Contemplating an Ongoing “Miracle” [in 2025] (mostly the music) September 17, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Basketball, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Music, One Hoop, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Antietim, Books, Christopher Isherwood, Civil War, Constitution, Constitution Day, history, nationalism, patriotism, Phil Jackson, politics, revolution, Swami Prabhavananda, Thurgood Marshall, yoga, Yoga Sutra 2.18.
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone curious about how we can have friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom (on Constitution Day in the U. S.).
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“And so we must be careful, when focusing on the events which took place in Philadelphia two centuries ago, that we not overlook the momentous events which followed, and thereby lose our proper sense of perspective. Otherwise, the odds are that for many Americans the bicentennial celebration will be little more than a blind pilgrimage to the shrine of the original document now stored in a vault in the National Archives. If we seek, instead, a sensitive understanding of the Constitution’s inherent defects, and its promising evolution through 200 years of history, the celebration of the “Miracle at Philadelphia” Bowen, Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention May to September 1787 (Boston 1966), will, in my view, be a far more meaningful and humbling experience. We will see that the true miracle was not the birth of the Constitution, but its life, a life nurtured through two turbulent centuries of our own making, and a life embodying much good fortune that was not.
Thus, in this bicentennial year, we may not all participate in the festivities with flag-waving fervor. Some may more quietly commemorate the suffering, struggle, and sacrifice that has triumphed over much of what was wrong with the original document, and observe the anniversary with hopes not realized and promises not fulfilled. I plan to celebrate the bicentennial of the Constitution as a living document, including the Bill of Rights and the other amendments protecting individual freedoms and human rights.”
— quoted from the conclusion to the speech given by Supreme Court Justice (and former NAACP chief counsel) Thurgood Marshall at The Annual Seminar of the San Francisco Patent and Trademark Law Association, Maui, Hawaii May 6, 1987
Please join me today (Wednesday, September 17th) 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 “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
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.
“…. For the Truth lies hidden everywhere, within every experience and in every object of the universe. Everything that happens to us, no matter how seemingly trivial, throughout the day, offers some tiny clue which could lead us toward wider spiritual knowledge and eventual liberation.”
— quoted from the commentary for Yoga Sūtra 2.18, in How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali, translated and with commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood
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FTWMI: Starting with the Foundation (a prelude) *REVISED* June 11, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, First Nations, Healing Stories, Life, Meditation, Men, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Shavuot, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Afterfeast of Pentecost, asana, Benjamin Franklin, Committee of Five, Constitution, Declaration of Independence, John Adams, Jyeshtha Purnima, Lee Resolution, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, William Butler Yeats, yoga, Yoga Sutra 1.32, Yoga Sutras 1.30-1.32, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.50
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Happy Pride!
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating festivals associated with Jyeshtha Purnima, Pride, and/or observing the Afterfeast of Pentecost.
For Those Who Missed It: The following is a slightly revised version of content original posted in 2023 and reposted in 2023. Some links, class details, and formatting have been added or updated.
Yoga Sūtra 1.32: tat pratiṣedhārtham eka tattvābhyāsaḥ
— “To prevent or deal with these nine obstacles and their four consequences, the recommendation is to make the mind one-pointed, training it how to focus on a single truth, principle, or object.”
On and off the mat, we start with the foundation. We build from the ground up. This is standard operating procedure whether we are building an asana; building a life for ourselves; building a relationship; building an edifice; building an organization or a business; and/or building a country. We may have an idea(l) in mind and our desire may be to build from the concept (i.e., that may be what motivates us to build); however, to make the dream come true — to make the idea(l) a reality — we need awareness and material/matter.
That’s the practice. On and off the mat (or cushion), we bring awareness to the foundation and then establish a foundation that allows us to bring awareness to our awareness… or to any number things which can be our point of focus. In mindfulness-based practices, like Yoga and Buddhist meditation, we are very intentional, very deliberate about this method of building. In fact, Patanjali outlined this practice in the Yoga Sūtras. (YS 2.46-50) More detailed instructions (on building asanas) can be found in texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Shastras, like Yoga Vasistha, and many modern texts also include details on building a practice. And, we can extrapolate from there — taking the practice off of the mat/cushion and into the world.
On a certain level, reality forces us to build from the ground up. However, there is a difference between just doing it and being deliberate and intentional about it. There is also a difference between deliberately and intentionally building from the ground up and starting [everything] with the foundation in mind. For example, in a seated (or moving) meditation practice, when you loose the “thread,” you go back to the beginning — back to the foundation.
Are you still “sitting” in a way that balances effort and relaxation? If the answer is no, adjust. If the answer is yes, bring awareness to the parts of the breath. Notice when (and what) distracts you. Remind yourself that you are “sitting” and breathing. That’s the practice.
Off the mat/cushion, there is a tendency to forget about the foundation once we really get going. No, I’m not ignoring the fact that this also happens in yoga practices where there is a lot of movement and momentum. What I would like to point out, however, is that part of a practice like vinyasa is being mindful of the pace. Being mindful of the pace requires noticing when you are not breathing deeply; when you are moving faster than your breath; and/or when you are “flowing,” but not “placing things in a special way” (which is the literal meaning of vinyasa). Also, over time, not being mindful of the foundation may lead to injuries and/or obstacles to the practice. (YS 1.30-31)
Off the mat/cushion, the tendency to forget about the foundation also has consequences. People get hurt — on a lot of different levels. And, also, obstacles arise that prevent the fulfilment of the original idea(l). What I mean by that is: Sometimes we end up with a final product that looks nothing like the intention. And, sometimes, things fall apart because the center (which is the foundation) could not hold… was not designed to hold without attention/awareness.
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;”
— quoted from the poem “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats
Today in 1776, the Committee of Five started discussing and drafting a document which would be approved by the Second Continental Congress and presented to England as a Declaration of Independence. Representatives John Adams (Massachusetts), Roger Sherman (Connecticut), Robert Livingston (New York), Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania), and Thomas Jefferson (Virginia), worked until July 5th building what became the foundation of the United States of America.
The final document was approved on July 2nd, printed on July 4th, and signed by the delegates of the Second Continental Congress over the course of several months. It contains some of the best and most quoted language associated with democracy and freedom. It is considered, by some, to be the best language regarding an ideal government. Yet, the original language is interesting — as is the language of the final draft.
First, the committee originally included language criticizing English people, slavery, and the British slave trade. Ultimately, they decided to exclude the language about slavery, because they thought including it would cost them votes. Another interesting point (of exclusion) is that the words didn’t exactly mean what they said. The words “all men” was not, in fact, applied to all men (let alone all humans).
A portion of the following is an excerpt from a July 2020 post.
“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.”
