FTWMI: The McGuffin’s MacGuffin, redux & reprised August 13, 2025

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Movies, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 988, abhiniveśaḥ, Ahimsa, Alfred Hitchcock, Angus MacPhail, antiracism, Ashtavakra Gita, Berlin Wall, Bhagavad Gita, Charles Gounod, Charlotte Chandler, Eleanor Roosevelt, Epictetus, fear, fearless, fearless play, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, hinduism, Ibram X. Kendi, Jack Hawley, James Allardic, Jeff Alexander, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, Krishna, Leland Poague, MacGuffin, nervous system, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Paul Tillich, Potsdam Conference, Richard Freeman, Seneca, Shantipat, spirituality, Stanley Wilson, Swami J, Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati, Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Leitch, Todd McGowan, trauma, Upanishads, Wookiefoot, yama, Yoga Sutra 2.3, Yoga Sutra 2.9
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Many blessings to everyone, everywhere, and especially to anyone observing the Dormition Fast and/or cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).

Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!

For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2024. Class details and links have been added.

“Upanishad is the subtler, mystical or yogic teachings of the philosophy and practices leading to the direct experience of the center of consciousness, the absolute reality. ‘Upa’ means ‘near;’ ‘ni’ means ‘down;’ ‘shad’ means ‘to sit.’ Thus, Upanishad is to sit down near the teacher to discuss, learn, practice and experience the means and goals of Yoga sadhana or practices. The Upanishads are also known as Vedanta, which means the end or culmination of the Vedas.”

— quoted from the “Upanishad” page by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (“Swami J”)

Often translated as “sitting near devotedly,” “Upanishad” is the Sanskrit word assigned to a collection of sacred texts, the earliest of which were compiled (starting) in the last centuries of the 1st millennium BCE. The stories within the Upanishads were originally part of an oral tradition and they explain and explore the Vedas (which are more sacred texts). Scholars believe there were originally over 200 Upanishads, with some overlapping material; however, some have been lost. Of the 108 studied and practiced today, ten to twelve (depending on the tradition) are consider “major” and complete. Each one begins and ends with an invocation known as a Shantipat: a path of peace.

We start each practice with the “Teaching Shantipat” and I often bring awareness to the end: “Shanti Shanti Shanthi Om” / “Peace [within us], Peace [all around us], Peace [to and from everything and every one we encounter] With our conscious, subconscious, and unconscious mind and on every plane of existence.” The last “Shanthi” is emphatic, drawn out, and sometimes explained as “Peace [because I said so]” or “Peace [because I demand it].”

While the endings are the same, the beginnings of each of the shantipats are different. They are situational. So, today, I bring your awareness to the beginning of the “Teaching Shantipat.”

“May all of us together be protected….”

— quoted from the beginning of the “Teaching Shantipat,” chanted in Sanskrit by Richard Freeman (when we are in the studio)

The beginning of the “Teaching Shantipat.” is interesting (to me), because it is very similar to the beginning of the metta meditation: “May I be safe and protected.”

I find it very interesting that this invocation begins with a desire, a wish, a prayer for safety and protection. You could even think of it as a commitment — similar to ahiṃsā (“non-harming” or “non-violence”), which is the very first yama (external “restraint” or universal commandment) at the beginning of the Yoga Philosophy. The underlying implication to all of this is that there is something — or someone — from which we need to be protected; that there is some danger of which we must be mindful. In other words, it is almost a warning that there is something to fear.

Fear is an emotional response to a perceived threat. It doesn’t matter if what we perceive turns out not to be a threat; because, the emotion is real. The emotional reaction causes a physiological response: it activates the sympathetic nervous system, which causes a chemical change in the brain and a change in organ function. These changes are designed to protect and ensure survival, causing us to fight or flee or freeze (which is a form of collapse). This can all take place in a blink of an eye and in a heartbeat — even, again, when the perceived threat turns out to not be a threat and/or not a threat to survival. Although the initial reaction can occur in an instant, it takes a while to come down off of the adrenaline high and, depending on the reality and nature of the threat, the effects of the trauma can be life-long.

