Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 9-Day Challenge, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Mysticism, New Year, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Rosh Hashanah, Science, Vairagya, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Dorothy Miles, Equinox, High Holidays, International Week of Deaf People (IWDP), Joan Borysenko, kriya yoga, kriyā yoga, Navaratri, Rosh Hashanah, Shailaputri, Sharada Navaratri, sign languages, svādhyāya, Swami J, Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati, Swami Vivekananda, tapas, Ten Days of Atonement, Ten Days of Awe, Unetaneh Tokef, Yoga Sutra 2.1, Yoga Sutras 3.9-3.16, īśvarapraņidhāna
“L’Shana Tovah U’Metukah!” to everyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays. “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Sharada Navaratri!” Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom during the Equinox and International Week of Deaf People.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This post-practice post for Monday, September 22nd, is a compilation post, which includes some new and previously posted content, plus a series of excerpts. Please note that linked excerpts direct you to posts that will include content related to a specific year. The 2025 prompt question was, “How do you get ready for something big, for something momentous, for something auspicious?” You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“Those Samâdhis with which we ended our last chapter are very difficult to attain; so we must take them up slowly. The first step, the preliminary step, is called Kriya-yoga. Literally this means work, working towards Yoga.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.1, from Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda
When you first consider the Monday prompt question, you may think that the answer depends on what you’re getting ready to do. However, I would argue that such an answer is related to the finer details of your life. If you take in the big picture, you will notice that we usually get ready for something big by taking a moment to look back and make sure we have all our ducks in a row. In other words, we reflect and we make a plan — even if that plan is just related to what we are going to wear or how we want our house to look when company comes over. In the process, we also make sure our head and heart are in the right place; that we have an attitude that is going to serve us.
In some ways, the general process we use to get ready is one way to look at the process Patanjali described as kriyā yoga (“yoga in action”): a combination of tapah (“heat, discipline, austerity” and the practices that cultivate them — physically, mentally, emotionally, even spiritually and religiously), svādhyāya (“self-study”), and īśvarapraņidhāna (“trustful surrender to [God]”). (YS 1.2) I reference this rubric throughout the year, because it is not only a process we can use individually, it is also a process that communities use when they are getting ready for a big, momentous, auspicious time… like a new season and/or a new year.
The new moon on Sunday was actually the precursor all of the above since Monday was the Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere (or Spring/Vernal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere); the beginning of Sharada Navaratri in some Hindu communities; and the beginning of the International Week of the Deaf People. Additionally, Monday at sunset marked the beginning of Rosh Hashanah in Jewish communities around the world (and in communities where people observe the commanded holidays outlined in Deuteronomy).
THE EQUINOX EXCERPTS — “On Having A Good Time” (revised):
“The transition from one year to the next year happens in an infinitely short moment that is actually non-existent in time. So too, there are transitions in the moments of life and the moments of meditation. Mindfulness of transitions in daily life and during meditation time is extremely useful on the spiritual journey to enlightenment.”
— quoted from the commentary on “Yoga Sutras 3.9-3.16: Witnessing Subtle Transitions With Samyama” by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (“Swami J”)
In theory, the angle of the Earth combines with its rotation around the sun to produce four noteworthy (and marked) dates: Autumnal Equinox, Winter Solstice, Vernal (or Spring) Equinox, and Summer Solstice.
I say, “in theory”, because we like to think that everyone around the world has equal amounts of day and night on the equinox and that these appreciable moments in time are actually that — appreciable and notable. The truth, however, is that there is no sudden/automatic change in how much light and how much darkness we get. It’s not a dimmer switch and we can honestly notice changes much earlier than indicated by the celestial calendar. Furthermore, no one is really getting 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night on the actual equinox. We perceive daylight long after the sun has moved below the horizon and, therefore, daytime is longer at latitudes above the equator than below.
Here in Houston, we got 12 hours and 10 minutes (as did people in Cairo, Egypt; with people in Shanghai, China maybe getting 1 more minute than that). On the flip side, someone in Anchorage, Alaska got 12 hours and 17 minutes and people in Helsinki, Finland got 12 hours and 19 minutes). Meanwhile, people in Cape Town, South Africa; Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; and Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau) on Te Ika-a-Māui/North Island of Aotearoa/New Zealand all got 12 hours and 9 minutes.
Even at the equator, a true 12-hour split doesn’t happen on the equinox (“equal night”): It happens on the equilux (“equal light”), which falls on Thursday, September 25th. for most mid-latitude people in the Northern Hemisphere. (Although the exact date does vary by location.)
Click on the excerpt title below for more about how you could spend your time.