— from “The Declaration of Independence” drafted by the Committee of Five and (eventually) signed by delegates of the Second Continental Congress
The Declaration of Independence was the formal announcement and explanation of the “Lee Resolution” (aka “The Resolution for Independence”). Its second sentence is often referenced as “one of the best-known sentences in the English language” and is possibly the most quoted sentence in American history. It provided justification for revolution and the building blocks for a new nation. It was, however, not completely true. While we may want to delude ourselves into thinking the founding fathers meant all humans when they signed off on the declaration — or even all males — the “all men” was very specific in that it meant “white men only.” And, if we are being honest, there was also a religious subtext which further restricted who would be granted the subsequently mentioned Rights. (Yes, yes, we can go around and around about religious freedom, but there was a definite assumption within the text that “all men,” see above, believed in one God — even if they had slightly different ways of worshiping said God.)
The Second Continental Congress approved the resolution and the declaration unanimously, but it was never a sure thing. There was debate with the Committee of Five as to how to present their argument to the other delegates in a way that would sway things in their favor. Remember, everyone on the committee and every one of the delegates was, at the time, a subject of the Crown — meaning they were citizens of the British Commonwealth — and what they were proposing was straight-up treason. They knew this would be evidence of treason. Furthermore, they knew that they were placing their family, friends, and neighbors at great risk. They also thought freedom, liberty, and independence were worth the risk.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States can be seen as the cornerstone of our democracy or the two visible sides of that cornerstone. Included within the Constitution is the governments ability to propose, ratify, and implement amendments. One could argue that providing such a proviso was the 1787 Constitutional Convention’s way of strengthening the foundation and of making sure future leaders (and their descendants) kept the foundation in mind.
“It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error. But nature has not given to everyone a talent for that purpose; and among those to whom such a talent is given, there is often a want of disposition or of courage to do it.”
— quoted from the “Preface” (addressed “To the Ministers and Preachers of all Denominations of Religion.”) of “Part III” in The Age Of Reason by Thomas Paine
NOTE: It is not enough to gather your building materials, you also have to be prepared to put things together. You have to cultivate the disposition and the courage, the will and the desire.
Please join me today (Wednesday, June 11th) 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 “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
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.
### OM FREEDOM AUM ###
FTWMI: Re-Addressing the State of the “Union” (abridged) January 8, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Changing Perspectives, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: Constitution, David Bowie, Dr. Stephen Hawking, Elvis, Elvis Presley, Joe South, President Calvin Coolidge, State of the Union, yoga
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Happy New Year! May your mind-body-spirit be well, be great, and be in harmony with your thoughts, words, and deeds.
For Those Who Missed It: The following is PART I of 2024 post. Class details, links, and some formatting have been updated.
“He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient…”
— quoted from “Article. II. Section. 3.” of the The Constitution of the United States
Any time we get on the mat (or the cushion) we scan our mind-body-spirit and get a sense of how things are (or are not) working and working together. In other words, we address the state of our “union.” I put that last part in quotes, because the Sanskrit word yoga translates into English as “union” — and, so, we get on the mat and spend a little time delivering our own personal State of the Union address (to ourselves).
George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address to the joint sessions of Congress in New York City, the proposed capital of the fledgling United States of America, on January 8, 1790. His interpretation of “from time to time” was annually and other presidents followed suit. Up until Franklin Delano Roosevelt used the phrase “State of the Union”, in his 1934 address, it was called “the President’s Annual Message to Congress”. People often think presidents are required to deliver an oral speech, however, the State of the Union does not have to be spoken. In fact, Thomas Jefferson discontinued speeches in 1801. The tradition of a U. S. president speaking in front of Congress was not re-established until Woodrow Wilson’s speech in 1913.
Some presidents, like Jimmy Carter, delivered spoken and written addresses during their time in office. For instance, former President Carter’s last State of the Union address (in 1981) was the last written address, so far. Presidents have delivered written address for various reasons. Sometimes illness or political conflicts resulted in a written speech. At other times, there was a desire to provide clarification and nuance that they may have felt would be missed if a speech was delivered. In fact, the lengthiness of the address resulted in some being written — and some being written and partially delivered or summarized. President Richard Nixon (who celebrated his birthday on January 9th) gave Congress six (6) written State of the Union address in 1973, with each message being preceded by a radio address.
Former President Nixon was not, however, the first president to utilize media and technology in order to share the State of the Union with the entire Union. Nor was he the only president to submit a written address to Congress and broadcast a summary for the populace. Warren G. Harding was the first U. S. president to speak on the radio, in 1922, but he unexpectedly died in office, in 1923. Later that year, Calvin Coolidge became the first president to deliver a State of the Union on the radio and his first words were addressed the untimely death of his predecessor.
“Since the close of the last Congress the Nation has lost President Harding. The world knew his kindness and his humanity, his greatness and his character. He has left his mark upon history. He has made justice more certain and peace more secure. The surpassing tribute paid to his memory as he was borne across the continent to rest at last at home revealed the place lie held in the hearts of the American people. But this is not the occasion for extended reference to the man or his work. In this presence, among these who knew and loved him, that is unnecessary. But we who were associated with him could not resume together the functions of our office without pausing for a moment, and in his memory reconsecrating ourselves to the service of our country. He is gone. We remain. It is our duty, under the inspiration of his example, to take up the burdens which he was permitted to lay down, and to develop and support the wise principles of government which he represented.”
— quoted from the “First Annual Message,” delivered December 06, 1923 by President Calvin Coolidge
Just as radio changed the reach and impact of the State of the Union address, so too have television, the internet, and social media. Former President Harry S. Truman delivered the first televised State of the Union, in 1947, and former President Lyndon B. Johnson set the precedent of delivering a televised speech during primetime (while using a teleprompter). In 1997, the first State of the Union on the internet was delivered by former President Bill Clinton — who also has the unfortunate distinction of being the first to deliver a State of the Union during an impeachment trial.
Of course, former President Clinton was not the first or the last president to deliver a State of the Union address during a time great tragedy and/or national embarrassment. Former President Ronald Reagan postponed his 1986 address because of the Challenger disaster and, in 2019, the then-sitting president was “disinvited” by the then Speaker of the House. Such events change our perspective of current events and, therefore, place the (actual) state of the Union in a certain context. In other words, what we are going through individually and collectively allows — and/or causes — us to see things in a certain way.
“My expectations were reduced to zero at twenty-one. Everything since then has been a bonus.
Although I cannot move and I have to speak through a computer, in my mind I am free.”
— Dr. Stephen Hawking (CH CBE FRS FRSA)
When we practice on January 8th, I sometimes reference Stephen William Hawking, the theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author, and director of research, who was born January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England. When he was diagnosed with a motor neuron disease in his early 20’s, he was forced to take a daily accounting of his mind, body, and spirit — as well as how they were (or were not) working… let alone working together. For similar reasons, the playlist includes music by Elvis Aaron Presley, who was born January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, and by David Bowie, who was born January 8, 1947, in London, England. I include the “King of Rock and Roll” and “Ziggy Stardust”, because they produced great music AND, also, because their music gives us a musical (and visual) picture of the state of society (in America and in the world) at various points in history. Additionally, moving to their music — mindfully and “in a special way” — can awaken our awareness of how our different parts are (or are not) working… let alone working together.
