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Deeper Inside Makes That “Outside” (just the music, UPDATED with post link) March 13, 2021

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Please join me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, March 13th) at 12:00 PM. 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.

Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10202020 Pratyahara”]

Click here for the blog post related to this practice.

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). 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.)

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Songs for the DJ’s Adventure (just the music, UPDATED with post link) March 10, 2021

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Please join me today (Wednesday, March 10th) 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. 

Click here for the blog post related to this practice.

 

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.)

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Remembering A Shorter Walk With Thee (just the music) March 9, 2021

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Please join me today (Tuesday, March 9th) at 12 Noon or 7:15 PM for a virtual 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.

Tuesday’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.)

 

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Remembering a Too Short & Too Bloody Walk (just the music) March 7, 2021

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Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, March 7th) at 2:30 PM. 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.

Sunday’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). 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.)

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Give Up, Let Go – A Lesson in Trustful Surrender (the post-practice post) March 7, 2021

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[This is the post for the “First Friday Night Special” #5 from March 5th. This was a restorative practice with opportunities to reflect, heal, grieve, and cast something into the ether – opening up space for new possibilities and new beginnings.

You can request an audio recording of Friday’s 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.]

 

“We were even promised sufferings. They were part of the programme. We were even told, ‘Blessed are they that mourn,’ and I accepted it. I’ve got nothing that I hadn’t bargained for. Of course it is different when the thing happens to oneself, not to others, and in reality, not imagination.”

 

– quoted from Chapter 3 of A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis

 

“‘You may grieve sincerely, Arjuna, but it is without cause. Your words may seem wise, but the truly wise one grieves neither for the living nor the dead!’”

 

– Krishna speaking to Arjuna (2.11) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

 

“‘You grieve for those who call for no grief and yet you utter words of wisdom. Oh, Arjuna, the wise grieve neither for the dead or the living.’”

 

– an alternate translation of BG 2.11

Starting a blog post about loss with quotes from C. S. Lewis and the Bhagavad Gita is not going to work for everyone. I know this. But we are all closing in on a year of social distancing, isolation, and loss and this might be helpful. So, I’m going to ask you to stick with me for a moment… at least 3 or 4 paragraphs.

In The Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna is faced with a civil war and, in some ways, paralyzed by the possibility of losing those he loves – and being responsible for the deaths of those he loves and admires. When his friend and charioteer reveals himself as an avatar of God, he is not admonished for experiencing a very real human emotion. No, Krishna explains that Arjuna is looking at the situation through a very limited and “unwise” perspective. What Krishna really wants the prince to understand is that the end, as we know it on earth, is not the end – it is a merely a change. We humans are not great fans of change – especially change we haven’t instigated and embraced, but many find comfort in the spiritual or religious perspective. C. S. Lewis cautions that we can confuse “real faith” with imagination. But, even then, the faith perspective is one way people develop functional coping skills (to deal with change) and one way that helps people experience less suffering.

Similarly, some people develop functional coping skills and solace from a philosophical or psychological perspective. For instance, Patanjali attributed suffering to avidyā (“ignorance”), a kind of “afflicted” or dysfunctional thinking that leads to four additional types of afflicted/dysfunctional thinking. The last three of those afflicted/dysfunctional thought patterns are the things we like/love (our attachments rooted in pleasure); the things we dislike (our aversions); and fear of death/loss. When we understand that the second afflicted/dysfunctional thinking (a false sense of self) is built on the third and fourth (attachments and aversions) we begin to see why even losing our keys can result in the same “anticipatory panic” or anxiety that we feel before losing a major life-altering change that comes from loss.

“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning. I keep on swallowing.

 

At other times it feels like being mildly drunk, or concussed. There is a sort of invisible blanket between the world and me. I find it hard to take in what anyone says. Or perhaps, hard to want to take it in. It is so uninteresting. Yet I want the others to be about me. I dread the moments when the house is empty. If only they would talk to one another and not to me.”

