“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the month of Ramadan. Many blessings, also, to those who are Counting the Omer.
“The act of living generates a force field, an energy. That energy surrounds us; when we die, that energy joins with all the other energy. There is a giant mass of energy in the universe that has a good side and a bad side. We are part of the Force because we generate the power that makes the Force live. When we die, we become part of that Force, so we never really die; we continue as part of the Force.”
– George Lucas explaining “The Force” in a production meeting for the Empire Strikes Back (quoted in Star Wars: The Anointed Screenplays by Laurent Bouzereau (1997)
Please join me today (Tuesday, May the 4th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom.Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, playlists, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. Don’t feel “fourthed,” but please keep in mind that there’s still time to Kiss My Asana! Donations to the yogathon are counted for classes. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). If you don’t mind me knowing your donation amount you can also donate to me directly. Donations to Common Ground are tax deductible; class purchases and donations directly to me are not necessarily deductible.)
“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the month of Ramadan. Many blessings, also, to those who are Counting the Omer and those who are observing the last week of Great Lent and Easter.
[This is a post related to Wednesday, April 28th. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes. Don’t forget that this Friday (May 7th) there will be a “First Friday Night Special.”]
“‘For a righteous man can fall seven times and rise, but the wicked shall stumble upon evil.’”
– Mishlei – Proverbs (24:16)
It happens to all of us. We’re human and – it doesn’t matter how long we’ve been doing something, whether we think we’re good at it or someone tells us we’re doing a good job – mistakes, errors, fumbles, mishaps, and failures are going to happen. To add insult to injury, they usually happen when we are busiest and don’t have the time or energy to deal with them. Because, more often than not, we fall down when we are doing too much and not paying attention.
For most of my life I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by kind and gracious people who respectfully point out my errors, offer constructive criticism, and/or easily forgive the honest mistakes I’ve made. Not going to lie, as an adult, I’ve also had the luxury of working in careers where everyone doesn’t automatically know every single time I’ve made a little mistake error. But, they still happen. And one thing I’ve noticed, in part thanks to the graciousness and kindness of others, is that the longer you do something, the better you get at doing it, the more you enjoy it, and the more you pride yourself on doing a good job, the harder it is to admit you’ve made a mistake. The more you accomplish, the bigger your head and ego can become; the bigger your head and ego, the smaller your humility. And as hard as it is to admit a mistake to others – sometimes it is even harder to admit the mistake to your own self.
The really super twisted thing is that if we don’t own up to our mistakes, we can’t learn and grow from them. So, we keep making mistakes. Also, not owning up to our mistakes, errors, fumbles, mishaps, and failures (however minor or major they may be) contributes to an inflated ego – which, believe it or not, contributes to even more errors. Another really twisted thing about being human: sometimes it is easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves.
“To err is human, to forgive, divine.”
– quoted from “An Essay on Criticism” (line 525) by Alexander Pope (published in May 1711)
The ability to forgive is not the only divine attribute accessible to humans. In fact, different religions and cultures are supported by the idea that all attributes of the Divine are within us as well as all around us. Even more important than the general concept is the fact that some religions and cultures have rituals that specifically focus on how we can bring awareness to these attributes and integrate them into our daily lives. One Wednesday (in part because I made a little, itsy-bitsy mistake in my planning), I decided to focus on the ways in which the Bahá’í Faith and Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) highlight different aspects of the Divine on a daily basis.
As I previously mentioned, the Bahá’í calendar has 19 months with 19 days – each named for one of the 19 names/manifestations/attributes of God. There are 4 or 5 intercalary days that occur just before the final month and these days are considered “transcendent” in nature. (The days of the week also follow this nomenclature.) This calendar starts around the Vernal (Spring) Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere with the month of Bahá, which can be translated into English as “Splendor.” The festival of Ridván, one of the holiest times within the Bahá’í community, is celebrated exactly one Gregorian-month later during the month of Jalál (“Glory”). Additionally, one of the three most auspicious days of “The Most Great Festival” occurs on the ninth day of Ridván.
Remember that the festival of Ridván commemorates the twelve days that Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, spent in the Najíbíyyih Garden just outside of Bagdad receiving guests before he was exiled to Constantinople. The ninth day of the festival is when Bahá’u’lláh’s family would have joined him in the garden and that day coincides with the beginning of the third month, Jamál (“Beauty”).
Similar to the way days are noted in Judaism and Islām, consider that the Bahá’í calendar days begin at sunset – which means that classes that start before sunset on Wednesday occur on ‘Idál (“Justice”) and classes that start after (or during) sunset occur during Istijlál (“Majesty”).
Splendor, glory, beauty, justice, and majesty also show up as manifestations of the Divine in Jewish mysticism. According to Kabbalah, the Tree of Life has ten sefirot (“eminations,” attributes, or manifestations) of the Divine. On the second night of Passover, some people within the Jewish community begin the ritual of Counting the Omer – which involves prayer and reflection around 7 of the 10 sefirot. People count every day for 7 weeks (for a total of 49 days) and each day and week is associated with a different aspect of the Divine – which means that on any given day people are focusing+concentrating+meditating on how two aspects of the Divine interact and manifest in their lives.
For instance, how do you get up and keep going after you fall down? How do you learn from your mistakes when others are praising you for a job well done? How do you keep learning and growing at (and from) any given moment?
“…a sense of endurance and persistence, while being grateful, being in the present moment, with a sense of humility…. Sometimes we need something to help us endure in the present moment and this is a position I’ve found that’s really helpful to embody that quality. Of how to just be with whatever’s going on….”
– quoted from “Day 32 of Moving with the Omer: Netzach She’b’Hod – Endurance within Presence” by Sandra Razieli*
This year, my classes on Wednesday, April 28th, overlapped Day 31 and Day 32 – which both occur in the week devoted to the fifth sefirot: Hod. This fifth attribute can be defined as “humility,” “gratitude,” “splendor,” and “glory.” Before sunset on Wednesday (Day 31), the focus was Tiferet She’b’Hod – with Tiferet meaning “balance,” “compassion,” “beauty,” “harmony,” and “justice.” After sunset (Day 32), the focus was Netzach She’b’Hod – with Netzach meaning “endurance,” “sustainability,” “victory,” and “persistence.”
