The [Ever-Changing] Adventure That is Your Life & EXCERPT: “Giving Flowers for Now & for Later” (the “missing” Sunday post) September 21, 2025

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma, Life, Movies, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Super Heroes, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Al Mckay, Allee Willis, Anne Frank, Books, Bridget Carpenter, Demi Adejuyigbe, Earth Wind & Fire, H. G. Wells, International Day of Peace, Leonard Cohen, Life, Lindsey Stirling, Marian Feast Days, Marilyn White, Maurice White, mental health, music, Poetry, Stephen King, Walter Breuning, Writing, Yoga Sutras 3.15-3.17
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating a Marian feast day and/or living a life of friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom on the International Day of Peace.

Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.

This “missing” post for Sunday, September 21^st is a compilation post featuring a short note and a slightly revised/extended excerpt from a previously posted Sukkot post. At least one link embedded in the main post will direct you to YouTube. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).

Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

“Do you remember
The 21^st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away”

— quoted from the song “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (written by Allee Willis, Maurice White, Al Mckay)

“Do you remember / the 21^st night of September”… 1979? The song September was recorded in September 1978, and released a couple of months later (in November). By September 21, 1979, it was a hit all over the Western world and, eventually, would be a hit all over the world. So, if you are of a certain age — or have parents of a certain age — you remember a time, a place (as well as the clothes), and overall vibe associated with that time.

If you are younger, you might think of it as an internet meme. You might have even spent several years looking forward to the date when you were expecting¹ Demi Adejuyigbe to release another video.

Either way, the song is on the soundtrack of many people’s lives.

“Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night, remember
How the stars stole the night away, oh yeah”

— quoted from the song “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (written by Allee Willis, Maurice White, Al Mckay)

Maybe it was earlier, but I feel like it was in college when one of my favorite people pointed out that we all have a soundtrack to our life. Our soundtracks feature music that marks our highs and lows and all the preludes and interludes in between. This is the music that remind us of different times, different people, different adventures. This is the music that plays in the background as we dance through life.

Right now, in fact, there might be a song popping up in your mind that brings up memories.

There are hundreds of millions (maybe billions) of recorded songs in the world and many of those songs could meet you in a time and a place. However, the songs that pop up on your mental soundtrack actually date you; because, more often than not, the songs we associate with our lives were created when we were coming of age.

“Remember that life’s length is not measured by its hours and days, but by that which we have done therein. A useless life is short if it lasts a century. There are greater and better things in us all, if we would find them out. There will always be in this world—wrongs. No wrong is really successful. The day will come when light and truth and the just and the good shall be victorious and wrong as evil will be no more forever.”

— Walter Breuning (b. 09/21/1896), during his 113th birthday celebration in 2009

Can you imagine the songs that might have highlighted the life of Walter Breuning?

Born in Melrose, Minnesota today (September 21^st) in 1896, Walter Breuning passed away on April 14, 2011 at the age of 14 years and 205 days. Up until his death, the supercentenarian was the oldest living man and the third-oldest man to be verified. At one point, he was also the oldest living American and the oldest living retired railroad worker in the United States. While some parts of life might not have seem notable at the time he was experiencing them, Mr. Breuning had a sharp mind, a sharp wit, and his memories served as a living time capsule.

Walter Breuning had two brothers and two sisters and lived in Minnesota until the age of 5, when his family moved to De Smet, South Dakota. Like many people living in small towns in America in the early 1900s, life was hard and young Walter had to drop out of school and start working at an early age. He worked at a bakery, at a café, and for the Great Northern Railway (even though he was technically too young when he first started working at the railway). He signed up for the draft during World War I, but was never called up, and was too old to be drafted by the time the United States joined World War II. At 22, he moved to Montana, where he would live the rest of his life.

Mr. Breuning was a Freemason and enjoyed a good cigar for most of his life. While many believed he had only been married once, to Agnes (née Sharpe) Twokey, who died in 1957, a marriage certificate discovered after his death indicated that Walter Breuning had remarried in 1958. His second wife, Margaret (née Daniels) Vanest died in 1975.

In addition to outliving his wives, Mr. Breuning (naturally) outlived his parents (who died at ages 50 and 46); his paternal and maternal grandparents (who died in their 90s); and his siblings (who lived to the ages of 78, 85, 91, and 100). He survived colon cancer (diagnosed and treated when he was 64); a broken hip (when he was 108); and a fall (just before he turned 113). He was fitted for hearing aids when he was 111 and used a walker and then motorized scooter during the last year of his life. However, he rebounded fairly quickly from his injuries and illnesses and went on about his business right up until the end of his life. When he passed, he was survived by a niece and three nephews (all in the 80s), as well as a host of great-nieces and great-nephews.

Many people, including Steve Hartman, interviewed Walter Breuning about his life, his adventures, and his longevity. He attributed some of his longevity to his diet — which included fruit as a snack, lots of water, and a bit of coffee — and some to his daily walks, as well as to his interaction with his community (which included people he only knew through correspondence).

Of course, he always had a little bit of advice:

“If you keep your mind busy and keep your body busy, you’re going to be around a long time.”

— Walter Breuning (b. 09/21/1896), on his 112th birthday, in 2008

While I don’t know about Walter Breuning’s taste in music or books, I do know that he regularly listened to the radio and read the newspaper (up until his eyesight started to weaken). So, I imagine that he would have at least heard of some of the people that inspired my September 21^st playlist. I don’t know, however, if he knew that they shared his birthday.

The following is a slightly revised (and extended) excerpt from a 2021 post about Sukkot and gratitude.

Click here for the entire original post (which includes playlists featuring music from the soundtrack of the original The Time Machine).

“Don’t let the sun go down without saying thank you to someone, and without admitting to yourself that absolutely no one gets this far alone.”

— quoted from the 2005 University of Maine Commencement Speech by Stephen King

As more and more people pass away at an early age, especially those whose deaths are tragic, we hear the old saying that we should give people their flowers when they are living. Although I can’t find the original source, Anne Frank is often quoted as writing “Dead people receive more flowers than the living ones because regret is stronger than gratitude.” How scary is that? I mean, to me, the idea that someone could come to the end of their days — or live all of their days — not knowing how much they are loved and appreciated is very scary and unsettling. The human heart can hold a lot of love and a lot of kindness, even a lot of courage, wisdom, and generosity. But, the human heart can also hold its fair share of regret, fear, judgement, hatred, selfishness, self-centeredness and inconsideration.

The aforementioned “negative” sentiments may or may not seem really scary to you, but think about how they are expressed in the world. Then think about how those expressions in the world manifest in books by Stephen King.

Born September 21, 1947, Mr. King is an acknowledged expert in horror, suspense, supernatural fiction, who has also written crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. His (65-and-counting) novels and hundreds of short stories and novellas (like Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, from 1982), as well as his non-fiction work, have sold hundreds of millions of copies, won hundreds of awards, been adapted into movies and comic books, and creeped the living daylights out of people all over the world. And, it doesn’t matter if you use his first novel, Carrie (1974), or Pet Sematary (1983) or Misery (1987) or (one of my favorites) The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999), every Stephen King story starts with a “what if” and then proceeds to give us a glimpse into the best and the worst parts of the human heart. And the worst parts can be really scary.

Of course, there is more to Stephen King than scary stories. He is also a musician who has collaborated with artists like Foo Fighters and Bronson Arroyo, as well as John Mellencamp, and played guitar for the Rock Bottom Remainders. He is also a husband, father, grandfather, a Boston Red Sox fan, a philanthropic (and political) activist, and a recovering addict. In addition to inspiring two of his own children to become published authors, he has written books on writing and reportedly “donates [millions every year] to libraries, local fire departments that need updated lifesaving equipment”, schools, and arts-related organizations. He and his wife Tabitha King (neé Spruce), who is also an author and activist, support Maine charities and communities through their foundation. They also own a radio station group.

While I haven’t read everything he has ever written, I am a Stephen King fan and I appreciate his work and his life — and I appreciate how both have made me think about my work, my life, and the world-at-large.

“Either get busy living or get busy dying.”

— quoted from the film the novella “Rita Hawyworth and Shawshank Redemption: Hope Springs Eternal” by Stephen King

Like Stephen King, Herbert George Wells was born on September 21^st (in 1866) and was a prolific writer of novels, short stories, and non-fiction including works of history, satire, biography, and autobiography. While his work is also full of social commentary and glimpses into the human heart, when most people think of H. G. Wells, they think of science fiction like The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), War of the Worlds (1897), and When The Sleeper Wakes (1899).

Like Mr. King, Mr. Wells suffered an accident that severely injured one of his legs and left him bedridden for an extended period of time. There are several obvious differences between the two accidents, including the fact that the accident that happened to Stephen King happened when he was a successful adult, writing about writing; while young “Bertie” suffered his accident as an eight year old. It’s interesting to me that the very advice Mr. King gives in On Writing — to read as much as possible — is the very experience that led Mr. Wells to write (a hundred years earlier).

H. G. Wells got people to think. He got people to think, “What if…?” He inspired authors and scientists like Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Carl Sagan, Ursula Le Guin, Sinclair Lewis, Jorge Luis Borges, and Margaret Atwood. He predicted a world war, the atomic bomb, and wrote about a “world brain”, which was basically an encyclopedia accessible by the entire world through another of his fantastical ideas. (Let’s call it an electronic web). He also wrote about aircraft, tanks, space travel, and satellite television — all before they had been invented.