 

– quoted from Chapter 1 of A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis

 

On some level, we have all experienced what C. S. Lewis observed, because we all have some experience with loss. We may lose something minor (like our keys or a game) or major (like a friend or family member) and everything in between (like a job, a home, or an important piece of information); but the experience of the mind-body is very much the same. In fact, in a Psychology Today article about the “4 tasks of grieving,” Dan Bates (LMHC, LPC, NCC – and “Mental Health Nerd), stated, “Every loss is like a death. This is not necessarily a physical death (although the death of a loved one is certainly included), but loss entails that a part of you, a piece of your life, has died.” I’ll even add to that that life as you know it has died.

It may seem trite, but it doesn’t make it any less true: the mind-body does not always distinguish losing those we love with losing a body part or a job. Neither does it distinguish those major experiences from the experience of forgetting where we placed our keys, parked our car, lost a board game, and/or rooted for a professional sports team that lost. This is especially true when, as has been the case this last year, we are inundated with so much loss. So, we not only may experience panic and anxiety, but also all the other classic traits of grieving.

In 1969, Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross released her seminal book On Death and Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy and Their Own Families, which outlined various ways her terminal patients dealt with grief. Later, she would apply these same experiences to anyone experiencing loss – in particular, those her terminal patients were leaving behind. We think of these experiences (as they were described) as stages; however, the model was never intended to be linear. Despite the attempts of Dr. Kübler-Ross and others to better explain, people still sometimes think of grieving like a train or bus with scheduled stops – as opposed to a gymnastics wheel that is rolling down a hill while we hold on with one hand. We may pause here and there, we may engage enough core strength to change directions and (sometimes) keep from falling over, but ultimately we are going to keep going… until we run out of hill.

“The five stages – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance – are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with the one[s] we lost. They are tools to help us frame and identify what we may be feeling. But they are not stops on some linear timeline in grief. Not everyone goes through all of them or goes in a prescribed order.”

 

– quoted from On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Grief by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler

Because of the misconceptions about the “five stages of grief” – as well as the continued research in the bereavement field and a focus on the healthy aspects of actively engaging in bereavement (rather than  passively experiencing grief) – people like Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut, as well as William Worden, have described other grieving paradigms. These models provide an opportunity for people to process their grief regardless of if they have a religious, spiritual, and/or philosophical practice and regardless of the type of loss they have experienced.

Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut outlined a “dual process model of coping” which describes “bereavement” as an experience whereby one swings between loss-oriented and restoration-oriented responses until one finds/reaches a balancing point between facing the reality of what has been lost and learning how to reengage in life (after loss). In this way, we recognize the grieving or bereavement period – no matter how long it lasts – as a liminal moment, a transitional or threshold moment: a moment, as Dr. Joan Borysenko often describes it, “between what is no longer and what is not yet.”

More specifically, Dr. Borysenko calls “liminal time”, “that pregnant pause between what is no longer and what is not yet.” Which means it is a time when we are getting ready for new life – and preparing for all that that new life requires.

“Loss-oriented responses include grieving, crying, thinking about our loved one, and that strong desire to curl up under the covers and never come out.

 

Restoration-oriented responses include learning new skills…. you are able to focus on day-to-day tasks and get at least temporary relief from the emotional drain of your loss.”

 

– quoted from “The Dual Process Model of Grief: Navigating the Spiral” by Heather Stang (MA, C-IAYT), posted on the site of Mindfulness & Grief Institute, January 23, 2014 (updated April 19, 2020)

Loss-oriented processes focus on the things we traditionally and stereotypically associate with grieving: recognizing and accepting the changes that come from loss. This is where we find the “classic” emotional experiences of yearning, irritability, anger, despair, anxiety, and depression. There can also be guilt and denial. We may feel fixated on the loss and also may feel as if we cannot move beyond the figurative and/or literal time-space. This is when we are most like a one-dimensional Western image of Akhilāņdeśvarī (“The Goddess Who Is Never Not Broken”): curled up in the fetal position on the bathroom floor, finding some solace from the one check that presses against the cool tile.