Similar to the way each of the seven major chakras (“wheels’) in yoga and Ayurveda are associated with different parts of the body, each of sefirah on the Tree of Life is associated with different parts of the body. For instance, Hod is related to the left hip and thigh; Tiferet is associated with the upper abdominal cavity (solar plexus) and torso; and Netzach is associated with the right hip in thigh. As teachers like Marcus J. Freed and Sandra Razieli point out, we can explore different aspects of Divine interaction (and interrelationship) by exploring the different ways parts of our bodies interact.
While I have, over the years, sprinkled a little bit of the above information into various classes, I rarely devote a whole class to these specific manifestations in these specific (ritual-related) ways. However, I made a mistake when I was getting ready for this week’s classes. It was a little mistake, inconsequential and barely worth mentioning – and one many people wouldn’t have noticed or minded. Still, it irked me that I started preparing to teach a class (theme-wise) that I had already taught on Wednesday.
The class would have been different, sequence wise (as they always are); however, I don’t ever unintentionally repeat a class-theme. As it happened, Wednesday this last week was a stacked day and I realized my calculation error just a couple of hours before the first of three classes. Inspired by Ms. Razieli (who often relates Hod to “presence”) and Mr. Freed (who connected Netzach to “flow”), I decided to focus on what was flowing through me and around me in that present moment: Splendor, glory, beauty, balance, compassion, harmony, justice, majesty, endurance, sustainability, persistence, grace, humility, and gratitude.
You know, all things Divine.
“Netzach-Endurance is where the rubber meets the road. There are areas of our life where we give up too easily and allow things to be derailed whether these are our relationships, work projects, reative endeavors or life goals. It asks ‘where do I lose confidence and not follow through?’ We can think of Netzach as ‘flow.’ It is the Sefirah of action…. Is the part of the body that drives us forwards.”
– quoted from The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment by Marcus J. Freed
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10202020 Pratyahara”]
* NOTE: My dear friend and teacher Sandra Razieli is based in Hawai’i so (due to the time difference) her related movement and poses were not incorporated into this practice.
It Would Be Splendid and Beautiful (& I Would Be So Grateful) If You Could Kiss My Asana!!
The 8th Annual Kiss My Asana yogathon which benefits Mind Body Solutions is officially over – HOWEVER, you can still do yoga, share yoga, help others by donating. As my 2021 Kiss My Asana offering, I am posting extended versions of the four (4) steps of prāņāyāma that we have been practicing on Saturdays. Two versions of Step #1 (along with previous KMA videos) are already posted and you can do them and share them right now!
Founded by Matthew Sanford to help those who have experienced trauma, loss, and disability find new ways to live by integrating both mind and body. Known for their adaptive yoga classes, Mind Body Solutions provides “traditional yoga” classes, workshops, and outreach programs. They also train yoga teachers and offer highly specialized training for health care professionals. By participating in the Kiss My Asana yogathon you join a global movement, but in a personal way. In other words, you practice yoga… for 7 days. And you can start today!!
The yogathon raises resources and awareness. So, my goal this year is to post some extended prāņāyāma practices and to raise $400 for Mind Body Solutions. You can do yoga starting today. You can share yoga be inviting a friend to one of my classes or by forwarding one of the blog posts. You can help others by donating or, if you are not able to donate, come to class Saturday – Wednesday (or request a class you can do on your own) so that I can make a donation on your behalf.
You can add 5 minutes of yoga (or meditation) to your day; you can learn something new about your practice; or even teach a pose to someone close to you – or even to one of your Master Teachers/Precious Jewels. Maybe focus+concentrate+meditate on an aspect of the Divine.
“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the month of Ramadan. Many blessings, also, to those who are Counting the Omer.
Pleasejoin me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, May 2nd) at 2:30 PM, for an experience.Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05022020 Dr. Spock’s Big Day”]
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.)
“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the month of Ramadan. “Happy Ridván!” to those celebrating the “the Most Great Festival.” Many blessings, also, to those who are Counting the Omer.
Pleasejoin me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, May 1st) at 12:00 PM, for an experience.Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
Please join me today (Wednesday, April 28th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You will need to register for the 7:15 PM class if you have not already done so. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10202020 Pratyahara”]
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, playlists, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). If youplaylists don’t mind me knowing your donation amount you can also donate to me directly. Donations to Common Ground are tax deductible; class purchases and donations directly to me are not necessarily deductible.)
“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the month of Ramadan. “Happy Ridván!” to those celebrating the “the Most Great Festival.” Many blessings, also, to those who are celebrating Chaitra Purnima (Tithi) / Hanuman Jayanti (and the Pink Super Moon), as well as those who are Counting the Omer and those who are observing the last week of Great Lent.
[This is a post related to Tuesday, April 27th. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment belowor (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at 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.)
“The moon has always been a prominent feature in the religious and cultural history of every culture in the world. Naturally, this is because it is one of the biggest, brightest things visible to the human eye. Considering the ease with which humans can observe a lunar cycle, it was practical centuries ago to establish a timekeeping method based on the moon.”
– quoted from the Medium article, “How the Moon Made the Calendar” by Sandhya Ramesh (posted Dec. 7, 2016)
Time is, in many ways, a human construct; it is a measurement, a contract (if you will) which we use to define and delineate “the indefinite continued progress of existence and events.” Time is how people know when to plant certain things; when they can expect to harvest those things… and when to show up for our virtual yoga practice on Zoom – even when people are in different time zones. And you may be thinking, “Myra, there’s nothing arbitrary about time. Let me break down the science….” And your scientific breakdown might be as follows:
The Earth revolves around its axis and also revolves around the Sun. Simultaneously, the Moon revolves around revolves around the Earth, as it revolves around the Sun. We use the first type of revolution to determine periods of “time” we call “day” and “night.” We use the second type of revolution to designate a period known as a “year” and we sort of use the third to establish the period of “time” we call a “month.”
And if you broke time down for me like this, I would say, “Yes, that’s how we’ve agreed to understand (and describe) time… if we’re using the Gregorian calendar.”