On Having A Good Time
THE NAVARATRI EXCERPT — “Making Connections, Part 2 [in the New Year] Part 2” (revised):
Navaratri (which means “nine nights”, in Sanskrit) occurs four times on the Hindu calendar and is a celebration of divine feminine energy — specifically of Durga, the divine mother, in various manifestations. Some people (read, mostly men) think of these manifestations as different women. Others (read, mostly women) recognize these manifestations as the same woman at different points in her life. The latter understanding is underscored by the fact that each day is dedicated to a different manifestation of Durga/Parvati and each manifestation marks a different point in Her journey.
Navaratri always begins by celebrating Durga as Shailaputri (“Daughter of Mountain”). Shailaputri is the daughter of Himavat, the Mountain King or Guardian God of Himalayan Mountains, and is recognized as a divine manifestation of Mahadevi and a reincarnation of Sati (the wife of Shiva), who then reincarnates as Parvati. In art, she holds a trishula or trident in her right hand and a lotus in her left hand, all while riding Shiva’s bull Nandi, whose name means “happy, joy, and satisfaction”.
The fall (Sharada) Navaratri celebration, which started today (Monday), is the biggest and most celebrated of the four celebrations. Rituals and traditions vary from one region to the other and, during this festival, celebrations in some regions may include other manifestations of the Divine. For example, while some celebrations on the ninth day of Navaratri will also be Ayudha Puja (“worship of tools”) — when people celebrate peace and knowledge and give thanks for the tools of their occupation, some will give thanks for musical instruments and others will give thanks for their farming machinery. At the same time, some will make their puja (“offering”) to Saraswati — who is associated with knowledge, the arts, and culture, etc. — and others will direct their attention to Lakshmi — who is associated with prosperity, wealth, and fertility, etc. These fall celebrations also include a tenth day, Dussehra or Vijayadashami, which commemorates Lord Rama’s victory over a 10-headed demon.
Click here to discover posts that reference the other Divine manifestations celebrated during Navaratri.
THE INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF THE DEAF EXCERPTS — “Paying Attention is the First Step” & “Holchaj yIjatlh. (‘Speak in their language.’)” (revised):
“…people meet and part.
The word becomes the action in this language of the heart.”
— quoted from the English translation of the poem “Language for the Eye” by Dorothy Miles
Today, September 22nd, the beginning of International Week of Deaf People (IWDP). While IWDP is celebrated during the last full week of September (and therefore the dates shift a little), International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) is held annually on September 23rd, the anniversary of the day, in 1951, when the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) was established in Rome, Italy, during the first World Deaf Conference. That first conference was organized by Ente Nazionale Sordomuti (ENS), the Italian Deaf Association, and attended by representatives from 25 countries. Now, WFD is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization of deaf associations from 133 countries. It promotes the human rights of deaf people worldwide and works with the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and UN agencies like the World Health Organization (WHO).
Each day of IWDP has a different focus. The 2025 theme for the entire week is “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights” and the focus on Monday was “Deaf communities leading”. Both themes highlight the importance of including people in conversations about things (like social policy) that will affect them and emphasizes the fact that, “Deaf-led alliances, in collaboration with governments and other organisations, play a vital role in advancing sign language rights. Following the motto ‘nothing about us without us’, true progress comes from partnerships where deaf people lead and others support them as committed allies.”
Since we are heading into a New Year, you might spend your time by learning a new language.
There are, in fact, about 300 sign languages used around the world. This includes some (but not all) language families, like the French Sign Language Family, and the languages therein — like French Sign Language, Italian Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language, American Sign Language, Irish Sign Language, Russian Sign Language, Dutch Sign Language (NGT), Spanish Sign Language, Mexican Sign Language, Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS), Catalan Sign Language, Ukrainian Sign Language, Austrian Sign Language (along with its twin Hungarian Sign Language and its offspring Czech Sign Language) and others. That estimate also includes some (but not all) dialects and some village languages, as well as some Deaf-community and school languages. I am not sure if that estimate includes any speech-taboo languages1; but, suffice to say, there are a lot of sign languages. And, knowing one does not mean that you can use the other; any more than knowing one romance language means you can completely understand another.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF DEAF PEOPLE & MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE I HIGHLIGHTED LAST YEAR!
THE NEW YEAR EXCERPT — “An Invitation to ‘Reflecting, Remembering, Repenting, & Planting’” (revised):
“Through the years I’ve written and taught extensively about ‘liminal time,’ that pregnant pause between what is no longer and what is not yet. Although liminal time is a known stage in all rites of passage, most people have never heard of it. Whether we’re talking about a pandemic, a war, a refugee crisis, or even a man or womanhood ritual, a graduation, or a new job far away from family and friends, the stages (though not the intensity) of a rite of passage are the same.”