The thing about “She Who Is Never Not Broken,” however, is that (traditionally) she is multi-dimensional. Akhilāņdeśvarī rides a crocodile, for goodness sake! Remember, a crocodile is known for its “death spiral” and reptilian (fear-based) brain. But she stands on top of it – she is continually conquering her fear and continually facing the constant changes of the “death spiral” with a calmness that only a goddess can embody. Even when she is portrayed in pieces (because she is always broken) or portrayed with multiple versions of herself, there is some awareness or hint of new possibilities. Then there is my favorite multi-dimensional Western image, which is a sculpture by Paige Bradley. Full disclosure, I don’t think the artist knew anything about the goddess when creating the piece called “Expansion,” but it embodies the spirit of the goddess in that it depicts strength, wisdom, courage, peace, and light despite (or because of) being broken.

The goddess that is the statue was broken – is always going to be broken – but she has also been put back together again… and in a way that makes her even more amazing! This is a sign that restoration-oriented processes have kicked in. There is acceptance and a relinquishing of attachments, as well as a focus on a “new reality.” During restoration-oriented processes, a person can experience pride as well as what might be described as “grief.” It is during the restoration-oriented processes that we encounter William Worden’s “4 tasks of grieving” – which the psychologist says are active engagements:

  1. Accept the reality of the loss
    1. Right at the beginning each of us is faced with two choices: Are we going to (a) wallow in despair and spend our energy wishing nothing had changed or (b) adapt and move forward?
  1. Experience the pain of grief
    1. Everyone wants to be free of suffering and most want to avoid it completely. However, stuffing down and ignoring the painful emotions and sensations does not make them go away. Rather than spending energy avoiding the discomfort or emotion, we must begin to processing it. Processing can be done individually and/or in a group; with family and friends and/or with a therapist. It can involve journaling, meditation, movement, and/or stillness. It can be filtered through a religious ritual and/or a cultural tradition. There is no one way to process. But each of us can find at least one way that will be helpful.
  1. Adjust to an environment without the missing
    1. This is where “survivor’s guilt” can kick in. This is also the point when we need to remember that we are still alive and, therefore, still have possibilities. Considering the possibilities may swing us back to the first task and/or to loss-oriented processing – that’s OK. Take a breath and be full present in the moment, even when it is a challenging moment.
  1. Find an enduring connection while embarking on a new life

The final task is a very personal and intimate task – and it’s going to be different for each of us, but it’s also going to be different for each loss. Years and years ago, I read that when you experience a breakup, you should get rid of all the things the person ever gave you (in order to break the psychic/energetic connection). That idea made me think of all the stories and movies where someone, very dramatically, returns all their gifts in a box. That idea never really appealed to me, because I recognized the place someone held in my life and in my heart and I decided there had to be another way to heal. On the flip side, the idea resonates with me in reverse; that is to say, what item can you hold onto as a momento?

Another way to find an enduring connection is through shared experiences. I’m a bit of a foodie and I grew up around Irish wakes; so, I am quick to ask about someone’s favorite food or drink. Granted, it’s been a seriously long time since I toasted a former co-worker with their favorite drink (Jameson) and I’m as likely to do that again as I am to eat a departed person’s favorite meal if that meal involves meat. However, a tribute is symbolic and intentional. I don’t have to drink the actual drink to honor a friend with a “parting glass.” Neither do I have to eat the meal exactly as we once ate it to remember the memories. In fact, to honor someone who is past while honoring your present and future moments is the epitome of the fourth task.

“To live in this world

you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it

against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.”

 

– quoted from the poem “In Blackwater Woods” by Mary Oliver

 

Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.

[Please Note: The first two tracks are for the physical practice. On the Spotify playlist, these are not the original tracks I had in mind for the practice, but they are similar enough to cultivate the intended experience. The third track (on both playlists) could be used as the beginning of the practice music, but is really intended to be the beginning of music you can use to process off the mat or with a more active physical practice. Fair warning, I may remix the Spotify playlist – and I will probably add music to both playlists.]

 

I am not a therapist and offer this information only as a point of reference. If something above resonates with you and you need (or would like) assistance with your experiences, please contact a therapist or grief/bereavement counselor.