He was also a husband and a father, possibly even a grandfather. However, with all due respect, Mr. Wells seems to have been more of a philanderer than a philanthropist. While some of his actions set women back, he predicted the sexual revolution and, perhaps, even inspired it. Again, I haven’t read all of his books — or indulged in all of the movies, radio plays, and comic book adaptations — but I appreciate the worlds that he built and how they make us think about the world we are building.

“Sometimes, you have to step outside of the person you’ve been and remember the person you were meant to be. The person you want to be. The person you are.”

— H. G. Wells

My third bouquet of gratitude flowers goes to Leonard Cohen, also born on September 21^st (in 1934). An award winning musician and poet, Mr. Cohen’s songs are psalms, sacred songs, for the human heart. A Companion of the Order of Canada (CC) and a Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec (GOQ), he started out as an author of poetry and prose, who even had some of his drawings published with his written words. Despite the fact that his professional music career didn’t start until he was in his early thirties, he created fifteen studio albums in nearly fifty years and wrote songs that would become chartbusters for himself as well as for singers like Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright (who is the father of Mr. Cohen’s granddaughter), and Jennifer Warnes. He also inspired bands likes Nirvana and U2, collaborated with Phillip Glass, and co-wrote (and/or had music featured) in several films, including the rock musical Night Magic (which he co-wrote with composer Lewis Furey).

Mr. Cohen was a father, who collaborated with his son (on an album) and his daughter (on a musical video and on one of his world tours). While he studied (and practiced) Zen Buddhism as an adult — and was even ordained as a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk — Leonard Cohen was born into an Orthodox Jewish family with a rich religious heritage. He observed the Sabbath “even while on tour and [performing] for Israeli troops during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war” and never seemed to shy away from political and social commentary, in his music or in his life. In fact, some of his efforts to support peace efforts and reconciliation in the Middle East were met with discussions of boycotts and, ultimately, withdrawal of some supporting organizations. Despite those discussions of boycotts, however, his 2009 performance in Tel Aviv, Israel (which occurred towards the end of the High Holidays that year) sold out within 24 hours.

Leonard Cohen had style and grace that was evident in his dress and his demeanor, as well as in the way he performed. For instance, there is a powerful moment in the recording of a live performance of “Anthem” (a moment possibly captured by his daughter Lorca) when Mr. Cohen introduces his band to the audience. This is something that is pretty typical for most Class A musicians when they are on tour, but the way it happens at this performance in London epitomizes what it means to give someone their flowers while they are still living. Watching the footage is also like watching a mutual appreciation society in action. The gratitude is a living breathing thing being exchanged between all the people on the stage.

“Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you act.”

— Leonard Cohen

NOTE: In addition to being the birthday of the people highlighted (above and below), September 21^st is also the International Day of Peace. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981, it was unanimously designated as a period of non-violence and cease-fire in 2001.

The 2025 theme is “Act Now for a Peaceful World”.

Born today in 1986, Lindsey Stirling is the only person on my birthday list of whom Walter Breuning might not have known — for the same reason I don’t mention her much during the practice and placed her music on the before/after portion of the playlist: She had just barely started making a name for herself when he was alive and when I first started teaching this theme. I do, however, incorporate her music in some of my other playlists.

A violinist, songwriter, dancer, and choreographer, Ms. Stirling combined all of her talents when she started her YouTube channel (in 2007) and when she competed on season five of America’s Got Talent (in 2010). Her repertoire includes classical music, pop, rock, hip-hop, and electronic dance music. She has collaborated with some of the same artists she covered when she was first started posting videos, including: Pentatonix, Amy Lee (from Evanescence), Lizzy Hale (from Halestorm); and John Legend. She has also collaborated with The Piano Guys, Sam Tsui, the Salt Lake Pops Orchestra, and Alex Boye.

Lindsey Stirling has an older and a younger sister. She was born in California; but, went to junior high and high school in Arizona, where she and some friends started a band and where she competed in scholarship pageants. Ms. Stirling attended Brigham Young University and wrote about her experiences being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). While she drinks coffee and supports the LGBTQIA+ community (neither of which are necessarily in line with the LDS Church), she abstains from alcohol and prohibits it from being on her tour bus.

As a philanthropist, Ms. Stirling has worked with the non-profit Atlanta Music Project; joined Cirque du Soleil for the second annual One Night for One Drop benefit; and encouraged her fans to support Toys for Tots by bringing toy donations to her 2017 concerts. She also performed during Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western New York’s concert series (in 2018); started The Upside Fund (in 2020) to support people struggling during the COVID pandemic; and has performed and/or held auctions to support organizations that promote mental health awareness and to support UNICEF’s support efforts in Ukraine. She has also publicly spoken about her experiences overcoming an eating disorder.

“We did not ask for this room or this music. We were invited in. Therefore, because the dark surrounds us, let us turn our faces to the light. Let us endure hardship to be grateful for plenty. We have been given pain to be astounded by joy. We have been given life to deny death. We did not ask for this room or this music. But because we are here, let us dance.”

— a poem by Bridget Carpenter and Stephen King (b. 09/21/1947), featured in the miniseries 11.22.63

Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09212022 More Songs for Today’s Adventure”]

¹While Maurice “Reese” White, one of the writers of the song “September”, once said that he picked today’s date because it of the way it sounded, his wife Marilyn said that it was the original due date of one of their sons. The way she described what she felt when she first heard the song just might be the way you feel when you start dancing to the song!

“Ba-dee-ya, say, do you remember?”

“Ba-dee-ya, dancing in September”

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

### Sing! Dance! Play! Enjoy your adventure & your flowers! ###

EXCERPT (2): “A Thought from ‘Anne no Nikki’” June 25, 2025

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 988, amsterdam, Anne Frank, Anne no Nikki, avidya, Buddhism, Diary of A Young Girl, Frank H. Otto, Gerrit Bolkestein, history, Holocaust, ignorance, Larry Yang, Maha Ghosananda, Michael Nyman, Miep Gies, Mirjam Pressler, samskāras, Susan Massotty, truth, vasanas, vāsanā, world-war-2, yoga philosophy
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Happy Pride! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Apostles’ (Peter & Paul) Fast during this 3^rd Week after Pentecost!!!.

“Anne Frank kept a diary from June 12, 1942, to August 1, 1944. Initially, she wrote it strictly for herself. Then, one day in 1944, Gerrit Bolkestein, a member of the Dutch government in exile, announced in a radio broadcast from London that after the war he hoped to collect eyewitness accounts of the suffering of the Dutch people under the German occupation, which could be made available to the public. As an example, he specifically mentioned letters and diaries.

Impressed by this speech, Anne Frank decided that when the war was over she would publish a book based on her diary.”

“The last entry in Anne’s diary is dated August 1, 1944. On August 4, 1944, the eight people hiding in the Secret Annex were arrested. Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl, the two secretaries working in the building, found Anne’s diaries strewn all over the floor. Miep Gies tucked them away in a desk drawer for safekeeping. After the war, when it became clear that Anne was dead, she gave the diaries, unread, to Anne’s father, Otto Frank.”

— quoted from the Foreword to The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition by Anne Frank (edited by Otto H. Frank & Mirjam Pressler, translated by Susan Massotty)

Diary of a Young Girl was first published today in 1947. CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW for the philosophy-based 2020 post.

A Thought from “Anne no Nikki”

Please join me today (Wednesday, June 25^th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06252022 A Young Girl’s Thoughts”]

NOTE: The opening tracks are slightly different as some music was not available on Spotify. Click on the excerpt title above for the entire “Anne No Nikki” soundtrack.

“The cheerful Anne laughs about it, gives cheeky answers, shrugs her shoulders indifferently, behaves as if she doesn’t care, but, oh dearie me, the quiet Anne’s reactions are just the opposite. If I’m to be quite honest, then I must admit that it does hurt me, that I try terribly hard to change myself, but that I’m always fighting against a more powerful enemy.

A voice sobs within me: ‘There you are, that’s what’s become of you: you’re uncharitable, you look supercilious and peevish, people dislike you and all because you won’t listen to the advice given you by your own better half.’ Oh, I would like to listen, but it doesn’t work; if I’m quiet and serious, everyone thinks it’s a new comedy and then I have to get out of it by turning it into a joke, not to mention my own family, who are sure to think I’m ill, make me swallow pills for headaches and nerves, feel my neck and my head to see whether I’m running a temperature, ask me if I’m constipated and criticize me for being in a bad mood. I can’t keep that up: if I’m watched to that extent, I start by getting snappy, then unhappy, and finally I twist my heart around again, so that the bad is on the outside and the good is on the inside and keep on trying to find a way of becoming what I would so like to be, and what I could be, if there weren’t any people living in the world.”

— quoted from the last entry by Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Tuesday, August 1, 1944

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).

Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

### HONOR YOUR HEART >> THOUGHTS >> WORD >> DEEDS ###

Pepys, peeps, and a peep [of Harmony] (the “missing” Sunday post that is also a “long lost” post w/an excerpt) February 23, 2025

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Anne Frank, Arooj Aftab, Black History Month, Booker T. Washington, Carnival, George Frideric Handel, George Handel, Harmony, HBCUs, Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., Lord Braybrooke’s, Mahā Kumbha Mēlā, Rev. Mynors Bright M.A., Samuel Pepys, Sir Isaac Newton, W. E. B. Du Bois, W. E. Burghardt Du Bois
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Many blessings to everyone, and especially those celebrating Carnival and Maha Kumbh Mela!