— quoted from “Running the Gauntlet of the Unknown” by Joan Borysenko, PhD (posted at joanborysenko.com, April 1, 2020)
This is a liminal moment — a transitional or threshold moment, a doorway in between moments; like the pauses in between the inhale and the exhale. As I have mentioned before, we could say that about any moment in our lives; however, this is one of those Liminal moments that is being recognized as an auspicious time by several communities around the world. This is one of those moments full of ceremony, ritual, and tradition.
It is an opportunity to “request” (or accept) and plan for more time.
“Who will be calm and who will be tormented?
Who will become poor and who will get rich?
Who will be made humble and who will be raised up?
But teshuvah and tefillah and tzedakah [repentance and prayer and righteous acts]
deflect the evil of the decree.”
— quoted from the poem “Unetaneh Tokef” (“Let Us Speak of the Awesomeness”)
Literally “the Head of the Year”, Rosh Hashanah is known as the Jewish New Year and is also the beginning of the High Holidays — known as the “Ten Days of Atonement” and the “Ten Days of Awe” — which culminate with Yom Kippur, “The Day of Atonement”. It is one of the holiest times of the year for some and is celebrated by people who might not typically go to services. Unlike a secular new year, it is more than a celebration — it is an observation: a time for reflection, remembrance, and repentance.
It is also a time when people “request” (or accept) and plan for a new year of life and purpose.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about how people prepare for a meaningful and sweet new year (or, click here to scroll through a variety of posts about Rosh Hashanah).
FTWMI: You’re Invited To A Possibility Party!
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
Music Note: You can click on the excerpt title above for the playlists featuring the poem I mentioned during the Monday practice.
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 (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).
1 According to Wikipedia, speech-taboo languages “are developed by the hearing community and only used secondarily by the deaf.”
### MAY YOUR NAME BE WRITTEN & SEALED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Life, Music, One Hoop, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: 988, equilux, Equinox, Los Lobos
Happy Autumn or Spring (depending on where you find yourself)! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone spending their time with friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This post contains some previously posted information.
“Because there’s a lot of work out there
Everything will be fine
And I’ll send for you baby
Just a matter of time”
— quoted from the song “A Matter of Time” by Los Lobos
Do you ever wish for a little more time?
Or, for similar reasons, do you ever wish certain things didn’t take up so much of your daylight hours?
There are certain times of year — like at the beginning of a new year and/or the beginning of a new season — when I think about this quite a bit. As different communities around the world celebrate new years at different times, a change in the astronomical seasons often overlaps or happens around the same time as a cultural and/or religious new year. So, I often do more than think about how I actually spend my time. I also start considering what I could do with more time — even if the actual time is only a little more.
Today is the Autumnal Equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere (and the Vernal or Spring Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere). In theory, the angle of the Earth combines with its rotation around the sun to produce four noteworthy (and marked) dates: Autumnal Equinox, Winter Solstice, Vernal (or Spring) Equinox, and Summer Solstice. I say, “in theory,” because the terms solstice and equinox refer to phenomena that don’t happen exactly as they are described.
While most people know that the sun does not, literally, “stand still” on the solstices, we still like to think that everyone around the world has equal amounts of day and night on the equinoxes — and that these appreciable moments in time are actually that: appreciable and notable. The truth, however, is that there is no sudden/automatic change in how much light and how much darkness we get. It’s not a dimmer switch. Additionally, we can notice changes much earlier than indicated by the celestial calendar. Furthermore, no one is really getting 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night on the actual equinox.
We perceive daylight long after the sun has moved below the horizon and, therefore, daytime is longer at latitudes above the equator than below. Here in Houston, I’ll get 12 hours and 7 minutes (as will people in Guatemala City, Guatemala). Meanwhile, people in Shanghai, China will get 12 hours and 6 minutes and people in Cairo, Egypt will get 12 hours and 8 minutes. On the flip side, someone in Anchorage, Alaska will get 12 hours and 11 minutes (while people in Helsinki, Finland will get 12 hours and 14 minutes). As for the countries marking the beginning of Spring, people in Lesotho (Free State), South Africa will get 12 hours and 7 minutes (as will people in São Paulo, Brazil); while people in Auckland, Aotearoa / New Zealand will get 12 hours and 9 minutes.
Even as we approach the equator, a true 12-hour split doesn’t happen on the equinox: It happens on the equilux (“equal light”), which — depending on your latitude and season — can fall a few days before or after the equinox. In the Northern hemisphere, equilux falls after the Autumnal Equinox. The closer you are to the equator, the later the date. However, if you are on (or near) the equator, you may never really get a 12-hour split. Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, which sits on the equator, has the same amount of daylight today as Shanghai, China (12 hours and six minutes).
So, for a few more days (or weeks) we all have more daylight than usual.