It is true that a good majority of people in the United States base most of their lives around a single calendar: the Gregorian calendar. Sometimes called “New Style” calendar, it is a solar dating system that was first implemented in Roman Catholic governed countries during the fall of 1582. It replaced the Julian calendar and was calculated so that religious holidays would occur within the same season. The months of the Gregorian calendar do not exactly correspond with the moon phases, which is why we have “Blue Moons” (a second full moon within a calendar month). Even though it has been widely accepted as a “secular” calendar, there are at least 40 calendars being used by a large number of people in the world at any given time.
I often describe calendars as “solar” or “lunar,” but the truth is there are four clear designations: solar, lunar, lunisolar (sometimes called solilnar), and season. As their names suggests, solar calendars are based on how the Earth revolves around the Sun; lunar calendars are focused on how the Moon revolves around the Earth; and the lunisolar/solilunar calendars are a hybrid that include the phases of the moon. One of the most common solilunar calendars is the Chinese calendar, which has twelve months that fall within a 12-year cycle, with an intercalary month every 2 – 3 years.
Seasonal calendars are based on perceived environmental changes and often have a close tie to one of the other designations. For instance, the Aztec calendar was a complicated calendar centered around agriculture and religious observations and included “empty days” when nothing was done. Other American cultures tied the seasons to what happened during certain moon phases. For instance, the current full moon is known as a “super moon” because the rotations of the Earth and the Moon places the Moon at a proximity that makes it appear bigger to the naked eye. According to seasonal calendars – like those of the First Nations and Indigenous American cultures – this particular moon is designated as the “Pink Moon” because of certain pink wildflowers that blossom around this time of year.
“This name came from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names for this month’s celestial body include the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes the Full Fish Moon, because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn.”
– quoted from Farmers’ Almanac
One of the oldest calendars is the Mayan calendar, which dates back to (at least) 5th Century BCE and is actually a combination of three different dating systems – the Tzolki’n (divine calendar); the Haab’ (civil calendar); and the Long Count, which is a set of repeating “Calendar Round” dates based on the previous two calendars. Because of its intricate design, the overall Mayan calendar system is solar, lunar, planetary, and seasonal (based on human cycles). It is one of the most accurate calendars in history.
There are several calendars used in India and Southeast Asia which may be referred to as the Hindu calendar (or, in some cases the Buddhist calendar). For the most part, these are lunisolar calendars. Some, like those used in Nepal and certain regions of India, emphasize the lunar cycles and start with the (spring) harvest season. On the flip side, the Tamil calendar emphasizes the solar cycle and begins around the Vernal (Spring) Equinox. (In fact, I have seen the Tamil calendar described as a purely solar calendar.)
The Indian calendars tend to have twelve months, however, in some areas (particularly in the North) a month begins the day after a full moon and in other areas (often in the South) the month begins at sunrise after the “no moon” or new moon. The months are usually divided into the bright half (waxing, when the crescent appears after the new moon) and the darker half (waning, the day after the full moon). Because of the different starting points, the same lunar-oriented religious holidays may start at slightly different times throughout the continent. Additionally, the official observation of a Full Moon Day like today’s Chaitra Purnima (Tithi) overlaps with religious celebrations like Hanuman Jayanti, the birthday of the Monkey King Hanuman. Similar to the celebration of Rama Navami at the end of Chaitra Navaratri, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated with prayers and fasting, kirtan and other forms of bhakti yoga, and readings of sacred text that honor the glorious and humble heroics of Hanuman. Some people will also make donations on this day to honor the way Hanuman assisted those in need throughout the epic poem the Rāmāyana.
“Lord Ram gave Hanuman a quizzical look and said, ‘What are you, a monkey or a man?’ Hanuman bowed his head reverently, folded his hands and said, ‘When I do not know who I am, I serve You and when I do know who I am, You and I are One.’”
– quoted from the epic Sanskrit poem Ramacharitmanas (Lake of the Deeds of Rama) by Goswami Tulsidas
According to the Hebrew calendar, another solilunar (or lunisolar) calendar with 12 months, we are in the middle of the year 5781. This calendar was one of the inspirations for the Gregorian calendar – in part because it is calculated so that religious holidays occur during the same season every year. The Hebrew calendar has extra intercalary months every three years (so leap months instead of leap years) and, like many of the other calendars described here, its origins are oriented around a particular religious/spiritual event. In the case of the Hebrew calendar, that origin point is Creation.
One distinct difference between the Hebrew calendar and some of the other calendars in wide use around the world is that the beginning of the calendar and the beginning of the year are not the same. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and the beginning of the Ten Days of Awe, actually occurs in the fall at the beginning of the calendar’s seventh month. The calendar itself begins in the spring – after a new moon associated with the ripening of barley. Passover occurs in the middle of this first month and, beginning on the second night of Passover, some members of the Jewish community (particularly those in Orthodox traditions and those who practice Jewish mysticism) begin Counting the Omer.
As I have previously mentioned, Counting the Omer occurs over a period of 49 days (so 7 days for 7 weeks) and each day and week is associated with an element of the Divine that is found of the Tree of Life. This week the overall focus is Hod, (“humility” or “gratitude” or “splendor” or “glory”) which is associated with the left hip and leg. It is, in many ways, this is the attribute of being full present, of making space for others, and of listening to others. Like a good majority of religious observations, sunset marks the beginning of a new day – which means at least one of my classes overlaps Days 30 and 31: strength within humility and balance (or harmony) within humility.
“REACHING OUT vs WELCOMING IN
There is a part of us that forces actions, pushing ourselves out into the world, garnering attention, getting clients, bring about changes, and there is a part of us that allows things to happen. That makes space for people to come to us. Where Moses / Netzach-Endurance is reaching out to someone to pull them close to us, Aaron / Hod-humility is the part that opens our arms to welcome someone close to us in a hug.”
– quoted from The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment by Marcus J. Freed
“Splendor” and “Glory” are actually the English translations for the first two months (and days) of the solar calendar used by people within the Bahá’í community. The Bahá’í calendar has 19 months with 19 days – each named for one of the 19 names/attributes of God. There are 4 or 5 intercalary days that occur just before the final month and these days are considered “transcendent” in nature. This calendar is partially tied to the Gregorian calendar, in that days on each calendar always correspond with each other; however, the Bahá’í calendar is very much focused around its own historical liturgy. Hence, 2021 is the year 178 BE (Bahá’í Era).