Peace, ease, and harmony throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!

This is the “missing” post for Sunday, February 23, 2025 (and also 2022). You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).

Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

“Dear Kitty,

It’s lovely weather outside and I’ve perked up since yesterday. Nearly every morning I go to the attic where Peter works to blow the stuffy air out of my lungs. From my favorite spot on the floor I look up at the blue sky and the bare chestnut tree, on whose branches little raindrops shine, appearing like silver, and at the seagulls and other birds as they glide on the wind.

He stood with his head against a thick beam, and I sat down. We breathed the fresh air, looked outside, and both felt that the spell should not be broken by words…. I looked out, of the open window too, over a large area of Amsterdam, over all the roofs and on to the horizon, which was such a pale blue that it was hard to see the dividing line. ‘As long as this exists,’ I thought, ‘and I may live to see it, this sunshine, the cloudless skies, while this lasts I cannot be unhappy.’”

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Wednesday, February 23, 1944

Do you keep a diary, a journal, or maybe write “morning pages”? If so, you probably write about things that are very personal to you; things you believe no one would be interested in reading — and, in most cases, you probably write for your eyes only. However, as you chronicle your daily minutia, you probably also reference things that are happening in the world around you. Just like famous diarists (whose private musings have made it into the public), you probably include references and maybe even details about current events — and how you take care of yourself during challenging (and horrifically tragic) times. In other words, like Samuel Pepys and Anne Frank, you provide an eye witness account of things that will one day be studied.

Born in London, today (February 23^rd) in 1638, Samuel Pepys was a Tory politician who had no maritime experience, but somehow rose to the rank of Chief Secretary to the Admiralty (under two different kings). While he played a role in the reformation of what is now the Royal Navy, he is primarily remembered as a writer — and specifically as a prolific diarists. From 1660 until 1669, he wrote detailed daily entries about everything from his marriage, what he ate for any given meal, and the painful urinary tract and (urinary) bladder stone issues¹ (which he experienced from a very young age) to the “good honest and painfull [i.e. painstakingly written] sermon” he heard on Sunday, March 17, 1661, and every else going on in the world around him. In fact, his diary entries give modern readers first-hand, eyewitness accounts of the Stuart Restoration (in May 1660), the Great Plague of London (1665-1666), the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665-1667), and the Great Fire of London (in September 1666).

“17th (Lord’s day). At church in the morning, a stranger preached a good honest and painfull sermon. My wife and I dined upon a chine of beef at Sir W. Batten’s, so to church again. Then home, and put some papers in order. Then to supper at Sir W. Batten’s again, where my wife by chance fell down and hurt her knees exceedingly. So home and to bed.”

— quoted from a 1661 diary entry, as published in the “March 1660-1661” section of The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., Clerk of the Acts and Secretary to the Admiralty by Samuel Pepys

Transcribed from the Shorthand Manuscript in the Pepysian Library, Magdalene College Cambridge, by the Rev. Mynors Bright M.A., Late Fellow and President of the College (Unabridged), with Lord Braybrooke’s Notes / Edited with Additions by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A.

Samuel Pepys wrote his diary entries in his own personal shorthand and also used a little code that mixed English profanities with French, Italian, and Spanish words. He often used the code when talking about illicit affairs — and interactions with women that are so clearly abusive that they can only be described as rape — and/or when he was describing his very frank opinions about people in power. There are, however, some indications that he wanted his diaries to be a historical record. For instance, he preserved them, catalogued them as part of his library, and even transcribed some pages (from his shorthand). In 1669, he stopped writing his daily dairy entries because he was losing his eyesight. He considered dictating his daily entries to a scribe — and did, in fact, briefly dictate some work-related journal entries in 1669–70 and 1683). However, he ultimately decided that he did not want to give up his privacy.

In 1665, Samuel Pepys was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society and was serving as the society’s president, in 1687, when Sir Isaac Newton published the first edition of Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) in 1687. The treatise actually includes correspondence between the two men and a bit of a debate (about probability).

Just as the work of Samuel Pepys gives modern readers a glimpse of 17^th century England, the work of W. E. B. Du Bois gives modern readers a glimpse of 19^th and 20^th century America.

“When the physical war ended, then the real practical problems presented themselves. How was slavery to be effectively abolished? And what was to be the status of the Negroes? What was the condition and power of the states which had rebelled? The legal solution of these questions was easy. The states that had attempted to rebel had failed. The must now resume their relations to the government. Slavery had been abolished as a war measure….

The difficulty with this legalistic formula was that it did not cling to facts. Slavery was not abolished even after the Thirteenth Amendment. There were four million freedmen and most of them on the same plantation, doing the same work they did before emancipation, except as their work had been interrupted and changed by the upheaval of war. Moreover, they were getting about the same wages and apparently were going to be subject to slave codes modified only in name. There were among them thousands of fugitives in the camps of the soldiers or on the streets of the cities, homeless, sick, and impoverished. They had been freed practically with no land nor money, and, save in exceptional cases, without legal status, and without protection.”

— quoted from Black Reconstruction in America (The Oxford W. E. B. Du Bois): An Essay Toward a History of the Part Which Black Folk Played in the Attempt to Reconstruct Democracy in America, 1860-1880 by W. E. B Du Bois

Born William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in 1868, Dr. Du Bois was an author, sociologist, socialist, historian, a Pan-Africanist civil rights activist, and one of the co-founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was the editor of The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP, from 1910 to 1933, and the author of a plethora of articles and speeches, over 24 books, and three autobiographies, including: “The Study of the Negro Problems” (1898), The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches (1903), John Brown (1909), The Gift of Black Folk: The Negroes in the Making of America (1924), Black Reconstruction in America (1935), What the Negro Has Done for the United States and Texas (1936), and I Take My Stand for Peace (1951).

While his paternal great-grandfather was ethnically French-American (from a Huguenot family) and his maternal great-great-grandfather had been enslaved, W. E. B. Du Bois’s father (Alfred Du Bois) was of mixed ethnicity and his mother (Mary Silvina Burghard Du Bois), who was also mixed heritage, was part of a small, free Black population of land owners. Dr. Du Bois, himself, grew up in a mostly European American town. After graduating with honors from an integrated school in his hometown, he earned a Bachelor’s of Art (BA) from Fisk University. He then had to start over from scratch and earn a second Bachelor’s (AB) in history, cum laude, from Harvard University — which, at the time, did not recognize credits and degrees from HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Finally, he earned a PhD in sociology from Harvard. Part of his graduate school studies included a fellowship from the John F. Slater Fund for the Education of Freedman, which enabled him to attend Friedrich Wilhelm University (in Berlin) and to travel throughout Europe. Just as his upbringing shaped his perspective, his travels and studies further informed the way he saw the world, his place in the world, and what he had to offer the world.

“The return from your work must be the satisfaction which that work brings you and the world’s need of that work. With this, life is heaven, or as near heaven as you can get. Without this — with work which you despise, which bores you, and which the world does not need — this life is hell.”

— quoted from the National Guardian article entitled “To an American born last Christmas Day” by W. E. B. Du Bois, published on March 10, 1958, under the header “Dr. DuBois at 90 Offers a Piece of Advice [to his newborn great-grandson]”

Of course, all throughout his school years — even when he was on scholarship and even when he was studying abroad, he had to work and rely on extra income (in the form of loans and gifts) from friends and family. After he graduated, he started teaching at Wilberforce University (in Ohio). He eventually conducted research at the University of Pennsylvania and then accepted a position to teach history and economics at Atlanta University (in Georgia). During his tenure at Atlanta University, he started presenting articles based on his University of Pennsylvania field work, in which he described “the submerged tenth” and, later, “the talented tenth”. These two terms and the people referenced by those terms became the foundation of a late 19^th century debate that continues to this day.

The following excerpt is from a post about Social Economics:

Most people associate the two sides of the debate with W. E. B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. Both were educated and both were leaders in the Black community. To a certain degree, they even had the ear of the establishment. However, they had very different ideas about the best way for formerly enslaved people and their descendants to actively participate in and benefit from the US economy.

In a nutshell, Mr. Washington advocated sticking to what people knew (from slavery) and becoming (scholastically) educated in agriculture, crafts, and other trades they had done during slavery. He also encouraged people to purchase property and to be patient when faced with discrimination (even if that discrimination hindered them in pursuing education and the opportunity to purchase property). On the flip side, Mr. Du Bois was considered a radical who believed in an “intellectual” education that would create what he called the “Talented Tenth” – the best and the brightest college educated individuals who could instigate activism in the streets as well as in the courts and in the boardrooms. As I said, this debate continues, in part because the stigma, racism, and prejudice associated with slavery still exists.

“Thus in the far-away Southern village that would lay waiting, half consciously, the coming of two young men, and dreamed in an inarticulate way of new things that would be done and new thoughts that all would think. And yet it was a singular that few thought of two Johns, — for the black folk thought of one John, and he was black; and the white folk though of another John, and he was white. And neither thought the other world’s thought, save with a vague unrest.”

— quoted from “XIII. Of the Coming of John” in The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches by W. E. Burghardt Du Bois

The thirteen essay in The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches, called “Of the Coming of John”, is a study of contrasts. It is an essay/story of two popular, beloved men from the same hometown in Georgia. In some ways, they grow up together — although, like W. E. B. Du Bois and his childhood friends, one is Black and one is white. The latter is also, notably, from a wealthy family with a lot of power in the small town. The two Johns leave home (separately), but their paths awkwardly overlap in New York City, just before they return home, and then tragically overlap when they are back in Georgia.