How could you spend your time?
More importantly: How will you spend your time?
“Believe in what you’re doing”
— quoted from the song “A Matter of Time” by Los Lobos
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, September 22nd) 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 “10062021 More Time]
If you are struggling, 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.
### MAKE A + DIFFERENCE! ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Baha'i, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Music, New Year, Nowruz, One Hoop, Philosophy, Poetry, Ramadan, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: Abolqasem Ferdowsi, Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi Tusione, Dalai Lama, Dick Davis, Equinox, Haft-sin, India Arie, India.Arie, International Day of Happiness, Joyce Simpson, Naw-Rúz, Nick Trevisick, Nowruz, Rabbi Noah Weinberg, Robin Roberts, Samyama, Season for Nonviolence, Season of Non-violence, Spring, Swami J, Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati, Tenzin Gyatso, United Nations General Assembly, Universal House of Justice, هفتسین, Yoga Sutras 3.9-3.16
“Nowruz Mubarak!” Happy New Year, to those who are celebrating and Happy Spring to those in the Northern Hemisphere. “Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone observing the holy month of Ramadān. Many blessings to all, and especially to those observing Lent or Great Lent on International Day of Happiness, and throughout this “Season for Nonviolence,” and during all other seasons!
This is the “missing” post for Wednesday, March 20th. It is a compilation post, which includes some previously posted content. Some links have been updated. You can request an audio recording of a related practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“The transition from one year to the next year happens in an infinitely short moment that is actually non-existent in time. So too, there are transitions in the moments of life and the moments of meditation. Mindfulness of transitions in daily life and during meditation time is extremely useful on the spiritual journey to enlightenment.”
— quoted from the commentary on “Yoga Sutras 3.9-3.16: Witnessing Subtle Transitions With Samyama” by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (“Swami J”)
Bring your awareness to your breath and the parts of your breath. Notice the inhale… the pause… the exhale… and the pause that starts the process all over again.
Now, really focus on the transitions. Notice the inhale becoming the exhale and the exhale becoming the inhale.
The change happens in that little moment that is the pause: that little moment that we barely notice from one moment to the next — until something or someone brings our awareness to it. If you go a little deeper, you realize a new year is like that.
We don’t often think of it that way, and we certainly don’t (as a whole) view and celebrate life that way. But, the bottom line is that every day, every inhale, and every exhale is the beginning of a New Year. Every moment of our lives is a “liminal” moment: a transitional or threshold moment that serves as a doorway between times.
SŪTRA PRACTICE NOTE:
In the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali underscored the importance of paying attention to the transitions. In fact, when detailing how the practice of “concentration” “progresses,” Patanjali highlighted the final three limbs of the Yoga Philosophy (dhāranā, dhyāna, and samādhi) and referred to them collectively as samyama. Once he explained how each one flows from the previous ones (all stemming from the earlier practices of prāņāyāma and pratyāhāra) — and cautioned against efforts to skip the stages of progression — he delineated the difference between external and internal experiences. We often think of these as being very obviously related to things that are happening outside of the body and/or separate from us versus things happening inside the body and/or directly related to us. We may even break things down as things we can touch/hold versus things that are not tangible. However, there is also an aspect of the practice that transcends these arbitrary delineations: outside becomes inside.
Endings become beginnings.
Sometimes we choose to acknowledge the change. Sometimes we even celebrate the change. Most times, however, we don’t start noticing the changes until something (or someone) tells us to notice the changes. Even then, however, what we notice is the end result — the culmination of all the little changes; not the transitions themselves.
For example, when winter is really cold and really dark (or we’ve been cooped-up inside too much) we look for signs of hope. We pay attention to the little incremental differences between one day and the next. We notice the lengthening shadows and the extra seconds. We may notice we have more daylight, more sunshine, and we call it “Spring!” In some ways, however, this moment is arbitrary because we have been getting more daylight since the winter solstice. Similarly, most people in the United States “spring forward” and change their clocks just before equilux in the U. S., but don’t think about the concept of equal nighttime and equal daytime until almost 2 weeks later on the equinox!
The most recent equinox, which occurred Tuesday night (at approximate 10:06 PM, CST), was the vernal (or spring) equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. It coincides with Nowruz, also known as the Persian New Year or Iranian New Year, which is also the Zoroastrian and the Bahá’i New Year. Nowruz is a compound of two Persian words and literally means “new day.”
“Wake up in the morning
And get out of bed
Start making a mental list in my head
Of all of the things that I am grateful for
Early in the morning
It’s the dawn of a new day
New hopes new dreams new ways”
— quoted from the song “A Beautiful Day” by India.Arie Simpson (written by Nick Trevisick, India Arie, Joyce Simpson, Robin Roberts)
The date of this New Year (and of the vernal equinox) is established every year through the astronomical observations that result in the Solar Hijri (Persian) calendar, which is the oldest and most accurate solar calendar. Technically, last night was the end of the Bahá’i 19-Day Fast and the beginning of the Bahá’i New Year; but these are also (slightly) moveable based on the change in seasons.