Tuesday night marks the end of the second month – so we move from “Glory” to “Beauty” – and is extra auspicious because it marks the beginning of the ninth day of the twelve-day festival of Ridván, “the Most Great Festival.” The ninth day is considered one of the three most auspicious days of the year (along with the first and twelfth), because it corresponds with the day in 1863 when the family of Bahá’u’lláh (the founder of the faith) joined him in the Najíbíyyih Garden just outside of Bagdad before he was exiled to Constantinople.
The Hijri calendar, also known as the Islamic calendar, is a pure lunar calendar and is perhaps the most utilized lunar calendar in the world. Each month begins with the visual sighting of the crescent moon AFTER each new moon and each day begins at sunset. The Hijri year is shorter than the Gregorian year, which is why the holy month of Ramadān (currently being observed) occurs at different times on the Gregorian calendar. (NOTE: There is also a Solar Hijri calendar, which is the official calendar in Iran and Afghanistan – it predates the Gregorian calendar AND is one of the most accurate solar calendars since it is based on astronomical measurements, calculated by Omar Khayyám, rather than mathematical calculations.)
Finally, there are people around the world who may use the Gregorian calendar for business dealings and are also Christian, but use a different calendar for their holy observations. They use the “Old Style” Julian calendar or a “New Style” revised Julian calendar, both of which are solar calendars. As a result, there are Orthodox Christians and Christians within Eastern traditions who are only now observing the Holy Week known as the last week of Jesus’ life.
Similar to how Passover and (Western) Easter occur in close proximity of one another even though they are based on different calendars, the Eastern/Orthodox observation of Great Lent and Easter often occur within a week or so of the other holy observations. However, remember that one of the reasons behind the calendar reformation was to keep the religious holidays within the same seasons. This “slippage” means the Julian calendar adds a day every 128 years, and that adds up – which is part of the reason why Great Lent and Easter are almost exactly a month after Lent and Easter. Another reason for the disconnect is that Western Christians exclude Sunday from their 40-day count, while Eastern/Orthodox Christians include Sundays in their count. (NOTE: While I am focusing on the calendar timeline at the moment, there are some definite liturgical differences in the way different traditions observe this significantly holy period. These differences include the liturgical timeline.)
“Contrary to what many think or feel, Lent is a time of joy. It is a time when we come back to life. It is a time when we shake off what is bad and dead in us in order to become able to live, to live with all the vastness, all the depth, and all the intensity to which we are called. Unless we understand this quality of joy in Lent, we will make of it a monstrous caricature, a time when in God’s own name we make our life a misery.
This notion of joy connected with effort, with ascetical endeavour, with strenuous effort may indeed seem strange, and yet it runs through the whole of our spiritual life, through the life of the Church and the life of the Gospel. The Kingdom of God is something to be conquered. It is not simply given to those who leisurely, lazily wait for it to come. To those who wait for it in that spirit, it will come indeed: it will come at midnight; it will come like the Judgement of God, like the thief who enters when he is not expected, like the bridegroom, who arrives while the foolish virgins are asleep.”
– quoted from “An Introduction to Lent” (dated February 17, 1968) by Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
Yes, yes, it’s that time again! The 8th Annual Kiss My Asana yogathon benefits Mind Body Solutions, which was founded by Matthew Sanford to help those who have experienced trauma, loss, and disability find new ways to live by integrating both mind and body. Known for their adaptive yoga classes, MBS provides “traditional yoga” classes, workshops, and outreach programs. They also train yoga teachers and offer highly specialized training for health care professionals. This year’s yogathon is only a week long! Seven days, starting yesterday (Saturday), to do yoga, share yoga, and help others. By participating in the Kiss My Asana yogathon you join a global movement, but in a personal way. In other words, you practice yoga… for 7 days. And you can start today!!
The yogathon raises resources and awareness. So, my goal this year is to post some extended prāņāyāma practices and to raise $400 for Mind Body Solutions. You can do yoga starting today. You can share yoga be inviting a friend to one of my classes or by forwarding one of the blog posts. You can help others by donating or, if you are not able to donate, come to class Saturday – Wednesday (or request a class you can do on your own) and practice the story poses on Thursday and Friday so that I can make a donation on your behalf.
You can add 5 minutes of yoga (or meditation) to your day; you can learn something new about your practice; or even teach a pose to someone close to you – or even to one of your Master Teachers/Precious Jewels. You can see how many “moon” related yoga experiences you can mindfully fit into your practice. (Keeping in mind that the exhale is the “lunar” breath – and since you need to inhale in order to exhale, you’ll need to counterbalance your poses.)
“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the month of Ramadan. “Happy Ridván!” to those celebrating the “the Most Great Festival.” Many blessings, also, to those celebrating Chaitra Purnima (Tithi) / Hanuman Jayanti; those who are Counting the Omer; and those observing the last week of Great Lent.
Please join me today (Tuesday, April 27th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom.Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, playlists, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). If you don’t mind me knowing your donation amount you can also donate to me directly. Donations to Common Ground are tax deductible; class purchases and donations directly to me are not necessarily deductible.)
“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the month of Ramadan. “Happy Ridván!” to those celebrating the “the Most Great Festival.” Many blessings, also, to those who are celebrating Chaitra Purnima (Tithi) / Hanuman Jayanti (and the Pink Super Moon), as well as those who are Counting the Omer.
[You can request an audio recording of today’s 75-minute Common Ground Meditation Center practice via a comment belowor (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at 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.)
“‘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
Over the last month (or so) I have developed a new guilty pleasure: watching the Lock Picking Lawyer’s YouTube videos. To be completely transparent, I will admit that I have known people who spent their down time at work picking locks from the “lost and found” (or locks that someone on staff had to break, because the owner locked themselves out). I will also admit that I found it an odd and eyebrow raising hobby – especially when they did it in full view of the very people who relied on locks for security. However, my previous opinions haven’t stopped me from getting hooked by these videos, starting with the first one I watched (which I will link at the end of this post).
The first video was the Lock Picking Lawyer’s annual April 1st video, which is slightly different from his regular offering (in that it is a joke); but still contains some of the same elements that are, frankly speaking, compelling and addictive. First, the videos are witty, logical, informative, and low-key ASMR. (ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and is used to describe content that provides a calming experience for the brain and spine; what some people call a “brain massage.”) Second, the videos are philosophical on several different levels and reinforce some critical elements of our physical practice of yoga.