 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.

 

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Getting Inside or “What Is Inside, IV” (just the music, UPDATED with post link) March 6, 2021

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Please join me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, March 6th) at 12:00 PM. 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.

Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09132020 What Is Inside, II”]

Click here for the blog post related to this practice.

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). 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.)

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Give Up, Let Go – A Lesson in Trustful Surrender March 5, 2021

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What do you do with that which no longer serves you? How do you recognize what never served you? When do you process a loss?

As we are closing in on a year of social distancing, isolation, and loss, here is an opportunity to reflect, heal, grieve, and cast something into the ether – opening up space for new possibilities and new beginnings.

Please join me today (Friday, March 5th) at 7:15 PM for a “First Friday Night Special” virtual 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.

Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.

[Please Note: The first two tracks on the Spotify playlist are not the original tracks I had in mind for the practice. Fair warning, I may remix the Spotify playlist.]

This restorative practice is accessible and open to all. It will include a guided meditation and you may need something to take notes (but there is no “guided journaling” for this practice).

Prop wise, it will be handy to have a large pillow or cushion (or two); a blanket or towel; and extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). It will also be handy to have access to a wall, closed door, a chair, or something you can use to elevate your legs – as “Legs-Up-the Wall” will be featured in this practice.

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.)

 

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Liminal, Lofty, & Rare Days – I & Redux (a “missing” post for multiple days) March 4, 2021

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 19-Day Fast, Baha'i, Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Helen Keller, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Passover, Peace, Philosophy, Ramadan, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga, Yom Kippur.
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[This post is related to Sunday, February 28th; Monday, March 1st; and Wednesday, March 2nd. You can request an audio recording of any of the practices 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 THERE’S A “FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIAL ON FRIDAY (MARCH 5th)! ***]

 

“‘There are yet others whose way of worship is to offer up wealth and possessions. Still others offer up self-denial, suffering, and austerities (purifications). Others take clerical or monastic vows, offering up knowledge of the scriptures. Some others make their meditation itself an offering.

 

‘Some offer up prana, the mysterious vital energy force within them. They do this through control of the breath, literally stopping their inhaling and exhaling.

 

‘Yet others abstain from food and practice sacrifice by spiritualizing their vital energy – that is, by figuratively pouring their own vital life force into the Cosmic Life Force. The whole point of all these various methods of sacrifice (worship) is to develop a certain mental attitude. Those who live with a truly worshipful attitude, whose whole lives are offered up for improvement of the world, incur no sin (no karmic debt).’”

 

– Krishna speaking to Arjuna (4.28 – 30) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

 

Much of this week has been devoted towards sacrifice and nourishment – specifically, nourishment that comes from sacrifice. I realize that, in the base case, most of us do not think of nourishment and sacrifice in the same heartbeat. Perhaps, if you are a parent without a lot of means, you have to sacrifice (go without) so that your child(ren) can eat and be nourished. But, in most other cases, “sacrifice” and “nourishment” seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. And they are… if we are only talking about the body. If, however, we are talking about the mind-body and the spirit within, then sacrifice and nourishment can sometimes go hand-in-hand. As we give up something, let go of our attachment, we bring awareness to how we are using our time, energy, and resources. We also bring awareness to the difference between need and desire. Finally, we find ourselves facing our greatest need/desire: the longing for belonging.

The desire to be (and feel) connected to something more than our (individual) self crosses cultural, socio-economic, and geographical boundaries. It crosses the barrier that is sometimes erected by language and age, religion and philosophy. It is, it seems, as much a part of being human as breathing… or eating. So, it might seem ironic that one of the ways in which people “feed” that need/desire is to go without, to give something up. Yet, all of the major religions and philosophies have some ritualistic tradition that involves fasting and/or abstaining from certain behavior for a predetermined period of time. For certain Christians, that period is Lent (which is currently being observed by some within Western Christianity and will, in a couple of weeks, be observed by those within the Eastern/Orthodox communities). The Baha’i community started their own observation, the 19-Day Fast, at sunset on Sunday (February 28th).