The awkward meeting in New York happens during a performance of Lohengrin — which provides an odd bit of twisted foreshadowing. However, during today’s practice, I imagined that the music was something by George Frideric Handel, who was born today in 1685 (according to the Julian calendar) in Halle, Duchy of Magdeburg, Brandenburg-Prussia (which is now Germany) and whose music was the backdrop for the drama of it’s own time.

“All this John did not see, for he sat in a half-maze minding the scene about him; the delicate beauty of the hall, the faint perfume, the moving myriad of men, the rich clothing and low hum of talking seemed all a part of a world so different from his, so strangely more beautiful than anything he had known, that he sat in dreamland, and started when, after a hush, rose high and clear the music of Lohengrin’s swan. The infinite beauty of the wail lingered and swept through every muscle of his frame, and put it all a-tune. He closed his eyes and grasped the elbows of the chair, touching unwittingly the lady’s arm. And the lady drew away. A deep longing swelled in all his heart to rise with that clear music out of the dirt and dust of that low life that held him prisoned and befouled. If he could only live up in the free air where birds sang and setting suns had no touch of blood! Who had called him to be the slave and butt of all? And if he had called, what right had he to call when a world like this lay open before men?

Then the movement changed, and fuller, mightier harmony swelled away. He looked thoughtfully across the hall, and wondered why the beautiful gray-haired woman looked so listless, and what the little man could be whispering about. He would not like to be listless and idle, he thought, for he felt with the music the movement of power within him. If he but had some master-work, some life-service, hard, — aye, bitter hard, but without the cringing and sickening servility, without the cruel hurt that hardened his heart and soul.”

— quoted from “XIII. Of the Coming of John” in The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches by W. E. Burghardt Du Bois

Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “022322 Pepys, peeps, and a peep”]

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God…. As long as [the simple beauty of Nature] exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Wednesday, February 23, 1944

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

¹2025 NOTE: During the practice, I said that I did not know/remember if Samuel Pepys had problems with his urinary bladder or his gall bladder, but that we would address both in the physical parts of the practice.

### “breathe / take a breath / saans lo” ~ Arooj Aftab ###

Getting More Light [On Gratitude & Happiness] (the “missing” Tuesday post w/an excerpt) October 22, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 7-Day Challenge, Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Sukkot, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 988, A. H. Wilson, Alan Walker, Alfred Nobel, Anne Frank, Bhagavad Gita, Ecclesiastes, epiphany., Franz Liszt, gratitude, Jack Hawley, King Solomon, Kohelet, light, Sukkot, svadyaya, svādhyāya, Theodore Dreiser, Thomas Edison, tov
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“Chag sameach!” to those celebrating Sukkot! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone grateful for friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.

May everyone be healthy and strong; may everyone be peaceful and happy. May everyone follow through on a good idea!!

This is the “missing” post for Tuesday, October 22^nd (with some references to October 21^st). It includes some previously posted content and an excerpt. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).

Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

“Breath of breath, said the Teacher; [like the shadow of mist that passes], all is breath.*

What profit has man in all his toil that he toils under the sun?

A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth endures forever.

The sun rises and the sun sets, and to its place it yearns and rises there.

It goes to the south and goes to the north; the will goes around and around, and the will returns to its circuits.”

— Kohelet — Ecclesiastes (1:2 – 6)

(*NOTE: The Hebrew word “hevel” (variations of which occur in K-E 1.2, 3 times in the singular and twice in the plural, for a total of 7 times) is often translated into English as “vanity,” “futility” or “meaningless,” but is literally translated as “breath.)

Once again, we are faced with that time-honored — and time-honoring — question: “How could I spend my time?”

Since last Wednesday at sunset marked the beginning of Sukkot, some people have spent time in a a sukkah, a temporary shelter consisting of three walls of any material and a roof made of natural fiber. (Natural being something grown from the earth.) As I have mentioned before (see link above), people within the Jewish community and people who observe holidays commanded in Devarim / Deuteronomy, celebrate the “Festival (or Feast) of the Tabernacles (or Booths)” for seven days, 8 in the diaspora.

People will eat, sleep, socialize, and sometimes work in their temporary shelter — but, not necessarily every day. The first two days of Sukkot are both yom tov (“good day”), meaning they are the commanded days with obligations and restrictions similar to those observed on Shabbat (the Sabbath). For some, this means that normal every day work is forbidden. Depending on ethnicity and tradition, certain prayers, rituals, and traditions are only observed on the first two days, on the first and last two days, or throughout the week. For example, in some traditions, the time in the sukkah is the time to read Kohelet / Ecclesiastes.

“Everything has an appointed season, and there is a time for every matter under the heaven.”

— Kohelet — Ecclesiastes (3:1)

While many people — even non-religious people in various religious traditions — are familiar with the third chapter of Kohelet / Ecclesiastes, they may not realize that what comes before could be translated in a less than hopeful way. For example, if “hevel” is translated as “vanity,” “futility” or “meaningless,” the beginning not only reinforces the temporal nature of life, it makes it seem as if there is no point in doing anything. When everything we do — all the work we do — is seen as pointless, then our earlier question becomes, “Why bother doing anything?” or “What’s the point of doing anything?”

Of course, the point that the Teacher (King Solomon) reaches is the same point that Krishna explains to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita: there is good, there is evil, there is wisdom, there is ignorance/foolishness and — perhaps most importantly — that we are “supposed to live a truth-based life, a life of dharma [duty].” (BG 2.2)

Oh, and also, “Be happy. This is your opportune moment!” (BG 2.32)

“‘The ideal, Arjuna, is to be intensely active and at the same time have no selfish motives, no thoughts of personal gain or loss. duty uncontaminated by desire leads to inner peacefulness and increased effectiveness. This is the secret art of living a life of real achievement!’” (2.47 excerpt)

“‘To work without desire may seem impossible, but the way to do it is to substitute thoughts of Divinity for thoughts of desire. Do your work in this world with your heart fixed on the Divine instead of on outcomes. Do not worry about results. Be even tempered in success or failure. This mental evenness is what is mean by yoga…. Indeed, equanimity is yoga!’” (2.48)

— Krishna speaking to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

Being “even tempered in success or failure” is easier said than done. While there are some people who seem to be born with an even-tempered disposition, many (maybe most) others have to work at it; practice, in order to cultivate the habit. We can learn a lot from either personality type, especially if we do a little svādhyāya (“self-study”) and put ourselves in their shoes.

For instance, how would you react if, like Alfred Nobel (born October 21, 1833), you spent much of your adult life working to make the world a better place — only to find out in a moment of grief that the world hated you (and your life’s work)?

Or, how would you spend your time if, after several months of working long hours (and after what others considered failures), you finally successfully tested the first (commercially viable) electric light bulb — as 32-year old Thomas Edison did in the late on the evening of October 21^st, or sometime in the wee early morning hours of October 22^nd, 1879?

Finally, how would you react if, after 35 years of success, all your hard work went up in smoke? Would you spend your time the way Thomas Edison and his team did in 1914? Would you give up or would you be gleeful, joyful, and grateful for what was to come?

“There’s only one thing to do, and that is to jump right in and rebuild.”

— A. H. Wilson, vice president and general manager of Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park

The following excerpt is from 2020/2023 post:

“Some would say that the ‘ah-ha’ moment came to Thomas Edison one night when he was ‘absent mindedly’ rolling a piece of lampblack (or black carbon) between his fingers. But such a depiction ignores all the previous experiments, his scientific knowledge, and the fact he had used lampblack in his telephone transmitter. Such a premise also discounts the additional changes that would be made before the bulb was commercially viable.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE!

“These are some sombre thoughts which amount to morbidity in one so young. Yet they ran like leitmotifs through the heart and brain of the youthful Liszt. The fifteen-year old boy kept a diary…. Containing quotations from St. Paul and St. Augustine, this journal also preserves Liszt’s own thoughts.

Wasting time is one of the worst faults of the world. Life is so short, every moment is so precious and yet, we live as if life will never end. [page 21]”

— quoted from “Book One: The Young Prodigy, 1811-1829 — Paris and the First World Tours ~ [Part] IX” of Franz Liszt: The Virtuoso Years, 1811-1847 (Revised Edition) by Alan Walker

Franz Liszt is on the 2024 remixed playlist (and the earlier playlists for this date), because he was born October 22, 1811, in Doborján, Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire. During the Tuesday evening practice, I mentioned that he was on the playlist because it was the anniversary of his birth and that I knew some people found hope in his music (and his life story) during the Holocaust. I did not know, however, how he dealt with setbacks and/or “failures”.

Turns out, Franz Liszt lived a somewhat charmed life up until his father died unexpectedly, when Franz was 16. That is not to say that he didn’t have any bad days before that. In fact, he definitely struggled a bit over touring versus the possibility of religious life. However, after his father’s death, those struggles become all-consuming. His health suffered; he developed some bad habits (which made his health worse); he suffered his first romantic heartbreak; and even stopped playing and composing music. Eventually, however, he rallied, bounced back, and even played concerts that benefited people who had suffered great tragedies. Some credit his resilience to him cultivating a deeper spiritual/religious connection.

“‘Those who see Me in everything and everything in Me, know the staggering truth that the Self in the individual is the Self in all. As they live in constant spiritual awareness, I am never out of their sight or lost to them – nor are they every out of My sight or lost to Me.’” (6.30)

— Krishna speaking to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Sukkot 6 for 10222024”]

“‘I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come indirectly through accident, except the phonograph. No, when I have, fully decided that a result is worth getting, I go about it, and make trial after trial, until it comes.’”