In “the Most Holy Book” of the Bahá’i Faith, the Kitáb-i-Agdas, the prophet Bahá’u’lláh explained that the equinox was a “Manifestation of God” and, therefore, would mark the new day/year. He also indicated that the actual date would be based on a “standard” place chosen by the Universal House of Justice (the nine-member ruling body of the worldwide community) in Haifa, Israel. In 2014 (which was year 171 in their community), the Universal House of Justice chose Tehran as the special place in the world that would serve as the observational standard. This is year 178 181.
People within the Bahá’i Faith community spend the last month of the year preparing for the New Year by observing the 19-Day Fast. Throughout various parts of Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin, and the Balkans people from a variety of faiths have traditions which sometimes include a month’s worth of (preparatory) celebrations. These celebrations include “spoon-banging” and costumed visitors in a practice similar to Halloween’s trick-or-treaters; rituals related to light; a celebration of the elements; and a celebration of ancestors.
Many Nowruz celebrations highlight the number seven and the letter “s” with a table featuring the Haft-sin (Persian: هفتسین, seven things beginning with the letter sin (س)). In addition to the seven foods that represent the four elements (fire, earth, air, and water) and the three life forms (humans, animals, and plants), the Haft-sin table may include other items, including sacred texts and scriptures containing stories about how light (literally and symbolically) overcomes darkness.
“But his splendid son, Jamshid, his heart filled with his father’s precepts, then prepared to reign. He sat on his father’s throne, wearing a golden crown according to the royal custom. The imperial [divine glory] was his. The world submitted to him; quarrels were laid to rest, and all demons, birds and fairies obeyed Jamshid’s commands. The royal throne shone with luster, and the wealth of the world increased. He said, ‘God’s glory is with me; I am both prince and priest. I hold evildoers back from their evil, and I guide souls towards the light.’”
— quoted from “The First Kings” in Shanameh — The Persian Book of Kings by Abolqasem Ferdowsi (translated by Dick Davis)
One such story appears in the Shāhnāma (“The Book of Kings”), an epic Persian poem written by Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi Tusione around the 10th and 11th centuries and one of the world’s longest poems attributed to a single author. According to the legend, there was a time when the world was plunged into darkness and a deadly winter that caused most people to lose hope. However, the mythical King Jamshid, who spent over 100 years building a great kingdom, saved the world and restored hope by building a throne out of gems and precious metals. He then sat on the throne and had “demons” lift him up to catch the dying light so that he became as bright as the sun. More gems were gathered around him and he became even brighter. This became the “New Day.”
Since the “Season for Nonviolence” word for today is “Choice,” consider what choices you want to make on this new day and in this new year and new season.
A new day is new beginning. It can be refreshing and exciting, full of possibilites. It can be a beautiful day, a happy day. In fact, on July 12, 2012, the United Nations General Assembly resolution 66/281 proclaimed March 20th as International Day of Happiness. It is a great day to consider how we experience happiness and how we can prioritize happiness, every time we inhale and every time we exhale. It is also a great day to remember that “happiness” is not experienced the same way by everyone.
For some happiness is an ecstatic kind of joy; for others it is the feeling of not being miserable; and then there is everything in between. One Buddhist teacher even defines it simply as the absence of suffering. Furthermore, since we are all on “hedonic treadmill,” no one experiences happiness in the same way in every moment of the day. Yet, everyone deserves some happiness.
“Happiness is a fundamental human goal. The United Nations General Assembly recognizes this goal and calls for ‘a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples.’”
“The resolution was initiated by Bhutan, a country which recognized the value of national happiness over national income since the early 1970s and famously adopted the goal of Gross National Happiness over Gross National Product.”
— quoted from the United Nations’ information page for International Day of Happiness
Remember, each day is the culmination of all the days that have come — which means that how you feel in any given moment is the culmination of all the moments that have come before. What you’ve done in your past moments informs this present moment; just as this present moment informs all the future moments. On Sunday, I also pointed out that how you feel on the inside, plays a part in how you will move on the outside, and how you move on the outside, plays a part of how you feel on the inside. On Tuesday night, I added another truth to this litany: how you feel in this moment, may be related to the weather and how much sunshine you’re getting, every time you inhale and every time you exhale.
If you are in the Northern Hemisphere you are now, officially, getting more daylight. Taking a moment to express gratitude for the light is just as important as the light itself. Remember, as Rabbi Noah Weinberg said, “Happiness is not a happening. Happiness is a state of mind. You can have everything in the world and still be miserable. Or you can have relatively little and feel unbounded joy.”