I call these “liminal days;” because even though all days are transitional and threshold days on a certain level, these days are specifically designated by various traditions are in-between times. Not “regular” or “ordinary” days, but days when there is a heightened awareness of what’s to come and the need to be ready for what’s to come. While the customs and beliefs are different within these different traditions, people all over the world are actually preparing: Christians observe Lent to get ready for Easter; the Baháʼí community observes the fast as they prepare for a new year.

“The second wisdom is this: Fasting is the cause of awakening man. The heart becomes tender and the spirituality of man increases. This is produced by the fact that man’s thoughts will be confined to the commemoration of God, and through this awakening and stimulation surely ideal advancements follow.

 

Third wisdom: Fasting is of two kinds, material and spiritual. The material fasting is abstaining from food and drink, that is, from the appetites of the body. But spiritual, ideal, fasting is this, that man abstain from selfish passions, from negligence and from satanic animal traits. Therefore is a token of the spiritual fast.”

 

– quoted from article entitled “The Divine Wisdom in Fasting – From Table Talks by Abdul-Baha” by Mrs. Corinne True, printed in Star of the West, Vol. IV (No. 18), dated Mulk 1, 69 (February 7, 1914)

 

For those who are not familiar: The Baháʼí Faith is a monotheistic faith that believes in the oneness of God and religion, as well as the oneness and nobility of humanity. The community believes that, historically, there has been a “progressive revelation of religious truth” which has been shared with the world through the voices of the prophets or Divine Messengers, known as “Manifestations of God” (which include “Braham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and, in more recent times, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh”). People within the faith are taught to honor the value of different religious and philosophical traditions as well as the value of education, especially in science (which is viewed by some faiths as being contrary to religion). The Baháʼí calendar consists of 19 months, each with 19 days, and each month (and day) is named after an attribute of God. To maintain the integrity of the calendar, there are 4 – 5 intercalary days just before the final month.

The final month, which started on Sunday at sunset, is known as “‘Alá’” (“loftiness”). We often think of “lofty” as meaning something in a high or elevated position, a noble goal. When speaking of textiles, it is also something that is thick and resilient. Consider for a moment, that even those who are guided by a different calendar are spending this time focused on a higher, deeper, more resilient and lasting connection with the Divine (whatever that means to you at this moment).

Similar to Passover and Yom Kippur (in the Jewish tradition) and the month of Ramadan (in the Muslim tradition), the Lenten season and the 19-Day Fast contain elements of the Yoga Philosophy’s niyamās (internal “observations”) and also fall under the rubric that Patanjali calls kriyā yoga (“union in action”), which is a combination of the final three: tapas (“heat, discipline, austerity” and the practices that cultivate them), svādhyāya (“self-study”), and īśvarapraņidhāna (“trustful surrender to higher reality”).

“For this material fast is an outer token of the spiritual fast; it is a symbol of self-restraint, the withholding of oneself from all appetites of the self, taking on the characteristics of the spirit, being carried away by the breathings of heaven and catching fire from the love of God.”

 

– quoted from Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahā (page 70)

 

On a purely physical level, fasting and/or abstaining from certain indulgences provide physical detoxification. When the elimination is done in order to achieve a higher, loftier, goal (than just physical detoxification), one can also experience mental (and sometimes emotional) detoxification. Mind-body purification is the practice of śaucāt (“cleanliness”), which is the first niyamā. A pure mind-body begins to cultivate non-attachment and a sense of peace, ease, and “contentment” – which is santoşā, the second niyamā.

In Chapter 17 of the Bhagavad Gita (Song of the Lord), which focuses on “The Path of Threefold Faith,” Krishna defines tapas (the third niyamā) as “to melt” and states, “‘The purpose of purification is no pain and penance, but to deliberately refine one’s life, to melt it down and recast in it into a higher order of purity and spirituality.’” Practices that cultivate this melting/refining experience are not easy. In fact, in most cases they can be detrimental when engaged without community, for the wrong purpose(s), and/or under the guidance of someone who is more focused on pain, punishment, and penance than on transcendence. In fact, the Gita specifically (and emphatically) reinforces the fact that these practices are not intended to be a form of self-punishment. They are not abusive – which is why every major religion has exclusions based on age and physical-mental conditions.

