A Joyful Practice

Two Quick Notes & EXCERPT: “2024 / ‘For Those Who Missed It (& those who still don’t get it): Divine Remembrance’” January 27, 2026

Many blessings to everyone, everywhere. Peace and safe passage to all on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong! 

“…music, in even the most terrible situations, must never offend the ear but always remain a source of pleasure.”

— quoted from a letter (dated September 26, 1781) from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (b. 1756) to his father, as printed in W. A. Mozart by Hermann Abert (Editor: Professor Cliff Eisen and Translator: Stewart Spencer)

When we are in the midst of terrible situations, it is sometimes easy to forget about the fact that life is still happening… that there is still pleasure. This is one of the things that I mention in today’s practice and in the post and excerpt below.

For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2025. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is your hope for the future?” The linked post and practice reference political conflict, war, and genocide.

Same day related references and links have been updated or added.

“What we create, experience, and suffer, in this time, we create, experience, and suffer for all eternity. As far as we bear responsibility for an event, as far as it is ‘history,’ our responsibility, it is incredibly burdened by the fact that something has happened that cannot be ‘taken out of the world.’ However, at the same time an appeal is made to our responsibility—precisely to bring what has not yet happened into the world! And each of us must do this as part of our daily work, as part of our everyday lives. So everyday life becomes the reality per se, and this reality becomes a potential for action. And so, the ‘metaphysics of everyday life’ only at first leads us out of everyday life, but then—consciously and responsibly—leads us back to everyday life.”

— quoted from “Experimentum Crucis” in Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything by Viktor E. Frankl (with an introduction by Daniel Goleman and an afterword by Franz Vesely)

While you probably did not hear anyone else talk about the other events I mention during the practice (and in the post excerpted below), there is a good chance — depending on your bubble —  that at some point today you heard someone mention that Auschwitz-Birkenau (the largest Nazi concentration and death camp complex) was liberated today (January 27^th) in 1945. Perhaps you also know that, in November 2005, the United Nations General Assembly resolution 60/7 designated January 27^th as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

You might have even heard, as I did, that a large number of adults around the world can not name a single concentration camp. The statistics vary, depending on the country, from over 25% in the United Kingdom, France, and Romania to over 50% in the United States. I was shocked by these statistics and thought, ‘Well, I know 4 or 5, so I can look up the rest and post them on the blog with the excerpt.’

Of course, you will notice that there is no such list here.

There is no list, because Nazi Germany operated over a thousand concentration camps (including subcamps) from 1933 — 1945. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) and Indiana University Press published a seven-part encyclopedia series, called Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933–1945, which covered over 42,500 sites in Europe and Africa (controlled by the Nazis and the other Axis powers during that time period). According to the encyclopedia, there were 23 main camps — most of which had satellite camps. Auschwitz was not only a main camp, it was a complex in Nazi-occupied Poland with over 40 concentration and extermination camps.

Which brings me to the reason I’m not even listing the one I already knew: At least 2 are just part of a larger complex.

The hope that I shared during the [2025] practice is that there will be a time and a place when we can all breathe more easily and deeply; free of stress and strain, anxiety and fear, discomfort and disease. That is my hope for the future. But, I have another hope, a hope for right now: I hope, in this moment, that you will be disturbed enough by the information above that you will look into the history — at the very least, check out the blog post below. Then, I hope that the history will disturb you enough that you will pay attention to what is happening in the world today.

“Distance yourself from a false matter; and do not kill a truly innocent person or one who has been declared innocent, for I will not vindicate a guilty person.

You shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe will blind the clear sighted and corrupt words that are right.

And you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, since you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”

— “ordinances” in Shemot / Exodus 23:7–9

CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.

2024 / “For Those Who Missed It (& those who still don’t get it): Divine Remembrance”

Please join me today (Tuesday, January 27^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 in 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 on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “012701 Holocaust Liberation & Remembrance”]

MUSIC NOTE: The playlists are slightly different, as some music is not available on Spotify. The YouTube playlist also includes videos of Holocaust survivors telling their stories (one of which is embedded below).

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

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

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

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

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

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

### PEACE IN, PEACE OUT ###

### AUM ###