“I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affect this. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment.”
— Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama in July 2015
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “03202021 New Year, New Season”]
“At a time of another crisis, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá offered these words of counsel: ‘In a day such as this, when the tempests of trials and tribulations have encompassed the world, and fear and trembling have agitated the planet, ye must rise above the horizon of firmness and steadfastness with illumined faces and radiant brows in such wise that, God willing, the gloom of fear and consternation may be entirely obliterated, and the light of assurance may dawn above the manifest horizon and shine resplendently.’ The world stands more and more in need of the hope and the strength of spirit that faith imparts. Beloved friends, you have of course long been occupied with the work of nurturing within groups of souls precisely the attributes that are required at this time: unity and fellow feeling, knowledge and understanding, a spirit of collective worship and common endeavour. Indeed, we have been struck by how efforts to reinforce these attributes have made communities especially resilient, even when faced with conditions that have necessarily limited their activities. Though having to adapt to new circumstances, the believers have used creative means to strengthen bonds of friendship, and to foster among themselves and those known to them spiritual consciousness and qualities of tranquillity, confidence, and reliance on God.”
— quoted from a rare “New Year” message from the Universal House of Justice “To the Bahá’is of the World,” dated Naw-Ruz 177 (March 20, 2020, in reference to COVID-19 recommendations)
The majority of the 2023 post for this date has been incorporated above. The following is a personal note from the beginning:
“I mentioned in my last a “9 Days” video that we all have patterns. One of my patterns seems to be falling behind at certain points in the year. Maybe you have noticed that same pattern in yourself. Maybe, like me, there are times when you can pinpoint reasons, explanations, stories about why your engagement in the world changes — e.g., those years when Februarys were extra challenging and the fact that my maternal grandparents and my mother all died during (different) summers. Then there are times when the pattern seems odd (i.e., when you forget that those extra challenging Februarys still have a hold on you). Either way, when you start noticing those patterns, you may also start noticing correlating patterns — like when you start catching back up.”
As so many around the world are getting ready for new beginnings, this feels like an auspicious time to start catching back up on my blog posts! Stay tuned in.
### Choose Gratitude. ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Life, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Sukkot, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: Anana Sutta, Ecclesiastes, Equinox, Kohelet, Matthieu Ricard, preya, Rabbi Noah Weinberg, sukha, sukhasana, Unetaneh Tokef, Upanishads, Yoga Sutra 2.42, Yoga Sutra 2.46
“Chag sameach!” to those celebrating Sukkot.
[This is the “missing” post for Wednesday, September 22nd. You can request an audio recording of either practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.]
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
– Kohelet – Ecclesiastes (3:1-8), KJV
When most Americans – especially most Christian Americans – think of Ecclesiastes (or Ecclesiastes – Or, The Preacher, as it is called in the King James Version), they think of the beginning of the third Chapter. It is no accident that this passage about the different seasons in our lives, like the whole book, sounds a lot like the liturgical poem “Unetaneh Tokef” (“Let Us Speak of the Awesomeness”), which is often recited or chanted during Rosh Hashanah services. In fact, this whole book of the Hebrew Bible (and the Christian Old Testament) focuses on how one could spend their time. So, it is not surprising that people within the Jewish community (and those who observe the commanded holidays) spend some time in the fall reviewing this book of the Torah. What may be surprising to some is that a community review of Kohelet – Ecclesiastes doesn’t happen during the High Holidays. It happens after.
Yes, after spending (at least) ten days reflecting, remembering, repenting, and planning for a New Year, people within the Jewish community then spend a little time celebrating what’s to come with the observation of Sukkot. Remember, the “Festival (or Feast) of the Tabernacles (or Booths)” is a time to give thanks for blessings that will be given and during this time people read the twelve short chapters featuring the philosophy of a teacher (or a preacher) who is identified at the beginning and only speaks directly at the beginning and the end. Some people, even some religious scholars, consider the wisdom within these pages to be rhetorical questions and musings only intended to get people to think about the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life. For these scholars, Ecclesiastes is a pessimistic meditation with a shot a fatalism. Others, even some religious scholars, view these passages as words by which we all should live: giving, allowing, and embracing each season of our lives as full as possible. For these scholars, Ecclesiastes is a life affirming meditation on the power of the gift that has been given: this present moment.
“Breath of breath, said the Teacher; [like the shadow of mist that passes], all is breath.*
What profit has man in all his toil that he toils under the sun?
A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth endures forever.
The sun rises and the sun sets, and to its place it yearns and rises there.