“If I could be you, if you could be me
For just one hour
If we could find a way
To get inside each other’s mind, uh huh
If you could see you through my eyes
Instead of your ego
I believe you’d be, I believe you’d be
Surprised to see
That you’ve been blind, uh huh”
— quoted from the song “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” by Elvis Presley (written by Joe South)
Please join me today (Wednesday, January 8th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for (virtual or in-person) yoga practice. You must be registered and confirmed to attend in person. Classes are in different locations! 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 01082022 State of the “Union”]
“I’ve got scars that can’t be seen
I’ve got drama, can’t be stolen
Everybody knows me now”
— quoted from the song “Lazarus” by David Bowie
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.
### YOGA ###
Be Mindful When You Reach the Step Where You Use Your Words (the “missing” Wednesday post w/excerpts) September 25, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Movies, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alexander Hamilton, Amendments, Banned Books Week, Bill of Rights, Constitution, Dr. Joseph Murray, Guidelines for Achieving Sign Language Rights, International Week of Deaf People (IWDP), James Madison, shabda, siddhis, William Faulkner, William Shakespeare
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone communicating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom during International Week of the Deaf and during Banned Books Week.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This is the “missing” post for Wednesday, September 25th. Some embedded links direct to sites outside of this blog. This post references and contains a quote from a banned book. 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.
“Article the third… Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
— quoted from the transcription of the Joint Resolution of Congress Proposing 12 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, on September 25, 1789
Today (Wednesday, September 25th) is the fourth day of Banned Books Week (September 22–28, 2024) and the third day of International Week of the Deaf (IWD). It is also the anniversary of the birth of an author whose work has been challenged: William Faulkner, born today in 1897. Finally, it is the anniversary of the day, in 1789, when the United States Bill of Rights was submitted and approved by Congress.
All of this brings us to our next steps (as well as to the second power described as “unique to being human”): Words, which are the gateway into the other powers.
Whether we speak them, sign them, or write them, words have power. They allow us to communicate our experiences and express our innermost thoughts, desires, hopes, and fears. They also allow us to advocate for change, which is why third day of IWD is dedicated to Sign Languages advocacy and encouraging “everyone to actively advocate for the rights of deaf individuals and the official recognition of national sign languages. [You can sign] up for sign language rights by promoting your national sign languages in public arenas.” This kind of advocacy is something we can do in countries like the United States, where both freedom of speech and the right to a redress of grievances are enshrined right at the beginning of the U. S. Constitution.
Based on documents like the Magna Carta (which King John of England agreed to in 1215); the English Bill of Rights (from 1689); the Virginia Declaration of Rights (drafted and ratified in 1776); and the Northwest Ordinance (enacted by the U. S. Continental Congress in 1787), the U. S. Bill of Rights consists of the first 10 Amendments to the United States Constitution and codifies the rights and personal freedoms of citizens, limitations to the federal government, and clarifies that powers not specifically granted to the federal government (by the Constitution and its amendments) belong to the state governments or the citizens. It was proposed because of serious concerns and reservations expressed by anti-federalists. The idea was opposed by federalists like Alexander Hamilton, then a delegate from New York, who wrote in the penultimate Federalist essay (“Federalist No. 84”) that, “bills of rights are in their origin, stipulations between kings and their subjects…. [and, therefore,] have no application to constitutions professedly founded upon the power of the people, and executed by their immediate representatives and servants.” James Madison, then a delegate from Virginia and another federalist and collaborator on the Federalist Papers (along with John Jay of New York), initially opposed the idea; however, he would ultimately end up spearheading the entire venture.
What is now known as the Bill of Rights is actually a little shorter than what was originally proposed. The House of Representatives actually approved 17 articles on August 24, 1789. After some editing (which combined some articles and eliminated one altogether), the Senate approved 12 articles (on September 9th). Those 12 were then approved by Congress (today in 1789) and submitted to the states for ratification. Articles 3 — 12 became the first ten articles of the United States Constitution and were ratified by the states on December 15, 1791. The original second article, addressing the timeline for changing the compensation for Senators and Representatives, became the 27th Amendment (which was ratified in 1992, 202 years, 7 months, and 10 days after it was originally approved). As of today, the original first article, addressing the number of representatives in Congress (based on population1), is the oldest of six amendments still pending ratification.2
NOTES:
1When the U. S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights were ratified enslaved people, Indigenous and Native Americans, and women were not considered citizens and were either not counted at all or were not counted as the whole people they were.
2There is no time limit on ratifications; however, there are more states now than there were in 1789 and, therefore, ratification would require legal confirmation from more states.
As I mentioned before, the power of words is a gateway to the other siddhis described as “unique to being human” — including the power to “study, analyze, and comprehend” a situation and the power to eliminate “three-fold sorrow” with regard to that situation. We use our words to make change. We use our words to petition the government for a redress of our grievances and, also, to simply address things that have been overlooked. We can also use words to share our experiences and points of view. Of course, our words mean very little if they are not backed up by actions. Without the actions behind them, words become empty at best and straight-up lies at their worst. William Shakespeare cautioned us about this in the “Scottish play” and his words inspired his namesake, William Faulkner.
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
— Macbeth in Act V, Scene V of Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Born in New Albany, Mississippi, today in 1897, and raised in Oxford, Mississippi, William Faulkner is remembered for his stream-of-consciousness and for novels and short stories primarily set in Yoknapatawpha County, a fictionalized version of the the Mississippi county where he grew up. After a brief stint in the the Royal Canadian Air Force (and also the British Royal Force) and after dropping out of the University of Mississippi, the only Mississippi-born Nobel laureate (so far) started writing and publishing novels like Soldiers’ Pay (1925), Sartoris (1927), The Sound and the Fury (1929), As I Lay Dying (1930), Light in August (1932), and Absalom, Absalom! (1936). He also worked as a screenwriter. In addition to winning the 1949 Nobel Prize for Literature, Mr. Faulkner won the National Book Award twice (for The Collected Stories of William Faulkner in 1951, and for A Fable in 1955) and also won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction twice (for A Fable in 1955, and for The Reivers in 1963). Despite all of his accolades (or maybe because of them), William Faulkner is yet another great writer who wrote a book that is often banned. In fact, one of his books has been challenged since it was first published in 1930.
As I Lay Dying is the story of Addie Bundren (who is dying at the beginning of the novel), her husband, their children, and their community. It is a story about death (and also life, since they go hand-in-hand) as well as how people grapple with their fear of death (and life). Told from the perspective of 15 different characters (including Addie and Anse Bundren and their five children) the book navigates the literal, emotional, and physical journey to fulfill a loved one’s dying wish. The book also discusses some things that are depicted in the other two banned books I’ve quoted this week — and these elements of the story are some of the same reasons the title gets challenged. But, there is another reason some people don’t like As I Lay Dying: it talks about abortion, a woman’s right to choose, and other people’s opinions about a woman’s right to choose.