— Thomas Edison, as quoted in “A Photographic Talk with Edison” by Theodore Dreiser (printed in Success Magazine, Feb. 1898)

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

### Sunlight/Daylight, Sustainable Electric Lights, Heart Light ###

EXCERPT: “A Thought from ‘Anne no Nikki’” June 25, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Anne Frank, Anne no Nikki, avidya, Buddhism, Diary of A Young Girl, Frank H. Otto, Gerrit Bolkestein, ignorance, Larry Yang, Maha Ghosananda, Michael Nyman, Miep Gies, Mirjam Pressler, samskaras, samskāras, Susan Massotty, Third Day of the Holy Spirit, truth, vasana, vasanas, yoga philosophy
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Happy Pride! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Third Day Of the Holy Spirit, and/or cultivating peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).

“Anne Frank kept a diary from June 12, 1942, to August 1, 1944. Initially, she wrote it strictly for herself. Then, one day in 1944, Gerrit Bolkestein, a member of the Dutch government in exile, announced in a radio broadcast from London that after the war he hoped to collect eyewitness accounts of the suffering of the Dutch people under the German occupation, which could be made available to the public. As an example, he specifically mentioned letters and diaries.

Impressed by this speech, Anne Frank decided that when the war was over she would publish a book based on her diary.”

“The last entry in Anne’s diary is dated August 1, 1944. On August 4, 1944, the eight people hiding in the Secret Annex were arrested. Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl, the two secretaries working in the building, found Anne’s diaries strewn all over the floor. Miep Gies tucked them away in a desk drawer for safekeeping. After the war, when it became clear that Anne was dead, she gave the diaries, unread, to Anne’s father, Otto Frank.”

— quoted from the Foreword to The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition by Anne Frank (edited by Otto H. Frank & Mirjam Pressler, translated by Susan Massotty)

Diary of a Young Girl was first published today in 1947. CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW for the philosophy-based 2020 post.

A Thought from “Anne no Nikki”

Please join me today (Tuesday, June 25^th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06252022 A Young Girl’s Thoughts”]

NOTE: The opening tracks are slightly different as some music was not available on Spotify. Click on the excerpt title above for the entire “Anne No Nikki” soundtrack.

“The cheerful Anne laughs about it, gives cheeky answers, shrugs her shoulders indifferently, behaves as if she doesn’t care, but, oh dearie me, the quiet Anne’s reactions are just the opposite. If I’m to be quite honest, then I must admit that it does hurt me, that I try terribly hard to change myself, but that I’m always fighting against a more powerful enemy.

A voice sobs within me: ‘There you are, that’s what’s become of you: you’re uncharitable, you look supercilious and peevish, people dislike you and all because you won’t listen to the advice given you by your own better half.’ Oh, I would like to listen, but it doesn’t work; if I’m quiet and serious, everyone thinks it’s a new comedy and then I have to get out of it by turning it into a joke, not to mention my own family, who are sure to think I’m ill, make me swallow pills for headaches and nerves, feel my neck and my head to see whether I’m running a temperature, ask me if I’m constipated and criticize me for being in a bad mood. I can’t keep that up: if I’m watched to that extent, I start by getting snappy, then unhappy, and finally I twist my heart around again, so that the bad is on the outside and the good is on the inside and keep on trying to find a way of becoming what I would so like to be, and what I could be, if there weren’t any people living in the world.”

— quoted from the last entry by Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Tuesday, August 1, 1944

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

ERRATA: The playlists links were flipped on the original post.

### HONOR YOUR HEART >> THOUGHTS >> WORD >> DEEDS ###

A Note & More EXCERPTS On Foundations June 12, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Shavuot, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Anne Frank, Apodosis of Pascha, ignorance, Mayra Alvear, Medgar Evers, Mildred Loving, Orlando Pulse, Pulse nightclub, Shavuot, truth, yoga philosophy, Yoga Sutra 2.4
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Happy Pride! “Chag Sameach!” to everyone celebrating Shavuot and/or Apodosis of Pascha. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone uprooting ignorance so we can all have more peace, freedom, and fulfillment (inside and outside).

“It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. I simply can’t build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery, and death. I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that this cruelty too shall end, and that peace & tranquility will return once again.”

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on July 15, 1944

Yesterday, in talking about foundations, I mostly focused on how the best idea(l)s can be a foundation. However, I also referenced some cracks and, unfortunately, we all have some cracks. Metaphorically speaking, cracks in a foundation do not always represent instability. But, when we are not mindful — when building a relationship, an edifice, an organization or a business, a country, a life for ourselves, and/or a religious or spiritual practice — those cracks show up in ways that can be uncomfortable at best, deadly at worst.

The biggest crack in our foundation(s) is avidyā (“ignorance” or nescience), which is presented in the Yoga Sūtras as the bedrock of suffering.

Yoga Sūtra 2.4: Avidyā kṣetramuttareṣāṃ prasuptatanuvicchinnodārāṇām

— “Ignorance (or lack of knowledge / false understanding) is the breeding ground for the other of the five afflictions, whether they are dormant or inactive, attenuated or weakened, interrupted/disjoined or separated from temporarily, or active and producing thoughts or actions to varying degrees.”

A Softer Lead, a new introduction and a revised excerpt (the “missing” Monday post)

A Thought from “Anne no Nikki”

Around the world today, several religious communities are celebrating aspects of their foundations that represent hope. This year, these celebrations coincide with the anniversary of the birth of Anne Frank (b. 1929). Her life ended tragically and this date is associated with a mixture of hopeful things and ignorant things. Click on the titles of the excerpts above for more about Anne Frank and what she wrote in the diary she called “Kitty.”

Please join me today (Wednesday, June 12^th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06122021 Samyama on a Young Girl’s Birthday”]
NOTE: The opening tracks are slightly different as some music was not available on Spotify.

“There is so much love out there. I want the legacy of these kids to be that. To show the world that [being LGBTQ] is more than a label – these are people that were loved, they were caring, they were human and these hate crimes are just totally uncalled for. Unnecessary. We are here because God created us and he created us all equal – and some people don’t seem to have this kind of vision. I don’t know what kind of world they want to live in.”

— Mayra Alvear, one year after her youngest daughter Amanda was killed in the 2016 Pulse Orlando shooting

If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

### On What Do You Build? ###

A Softer Lead, a new introduction and a revised excerpt (the “missing” Monday post) June 12, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Buddhism, First Nations, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Love, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Vairagya, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: Anne Frank, Committee of Five, ignorance, Mayra Alvear, Medgar Evers, Mildred Loving, Orlando Pulse, Pulse nightclub, truth, Vihari-Lal Mitra, yoga philosophy, Yoga Sutra 1.15, Yoga Sutra 2.13, Yoga Sutra 2.17, yoga sutra 2.18, yoga sutra 2.23, Yoga Sutra 2.24, Yoga Sutra 2.3, Yoga Vasishtha
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Happy Pride! Many blessings to all!!

This is the “missing” post for Monday, June 12^th. It includes some new and some revised material, plus a link (at the bottom) to a related post (with what might be less triggering content). 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.)

“69. The cognition and nescience of the world, are the causes of the bondage and liberation of the soul, and these again are productive of the transmigration and final emancipation of the animal spirit. It is by your indifference to them that you can avoid them both, do therefore as you may best choose for yourself. (Here are three things offered to view, namely, the desire of heaven and liberation, and the absence of all desires.

70. What is lost at its disappearance (as our friends and properties), is neither worth seeking or searching after, nor sorrowing for when it is lost and gone from us. That which is gained of itself in our calm and quiet without any anxiety or assiduity on our part, is truly reckoned to be our best gain. (so says the Moha-Mudgura:—Be content with what offers of itself to thee.”

– quoted from (Book 6) “CHAPTER LXIII. Dream of Jíváta.” of The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated from the original Sanskrit by VIHARI-LALA MITRA)

It’s scary to let go of something (or someone) to which you are attached. It’s scary because that attachment – whether it is rooted in pleasure or rooted in pain – is part of how we see and understand the world. It’s part of how we see and understand ourselves. The attachment is what is known. And what is unknown can be frightening.

What if, however, we accept the basic premise of Eastern philosophies, like Yoga and Buddhism? What if we accept that we don’t truly see ourselves (or others) as we are? What if we recognize that our attachments are rooted in ignorance? What happens if we let go of our attachments?

Yoga Sūtra 2.13: sati mūle tadvipāko jātyāyurbhogāḥ

– “As long as the root cause [i.e., the five afflicted thought patterns] persists, karmas must bear fruit, and that fruition determines birth in a particular species, life span, and life experience.”

In June 2020, I posted an entry that detailed some harsh and brutal moments in history. Over the years, I have used softer, warmer titles to invite people into a philosophical conversation about avidyā (“ignorance” or nescience), but the original title has stuck with me. The title was a question that I often ask myself and others: “How Ignorant Are You?”

The title is not the only thing that I remember. It’s not the only thing that has stuck, if you will. I also remember those harsh and brutal moments in history. They don’t get softer and warmer just because I change the title. Reality – when the facts are laid bare – is stark and brutal. A softer lead doesn’t change the Truth.

That is not to say that there is no beauty in this day (throughout history). Nor is it to say that there is no beauty in the practice. However, if we ignore the paths that lead to ignorance, we create more harm. We may also trample over the beauty without seeing it.