The fact that these practices/rituals are not intended to be abusive does not mean that they are not hard. In fact, they can be brutal challenging – which is part of the reason why (when practiced in community) people feel bonded by the experience. These challenging situations are also a great opportunity for self-study, which is the fourth niyamā. Svādhyāya is not only observing your reactions and responses to challenging situations, but also taking note of your reactions and responses to sacred text or – in the physical practice – how your body is moving (or not moving) through the poses.

Another element of self-study involves contemplating how one would react if they were in certain historical and/or biblical situations. For instance, the 40 days of Lent are meant to mirror the 40 days of prayer and fasting that Jesus experienced in preparation of the final betrayal, temptation, crucifixion, and resurrection. In sharing the wisdom of fasting, the Baháʼí teach about Moses and Jesus fasting for 40 days (and how those practices became Passover, Lent, and the month of Ramadan) and how “the Blessed Beauty [Bahá’u’lláh]” fasted when focused on receiving the teachings. To receive the teachings, each of the divine messengers or prophets had to completely and trustfully surrender to the Divine, which is īśvarapraņidhāna, the final niyamā.

“The word ‘lent’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lenten meaning ‘spring.’ In the spring people prepare the soil and plant seeds. In Lent, Christians do something similar, but in a spiritual way. Through fasting we clear the soil of our hearts, asking God to purify them and rid them of the weeds of sin. We prepare our hearts to receive the seeds of God’s Word, both scripture and the words God speaks to our hearts during prayer. We spend more time in prayer as we prepare for Easter, Christianity’s greatest feast.

 

The word ‘lent’ is also the past tense of the verb ‘to loan.’ During Lent we have the opportunity to realize that our lives are not our own. They are on loan to us from God. Saint Paul writes, ‘Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body’ (1 Cor 6:19 – 20).”

 

– quoted from “March 1” in 2016 edition of A Year of Daily Offerings by James Kubicki S. J.

 

It would be nice if, once committed to the path, there was no hesitation or doubt and no attachments/aversions that lead to suffering. However, even when we look at the lives of people who have who whole-heartedly committed to a spiritual path, we find that the challenges of the path can try even the souls of saints, prophets, and mystics. Consider, for instance, the story of Saint David, whose feast day was Monday (March 1st), and how his adherence to the path he chose wasn’t well-received by some of his followers.

Saint David was a 6th century Welsh archbishop whose recorded death date is March 1, 589. As he is the patron saint of Wales, as well as of vegetarians and poets, Saint David’s Day (March 1st) is a big deal in Wales. People dress up in traditional clothing; wear leeks and daffodils; and (traditionally) children participate in concerts and festivals.

Saint David was known for his pilgrimages, his strict adherence to disciplined discipleship, and his miracles. He was a descendent Welsh (Celtic) royalty and, some say, that his mother was King Arthur’s niece. He founded at least 13 monasteries and was known to enforce a strict code of conduct among his brethren that included hard physical labor, regular prayers, a minimalist vegetarian diet, and great charitable works. Furthermore, the monks were required to practice such a severe form of non-attachment that they could not even refer to the Bible as “my book.”

Saint David is known, in Welsh as “Dewi Ddyfrwr” (“David the Water Drinker”), because of stories that he mostly consumed water and the occasional bits of bread, vegetables, leeks, and herbs – sometimes even standing in a cold lake and reciting Scripture. One of the miracles attributed to Saint David is that he survived his bread being poisoned by his brethren (who were tired of his challenging regime). Legend has it that the bread was split between the bishop, a dog, and a raven – the latter two dying wretchedly and almost instantaneously.