“Philosophy is like trying to open a safe with a combination lock: each little adjustment of the dials seems to achieve nothing, only when everything is in place does the door open.”
– Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher
Born in Vienna, Austria today in 1889, Dr. Ludwig Wittgenstein was part of one of the richest families in Europe and (although he was the youngest of nine) he inherited his father’s fortune at the age of 24. Many people associate great wealth with great ease and comfort, but none of that wealth prevented Dr. Wittgenstein from suffering severe depression, contemplating suicide, or losing three of his brothers to mental health issues. He made anonymous donations to artists and writers (including Rainer Maria Rilke). Then he gave his entire fortune to his brothers and sisters. Throughout his lifetime, he worked in several different areas in an attempt to find some ease to his suffering, but he ultimately said that philosophy saved him and was “the only work that gave me real satisfaction.” His work in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of the mind, and the philosophy of language is recognized as some of the most important works of philosophy of the twentieth century.
As I have previously mentioned (specifically in last year’s blog post on this date), “The word philosophy comes to us from Greek, by way of Latin, Old French, and Middle English, from a word that means “love of wisdom.” It is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, thought, reality, and existence. It provides a way to think about and understand the world, the universe, and everything. As stated in Wikipedia, it “is the study of general and fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.” The most basic question being, “Why?” which spirals out as:
Who/What are you?
Why do you exist?
Where does the world come from? / Why does the world exist?
The philosophy of yoga addresses all of these questions, and the follow-up questions (like, “Why do we/I/other people do the things we/I/they do?” and “How do I find balance in my life/relationships/pose?”). Yoga addresses philosophical questions even when someone only practices the physical practice, because, ultimately, the physical practice is a container in which we can consider these questions.”
And, one of the questions that we address – especially through the physical practice – is the question of security/stability and comfort/ease. Many commentaries on Patanjali’s Yoga Sūtras (in particular, commentary related to YS 2.46 – 49) point out that “stability and comfort go hand in hand.” We see this on and off the mat. There is a bit of a dichotomy, however, between what we think will bring us security/stability and comfort/ease versus what actually gives us those feelings. We could, for instance, have all the wealth of Ludwig Wittgenstein and, just as he did, suffer greatly.
One way people with stuff suffer is when they don’t feel their stuff is secure. For instance, consider the uncomfortable feeling some people have when they think they have forgotten to lock their front door after leaving home. Since the emotional (fear) response is connected to the perception of a threat, the feeling that they may have left the door unlocked is similar to returning home and finding the door wide open. Although the latter may, understandably, be more intense and acute – and combined with the fear that someone with nefarious intentions is inside – both sensations can be eliminated if we are secure in the knowledge that the door is locked (maybe because we checked before we left) and that the door is closed and locked upon our return.
What becomes very clear after a watching a few of the videos from the Locking Picking Lawyer is that in most cases locks are “easily” picked. On one level, they provide a deterrent, but – more importantly – they are manifested maya (“illusion”). And, philosophically speaking, because they can be opened by someone you may not want to open them, the lock and the closed door only give us the illusion of security – and that illusion (or perception) is what gives us the feeling of ease/comfort.
One of the things I appreciate about the Locking Picking Lawyer’s content is that while he readily “picks” apart the illusion, he also provides information that can make us better consumers. In being better informed – about the reality of locks – we make better decisions and, also, may experience more stable comfort and ease. Remember, in the Eastern philosophies, like Yoga and Buddhism, suffering comes from attachment and the end of suffering comes from the practice of non-attachment. No one wants someone to steal or mess with their stuff – that’s why people lock their stuff up! However, letting go of the illusion of the lock (and key or combination) can alleviate some suffering. Not only can letting alleviate mental and emotional suffering, it can be one of the keys to unlocking physical suffering.
“The human body is the best picture of the human soul.”
– Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher
I don’t know much about the Locking Picking Lawyer (other than the obvious and the fact that he’s married to Mrs. Lock Picking Lawyer, who apparently has no interest in picking locks). However, I definitely appreciate that his videos (unintentionally) reinforce the following critical elements which are directly applicable to our physical practice of yoga:
You need the right tools.
You can access almost anything with the right skills/knowledge.
You have to start with stability (i.e., secure what you’re accessing the way you would access it “in the wild”).
It’s important to access the core.
Take your time and go by the numbers / step by step.
It’s important to listen (and pay attention to what’s “clicking” and “binding”).
More knowledge comes from the inside than the outside.
Sometimes you have to turn things around.
Never underestimate the power of a good wiggle/jiggle.
It’s important to have a sense of humor.
Also, as an aside, you can do something again to show it wasn’t a fluke.
“The most remarkable feature about the magnitude scale was that it worked at all and that it could be extended on a worldwide basis. It was originally envisaged as a rather rough-and-ready procedure by which we could grade earthquakes. We would have been happy if we could have assigned just three categories, large, medium, and small; the point is, we wanted to avoid personal judgments. It actually turned out to be quite a finely tuned scale.”
– quoted from the Earthquake Information Bulletin (January- February 1980, Volume 12, Number 1) article, “Charles F. Richter – An Interview” by Henry Spall, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va. (regarding the scale Mr. Richter developed with Beno Gutenberg)
With regard to those last two bullet points, today is also the anniversary of the births of the seismologist and physicist Charles Richter (b. 1900, Overpeck, Ohio) and the award-winning Carol Burnett (b. 1933, San Antonio, Texas). Mr. Richter, along with Beno Gutenberg, developed the Richter Magnitude Scale in 1935. Prior to their creation, shock measurement was based on The Mercalli intensity scale, which was developed by the Italian priest Giuseppe Mercalli and used Roman numerals (I to XII) to rate shocks based on how buildings and people were affected. The Richter-Gutenberg collaboration was designed to measure displacement in a non-subjective manner. The idea of using “magnitude” came from Mr. Richter’s interest in astronomy. (There’s a good possibility that if he were alive today he would spend some part of this evening and the next checking out the “Super” Pink Moon.) In addition to being remembered for his knowledge and ingenuity, Charles Richter is remembered as being a little prickly on the outside, but warm on the inside and for having a sense of humor – although he didn’t often laugh at himself.