It is up to you if you read the rest of this post. However, even if you skip to the end (or the next orange quote), please consider the question. Sit with the question.

For Those Who Missed It: The following is a slightly revised and expanded excerpt from a June 2020 post. Some links and quotes have been added or updated.

Yoga Sūtra 2.3: Avidyāsmitārāgadveşābhiniveśāh kleśāh

– “Ignorance (or lack of knowledge), false sense of self, attachment (rooted in pleasure), aversion (which is attachment rooted in pain), and fear of death or loss are the afflicted thoughts.”

Yoga Sūtra 2.17: draşțŗdŗśyayoh samyogo heyahetuh

– “The union of the seer and the seeable is the cause of pain (that may be avoidable).”

Yoga Sūtra 2.18: prakāśkriyāsthitiśīlam bhūtendriyāmakam bhogāpavargārtham dŗśyam

– “The objective world (what is seen), consisted of a combination of elements and senses, and having a nature of illumination, activity, and stability, has two purposes: fulfillment and freedom.”

Prepare yourself for some information that may seem surprisingly harsh and brutal. (Fair warning, some of this may be difficult to read.)

Yesterday (6/11) was the anniversary of formation of the Committee of Five. Consisting of John Adams (Massachusetts), Roger Sherman (Connecticut), Robert Livingston (New York), Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania), and Thomas Jefferson (Virginia), the committee was charged, back in 1776, with drafting a document which would be approved by the Second Continental Congress and presented to England as a Declaration of Independence. The committee worked from July 11^th until July 5^thand, contrary to what many believe, the approved document was signed over the next several months by the various delegates. There was no single day of signing.

Both the fact that people believe there was a single day of signing, as well as the fact that the committee excluded their original language criticizing slavery, is a sign of ignorance. The fact that a declaration of independence stating, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness….” did not consider that those truths applied to women and people of color is a sign of ignorance – that has led to suffering.

Today (6/12) was the anniversary of the birth of a young girl. Born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1929, Anne Frank received her diary (“Kitty”) on her 13^th birthday. She filled her notebooks with descriptions of the tragic and the hopeful things around her. She died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the age of 14. Her death, as well as the deaths of her family, friends, community, and millions of others is a sign of ignorance.

“It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. I simply can’t build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery, and death. I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that this cruelty too shall end, and that peace & tranquility will return once again.”

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on July 15, 1944

Today was also the anniversary of the 1963 assassination of Medgar Evers. Mr. Evers was an African American civil rights activist in Mississippi who worked as the state’s field secretary for the NAACP; worked to overturn segregation; and worked to ensure voters’ rights. He was shot (in the back and clear through the heart) in his front yard by a member of the Ku Klux Klan and the White Citizens’ Council.

The fact that Mr. Evers had to do the work he did, as well as the fact that he was killed for doing that work, is a sign of ignorance. The fact that two all-white juries failed to convict the person who killed him is also a sign of ignorance. The fact that Medgar Evers and his wife, Myrlie Evers, had to teach their young children (ages: 3, 7, and 9) how to tell the difference between firecrackers and gunshots, as well as how to hide when they heard gunshots, is a sign of ignorance. The fact that many people don’t know about the thousands who marched in protest after Medger Evers was killed is also a sign of ignorance.

“Freedom has never been free… I love my children and I love my wife with all my heart. And I would die, die gladly, if that would make a better life for them.”

– Medger Evers, June 7, 1963 (just days before his death)

Today was also the anniversary of the 1967 United States Supreme Court decision in Loving v. Virginia. The court declared that any state laws prohibiting interracial marriage were unconstitutional. The fact that states like Virginia had considered people like Richard Loving (a white man) and his wife Mildred Loving (a black and Indigenous American woman) to be criminals – even sentencing them to prison – is a sign of ignorance. The fact that they faced hate from people in their community is a sign of ignorance.

“I understand it and I believe it.”

– Mildred Loving (in 2003) when asked if she understood she was “putting her name behind the idea that two men or two women should have the right to marry each other”

Today, in 2016, a man walked into the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and started shooting. Pulse was a gay nightclub that often held theme nights which attracted a wide variety of people. The club was holding just such a theme night when the man killed 49 people and wounded over 50 others in what was the deadliest (single) incident of violence against LGBTQIA+ in the United States and the second deadliest terrorist attack on U. S. soil since 9/11. Until the Las Vegas shooting in October 2017, it was the deadliest single mass gunman shooting in U. S. history.

The fact that the shooting happened, that people couldn’t just go out for an evening of music and dancing with family and friends, is a sign of ignorance. The fact that a little over a year later there would be another mass shooting is a sign of ignorance. The fact that there have been countless other mass shooting events before and since, is a sign of ignorance.

“There is so much love out there. I want the legacy of these kids to be that. To show the world that [being LGBTQ] is more than a label – these are people that were loved, they were caring, they were human and these hate crimes are just totally uncalled for. Unnecessary. We are here because God created us and he created us all equal – and some people don’t seem to have this kind of vision. I don’t know what kind of world they want to live in.”

– Mayra Alvear, one year after her youngest daughter Amanda was killed in the Pulse Orlando shooting

“Love is what is left when you
let go of all the things you love.”

– quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 1.15, by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (“Swami J”)

Even without knowing the fundamentals of Yoga Philosophy, we can see the correlation between dysfunctional/afflicted thoughts and actions and suffering. As indicated in earlier sūtras (see above), the first afflicted thought pattern is the bedrock for all the others: ignorance. The sūtras below go deeper into the nature of ignorance and into how/why we are all ignorant in some ways. Going deeper may help you answer the question, “How ignorant are you?”

Going deeper also creates the opportunity to not be so ignorant and, therefore, to not be the source of so much suffering. Because, you see, we are all the source of some suffering in the world.

Yoga Sūtra 2.23: svasvāmiśaktyoh svarūpopalabdhihetuh samyoga

– “The union (yoga), alliance, or relationship between our power to see (and what we see) is the way to experiencing our own true nature.”

Yoga Sūtra 2.24: tasya heturavidyā

– “The cause of that [union, alliance, or relationship] is ignorance.”

There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.

A 2021 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06122021 Samyama on a Young Girl’s Birthday”]

NOTE: The opening tracks are slightly different as some music was not available on Spotify.

Click here for a different theme related to Anne Frank.

### ??? ###

Think of All the Things that Make the Mind Think (mostly the music w/some links) June 25, 2022

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Music, Philosophy, Yoga.
Tags: Anne Frank, gunas, prakiti, purusha, samskāras, vasanas, Yoga Sutra 1.39, Yoga Sutra 2.3, Yoga Sutra 4.18, Yoga Sutra 4.19, Yoga Sutra 4.20, Yoga Sutras 2.17-2.20, Yoga Sutras 4.1-4.14, Yoga Sutras 4.15-17
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“It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. I simply can’t build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery, and death. I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that this cruelty too shall end, and that peace & tranquility will return once again.”

*

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on July 15, 1944

Please join me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, June 25^th) at 12:00 PM. 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.

NOTE: The opening tracks are slightly different as some music was not available on Spotify.

Anne Frank’s diary (“Kitty”) was published today in 1947. It is a collection of her thoughts as well as a chronicle of some of her final days. You can see a date-related post here and another theme-related post here.

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God…. As long as [the simple beauty of Nature] exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”

*

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Wednesday, February 23, 1944

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.)

### 🎶 ###

One Side of the Cornerstone is Hope; but, the Other Side is Ignorance (mostly the music and post links) June 12, 2022

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Music, One Hoop.
Tags: Anne Frank, Holocaust, Mayra Alvear, Orlando Pulse
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“We miss so much here, so very much and for so very long now: I miss it too, just as you do. I’m not talking of outward things, for we are looked after in that way; no, I mean the inward things. Like you, I long for freedom and fresh air….

*

Riches can all be lost, but that happiness in your own heart can only be veiled, and it will still bring you happiness again, as long as you live. As long as you can look fearlessly up into the heavens….”

*

— Anne Frank’s “A Thought” written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Wednesday, February 23, 1944

Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, June 12^th) at 2:30 PM. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06122021 Samyama on a Young Girl’s Birthday”]

NOTE: The opening tracks are slightly different as some music was not available on Spotify.

Anne Frank was born today in 1929 and received her diary (“Kitty”) on her 13th birthday. Her life ended tragically and this date is associated with a mixture of hopeful things and ignorant things. You can see a date-related post here and another theme-related post here.

“There is so much love out there. I want the legacy of these kids to be that. To show the world that [being LGBTQ] is more than a label – these are people that were loved, they were caring, they were human and these hate crimes are just totally uncalled for. Unnecessary. We are here because God created us and he created us all equal – and some people don’t seem to have this kind of vision. I don’t know what kind of world they want to live in.”

*

– Mayra Alvear, one year after her youngest daughter Amanda was killed in the Pulse Orlando shooting

*

### Peace ###

Giving Flowers for Now & for Later (the “missing” Tuesday post) September 23, 2021

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Men, Movies, Music, Suffering, Sukkot, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Anne Frank, Deuteronomy, Devarim, H. G. Wells, Happiness, Happiness 101, Leonard Cohen, Pirkei Avot, Rabbi Noah Weinberg, Stephen King, Sukkot, Tal Ben-Shahar, yoga
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“Chag sameach!” to those celebrating Sukkot. Happy Equinox to all!