Oh, then there’s that pesky part where a wife and mother of five sounds less than thrilled about her life.
“That was when I learned that words are no good; that words don’t ever fit even what they are trying to say at. When [Cash] was born I knew that motherhood was invented by someone who had to have a word for it because the ones that had the children didn’t care whether there was a word for it or not. I knew that fear was invented by someone that had never had the fear; pride, who never had the pride. I knew that it had been, not that they had dirty noses, but that we had had to use one another by words like spiders dangling by their mouths from a beam, swinging and twisting and never touching, and that only through the blows of die switch could my blood and their blood flow as one stream. I knew that it had. been, not that my aloneness had to be violated over and over each day, but that it had never been violated until Cash came. Not even by Anse in the nights.
He had a word, too. Love, he called it. But I had been used to words for a long time. I knew that that word was like the others: just a shape to fill a lack; that when the right time Came, you wouldn’t need a word for that anymore than for pride or fear. Cash did not need to say it to me nor I to him, and I would say Let Anse use it, if he wants to. So that it was Anse or love; love or Anse: it didn’t matter.”
— Addie in As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
Click on the excerpt titles below for the earlier posts related to Banned Books Week and International Week of the Deaf (IWD).
Paying Attention is the First Step (a post-practice Monday post with an excerpt)
The Second Step is Cultivating Your Power of Understanding (the “missing” Tuesday post)
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).
### STUDY, ANALYZE, & COMPREHEND WHAT (& WHO) IS ON YOUR BALLOT ###
Contemplating an Ongoing “Miracle” (mostly the music) September 17, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Basketball, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Music, One Hoop, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Antietim, Civil War, Constitution, Constitution Day, nationalism, patriotism, Phil Jackson, revolution, Thurgood Marshall, yoga
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone curious about how we can have friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom (on Constitution Day in the U. S.).
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“And so we must be careful, when focusing on the events which took place in Philadelphia two centuries ago, that we not overlook the momentous events which followed, and thereby lose our proper sense of perspective. Otherwise, the odds are that for many Americans the bicentennial celebration will be little more than a blind pilgrimage to the shrine of the original document now stored in a vault in the National Archives. If we seek, instead, a sensitive understanding of the Constitution’s inherent defects, and its promising evolution through 200 years of history, the celebration of the “Miracle at Philadelphia” Bowen, Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention May to September 1787 (Boston 1966), will, in my view, be a far more meaningful and humbling experience. We will see that the true miracle was not the birth of the Constitution, but its life, a life nurtured through two turbulent centuries of our own making, and a life embodying much good fortune that was not.
Thus, in this bicentennial year, we may not all participate in the festivities with flag-waving fervor. Some may more quietly commemorate the suffering, struggle, and sacrifice that has triumphed over much of what was wrong with the original document, and observe the anniversary with hopes not realized and promises not fulfilled. I plan to celebrate the bicentennial of the Constitution as a living document, including the Bill of Rights and the other amendments protecting individual freedoms and human rights.”
— quoted from the conclusion to the speech given by Supreme Court Justice (and former NAACP chief counsel) Thurgood Marshall at The Annual Seminar of the San Francisco Patent and Trademark Law Association, Maui, Hawaii May 6, 1987
Please join me today (Tuesday, September 17th) 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 “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
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.
### ###
FTWMI: Starting with the Foundation (a prelude) June 11, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, First Nations, Healing Stories, Life, Meditation, Men, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Shavuot, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, asana, Benjamin Franklin, Committee of Five, Constitution, Counting the Omer, Declaration of Independence, John Adams, Lee Resolution, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman, Shavuot, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, William Butler Yeats, yoga, Yoga Sutra 1.32, Yoga Sutras 1.30-1.32, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.50
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Happy Pride! “Chag Sameach!” to everyone who has finished Counting the Omer and/or is getting ready for Shavuot. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing Eastertide and/or building a world of peace, freedom, and fulfillment (inside and outside).
For Those Who Missed It: The following was original posted in 2023. A note regarding Shavuot has been added at the end.
Yoga Sūtra 1.32: tat pratiṣedhārtham eka tattvābhyāsaḥ
— “To prevent or deal with these nine obstacles and their four consequences, the recommendation is to make the mind one-pointed, training it how to focus on a single truth, principle, or object.”
On and off the mat, we start with the foundation. We build from the ground up. This is standard operating procedure whether we are building an asana; building a life for ourselves; building a relationship; building an edifice; building an organization or a business; and/or building a country. We may have an idea(l) in mind and our desire may be to build from the concept (i.e., that may be what motivates us to build); however, to make the dream come true — to make the idea(l) a reality — we need awareness and material/matter.
That’s the practice. On and off the mat (or cushion), we bring awareness to the foundation and then establish a foundation that allows us to bring awareness to our awareness… or to any number things which can be our point of focus. In mindfulness-based practices, like Yoga and Buddhist meditation, we are very intentional, very deliberate about this method of building. In fact, Patanjali outlined this practice in the Yoga Sūtras. (YS 2.46-50) More detailed instructions (on building asanas) can be found in texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Shastras, like Yoga Vasistha, and many modern texts also include details on building a practice. And, we can extrapolate from there — taking the practice off of the mat/cushion and into the world.
On a certain level, reality forces us to build from the ground up. However, there is a difference between just doing it and being deliberate and intentional about it. There is also a difference between deliberately and intentionally building from the ground up and starting [everything] with the foundation in mind. For example, in a seated (or moving) meditation practice, when you loose the “thread,” you go back to the beginning — back to the foundation.
Are you still “sitting” in a way that balances effort and relaxation? If the answer is no, adjust. If the answer is yes, bring awareness to the parts of the breath. Notice when (and what) distracts you. Remind yourself that you are “sitting” and breathing. That’s the practice.
Off the mat/cushion, there is a tendency to forget about the foundation once we really get going. No, I’m not ignoring the fact that this also happens in yoga practices where there is a lot of movement and momentum. What I would like to point out, however, is that part of a practice like vinyasa is being mindful of the pace. Being mindful of the pace requires noticing when you are not breathing deeply; when you are moving faster than your breath; and/or when you are “flowing,” but not “placing things in a special way” (which is the literal meaning of vinyasa). Also, over time, not being mindful of the foundation may lead to injuries and/or obstacles to the practice. (YS 1.30-31)
Off the mat/cushion, the tendency to forget about the foundation also has consequences. People get hurt — on a lot of different levels. And, also, obstacles arise that prevent the fulfilment of the original idea(l). What I mean by that is: Sometimes we end up with a final product that looks nothing like the intention. And, sometimes, things fall apart because the center (which is the foundation) could not hold… was not designed to hold without attention/awareness.