Maybe Carol Burnett, one of the funniest people on the face of the Earth, could have helped Charles Richter laugh at the fact that a man who wasn’t planning to become a seismologist became synonymous with seismology. She has won 6 Primetime Emmy Awards (out of 23 nominations); 7 Golden Globe Awards (out of 18 nominations); 3 Tony Awards; and 3 Grammy Awards. An actress, comedian, singer, and writer, she has also received everything from 2 Peabody Awards to a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Life Achievement Award; a Presidential Medal of Freedom; and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. She was even awarded the very first Golden Globes Carol Burnett Lifetime Achievement Award (for Television) and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But, before all of that, she endured a lot of suffering as a child because of the instability of her first family – specifically her parents, who were alcoholics. Then she suffered as an adult when her oldest child suffered from drug addiction (and then died of pneumonia at the age of 39).
A natural born performer, even before she “went into show business,” Carol Burnett sang, created characters, and developed the imagination that would lead her to a career that has spanned 7 decades. One of the things that “saved” her from a life of complete misery and insecurity was her grandmother Mabel – who not only raised her when her parents moved to Hollywood, but also regularly took her to the movies. As a secret “I love you” to her grandmother, Ms. Burnett would tug on her left ear at the end of every episode of The Carol Burnett Show.
“The first time someone said, ‘What are your measurements?’ I answered, ’37, 24, 38 – but not necessarily in that order.’”
– Carol Burnett, comedian
There is no playlist for the Common Ground practice.
Unlock Your Generosity & Kiss My Asana!!
Yes, yes, it’s that time again! The 8th Annual Kiss My Asana yogathon benefits Mind Body Solutions, which was founded by Matthew Sanford to help those who have experienced trauma, loss, and disability find new ways to live by integrating both mind and body. Known for their adaptive yoga classes, MBS provides “traditional yoga” classes, workshops, and outreach programs. They also train yoga teachers and offer highly specialized training for health care professionals. This year’s yogathon is only a week long! Seven days, starting yesterday (Saturday), to do yoga, share yoga, and help others. By participating in the Kiss My Asana yogathon you join a global movement, but in a personal way. In other words, you practice yoga… for 7 days. And you can start today!!
The yogathon raises resources and awareness. So, my goal this year is to post some extended prāņāyāma practices and to raise $400 for Mind Body Solutions. You can do yoga starting today. You can share yoga be inviting a friend to one of my classes or by forwarding one of the blog posts. You can help others by donating or, if you are not able to donate, come to class Saturday – Wednesday (or request a class you can do on your own) and practice the story poses on Thursday and Friday so that I can make a donation on your behalf.
You can add 5 minutes of yoga (or meditation) to your day; you can learn something new about your practice; or even teach a pose to someone close to you – or even to one of your Master Teachers/Precious Jewels. You can also add an extra wiggle to your day.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also call the 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.
“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the month of Ramadan. “Happy Ridván!” to those celebrating the “the Most Great Festival.” Many blessings, also, to those who are Counting the Omer.
[This is the “missing” post is related to Saturday, April 24th. You can request a substitute audio recording via a comment belowor (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at 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.)
“Everybody knows a hundred stories, you know, a thousand stories – the question is: Why does this story pick on you? Why this story and not that story? My guess is now this: the story or poem you find to write is the story or poem that has some meaning that you haven’t solved in it, that you haven’t quite laid hands on. So your writing—it is a way of understanding it, what its meaning, the potential meaning, is. And the story that you understand perfectly, you don’t write. You know what the meaning is; there’s nothing there to nag your mind about it. A story that’s one for you is the one you have to work to understand.”
– quoted from “A Conversation” (with John Baker, 1989) in Talking with Robert Penn Warren, edited by Floyd C. Watkins, John T. Hiers, and Mary Louise Weeks
Established April 24, 1800, the Library of Congress houses over 168 million items, in over 460 languages. These materials, housed in four buildings, as well as online, include millions of books and printed materials, recordings, photographs, maps, sheet music, manuscripts, “incunabula,” rare books, legal items, and other items designated as non-classified or special. While the Library of Congress was opened to the public in 1897 and is the de facto library of the United States and “the library of last resort” for all US citizens, the general public cannot randomly and at will check out books from the Library of Congress. However, if you find your way into its stacks – virtually or in real life, you will find stories by a number of authors, artists, composers, and cartographers who share the library’s birthday, including Anthony Trollope (b. 1815), Carl Spitteler (b. 1845), Robert Penn Warren (b. 1905), Sue Grafton (b. 1940), Eric Bogosian (b. 1953), and Kelly Clarkson (b. 1982. You will also find within those annals, the stores of those same authors, artists, composers, and cartographers.
Take Robert Penn Warren, for instance. A Southern Gentleman, if ever there was a Southern Gentleman, Robert Penn Warren was born in Guthrie, Kentucky, close to the Tennessee-Kentucky border. He spent his high school and undergraduate years in Tennessee, where he was a member of the poetry group known as “The Fugitives.” Some members of that group, including Mr. Warren, formed a group known as the “Southern Agrarians” (as well as the “Twelve Southerners” and a variety of other combinations of the same), which produced a “pro-Southern agrarian” collection of essays called I’ll Take My Stand: The South and the Agrarian Tradition (1930). Robert Penn Warren’s contribution to the “manifesto” was “The Briar Patch” – a pro-segregation essay that was considered so “progressive” by some of the others in the group that it was almost excluded from the collection.
Now, right about here is the point where someone who knows that I’m Black and from the South might wonder why exactly I would highlight, even seem to celebrate, a man (albeit a poet) whose views are so antithetical to my own. I would wonder too, if that were the whole story. But it’s not, it’s not even close.
And, if you know anything about me, you know I’m going to suggest going deeper. Getting more of the story and, as Patanjali suggests, really focusing-concentrating-meditating on the various ways the story (and the subject of the story) changes in terms of form, time, and condition, allows us to see cause-and-effect at work/play.
– “By making Samyama on the three sorts of changes comes the knowledge of past and future.”