[This is the “missing” post for Tuesday, September 21^st. You can request an audio recording of either 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 let the sun go down without saying thank you to someone, and without admitting to yourself that absolutely no one gets this far alone.”

– quoted from the 2005 University of Maine Commencement Speech by Stephen King

As more and more people pass away at an early age, especially those whose deaths are tragic, we hear the old saying that we should give people their flowers when they are living. Although I can’t find the original source, Anne Frank is often quoted as writing “Dead people receive more flowers than the living ones because regret is stronger than gratitude.” How scary is that? I mean, to me, the idea that someone could come to the end of their days – or live all of their days – not knowing how much they are loved and appreciated is very scary and unsettling. The human heart can hold a lot of love and a lot of kindness, even a lot of courage, wisdom, and generosity. But, the human heart can also hold its fair share of regret, fear, judgement, hatred, selfishness, self-centeredness and inconsideration.

The aforementioned “negative” sentiments may or may not seem really scary to you, but think about how they are expressed in the world. Then think about how those expressions in the world manifest in books by Stephen King. Born September 21, 1947, Mr. King is an acknowledged expert in horror, suspense, supernatural fiction, who has also written crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. His (65-and-counting) novels and hundreds of short stories and novellas (like Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, from 1982), as well as non-fiction work and have sold hundreds of millions of copies, won hundreds of awards, been adapted into movies and comic books, and creeped the living daylights out of people all over the world. And, it doesn’t matter if you use his first novel, Carrie (1974) or Pet Sematary (1983) or Misery (1987) or (one of my favorites) The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999), every Stephen King story starts with a “what if” and then proceeds to give us a glimpse into the best and the worst parts of the human heart. And the worst parts can be really scary.

Of course, there is more to Stephen King than scary stories. He is also a musician who has collaborated with artists like Foo Fighters and Bronson Arroyo, as well as John Mellencamp, and played guitar for the Rock Bottom Remainders. He is also a husband, father, grandfather, a Boston Red Sox fan, a philanthropic (and political) activist, and a recovering addict. In addition to inspiring two of his own children to become published authors, he has written books on writing and reportedly “donates [millions every year] to libraries, local fire departments that need updated lifesaving equipment,” schools, and arts-related organizations. He and his wife Tabitha King (neé Spruce), who is also an author and activist, support Maine charities and communities through their foundation. They also own a radio station group.

While I haven’t read everything he has ever written, I am a Stephen King fan and I appreciate his work and his life – and I appreciate how both have made me think about my work, my life, and the world-at-large.

“Either get busy living or get busy dying.”

– quoted from the film the novella “Rita Hawyworth and Shawshank Redemption: Hope Springs Eternal” by Stephen King

Like Stephen King, Herbert George Wells was born on September 21 (in 1866) and was a prolific writer of novels, short stories, and non-fiction including works of history, satire, biography, and autobiography. While his work also is full of social commentary and glimpses into the human heart, when most people think of H. G. Wells, they think of science fiction like The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), War of the Worlds (1897), and When The Sleeper Wakes (1899). Also like King, Mr. Wells suffered an accident that severely injured one of his legs and left him bedridden for an extended period of time. There are several obvious differences between the two accidents, including the fact that Stephen King’s happened when he was a successful adult writing about writing; while young “Bertie” suffered his accident as an eight year old. But, the very advice Mr. King gives in On Writing – to read as much as possible – is the very experience that led Mr. Wells to write (a hundred years later).

H. G. Wells got people to think. He got people to think, “What if…?” He inspired authors and scientists like Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Carl Sagan, Ursula Le Guin, Sinclair Lewis, Jorge Luis Borges, and Margaret Atwood. He predicted a world war, the atomic bomb, and wrote about a “world brain,” which was basically an encyclopedia accessible by the entire world through another of his fantastical ideas (let’s call it an electronic web). He also wrote about aircraft, tanks, space travel, and satellite television that had not yet been invented.

He was also a husband and a father, possibly even a grandfather; however, with all due respect, he seems to have been more of a philanderer than a philanthropist. While some of his actions set women back, he predicted the sexual revolution and, perhaps, even inspired it. Again, I haven’t read all of his books – or indulged in all of the movies, radio plays, and comic book adaptations – but I appreciate the worlds that he built and how they make us think about the world we are building.

“Sometimes, you have to step outside of the person you’ve been and remember the person you were meant to be. The person you want to be. The person you are.”

– H. G. Wells

My third bouquet of gratitude flowers goes to Leonard Cohen, also born on September 21 (in 1934), an award winning musician and poet, whose songs are psalms, sacred songs, for the human heart. A Companion of the Order of Canada (CC) and a Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec (GOQ), he started out as an author or poetry and prose, who even had some of his drawings published with his written words. His professional music career didn’t start until he was in his early thirties; however, despite what some might consider a late start, he proceeded to create fifteen studio albums in nearly fifty years and wrote songs that would become chartbusters for himself as well as for singers like Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright (who is the father of Mr. Cohen’s granddaughter), and Jennifer Warnes. He also inspired bands likes Nirvana and U2, collaborated with Phillip Glass, and co-wrote (and/or had music featured) in several films, including the rock musical Night Magic (which he co-wrote with composer Lewis Furey).

Mr. Cohen was a father, who collaborated with his son on an album and his daughter on a musical video and on one of his world tours. While he studied (and practiced) Zen Buddhism as an adult – and was even ordained as a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk – Leonard Cohen was born into an Orthodox Jewish family with a rich religious heritage and observed the Sabbath “even while on tour and [performing] for Israeli troops during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.” He never seemed to shy away from political and social commentary, in his music or in his life. In fact, some of his efforts to support peace efforts and reconciliation in the Middle East were met with discussions of boycotts and, ultimately, withdrawal of some supporting organizations. Despite those discussions of boycotts, however, his 2009 performance in Tel Aviv, Israel (which occurred towards the end of the High Holidays that year) sold out within 24 hours.

Leonard Cohen had style and grace that was evident in his dress and his demeanor, as well as in the way he performed. For instance, there is a powerful moment in the recording of a live performance of “Anthem” (a moment possibly captured by his daughter Lorca) when Mr. Cohen introduces his band to the audience. This is something that is pretty typical for most Class A musicians when they are on tour, but the way it happens at this performance in London epitomizes what it means to give someone their flowers while they are still living. Watching the footage is also like watching a mutual appreciation society in action. The gratitude is a living breathing thing being exchanged between all the people on the stage.

“Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you act.”

– Leonard Cohen

Living and breathing gratitude is a key element in my practice this time of year, because giving thanks is a critical aspect of happiness. In fact, “expressing gratitude” is recommended by experts like Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, an expert in Positive Psychology and the author of Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment and A Clash of Values: The Struggle for Universal Freedom, who use to teach a class at Harvard University called “Happiness 101” (also known as Psychology 1504). In his class and through his research, he offered the following 6 very practical tips for cultivating happiness:

“1. Give yourself permission to be human.

Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning.
Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account.
Simplify!”
Remember the mind body connection.
Express gratitude, whenever possible.”

I share these tips this time of year, because Monday at sunset marked the beginning Sukkot, which many people consider the “Season of Happiness,” because they view the instructions in the Bible as a mandate to be happy. Since the instruction is to be joyful, or rejoice, about things that have yet to happen – blessings yet to come – one has to wonder: How can we be “independently happy” and celebrate something that hasn’t happened yet?

That’s a good question, and the tips above are some of the really good answers. Especially, if you allow your gratitude to ride the waves of your consciousness, almost like a traveler in a time machine.

“‘There is no difference between Time and any of the three dimensions of Space except that our consciousness moves along it.’”

– quoted from The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

Portions of the following were previously posted on October 4, 2020 (see “Sukkot” link above).

In the Torah (and the Christian Old Testament), there are a list of commandments and, mixed into that list, are certain dates the faithful are commanded to observe. We think of them, in the modern context, as “holidays” and they are filled with ritual and tradition. Sometimes the mandate is general and left to interpretation (like when it says in Deuteronomy, “‘… and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.’” Other times, however, it is very specific about who, what, when, and even where. Sukkot, the “Festival (or Feast) of the Tabernacles (or Booths)” is one of the times where the details are specific – even when they appear vague.

For seven days, 8 in the diaspora, people within the Jewish community and people who observe the commanded holidays, eat, sleep, socialize, and sometimes work in a temporary shelter. The shelter, a sukkah, consists of three walls of any material and a roof made of natural fiber. (Natural being something grown from the earth.) I mentioned last year that it is a holiday that seems tailor-made for the times we find ourselves in – when it is still recommended that people gather outdoors in small groups, maintain a little social distance, and wash their hands. I reiterate this, not to make light of the tradition or the circumstances we find ourselves in; but to reinforce the wisdom of the rituals and the traditions – as well as the fact that things can be sacred even when they are not perfect.

“Be joyful at your festival – you and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maid-servant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow who live within your city.

For seven days you must celebrate the Festival to YHVH, your God, in the place which YHVH shall choose, because the Lord, your God, will bless you in all your produce, and in all the work of your hands, and you will only be happy.”

(*NOTE: YHVH is commonly translated as “the Lord” in English.)