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;”
— quoted from the poem “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats
Today in 1776, the Committee of Five started discussing and drafting a document which would be approved by the Second Continental Congress and presented to England as a Declaration of Independence. Representatives John Adams (Massachusetts), Roger Sherman (Connecticut), Robert Livingston (New York), Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania), and Thomas Jefferson (Virginia), worked until July 5th building what became the foundation of the United States of America.
The final document was approved on July 2nd, printed on July 4th, and signed by the delegates of the Second Continental Congress over the course of several months. It contains some of the best and most quoted language associated with democracy and freedom. It is considered, by some, to be the best language regarding an ideal government. Yet, the original language is interesting — as is the language of the final draft. First, the committee originally included language criticizing English people, slavery, and the British slave trade. Ultimately, they decided to exclude the language about slavery, because they thought including it would cost them votes. Another interesting point (of exclusion) is that the words didn’t exactly mean what they said. The words “all men” was not, in fact, applied to all men (let alone all humans).
A portion of the following is an excerpt from a July 2020 post.
“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.”
— from “The Declaration of Independence” drafted by the Committee of Five and (eventually) signed by delegates of the Second Continental Congress
The Declaration of Independence was the formal announcement and explanation of the “Lee Resolution” (aka “The Resolution for Independence”). Its second sentence is often referenced as “one of the best-known sentences in the English language” and is possibly the most quoted sentence in American history. It provided justification for revolution and the building blocks for a new nation. It was, however, not completely true. While we may want to delude ourselves into thinking the founding fathers meant all humans when they signed off on the declaration — or even all males — the “all men” was very specific in that it meant “white men only.” And, if we are being honest, there was also a religious subtext which further restricted who would be granted the subsequently mentioned Rights. (Yes, yes, we can go around and around about religious freedom, but there was a definite assumption within the text that “all men,” see above, believed in one God — even if they had slightly different ways of worshiping said God.)
The Second Continental Congress approved the resolution and the declaration unanimously, but it was never a sure thing. There was debate with the Committee of Five as to how to present their argument to the other delegates in a way that would sway things in their favor. Remember, everyone on the committee and every one of the delegates was, at the time, a subject of the Crown — meaning they were citizens of the British Commonwealth — and what they were proposing was straight-up treason. They knew this would be evidence of treason. Furthermore, they knew that they were placing their family, friends, and neighbors at great risk. They also thought freedom, liberty, and independence were worth the risk.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States can be seen as the cornerstone of our democracy or the two visible sides of that cornerstone. Included within the Constitution is the governments ability to propose, ratify, and implement amendments. One could argue that providing such a proviso was the 1787 Constitutional Convention’s way of strengthening the foundation and of making sure future leaders (and their descendants) kept the foundation in mind.
“It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error. But nature has not given to everyone a talent for that purpose; and among those to whom such a talent is given, there is often a want of disposition or of courage to do it.”
— quoted from the “Preface” (addressed “To the Ministers and Preachers of all Denominations of Religion.”) of “Part III” in The Age Of Reason by Thomas Paine
2024 HOLIDAY NOTE: It is not enough to gather your building materials, you also have to be prepared to put things together. You have to cultivate the disposition and the courage, the will and the desire. On the second night of Passover, some people began Counting the Omer — which is a 49-day period of prayer and contemplation, a period of preparation. That preparation period culminates with Shavout (also known as Shavuos), which is the “Feast of Weeks” and the anniversary of the revelation of the Torah: part of the foundation of the Abrahamic religions. Today is the 49th day and tonight at sunset marks the beginning of Shavout.
Please join me today (Tuesday, June 11th) 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 “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
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.
### OM FREEDOM AUM ###
Re-Addressing the State of the “Union” (& 2024 thank-yous) January 8, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Changing Perspectives, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 612 Jungle, “Yoga Week”, Center for the Performing Arts, Constitution, David Bowie, Dr. Stephen Hawking, Elvis, Elvis Presley, Joe South, North Community High School, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, President Calvin Coolidge, Roosevelt High School, State of the Union, yoga
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May your mind-body-spirit be well, be great, and be in harmony with your thoughts, words, and deeds.
This can be considered a “missing” and “long lost” post for Monday, January 8th (with one tiny reference to January 9th). Other than the Wednesday (7:15 PM, CST) practice, there are no Zoom practices until Saturday, January 13th. You can request an audio recording of previous practices via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
“He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient…”
— quoted from “Article. II. Section. 3.” of the The Constitution of the United States
Any time we get on the mat (or the cushion) we scan our mind-body-spirit and get a sense of how things are (or are not) working and working together. In other words, we address the state of our “union.” I put that last part in quotes, because the Sanskrit word yoga translates into English as “union” — and, so, we get on the mat and spend a little time delivering our own personal State of the Union address (to ourselves).margin-top:
George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address to the joint sessions of Congress in New York City, the proposed capital of the fledgling United States of America, on January 8, 1790. His interpretation of “from time to time” was annually and other presidents followed suit. Up until Franklin Delano Roosevelt used the phrase “State of the Union,” in his 1934 address, it was called “the President’s Annual Message to Congress.” People often think presidents are required to deliver an oral speech, however, the State of the Union does not have to be spoken. In fact, Thomas Jefferson discontinued speeches in 1801, and the tradition of a U. S. president speaking in front of Congress was not re-established until Woodrow Wilson’s speech in 1913.
Some presidents, like Jimmy Carter, delivered spoken and written addresses during their time in office. For instance, former President Carter’s last State of the Union address (in 1981) was the last written address, so far. Presidents have delivered written address for various reasons. Sometimes illness or political conflicts resulted in a written speech. At other times, there was a desire to provide clarification and nuance that they may have felt would be missed if a speech was delivered. In fact, the lengthiness of the address resulted in some being written — and some being written and partially delivered or summarized. President Richard Nixon (who celebrated his birthday on January 9th) gave Congress six (6) written State of the Union address in 1973, with each message being preceded by a radio address.
Former President Nixon was not, however, the first president to utilize media and technology in order to share the State of the Union with the entire Union. Nor was he the only president to submit a written address to Congress and broadcast a summary for the populace. Warren G. Harding was the first U. S. president to speak on the radio, in 1922, but he unexpectedly died in office, in 1923. Later that year, Calvin Coolidge became the first president to deliver a State of the Union on the radio and his first words were addressed the untimely death of his predecessor.
“Since the close of the last Congress the Nation has lost President Harding. The world knew his kindness and his humanity, his greatness and his character. He has left his mark upon history. He has made justice more certain and peace more secure. The surpassing tribute paid to his memory as he was borne across the continent to rest at last at home revealed the place lie held in the hearts of the American people. But this is not the occasion for extended reference to the man or his work. In this presence, among these who knew and loved him, that is unnecessary. But we who were associated with him could not resume together the functions of our office without pausing for a moment, and in his memory reconsecrating ourselves to the service of our country. He is gone. We remain. It is our duty, under the inspiration of his example, to take up the burdens which he was permitted to lay down, and to develop and support the wise principles of government which he represented.”