It goes to the south and goes to the north; the will goes around and around, and the will returns to its circuits.”
(*NOTE: The Hebrew word “hevel” (variations of which occur 3 times in K-E 3.1) is often translated into English as “vanity,” “futility” or “meaningless,” but is literally translated as “breath.)
– Kohelet – Ecclesiastes (1:2-6)
As the sun rises and sets, as “it goes to the south and goes to north,” people around the world mark the changing seasons with a variety of rituals and traditions. This year, the second day of Sukkot (September 22nd) was also the Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere (which is the Vernal or Spring Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. So, while some people spent their twelve or so hours of daylight practicing a 108 Sun Salutations or finishing up mooncakes left over from Mid-Autumn Festival (a Harvest Moon festival in China that actually fell on September 21st this year), some people spent the twelve or so hours of daylight (and nighttime) eating, sleeping, reading Kohelet – Ecclesiastes, and giving thanks outdoors in their sukkah.
I keep saying, “twelve or so hours” because everybody everywhere doesn’t get exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of nighttime on the equinox.
Giving thanks – that’s one way we can spend our time. One way we can spend our breath. Some even say it is one of the most powerful ways to spend our time, because it is a way to cultivate happiness. In fact, appreciating what is (in any given moment) is one aspect of santosha, the second niyamā (internal “observation) in the yoga philosophy.
Yoga Sūtra 2.42: santoşādanuttamah sukhalābhah
– “From contentment comes happiness without equal.”
Patanjali used variations of the Sanskrit word “sukha” throughout his treatise on the practice. For example, he used it in his explanation of the third limb of the philosophy, āsana, where it (sukham) is often translated into English as “easy,” “comfortable,” or “joyful.” (YS 2.46) Prior to that, in offering different ways to clear the mind, he suggested offering “the essence of friendship” or “friendliness” to those who are sukha and “a joyful condition of the mind” or “happiness” (muditā) when dealing with people who are virtuous (puņya). Furthermore, in our physical practice of yoga, we have Sukhāsana. A pose kids know as “criss-cross, apple sauce,” but it is often translated into English as “Easy Pose” – even though it can be quite challenging if your hips are tight and/or you have knee issues. Literally speaking, though, it could just as easily be called “Happy Seat.”
This year it really struck me that the Hebrew word for “booth” or “tabernacle,” the same word applied to an ancient farmer’s temporary shelter, sounds (and looks) like the Sanskrit word for “easy,” “comfortable,” or “joyful.” We could get into the etymology and shared roots of ancient languages, but for the moment I want to focus on context. In ancient Sanskrit and Pali texts, there are two different ways in which one can experience happiness, pleasure, and/or bliss. There’s the conditional and transitional experience that you might have after, say, eating your favorite meal or dessert. It is short term, not lasting, when you’re patting your full belly and not thinking about anyone but yourself. That is preya. On the flip side, there is an experience that is more intrinsic and more lasting, one that is associated with something that is “good” in that it serves a purpose.
Consider, for example, the feeling experienced by a farmer who, after bringing in the harvest that will feed their family and friends, has a moment in the temporary shade where they look out over all of their land and experience satisfaction that is tied to the land, tied to the work of their hands, and also tied to the future. Yes, that single moment of deep satisfaction may only happen for a single moment (then it’s time to get back to work) and it can absolutely be something that is connected to one’s ego. (Again, making it preya.) However, here I’m talking about a sensation born from living a life of purpose and living a life that requires complete commitment to the purpose. The person who cooks during and after the harvest may look around the table and recognize how their efforts are connected to the overall effort and also experience a bone deep satisfaction that comes from complete commitment.
By complete commitment, I mean mind-body-spirit aligned with thoughts, words, and deeds. When that commitment is experienced along with an awareness of how everything (and everyone) is connected and with a true understanding of how everyone (and everything) works together in order for there to be past (and future) harvests, then we are entering into the “sukha” realm. The farmer recognizes that they can’t work without the efforts of the cook; the cook recognizes that they can’t work without the farmer; both recognize that they cannot do what they do without the land, the seasons, and – especially in this context – without God (whatever that means to you at this moment).
Descriptions of this lasting type of “happiness” are found in the Upanishads as well as in Buddhist texts like the Anaņa Sutta. In the latter, the Buddha describes “four kinds of bliss that can be attained in the proper season, on the proper occasions….” (Sound familiar?) Descriptions of the first two kinds of joy – the bliss of having and the bliss of [making use of] wealth – emphasize the work (or effort) of a person and the righteousness of that work (meaning it is wise or skillful work, in the Buddhist sense). Descriptions for the latter two kinds of joy are shorter in that they simply describe how one is debtless (because they are without debt) and blameless (because they are without kamma/karma). Even though the last two have shorter descriptions, it is clear that to move through the world without owing and/or harming anyone is a skill that requires practice.