After graduating summa cum laude from Vanderbilt University, Robert Penn Warren earned a Masters at the University of California, Berkeley; studied at Yale University for a bit; and obtaining a B. Litt as a Rhodes Scholar at New College, Oxford in England. He even received a Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts which allowed him to study in Italy while the country was under the control of Benito Mussolini.
He held all the national poet titles designated by the Library of Congress: serving as “Consultant in Poetry” 1944 – 1945 and then “Poet Laureate Consultant” 1986 – 1987. He won the 1947 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (for All the King’s Men, perhaps his best known work) and both the 1958 and 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry – making him the only person to win a Pulitzer in both Poetry and “Fiction.” (Last week, I slightly erroneously, identified Thornton Wilder as a winner a Pulitzer in both Drama and “Fiction;” however the latter prize was technically known as the “Pulitzer Prize for the Novel” when Mr. Wilder won it.) He also won the National Book Award for Poetry (for the collection that won the 1958 Pulitzer); was selected by the National Endowment of the Humanities to give the “Jefferson Lecture” in 1974; and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980, a MacArthur Fellow in 1981, and the National Medal of Arts in 1987.
And that’s not only a small portion of his accolades; it’s only part of his story….
As if devoting a whole novel to a “controversial,” “radical” politician with “progressive” ideology wasn’t enough, Robert Penn Warren’s essay “Divided South Searches Its Soul” was published in the July 9, 1956 issue of Life magazine and an expanded version of the essay became the booklet Segregation: The Inner Conflict in the South. He would write another Life essay, in 1961, that became a book entitled The Legacy of the Civil War. As if his words alone were not enough to walk back his previous words, Mr. Warren started sharing his (very Southern and very prominent) platform with Black Civil Rights activists through a series of interviews published as Who Speaks for the Negro? (1965).
“The asking and the answering which history provides may help us to understand, even to frame, the logic of experience to which we shall submit. History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future.”
– quoted from The Legacy of the Civil War by Robert Penn Warren
Before publishing the collection, Robert Penn Warren traveled around the country and recorded interviews with leaders like United States Representative Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (the first African-American elected to Congress from New York); Whitney Young (of the National Urban League); Dr. Kenneth Clark (the husband half of the husband-wife team of psychologists whose work was cited in the landmark Supreme Court trial “Brown v. Board of Education”); Bayard Rustin (one of the organizers of the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”); the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; and Malcolm X. He also interviewed authors like James Baldwin and Ralph Ellison; as well as (then) students like Ezell A. Blair, Jr., Stokely Carmichael, Lucy Thornton, Jean Wheeler, and Ruth Turner; and additional college students at Jackson State University and Tougaloo College (both of which are historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in Mississippi, although the latter is private and Christian-affiliated).
For a variety of reasons, about some of which we can only speculate, a lot of interviews were conducted but not included in the book. These include interviews with educator Septima Poinsetta Clark (who became known as “the Queen Mother” and “Grandmother” of the Civil Rights movement); the businessman Vernon Jordan; Gloria Richardson (one of the five women who were recognized as Civil Rights leaders – but not allowed to speak – during the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”); and Andrew Young (who would go on to serve in the United States Congress, as well as the 14th U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations and the 55th Mayor of Atlanta).
Just to be clear, neither Robert Penn Warren nor those he interviewed seemed to (as far as I can tell) steer clear of controversial subjects – including violence with the Civil Rights Movement; social/cultural versus public/political segregation; cultural assimilation; the difference between the North and the South, as well as the difference between the different classes in the United States and the importance of history, education, and wealth in the United States. Mr. Warren has been quoted as stating, “The individual is an embodiment of external circumstances, so that a personal story is a social story.” In keeping with this idea, he not only asked people to define what it meant to be “a Negro;” he also asked their opinions about the works of people like W. E. B. Dubois, the Swedish economist and sociologist Dr. Gunnar Myrdal, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson. Additionally, he asked people to share their thoughts on abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison and John Brown – not to mention Confederate heroes like Robert E. Lee.
“‘It is easy,’ I said, ‘I can change that picture of the world he carries around in his head.’
‘How?’
‘I can give him a history lesson.’
‘A history lesson?’
‘Yes, I am a student of history, don’t you remember? And what we students of history always learn is that the human being is a very complicated contraption and that they are not good or bad but are good-and-bad and the good comes out of the bad and the bad out of the good, and the devil take the hindmost.’”
– (Jack and Anne) quoted from All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
“Everybody knows a thousand stories. But only one cocklebur catches in your fur and that subject is your question. You live with that question. You may not even know what that question is. It hangs around a long time. I’ve carried a novel as long as twenty years, and some poems longer than that.”
– Robert Penn Warren quoted from a 1981 interview
Let’s Share Some Kiss My Asana Stories!!
Last year during Kiss My Asana, I shared a few people’s yoga stories; however, to kick off the 8th Annual Kiss My Asana yogathon, Mind Body Solutions, shared bits of stories (see links below) from people who directly benefit from the yoga practices offered by MBS.
This annual yogathon benefits Mind Body Solutions, which was founded by Matthew Sanford to help those who have experienced trauma, loss, and disability find new ways to live by integrating both mind and body. Known for their adaptive yoga classes, MBS provides “traditional yoga” classes, workshops, and outreach programs. They also train yoga teachers and offer highly specialized training for health care professionals. This year’s yogathon is only a week long! Seven days, starting yesterday (Saturday), to do yoga, share yoga, and help others. By participating in the Kiss My Asana yogathon you join a global movement, but in a personal way. In other words, you practice yoga… for 7 days. And you can start today!!
The yogathon raises resources and awareness. So, my goal this year is to post some extended prāņāyāma practices and to raise $400 for Mind Body Solutions. You can do yoga starting today. You can share yoga be inviting a friend to one of my classes or by forwarding one of the blog posts. You can help others by donating or, if you are not able to donate, come to class Saturday – Wednesday (or request a class you can do on your own) and practice the story poses on Thursday and Friday so that I can make a donation on your behalf.
You can add 5 minutes of yoga (or meditation) to your day; you can learn something new about your practice; or even teach a pose to someone close to you – or even to one of your Master Teachers/Precious Jewels. If you want to combine this practice with your Kiss My Asana practice, ask someone to tell you their yoga story!!!
“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the month of Ramadan. “Happy Ridván!” to those celebrating the “the Most Great Festival.” Many blessings, also, to those who are Counting the Omer.