— quoted from the “First Annual Message,” delivered December 06, 1923 by President Calvin Coolidge
Just as radio changed the reach and impact of the State of the Union address, so too have television, the internet, and social media. Former President Harry S. Truman delivered the first televised State of the Union, in 1947, and former President Lyndon B. Johnson set the precedent of delivering a televised speech during primetime (while using a teleprompter). In 1997, the first State of the Union on the internet was delivered by former President Bill Clinton — who also has the unfortunate distinction of being the first to deliver a State of the Union during an impeachment trial.
Of course, former President Clinton was not the first or the last president to deliver a State of the Union address during a time great tragedy and/or national embarrassment. Former President Ronald Reagan postponed his 1986 address because of the Challenger disaster and, in 2019, the then-sitting president was “disinvited” by the then Speaker of the House. Such events change our perspective of current events and, therefore, place the (actual) state of the Union in a certain context. In other words, what we are going through individually and collectively allows — and/or causes — us to see things in a certain way.
“My expectations were reduced to zero at twenty-one. Everything since then has been a bonus.
Although I cannot move and I have to speak through a computer, in my mind I am free.”
— Dr. Stephen Hawking (CH CBE FRS FRSA)
When we practice on January 8th, I sometimes reference Stephen William Hawking, the theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author, and director of research, who was born January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England. When he was diagnosed with a motor neuron disease in his early 20’s, he was forced to take a daily accounting of his mind, body, and spirit — as well as how they were (or were not) working… let alone working together. For similar reasons, the playlist includes music by Elvis Aaron Presley, who was born January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, and by David Bowie, who was born January 8, 1947, in London, England. I include the “King of Rock and Roll” and “Ziggy Stardust,” because they produced great music AND, also, because their music gives us a musical (and visual) picture of the state of society (in America and in the world) at various points in history. Additionally, moving to their music — mindfully and “in a special way” — can awaken our awareness of how our different parts are (or are not) working… let alone working together.
“If I could be you, if you could be me
For just one hour
If we could find a way
To get inside each other’s mind, uh huh
If you could see you through my eyes
Instead of your ego
I believe you’d be, I believe you’d be
Surprised to see
That you’ve been blind, uh huh”
— quoted from the song “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” by Elvis Presley (written by Joe South)
“I’ve got scars that can’t be seen
I’ve got drama, can’t be stolen
Everybody knows me now”— quoted from the song “Lazarus” by David Bowie
As established by Article II, Section 3 of the U. S. Constitution, the State of the Union address is a re-cap of and reflection on the recent past and a look forward with hope, expectation, and a plan. Since it generally happens as early as January 3rd and as late as February 12th
, it is pretty much the same thing individuals do at the beginning of the year — and, also, what we have the opportunity to do every time we step on the mat: look at what’s worked and what hasn’t worked in the past and propose on a way to move forward.
This year, my personal State of the Union finds me back in Minnesota simultaneously looking forward and back, reflecting on what worked (or didn’t work) over the last 15+ years, the last almost 4 years, and the last week. Like the presidents of yesteryear, I am not going to spend a bunch of time recounting the negative stuff, I am just going to use it to provide a little context for the good stuff.
“A tranquil and one-pointed mind is purposefully creative. With such a mind you get more done in less time, and what is more, because it is done with clarity and purpose, the work you undertake is not a burden and does not become a source of misery.
A confused mind is not fit to follow any path. It is not even in a position to tell the body and senses what is good for them and what is not. That is why we go on complying with the urges of the body and senses, even when these urges serve no useful purpose. Such a mind has no way of deciding what it should unite with or what it should separate from; this confusion is what causes a person to live a purposeless, meaningless life.”
— quoted from “Yoga: Union with What?” (a Q&A response) by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
When my “hostess with the most-est” first suggested the idea of me returning to Minnesota for a couple of weeks, she had said that she had (and I quote), That could be considered “no expectations” and, also, could be a way to describe the practice of non-attachment in the modern world: speak a plan into exist, do some work to make it happen, and be open to the way it unfolds.
I, however, had a bit of an agenda and some expectations — if only because I normally offer some special practices on New Year’s Day and on the First Friday Night of each month. I also had some hopes and desires about reconnecting — uniting, if you will — with some people I had seen in awhile. Then, too, I had the awareness that it had been a long time since most of us had practiced together (let alone together-together) and that some things about each and everyone of us are different. My desires, hopes, agendas, expectations, and even fears could all be considered forms of attachment and afflicted/dysfunctional thinking. In other words, they could all lead to suffering… and, on a certain level they did.
I had moments of frustration and disappointment. I know others also had similar moments (for different reasons). However, when everything is said and done, I am overwhelmed by gratitude. After almost four years of practicing together-while-apart, I am so very grateful that so many people were able to join in “Yoga Week” (as some of you were calling the first week of January 2024). I appreciated the presence of everyone who physically practiced in our four (4) studios — as well as to those who Zoomed in from as far away as Portland and the Middle East and those who did their best and could only make it in spirit.
I am forever grateful to my hostess for planting the seed, nourishing that seed and, doing so much to make it happen (including sharing her family and her practice). Similarly, I am grateful for the people who suggested possible spaces and the four lovely lovelies who connected me and helped me get situated in our “pop up” studios. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you to the staff members at Center for the Performing Arts, Gabrielle and the teachers at 612 Jungle, and the teachers and staff at Roosevelt High School and North Community High School. Thank you for those who offered technical support (even before I arrived) and thank you to everyone who offered me a ride (even if I didn’t take it), fed me, offered to feed me, and/or made a donation (so I can feed myself when I get back to Texas)! Thank you, in advance, for those who will make it to the Open House on Thursday and thank you to JK who is opening her heart, home, and hearth to us exactly four years (to the date) from the last time we gathered together.
Looking forward, I hope this week has reignited you and your practice. I hope it has given you some insight into what comes next for you. I hope it has allowed you to let go of some things that no longer serve you, so that you can move it the new year with a little more unencumbered purpose and determination. I hope that purpose and determination inspires you to plan… something. I hope you are safe and protected, peaceful and happy, healthy and strong, and that you have ease and well being from this day forward.
As for me: I am open to coming back… for a visit. Maybe it will be another New Year Yoga Week; maybe it will be a series of workshops and/or a retreat. Maybe it will be in another place all together, but we will be back — together — again.
“In contrast, a peaceful, one-pointed mind has a natural ability to see itself, its role, and its place in relation to both body and soul. This ability allows the mind to command the body to discharge its duty to hear and heed the voice of the soul. The practices that help us acquire a one-pointed mind are called yoga. Reaching that state is the goal of yoga.”
— quoted from “Yoga: Union with What?” (a Q&A response) by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
The 2022 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for 01082022 State of the “Union”]
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.)