It is said that springs of water often appeared during important moments in Saint David’s life and that he was followed by a dove. It is also said that he raised a youth from the dead and cured the blindness of his teacher, Paulinus. However, the most well-known miracle associated with Saint David is that while he was giving a sermon at Synod of Llanddwei Brefi, people complained that they could not see or hear him. Instantly, the story goes, the ground rose up – so that all could see and hear him – and that a dove landed on his shoulder. I’m not sure what he said during that sermon “on the mount”, but some of the words from his final Sunday sermon (in 589) are well-known and a portion have become a well-utilized saying in Welsh, a reminder of what is important: “Gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd.” “Do the little things in life.”

“Brothers and sisters, Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed, and do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I on the third day of the week on the first of March shall go the way of my fathers. Farewell in the Lord.”

 

– based on “62. The Assembly of Mourners” in Rhygyvarch’s Life of St. David (circa later 11th century)

 

On the other side of the coin there is Saint Katherine (Drexel) whose feast day is (Wednesday) March 3rd. Saint Katherine was an heiress who, along with her two sisters, inherited several millions when her father and step-mother died. That’s several million USD, even after $1.5 million USD was subtracted for charitable donations stipulated in their father’s will (which also ensured that the sisters maintained control of their own finances. In 1887, several years after they became multi-millionaires, the sisters received a private audience with Pope Leo XIII, who suggested that Katherine become a missionary. She ultimately decided to take holy vows (which she did in 1891) and, joined by 13 other women, she founded Blessed Sacrament, a religious congregation for women and specifically serving Indigenous and African-American people. She died March 3, 1955 – after dedicating her time, energy, and all of her considerable resources to the Church – and eventually became the second U S. citizen to be canonized, and the first saint actually born a United States citizen.

“At her canonization in 2000, Saint John Paul II said, ‘From her parents [Blessed Katherine Drexel] learned that her family’s possessions were not for them alone but were meant to be shared with the less fortunate. She began to devote her fortune to missionary and educational work among the poorest members of society. Later, she understood that more was needed. With great courage and confidence in God’s grace, she chose to give not just her fortune but her whole life totally to the Lord.’”

 

– quoted from “March 3” in 2016 edition of A Year of Daily Offerings by James Kubicki S. J.

 

The playlist for Sunday and Wednesday is available on YouTube and Spotify.

There is no playlist for the (Monday) Common Ground practice.

 

A Little Serendipitous Footnote, or Rabbit Hole: I mentioned above that one of Saint David’s miracles was to heal the sight of his blind teacher. I recently learned that Saint Katherine (a native of Philadelphia, PA) died in 1955 and was beatified in 1988 after the Vatican concluded that her intercession resulted in a boy (Robert Gutherman of Bensalem, PA) being cured of deafness in 1974. She was canonized in 2000 after the Vatican announced that a young girl (Amy Wall of Bucks County, PA) had been cured of her deafness after her 7-year old brother (Jack, who believed in miracles) insisted that the family prayer to “Mother Drexel.”

Remember, Saint Katherine’s Feast Day is March 3rd – which is also the anniversary of the birth of Alexander Graham Bell (b. 1847), whose interest in hearing and speech and all things acoustic stemmed from his mother’s deafness. “Aleck” (as friends and family called him) co-founded the American Telephone and Telegraph Company on his birthday in 1885. Within a couple of years, he would suggest that a couple contact the Perkins Institution to find a teacher for their young daughter, who had lost her hearing and sight after a severe illness when she was a baby. The couple did as suggested… and the teacher, Anne Sullivan (the “Miracle Worker”), started working with the young girl, Helen Keller, on March 3, 1887!

“Doubtless the work of the past few months does seem like a triumphal march to him; but then people seldom see the halting and painful steps by which the most insignificant success is achieved.”

 

– quoted from a letter written by Anne Sullivan, dated October 30, 1887

 

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Liminal, Lofty, & Rare Days – Redux (just the music) March 3, 2021

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Please join me today (Wednesday, March 3rd) 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 “02282021 Lofty and Rare Days”]

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). 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.)

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Ready, Set…. (just the music) March 2, 2021

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.
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Please join me today (Tuesday, March 2nd) at 12 Noon or 7:15 PM for a virtual 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.

Tuesday’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.)

 

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