So, the question remains: How will you spend your time?
“So the whole point of that is not, sort of, to make, like, a circus thing of showing exceptional beings who can jump, or whatever. It’s more to say that mind training matters. That this is not just a luxury. This is not a supplementary vitamin for the soul. This is something that’s going to determine the quality of every instant of our lives. We are ready to spend 15 years achieving education. We love to do jogging, fitness. We do all kinds of things to remain beautiful. Yet, we spend surprisingly little time taking care of what matters most – the way our mind functions – which, again, is the ultimate thing that determines the quality of our experience.”
– quoted from a Ted2004 talk entitled “The Habits of Happiness” by Matthieu Ricard
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Sukkot 3”]
Here’s another one of my 2020 Sukkot posts about practicing gratitude in order to cultivate happiness.
“Misconception #2: ‘If I become content and satisfied with what I have, I’ll lose my motivation to achieve more.’
Happiness doesn’t drain your energy. It adds more!
Ask a happy person: ‘I have a boat. Do you want to go fishing?’
He’ll say: ‘Great! Let’s go!’
Now ask someone who is depressed: ‘C’mon, let’s go fishing!’
He says, ‘I’m tired. Maybe tomorrow. And anyway, it might rain…’
Happy people are energetic and ambitious. There’s never enough time to do everything they want to do.”
– quoted from “Way #27: Happiness” in 48 Ways to Wisdom by Rabbi Noah Weinberg
### Breathe In, Breathe Out: Give Thanks ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Music, Sukkot.
Tags: Ecclesiastes, Equinox, Kohelet
“Chag sameach!” to those celebrating Sukkot. “Happy Equinox!” to everyone, everywhere.
“Breath of breath, said the Teacher; [like the shadow of mist that passes], all is breath.*
What profit has man in all his toil that he toils under the sun?
A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth endures forever.
The sun rises and the sun sets, and to its place it yearns and rises there.
It goes to the south and goes to the north; the will goes around and around, and the will returns to its circuits.”
– Kohelet – Ecclesiastes (1:2-6)
Please join me today (Wednesday, September 22nd) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You will need to register for the 7:15 PM class if you have not already done so. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. (Look for “Sukkot 3”)
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, playlists, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). If you don’t mind me knowing your donation amount you can also donate to me directly. Donations to Common Ground are tax deductible; class purchases and donations directly to me are not necessarily deductible.)
Click here for the 2021 post related to this practice, which includes a link related to last year’s Equinox post.
*NOTE: The Hebrew word “hevel” (variations of which occur 3 times K-E 3.1) in is often translated into English as “vanity,” “futility” or “meaningless,” but is literally translated as “breath.”
### Breathe In, Breathe Out: Give Thanks ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 108 Sun Salutations, Baha'i, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Hula Hoop, Life, Loss, Love, Meditation, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, Pain, Religion, Suffering, Surya Namaskar, Twin Cities, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: Alvin & the Chipmunks, Andy Greene, Bob Dylan, Equinox, meditation, Rolling Stones, Spring, Vernal, yoga
“I’ve seen love go by my door
It’s never been this close before
Never been so easy or so slow
I’ve been shooting in the dark too long
When somethin’s not right it’s wrong
You’re gonna make me lonesome when you go”
– “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome” by Bob Dylan (covered by Shawn Colvin, Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus (with Johnzo West) and a host of other artists)
Happy Spring Everyone! Also, I offer many blessings to those of you who are finishing the 19-Day Bahá’i Fast, and many blessings to all.
Thursday is normally my day off – unless I’m subbing prenatal yoga – and a great day for me to work on my own seated meditation practice. I had planned on posting some meditation audio recorded by my friend-who-is-my-twin; however, as I ran into some technical issues getting Wednesday’s video ready, I’m a little behind schedule.
But, fear not! I still have something fun for you! In addition to being the Spring Equinox, today is a special day for Bob Dylan fans. Today (March 19th) in 1962, Bob Dylan released his self-titled debut album. As Andy Greene points out in a 2012 Rolling Stones article, Bob Dylan’s Bob Dylan came out when everybody – and I mean, everybody – was doing the twist. So, dust off your favorite Bob Dylan vinyl, add a cover (or two) of Bob Dylan songs made famous by other artists, and either practice some twists – open twists if you’re pregnant; do the twist; or (in honor of the Vernal Equinox) practice 108 Sun Salutations.
“I see my light come shining
From the west down to the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released”
– “I Shall Be Released” by Bob Dylan (covered by Nina Simone, The Band, and a host of other artists)
### (THIS, ALL THIS, IS) “TO MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE” ###
A Joyful Practice 