxed, comfortable, and productive — or if you find yourself comfortable in a situation where you are not resting and not productive.
Notice what helps you shift, inside and outside.
Remember, as Dr. Spock reminded parents, that each child [read: individual] is unique.
This is the practice.
“What is the meaning of these rhythmic movements? I don’t think we know for sure, but here are some suggestions. In the first place, these motions usually appear in the second half of the first year, in the age period when babies naturally begin to get a sense of rhythm and try to sway in time to music. But this is at best only a partial explanation. Jouncing and head-banging occur mostly when a baby is going to sleep or is partly awakened. We know that many babies when they are tired do not go directly and peacefully to sleep, but must go through a slightly tense period first. There are the 2- and 3-month-old infants who always scream for a few minutes before dropping off. Perhaps those older babies who suck their thumbs to go to sleep, and the others who bang their heads or jounce, are also trying to soothe away a tense feeling.”
— quoted from “How Baby Is Doing: Common Nervous Symptoms — 124. Head-rolling, head-banging, jouncing.” in The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (pub. 1946) by Benjamin Spock, M. D. (with illustrations by Dorothea Fox)
Please join me tonight, Friday, May 2, 2025, 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST) for “Trust Yourself to Soothe Yourself”. 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.
This Restorative Yoga practice is accessible and open to all.
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05032024 Balancing Holding On & Letting Go”]
NOTE: At the beginning of the practice, you will be prompted to pause and select a track. The playlist tracks are slightly different in length and duration; however, the overall content is the same.
A playlist inspired by Dr. Benjamin Spock’s life and work is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05022020 Dr Spock’s Big Day”]
Prop wise, I will suggest using a ball (or water bottle) and this is a kitchen sink practice. You can practice without props or you can use “studio” and/or “householder” props. Example of “Studio” props: 1 – 2 blankets, 2 – 3 blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. Example of “Householder” props: 1 – 2 blankets or bath towels, 2 – 3 books (similar in size), 2 standard pillows (or 1 body pillow), a belt/tie/sash, and a face towel.
You may want extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). Having a wall, chair, sofa, or coffee table will also be handy.
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.)
You can still click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (Or, you can still also click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)
### PRACTICE SELF-COMPASSION ###
EXCERPT: “The Philosophy of Picking Locks (& Other Things Related to Internal Movement)” April 26, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Donate, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Loss, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Riḍván, Science, Suffering, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Carol Burnett, Charles Richter, KISS MY ASANA, Lock Picking Lawyer, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophy, yoga philosophy
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“Happy Riḍván!” to those getting ready to celebrate “the Most Great Festival.” Many blessings to anyone Counting the Omer or celebrating/observing Eastertide / the Octave of Easter / Bright Week!
Peace and many blessings to everyone!! Happy Poetry Month!!
“‘My main point today is that usually one gets what one expects, but very rarely in the way one expected it.’”
— quoted from a draft of Charles Richter’s 1970 retirement speech, as printed in the Appendix of Richter’s Scale: Measure of an Earthquake, Measure of a Man by Susan Elizabeth Hough
Today is the anniversary of the birth of Ludwig Wittgenstein (b. 1889) and Charles Richter (b. 1900) and the 92nd birthday of Carol Burnett (b. 1933).
Click on the excerpt title below to find out what they have to do with yoga and the Lock Picking Lawyer.
Please join me today (Saturday, April 26th) at 12:00 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04262020 Philosophy of Locks”]
NOTE: The playlists are slightly different in timing, but work out in the end.
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.)
You can click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (Or, you can also click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)
### YOU CAN STILL KISS MY ASANA ###
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 Joyful Practice 