“To me, fearless is having fears. Fearless is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you to death. Fearless is falling madly in love again, even though you’ve been hurt before. Fearless is walking into your freshman year of high school at fifteen. Fearless is getting back up and fighting for what you want over and over again … even though every time you’ve tried before, you’ve lost. It’s fearless to have faith that someday things will change.”
– quoted from the liner notes for the album Fearless by Taylor Swift
Everyone from Taylor Swift (who I quote one more time, below) to South African President Nelson Mandela have stated that “being fearless is not the absence of fear.” So, what is it if it’s not being with “less” fear?
Turns out everyone from President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to Ashley Graham and Thich Nhat Hanh agree that the most important part of “being fearless” is being – and, in some cases, doing, moving, playing.
“This is based on a true story. While hiking in the hills of Rishikesh in India, we encountered a holy man who approached with light in his eyes and love in his heart… just beaming with inspiration. He spoke as if he werechanneling the divinity ever present in that wonderful country and spoke these words… “Light of sun in the sky sends the message: Be Fearless and Play!” We were fascinated and inspired by his simple but insightful words.”
– quoted from the liner notes for the song “Be Fearless and Play” by Wookiefoot
Despite some really divine encounters with a couple of people affiliated with the band/circus/non-profit/adventure that is Wookiefoot, I had never heard the song (or the album) “Be Fearless and Play” before today. However, the inspiration and the lyrics definitely fit in with my overall philosophy on being fearless – that is to say, it always involves a certain amount of “play.”
Don’t get me wrong, I am not encouraging recklessness. Instead, I am encouraging a little improvisation. See, when I think of being fearless, I think of improve – comedy; yes, yes! And also, mostly, jazz. I think about the kind of play that involves knowing the rules in order to break (or at least bend) the rules. I think about scat. I think about “mak[ing] the moves up as [you] go.” I think about facing the obstacle that is your own self and knowing that today is not a good day for self defeat. I think about people like Ella Fitzgerald.
Born today (April 25th) in 1917, Fitzgerald would eventually become a bandleader known as the First Lady of Jazz, Mama of Jazz, Lady Ella, and the Queen of Jazz. She would be championed by musicians like Benny Carter and Chick Webb (who gave her one of her big shots); composers like Ira Gershwin (who once said, “I never knew how good our songs were until I heard Ella Fitzgerald sing them”); and celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra (both of whom challenged segregation laws and racial bias, in their own ways, on Ella’s behalf). She would be heralded by universities and heads of state, awarded the National Medal of Arts (by President Ronald Reagan in 1987), and presented France’s Commander of Arts and Letters award in 1990.
On November 21, 1934, however, when she stood on the stage at the Apollo, Ella Fitzgerald was just a shy, reserved, self-conscious 17-year old orphan with a reportedly disheveled appearance. She hadn’t become a legendary scat artist, hadn’t recorded a single song (let alone over 200 albums) and hadn’t performed at Carnegie Hall once (let along 26 times). In fact, the woman who would eventually be known for her ability to mimic any horn in the orchestra wasn’t even planning to sing!
“They were the dancingest sisters around.”
– Ella Fitzgerald describing Ruth and Louise Edwards (known as the Edwards Sisters)
Yes, you read that right: Ella Fitzgerald didn’t enter the Apollo’s Amateur Night as a singer. She intended to dance. The problem was the main event concluded with the Edwards Sisters, a crowd favorite. Seeing the Edwards Sisters’ tap dancing bring the house down – and knowing the critical (and vocal) reputation of the Apollo audience – young Ella froze, and asked herself some variation of those aforementioned questions.
“Once up there, I felt the acceptance and love from my audience. I knew I wanted to sing before people the rest of my life.”
– Ella Fitzgerald on how it felt after she sang one of her mother’s favorite songs at the Apollo
It’s a weird dichotomy to think of Ella Fitzgerald as both shy and fearless; yet, that is exactly who and what she was. Out of context it sounds odd. When you know more of her story, however, it is inspiring and encouraging. After all, every one of us can make the decision to climb on, to celebrate, and to persevere. All we need is to recognize what is already inside of us, what has gotten us this far. At the same time, what has gotten us this far is also what might have us giving up and turning back….
In that moment of questioning, young Ella’s consciousness, her awareness of herself and her awareness of what she could do, merged with all the possible outcomes and in that moment there was fear of failing on the stage and also, as a teenager already taking care of herself in the world, there was the fear of failing in life. So, there was suffering – and, in this case, (mental) suffering that could also lead to (physical) pain. In that same moment, she also recognized a way to succeed and to alleviate (or avoid) some of her suffering.
“We are very afraid of being powerless. But we have the power to look deeply at our fears, and then fear cannot control us. We can transform our fear. Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.”
– quoted from Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm by Thich Nhat Hanh
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, April 25th) at 2:30 PM, for an experience. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04252020 Ella’s Shy & Fearless Day”]
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 Fearless and Play You could live for tomorrow and still live here in today
When i would play when i was a child I swore that i would never forget no I will never forget no!
Be Fearless and Play This is one thing that no one can ever take away”
Yes, yes, it’s that time again! The 8th Annual Kiss My Asana yogathon benefits Mind Body Solutions, which was founded by Matthew Sanford to help those who have experienced trauma, loss, and disability find new ways to live by integrating both mind and body. Known for their adaptive yoga classes, MBS provides “traditional yoga” classes, workshops, and outreach programs. They also train yoga teachers and offer highly specialized training for health care professionals. This year’s yogathon is only a week long! Seven days, starting yesterday (Saturday), to do yoga, share yoga, and help others. By participating in the Kiss My Asana yogathon you join a global movement, but in a personal way. In other words, you practice yoga… for 7 days. And you can start today!!
The yogathon raises resources and awareness. So, my goal this year is to post some extended prāņāyāma practices and to raise $400 for Mind Body Solutions. You can do yoga starting today. You can share yoga be inviting a friend to one of my classes or by forwarding one of the blog posts. You can help others by donating or, if you are not able to donate, come to class Saturday – Wednesday (or request a class you can do on your own) and practice the story poses on Thursday and Friday so that I can make a donation on your behalf.
A Joyful Practice 