### YOGA ###
EXCERPT (w/links): “When Do You Feel Free?” December 6, 2023
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 13th Amendment, Abraham Lincoln, Constitution, freedom, George Graham Vest, jivan-mukti
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May all beings everywhere be happy and be free, during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (November 25th – December 10th) and on all the other days of their lives.
“At the last session of Congress a proposed amendment of the Constitution abolishing slavery throughout the United States passed the Senate, but failed for lack of the requisite two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives. Although the present is the same Congress and nearly the same members, and without questioning the wisdom or patriotism of those who stood in opposition, I venture to recommend the reconsideration and passage of the measure at the present session. Of course the abstract question is not changed; but an intervening election shows almost certainly that the next Congress will pass the measure if this does not. Hence there is only a question of time as to when the proposed amendment will go to the States for their action. And as it is to so go at all events, may we not agree that the sooner the better?”
— quoted from State of the Union 1864, delivered to the United States Congress by President Abraham Lincoln (on 12/6/1864)
The following is excerpted from the 2022 version of a 2020 post:
“Today in 1864, during his State of the Union Address, President Abraham Lincoln urged Congress and the States to take action “the sooner the better” on an amendment to abolish slavery. He proceeded to very actively, more actively than had previously been witnessed in other presidencies, work towards securing the votes needed to pass and ratify what would become the 13th Amendment — which was, in fact, ratified today in 1865.
Ratification of the 13th Amendment “officially” made slavery illegal in the United States. It also rendered the Fugitive Slave Clause moot and created the opportunity for more representation, by eliminating certain aspects of the Three-Fifths Compromise. So, we celebrate today, right? Right??
Funny thing about that ratification: Even before we address things like the 18th Century “Tignon Laws,” the 19th Century “Black Codes” or “Black Laws,” and the “Jim Crow Laws” enacted in the late 19th and early 20 Centuries — or the fact that a 14th and 15th Amendment were needed to secure the rights, privileges, and immunities of formerly enslaved people and their descendants (let alone all the Acts) — we need to look at the how the 13th Amendment was ratified.
Click here to read the entire post.
“It is not claimed that the election has imposed a duty on members to change their views or their votes any further than, as an additional element to be considered, their judgment may be affected by it. It is the voice of the people now for the first time heard upon the question. In a great national crisis like ours unanimity of action among those seeking a common end is very desirable–almost indispensable. And yet no approach to such unanimity is attainable unless some deference shall be paid to the will of the majority simply because it is the will of the majority. In this case the common end is the maintenance of the Union, and among the means to secure that end such will, through the election, is most dearly declared in favor of such constitutional amendment.”
— quoted from State of the Union 1864, delivered to the United States Congress by President Abraham Lincoln (on 12/6/1864)
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Wednesday, December 6th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 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.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [“12062022 Freedom, XIII”]
NOTE: This is a remix based on the 4th of July and Juneteenth playlists. The playlists are slightly different, but mostly with regard to the before/after class music. The biggest difference is that the videos posted on the blog on July 4th do not appear on Spotify.]
“Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”
— “Amendment XIII” of The Constitution of the United States
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.)
### When Do You Breathe Freely (& Deeply)? ###
EXCERPTS (with links): “Because Every Vote Counted – Part 2 & Part 3” July 2, 2023
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Suffering, Super Heroes, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: Caesar Rodney, Constitution, Declaration of Independence, freedom, independence, July 4th, liberty, NAACP, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall, yoga
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Many blessings to all, and especially to those preparing for Guru Purnima!
This is the post for Sunday, July 2nd. My apologies for not posting before the 2:30 practice. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, 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.)
“Like many anniversary celebrations, the plan for 1987 takes particular events and holds them up as the source of all the very best that has followed. Patriotic feelings will surely swell, prompting proud proclamations of the wisdom, foresight, and sense of justice shared by the Framers and reflected in a written document now yellowed with age. This is unfortunate. Not the patriotism itself, but the tendency for the celebration to oversimplify, and overlook the many other events that have been instrumental to our achievements as a nation. The focus of this celebration invites a complacent belief that the vision of those who debated and compromised in Philadelphia yielded the ‘more perfect Union’ it is said we now enjoy.
I cannot accept this invitation, for I do not believe that the meaning of the Constitution was forever ‘fixed’ at the Philadelphia Convention. Nor do I find the wisdom, foresight, and sense of justice exhibited by the Framers particularly profound. To the contrary, the government they devised was defective from the start, requiring several amendments, a civil war, and momentous social transformation to attain the system of constitutional government, and its respect for the individual freedoms and human rights, we hold as fundamental today. When contemporary Americans cite ‘The Constitution,’ they invoke a concept that is vastly different from what the Framers barely began to construct two centuries ago.”
– quoted from the speech given by Supreme Court Justice (and former NAACP chief counsel) Thurgood Marshall at The Annual Seminar of the San Francisco Patent and Trademark Law Association, Maui, Hawaii May 6, 1987
The following excerpts are from 2020 posts:
“If you talk about freedom, liberty, and independence, and then reference a significant horse ride, most people in America will think about Paul Revere and his midnight ride (of April 18, 1775). If you ask someone from Delaware, however, they might also mention Caesar Rodney, whose ride is depicted on the back of the ‘Delaware quarter.’”
Click here to read ”Because Every Vote Counted (Part 2)” in its entirety.
“Freedom. Liberty. Independence. We’ve already established [in Parts 1 & 2] that when Caesar Rodney cast his vote for independence, today in 1776, his vote did not extend freedom, liberty, or independence to all humans within his territory. But, that is not the end of today’s story. Exactly 132 years after Caesar Rodney’s famous ride to cast a vote for independence, a baby boy was born to a railroad porter named William and his wife Norma, a teacher. This son, a descendant of enslaved people on both sides, would spend his whole life working to extend those freedoms to all. Today in 1964, on his 56th birthday, he received a great ‘birthday present’ in the form of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Let’s go back to Baltimore, Maryland on July 2, 1908.”
Click here to read “Because Every Vote Counted (Part 3): more aptly titled ‘To Ensure Every Vote Counted’” in its entirety.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
“And so we must be careful, when focusing on the events which took place in Philadelphia two centuries ago, that we not overlook the momentous events which followed, and thereby lose our proper sense of perspective. Otherwise, the odds are that for many Americans the bicentennial celebration will be little more than a blind pilgrimage to the shrine of the original document now stored in a vault in the National Archives. If we seek, instead, a sensitive understanding of the Constitution’s inherent defects, and its promising evolution through 200 years of history, the celebration of the “Miracle at Philadelphia” Bowen, Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention May to September 1787 (Boston 1966), will, in my view, be a far more meaningful and humbling experience. We will see that the true miracle was not the birth of the Constitution, but its life, a life nurtured through two turbulent centuries of our own making, and a life embodying much good fortune that was not.