“It is not that you must be free from fear. The moment you try to free yourself from fear, you create resistance against fear. Resistance in any form does not end fear. What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it, not how to escape from it, not how to resist it.”

— Jiddu Krishnamurti

Yoga Sūtras 2.3 and 2.9 describe ābhiniveśāḥ (“resistance to loss, fear of death of identity, desire for continuity, clinging to the life of”) as the fifth and final afflicted/dysfunctional thought pattern that leads to suffering. This is consistent with the Ashtavakra Gita, which states “All sorrow comes from fear. / From nothing else. // When you know this, / You become free of it, / And desire melts away.” (AG 11.5) According to the Eastern philosophies, like Yoga and Buddhism, the remedy to fear is wisdom, which is considered to be the opposite of fear.

Wisdom is the ability, knowledge, and skill to respond to a given situation with awareness. Without wisdom, we react as if everything and everyone is a threat to our life, our livelihood, and those we love. We become like a “timid man” who flees because he perceives everything picked up by our senses as a tiger. (AG 18.45) We see this fear-based behavior each and every day, even when we don’t recognize that that is what we are seeing/experiencing. Wisdom, in this case, can also be defined as vidyā (“correct knowledge”) about ourselves and the nature of everything. It gives us the ability to pause, take a breath, and possibly discover that “Just as a coil of rope / Is mistaken for a snake, / So you are mistaken for the world” (AG 1.10) and that “a man without desires is a lion.” (AG 18.46)

“‘Work hard in the world, Arjuna, but for work‘s sake only. You have every right to work but you should not crave the fruits of it. Although no one may deny you the outcomes of your efforts, you can, through determination, refuse to be attached to or affected by the results, whether favorable or unfavorable.

“‘The central points of issue, Arjuna, are desire and lack of inner peace. Desire for the fruits of one‘s actions brings worry about possible failure — the quivering mind I mentioned. When you are preoccupied with end results you pull yourself from the present into an imagined, usually fearful future. Then your anxiety robs your energy and, making matters worse, you lapse into inaction and laziness.’”

— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (2.47) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face…. You must do what you think you cannot do.”

— quoted from You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt

This tricky thing about fear is that the mind-intellect can perceive and process things in the past, present, and/or future; which means we may find ourselves having a fear-based reaction to something in the past or something that has not (and may never) happen. This is why fear can prevent us from achieving our goals and desires. It can also cause us to build walls — emotionally, energetically, symbolically, and physically. In fact, construction of the Berlin Wall, which began today on Sunday, August 13, 1961, was at the intersection of a lot of fear.

Remember, during the Potsdam Conference at the end of World War II, the Allies decided to split Berlin and the rest of Germany into four different regions controlled by four different nations. The Soviet-controlled areas became the German Democratic Republic (GDR or DDR; German: Deutsche Demokratische Republik), also known as East Germany. The areas controlled by United States, the United Kingdom, and France became the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland), sometimes called Bonn Republic (German: Bonner Republik), and known as West Germany. East and West Berlin, as well as East and West Germany, ended up with vastly different socioeconomic and political cultures. Right off the bat, people on the East side would travel to East Berlin in order to crossover to West Berlin and then, from there, gained access to the rest of the “Free World.” In fact, prior to the wall being constructed approximately 3.5 million people defected from East Berlin — at a rate of about one thousand a day.

The wall did not go up all at once. It started off as a little over 100 miles of barbed wire and fencing put up in the wee hours of that Sunday morning in 1961: 156 km (97 mi) between the western regions and the eastern regions and another 43 km (27 mi) of wire dividing the cities of Berlin. Then a 6-foot tall wall of blocks was constructed, with bunkers. Within nine years, that 6-foot wall of blocks had become a 3.6-meter (11.8-foot) tall wall, with the barbed wire (and guards in the towers). The final wall included 155 km (96 miles) of wall around West Berlin and another 111.9 km (69.5 miles) of barrier between West Berlin and East Germany.