– quoted from Devarim – Deuteronomy (16:14 – 15)

One of the significant things about Sukkot is that it is a time for people to come together regardless of their circumstances, gender, religion, or political affiliation. It is a time for all to remember challenges of the past; while also celebrating better days ahead. Another especially noteworthy thing about Sukkot is the symbolism behind the rituals. For instance, one of the points of being outside in the most basic of shelters, exposed to the elements, is to remind people of the time when their ancestors were living in simple, temporary shelters when they were exiled in the desert for 40 years. It is also a good time to remember how much we have – as well as the fact that we could be happy with less. Sukkot is a reminder that life can be full, even when it is simple and bare-boned. It is a time of appreciation and it is also about accepting the present moment.

That last part – accepting the present moment – is easy to overlook. However, the commandment specifically states that the celebration occurs in a place chosen by God. In other words, we might not be where we want to be or where we thought we would be. (Hello, 2020 & 2021!) This is something I point out every year, but it was especially pointed out to me in 2016, when the creamery, where I held my 2015 Sukkot retreat was no longer available… and again, in 2017, when it was no longer as easy to schedule time in the church where I held the second retreat… and again, in 2019, when the church camp I had planned to use experienced a fire and had to cancel the bulk of their season. And now, here it is 2020 (& 2021) … once again, things are not as we planned – despite the fact that CP graciously offered to help me plan a 2020 retreat. On the face, it might seem that we are “destined” not to observe this time – and yet, we do, every year… just not necessarily in the place that we thought.

“Western society commonly perceives happiness as the outcome of what you achieve and acquire….

Happiness is not a happening. Happiness is a state of mind. You can have everything in the world and still be miserable. Or you can have relatively little and feel unbounded joy.

The Talmud says:

‘Who is rich? The one who appreciates what he has.’ (Pirkei Avot 4:1)”

– quoted from “Way #27: Happiness” in 48 Ways to Wisdom by Rabbi Noah Weinberg

Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Sukkot 2.5 for 09212021]

NOTE: Both playlists include music from the original movie version of The Time Machine.

### Thank you for all that you do! Thank you for just being you!! ###

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A Joyful Practice

The [Ever-Changing] Adventure That is Your Life & EXCERPT: “Giving Flowers for Now & for Later” (the “missing” Sunday post) September 21, 2025

“Do you remember The 21st night of September? Love was changing the minds of pretenders While chasing the clouds away”

— quoted from the song “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (written by Allee Willis, Maurice White, Al Mckay)

“Our hearts were ringing In the key that our souls were singing As we danced in the night, remember How the stars stole the night away, oh yeah”

— quoted from the song “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (written by Allee Willis, Maurice White, Al Mckay)

— Walter Breuning (b. 09/21/1896), during his 113th birthday celebration in 2009

“If you keep your mind busy and keep your body busy, you’re going to be around a long time.”

— Walter Breuning (b. 09/21/1896), on his 112th birthday, in 2008

“Don’t let the sun go down without saying thank you to someone, and without admitting to yourself that absolutely no one gets this far alone.”

— quoted from the 2005 University of Maine Commencement Speech by Stephen King

“Either get busy living or get busy dying.”

— quoted from the film the novella “Rita Hawyworth and Shawshank Redemption: Hope Springs Eternal” by Stephen King

“Sometimes, you have to step outside of the person you’ve been and remember the person you were meant to be. The person you want to be. The person you are.”

— H. G. Wells

“Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you act.”

— Leonard Cohen

— a poem by Bridget Carpenter and Stephen King (b. 09/21/1947), featured in the miniseries 11.22.63

### Sing! Dance! Play! Enjoy your adventure & your flowers! ###

EXCERPT (2): “A Thought from ‘Anne no Nikki’” June 25, 2025

Impressed by this speech, Anne Frank decided that when the war was over she would publish a book based on her diary.”

— quoted from the Foreword to The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition by Anne Frank (edited by Otto H. Frank & Mirjam Pressler, translated by Susan Massotty)

— quoted from the last entry by Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Tuesday, August 1, 1944

### HONOR YOUR HEART >> THOUGHTS >> WORD >> DEEDS ###

Pepys, peeps, and a peep [of Harmony] (the “missing” Sunday post that is also a “long lost” post w/an excerpt) February 23, 2025

“Dear Kitty,

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Wednesday, February 23, 1944

— quoted from a 1661 diary entry, as published in the “March 1660-1661” section of The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., Clerk of the Acts and Secretary to the Admiralty by Samuel Pepys

— quoted from Black Reconstruction in America (The Oxford W. E. B. Du Bois): An Essay Toward a History of the Part Which Black Folk Played in the Attempt to Reconstruct Democracy in America, 1860-1880 by W. E. B Du Bois

— quoted from the National Guardian article entitled “To an American born last Christmas Day” by W. E. B. Du Bois, published on March 10, 1958, under the header “Dr. DuBois at 90 Offers a Piece of Advice [to his newborn great-grandson]”

— quoted from “XIII. Of the Coming of John” in The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches by W. E. Burghardt Du Bois

— quoted from “XIII. Of the Coming of John” in The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches by W. E. Burghardt Du Bois

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Wednesday, February 23, 1944

### “breathe / take a breath / saans lo” ~ Arooj Aftab ###

Getting More Light [On Gratitude & Happiness] (the “missing” Tuesday post w/an excerpt) October 22, 2024

“Breath of breath, said the Teacher; [like the shadow of mist that passes], all is breath.*

What profit has man in all his toil that he toils under the sun?

A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth endures forever.

The sun rises and the sun sets, and to its place it yearns and rises there.

It goes to the south and goes to the north; the will goes around and around, and the will returns to its circuits.”

— Kohelet — Ecclesiastes (1:2 – 6)

“Everything has an appointed season, and there is a time for every matter under the heaven.”

— Kohelet — Ecclesiastes (3:1)

— Krishna speaking to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

“There’s only one thing to do, and that is to jump right in and rebuild.”

— A. H. Wilson, vice president and general manager of Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park

CLICK HERE FOR MORE!

Wasting time is one of the worst faults of the world. Life is so short, every moment is so precious and yet, we live as if life will never end. [page 21]”

— quoted from “Book One: The Young Prodigy, 1811-1829 — Paris and the First World Tours ~ [Part] IX” of Franz Liszt: The Virtuoso Years, 1811-1847 (Revised Edition) by Alan Walker

“‘Those who see Me in everything and everything in Me, know the staggering truth that the Self in the individual is the Self in all. As they live in constant spiritual awareness, I am never out of their sight or lost to them – nor are they every out of My sight or lost to Me.’” (6.30)

— Krishna speaking to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

“‘I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come indirectly through accident, except the phonograph. No, when I have, fully decided that a result is worth getting, I go about it, and make trial after trial, until it comes.’”

— Thomas Edison, as quoted in “A Photographic Talk with Edison” by Theodore Dreiser (printed in Success Magazine, Feb. 1898)

### Sunlight/Daylight, Sustainable Electric Lights, Heart Light ###

EXCERPT: “A Thought from ‘Anne no Nikki’” June 25, 2024

Impressed by this speech, Anne Frank decided that when the war was over she would publish a book based on her diary.”

— quoted from the Foreword to The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition by Anne Frank (edited by Otto H. Frank & Mirjam Pressler, translated by Susan Massotty)

— quoted from the last entry by Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on Tuesday, August 1, 1944

### HONOR YOUR HEART >> THOUGHTS >> WORD >> DEEDS ###

A Note & More EXCERPTS On Foundations June 12, 2024

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on July 15, 1944

Yoga Sūtra 2.4: Avidyā kṣetramuttareṣāṃ prasuptatanuvicchinnodārāṇām

— Mayra Alvear, one year after her youngest daughter Amanda was killed in the 2016 Pulse Orlando shooting

### On What Do You Build? ###

A Softer Lead, a new introduction and a revised excerpt (the “missing” Monday post) June 12, 2023

– quoted from (Book 6) “CHAPTER LXIII. Dream of Jíváta.” of The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated from the original Sanskrit by VIHARI-LALA MITRA)

Yoga Sūtra 2.13: sati mūle tadvipāko jātyāyurbhogāḥ

– “As long as the root cause [i.e., the five afflicted thought patterns] persists, karmas must bear fruit, and that fruition determines birth in a particular species, life span, and life experience.”

Yoga Sūtra 2.3: Avidyāsmitārāgadveşābhiniveśāh kleśāh

– “Ignorance (or lack of knowledge), false sense of self, attachment (rooted in pleasure), aversion (which is attachment rooted in pain), and fear of death or loss are the afflicted thoughts.”

Yoga Sūtra 2.17: draşțŗdŗśyayoh samyogo heyahetuh

– “The union of the seer and the seeable is the cause of pain (that may be avoidable).”

Yoga Sūtra 2.18: prakāśkriyāsthitiśīlam bhūtendriyāmakam bhogāpavargārtham dŗśyam

– “The objective world (what is seen), consisted of a combination of elements and senses, and having a nature of illumination, activity, and stability, has two purposes: fulfillment and freedom.”

Prepare yourself for some information that may seem surprisingly harsh and brutal. (Fair warning, some of this may be difficult to read.)

— Anne Frank, written in her diary (“Kitty”) on July 15, 1944

“Freedom has never been free… I love my children and I love my wife with all my heart. And I would die, die gladly, if that would make a better life for them.”

– Medger Evers, June 7, 1963 (just days before his death)

“I understand it and I believe it.”

– Mildred Loving (in 2003) when asked if she understood she was “putting her name behind the idea that two men or two women should have the right to marry each other”

“Do you remember
The 21^st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away”

“Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night, remember
How the stars stole the night away, oh yeah”

“Love is what is left when you
let go of all the things you love.”