Thus, in this bicentennial year, we may not all participate in the festivities with flag-waving fervor. Some may more quietly commemorate the suffering, struggle, and sacrifice that has triumphed over much of what was wrong with the original document, and observe the anniversary with hopes not realized and promises not fulfilled. I plan to celebrate the bicentennial of the Constitution as a living document, including the Bill of Rights and the other amendments protecting individual freedoms and human rights.”
– quoted from the conclusion to the speech given by Supreme Court Justice (and former NAACP chief counsel) Thurgood Marshall at The Annual Seminar of the San Francisco Patent and Trademark Law Association, Maui, Hawaii May 6, 1987
### MOKSHA • MUKTI ###
Starting with the Foundation (a prelude) June 11, 2023
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, First Nations, Healing Stories, Life, Meditation, Men, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: asana, Benjamin Franklin, Committee of Five, Constitution, Declaration of Independence, John Adams, Lee Resolution, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, William Butler Yeats, yoga, Yoga Sutra 1.32, Yoga Sutras 1.30-1.32, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.50
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Happy Pride! Many blessings to everyone!!
Yoga Sūtra 1.32: tat pratiṣedhārtham eka tattvābhyāsaḥ
– “To prevent or deal with these nine obstacles and their four consequences, the recommendation is to make the mind one-pointed, training it how to focus on a single truth, principle, or object.”
On and off the mat, we start with the foundation. We build from the ground up. This is standard operating procedure whether we are building an asana; building a life for ourselves; building a relationship; building an edifice; building an organization or a business; and/or building a country. We may have an idea(l) in mind and our desire may be to build from the concept (i.e., that may be what motivates us to build); however, to make the dream come true – to make the idea(l) a reality – we need awareness and material/matter.
That’s the practice. On and off the mat (or cushion), we bring awareness to the foundation and then establish a foundation that allows us to bring awareness to our awareness… or to any number things which can be our point of focus. In mindfulness-based practices, like Yoga and Buddhist meditation, we are very intentional, very deliberate about this method of building. In fact, Patanjali outlined this practice in the Yoga Sūtras. (YS 2.46-50) More detailed instructions (on building asanas) can be found in texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Shastras, like Yoga Vasistha, and many modern texts also include details on building a practice. And, we can extrapolate from there – taking the practice off of the mat/cushion and into the world.
On a certain level, reality forces us to build from the ground up. However, there is a difference between just doing it and being deliberate and intentional about it. There is also a difference between deliberately and intentionally building from the ground up and starting [everything] with the foundation in mind. For example, in a seated (or moving) meditation practice, when you loose the “thread,” you go back to the beginning – back to the foundation.
Are you still “sitting” in a way that balances effort and relaxation? If the answer is no, adjust. If the answer is yes, bring awareness to the parts of the breath. Notice when (and what) distracts you. Remind yourself that you are “sitting” and breathing. That’s the practice.
Off the mat/cushion, there is a tendency to forget about the foundation once we really get going. No, I’m not ignoring the fact that this also happens in yoga practices where there is a lot of movement and momentum. What I would like to point out, however, is that part of a practice like vinyasa is being mindful of the pace. Being mindful of the pace requires noticing when you are not breathing deeply; when you are moving faster than your breath; and/or when you are “flowing,” but not “placing things in a special way” (which is the literal meaning of vinyasa). Also, over time, not being mindful of the foundation may lead to injuries and/or obstacles to the practice. (YS 1.30-31)
Off the mat/cushion, the tendency to forget about the foundation also has consequences. People get hurt – on a lot of different levels. And, also, obstacles arise that prevent the fulfilment of the original idea(l). What I mean by that is: Sometimes we end up with a final product that looks nothing like the intention. And, sometimes, things fall apart because the center (which is the foundation) could not hold… was not designed to hold without attention/awareness.
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;”
– quoted from the poem “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats
Today in 1776, the Committee of Five started discussing and drafting a document which would be approved by the Second Continental Congress and presented to England as a Declaration of Independence. Representatives John Adams (Massachusetts), Roger Sherman (Connecticut), Robert Livingston (New York), Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania), and Thomas Jefferson (Virginia), worked until July 5th building what became the foundation of the United States of America.
The final document was approved on July 2nd, printed on July 4th, and signed by the delegates of the Second Continental Congress over the course of several months. It contains some of the best and most quoted language associated with democracy and freedom. It is considered, by some, to be the best language regarding an ideal government. Yet, the original language is interesting – as is the language of the final draft. First, the committee originally included language criticizing English people, slavery, and the British slave trade. Ultimately, they decided to exclude the language about slavery, because they thought including it would cost them votes. Another interesting point (of exclusion) is that the words didn’t exactly mean what they said. The words “all men” was not, in fact, applied to all men (let alone all humans).
A portion of the following is an excerpt from a July 2020 post.
“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.”
– from “The Declaration of Independence” drafted by the Committee of Five and (eventually) signed by delegates of the Second Continental Congress
The Declaration of Independence was the formal announcement and explanation of the “Lee Resolution” (aka “The Resolution for Independence).” Its second sentence is often referenced as “one of the best-known sentences in the English language” and is possibly the most quoted sentence in American history. It provided justification for revolution and the building blocks for a new nation. It was, however, not completely true. While we may want to delude ourselves into thinking the founding fathers meant all humans when they signed off on the declaration – or even all males – the “all men” was very specific in that it meant “white men only.” And, if we are being honest, there was also a religious subtext which further restricted who would be granted the subsequently mentioned Rights. (Yes, yes, we can go around and around about religious freedom, but there was a definite assumption within the text that “all men,” see above, believed in one God – even if they had slightly different ways of worshiping said God.)
The Second Continental Congress approved the resolution and the declaration unanimously, but it was never a sure thing. There was debate with the Committee of Five as to how to present their argument to the other delegates in a way that would sway things in their favor. Remember, everyone on the committee and every one of the delegates was, at the time, a subject of the Crown – meaning they were citizens of the British Commonwealth – and what they were proposing was straight-up treason. They knew this would be evidence of treason. Furthermore, they knew that they were placing their family, friends, and neighbors at great risk. They also thought freedom, liberty, and independence were worth the risk.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States can be seen as the cornerstone of our democracy or the two visible sides of that cornerstone. Included within the Constitution is the governments ability to propose, ratify, and implement amendments. One could argue that providing such a proviso was the 1787 Constitutional Convention’s way of strengthening the foundation and of making sure future leaders (and their descendants) kept the foundation in mind.
“It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error. But nature has not given to everyone a talent for that purpose; and among those to whom such a talent is given, there is often a want of disposition or of courage to do it.”
– quoted from the “Preface” (addressed “To the Ministers and Preachers of all Denominations of Religion.”) of “Part III” in The Age Of Reason by Thomas Paine
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, June 11th) at 2:30 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.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
Errata: The sūtra quoted at the beginning of this post was originally identified with the wrong chapter number.
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.)
A Joyful Practice 