The wall decreased the number of defections; however, it did not completely prevent them. Between 1961 and 1989, when the Berlin Wall “fell,” about 100,000 people attempted to defect and approximately five thousand succeeded. An estimated 136 — 200 people died attempting to escape. Many of the deaths were in and around a gap created between two concrete walls which formed the 27 miles of barrier dividing Berlin. Known as the “death strip,” the gap was full of anti-vehicle trenches, guard dog runs, floodlights, and trip-wire machine guns. It was also overseen by guards in watchtowers who were ordered to shoot on sight.

Remember, although decades had passed, the construction of the Berlin Wall happened in the wake of World War II. People were still processing the trauma caused by the violence of the war and of the Holocaust, which were themselves the source and result of fear.

“However, if the process of non-violence is to be effective in counteracting violence, we must first describe and outline it clearly and methodically. Because violent thoughts always precede a violent act, an act of non-violence will be effective only if it is preceded by non-violent thoughts. Violence is an active phenomenon, whereas non-violence is mistakenly thought to be passive – simply the absence of violence. But passive non-violence has no power to extinguish the fire if violence. Non-violence must be as active as violence itself.”

— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.33 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

“The opposite of racist isn’t ‘not racist.’ It is ‘anti-racist.’ What’s the difference? One endorses either the idea of a racial hierarchy as a racist, or racial equality as an anti-racist. One either believes problems are rooted in groups of people, as a racist, or locates the roots of problems in power and policies, as an anti-racist. One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an anti-racist. There is no in-between safe space of ‘not racist.’”

— quoted from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD

When I first heard about Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, who was born in Jamaica, New York City on August 13, 1982, I thought the term “antiracist” was something new. In reality, however, Dr. Kendi recommends and teaches an idea that goes back to the beginning of the yoga philosophy. (NOTE: I’m not saying he’s teaching “yoga,” even though he is working to bring people together. I’m saying that he is teaching ancient wisdom.)

This wisdom is not simply bringing awareness to a situation and neither is it not doing something overtly harmful. It is bringing awareness to what is happening beneath the surface and actively, skillfully, moving in the opposite direction. Again, the premise behind “cultivating the opposites” is that, over time, we neutralize the force of past actions and, as a result, our habits and thoughts change. When our habits and thoughts change, the world changes. Doing this work can be scary — in fact, you may already feel yourself tightening up just at the thought. But, we must remember that being fearless is not the absence of fear, it is how we show up when we experience fear.

“Courage is the strength to do what is right in the face of fear, as the anonymous philosopher tells us. I gain insight into what’s right from antiracist ideas. I gain strength from fear. While many people are fearful of what could happen if they resist, I am fearful of what could happen if I don’t resist, I am fearful of cowardice. Cowardice is the inability to amass the strength to do what is right in the face of fear. And racist power has been terrorizing cowardice into us for generations.”

— quoted from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD

None of this is about being reckless and putting ourselves (or others) in danger. Neither is it about ignoring reality. Instead, the philosophers and leaders quoted throughout this post encourage us to face our fears. Again, this is not new advice. As noted above, it is the same advice found in ancient texts from India and (as noted below) it is the same advice found in the teachings of the Stoics. In fact, I imagine that if you research all the indigenous and modern cultures in the world, you will find lessons on fear and advice on cultivating fearlessness that is very, very similar.

Furthermore, we have plenty of opportunities to practice studying, observing, learning about, and understanding our fears. We can do it on the mat or the cushion; we can do it as we move through our days; and we can do it when some form of entertainment push our buttons.

“[Spoken: Alfred Hitchcock]
Thus far, this album has provided musical accompaniment to make your passing pleasant
Our next number is designed to drown out the sound of shovels
Music to be buried by
[Music begins]

Of course, your assassin may have made burial unnecessary
So, if you are completely encased in cement
And are teetering on the edge of a pier
Please try not to pay attention to this next number
It is not meant for you
As for the others, if you spend your evenings watching murder instead of doing it yourself
You may recognize this”

— quoted from Track 5, “Alfred Hitchcock Television Theme” on the album Alfred Hitchcock Presents Music to Be Murdered By by Alfred Hitchcock and Jeff Alexander (narration written by James Allardice; “Funeral March Of A Marionette” by Charles Gounod adapted by Jeff Alexander and Stanley Wilson)

Born today in London, today in 1899, Sir Alfred Hitchcock KBE liked to play with fear(s) and push people’s fear buttons. He directed and produced movies like The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927); Blackmail (1929), was the first British “talkie;” The 39 Steps (1935); The Lady Vanishes (1938); Rebecca (1940); Shadow of a Doubt (1943); Strangers on a Train (1951), Dial M for Murder and Rear Window (both released in 1954); Psycho (1960); To Catch a Thief and The Trouble with Harry (both released in 1955); Vertigo (1958); North by Northwest (1959), and The Birds (1963). He was also the producer and host of the television anthology Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–65) and often made cameo appearances in his own movies. Like so many directors and producers, he liked to work with certain people, including Cary Grant and James Stewart (who were each in four movies) and Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly (who were each in three movies).

In addition to having nine of his films selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry (as of 2021), Alfred Hitchcock received the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Fellowship in 1971, the American Film Institute (AFI) Life Achievement Award in 1979, and was knighted in December of that 1979, just a few months before he died on April 29, 1980. His work also earned him six Academy Awards and an additional 40 Academy Award nominations — including five in the Best Director category.

Despite never winning the Academy Award for Best Director, the “Master of Suspense” did such a good job at manipulating emotional responses that even hearing the music (often composed by Bernard Herrmann), seeing a murder of crows or a rear window, and/or being in the shower can start tightening up the body. His name, voice, and infamous silhouette became so synonymous with his work that they can also activate the fear response. Another common Hitchcockian element was a simple plot device that existed long before he was born. It became more popular and more well-known by a name coined by the screenwriter Angus MacPhail¹: MacGuffin (or McGuffin).

“Hitchcock explained how the MacGuffin got its name:

‘Two men are traveling on a train to Scotland. One of them is carrying an odd parcel. The other man says, “What have you there?” and the other answers, “A MacGuffin.”

‘“What’s a MacGuffin?”

‘“It’s a special device designed to trap wild lions in the Scottish Highlands.”

‘“But there aren’t any lions in the Scottish Highlands.”

‘“Then, there is no MacGuffin.”

‘The MacGuffin, you see, is only important if you think it’s important, and that’s my job as a director, to make you think it’s important.’”

— quoted from “II. British Films: Cub Director” in It’s Only a Movie: Alfred Hitchcock: A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler²

A McGuffin (or MacGuffin) can be anything — or anyone — that people in the movie are seeking. It could be a briefcase (or something inside a suitcase). It could be a jewel-encrusted statuette. It could be $40,000 or, as some people see it, a place in the snow where $920,000 was buried. It could be state secrets. It could be A Girl. While the MacGuffin (or McGuffin) motivates the characters and keeps the plot moving, it is the exact opposite of Checkov’s gun because it is ultimately inconsequential. The characters seem to forget about it or just put it aside. In fact, sometimes it is as if it was never in the story. Other times it is just never revealed to the audience.

A McGuffin (or MacGuffin) should not be confused with a “red herring,” because it is not intended to confuse or misdirect the audience. However, to be clear, Sir Alfred’s movies also include red herrings — sometimes in the form of suspenseful music or shadows that keep the audience primed for something to happen. In other words, the MacGuffin (or McGuffin) motivates the characters and puts them in their situations, while the red herring conditions the audience to fear on command.

“Hitchcock’s example of the MacGuffin emphasizes its impossible status: not only is the object that one [never has], but one cannot even isolate it as an idea. It remains necessarily empty, and yet functions as an engine for the Hitchcockian narrative. The emptiness of the MacGuffin as an object permits spectators to locate their satisfaction in the striving that it unleashes rather than identifying satisfaction with the discovery of its secret.”

— quoted from “The Empty Object” in “27. Hitchcock’s Ethics of Suspense: Psychoanalysis and the Devaluation of the Object” by Todd McGowan (as published in A Companion to Alfred Hitchcock, edited by Thomas Leitch and Leland Poague)

Take a moment to bring your awareness to what happens when you experience fear.

Are you someone who runs away from it… or towards it? Are you someone who likes to be fearless and play? Are you someone who tears down walls and barriers? Or, are you someone who builds walls?

“This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

“Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.”

— quoted from the March 4, 1933, Inaugural Speech by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

“What conflicts with the courage of wisdom is desires and fears. The Stoics developed a profound doctrine of anxiety which also reminds us of recent analyses. They discovered that the object of fear is fear itself. ‘Nothing,’ says Seneca, ‘is terrible in things except fear itself.’ And Epictetus says, ‘For it is not death or hardship that is a fearful thing, but the fear of death and hardship.’ Our anxiety puts frightening masks over all men and things. If we strip them of these masks their own countenance appears and the fear they produce disappears. This is true even of death. Since every day a little of our life is taken from us–since we are dying every day–the final hour when we cease to exist does not itself bring death; merely completes the death process. The horrors connected with it are a matter of imagination. They vanish when the mask is taken from the image of death.”

— quoted from “Chapter 1. Being and Courage – Courage and Wisdom: The Stoics” in The Courage To Be (pub. 1952) by Paul Tillich

Please join me today (Wednesday, August 13^th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08132022 The McGuffin’s MacGuffin”]

NOTES:
¹ Angus MacPhail worked with Sir Alfred Hitchcock on Aventure Malgache (1944, uncredited writer); Bon Voyage (1944, writer); Spellbound (1945, writer for adaptation); The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956, uncredited contributing writer); and The Wrong Man (1956, screenwriter). He very briefly worked on the script development for Vertigo, which may be why the movie opens with San Francisco detective John “Scottie” Ferguson (as played by James Stewart) involved in a rooftop chase.

² Alfred Hitchcock used variations of this MacGuffin story on more than one occasion, including during a lecture at Columbia University in New York City (in 1939) and in a series of interviews. In some versions the conclusion was that there were no lions in the Scottish Highlands because the device in the parcel worked.

“We are very afraid of being powerless. But we have the power to look deeply at our fears, and then fear cannot control us. We can transform our fear. Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.”

— quoted from Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm by Thich Nhat Hanh

Extreme heat (and traumatic events) can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, they can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.

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.

### BE Fearless & PLAY. BE WISE.###

FTWMI: How Do We Know? (an UPDATED note with excerpts) June 15, 2025

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Love, Men, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Adhyayana, Ajna, Blood, Dad's Big Day, Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys, Dr. Paul Emmerez, Dr. Richard Lower, Father's Day, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, siddhis, Sir Walter Scott, Uha, Vihari-Lal Mitra, Yoga Sutra 2.24, Yoga Sutras 1.5-1.7, Yoga Vasishtha
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Happy Pride! Happy Dad’s Day!! Many blessings to everyone!!!

For Those Who Missed It: Most of the following was originally posted in 2024. I have added an extra excerpt, plus a little extra context and excerpt for the Dads!

“Uha means ‘knowledge without doubt, clear understanding, intuitive knowledge.’ It is the power of revelation – the fundamental force behind all human discovery. It has its source in mahat tattva, the pure and pristine manifestation of Ishvara’s prakriti, and is therefore infinite. In our day-to-day life, it manifests in the form of discerning power. This is also the force behind our memory.”

“Adhyayana means ‘study, analyze, and comprehend.’ We have the capacity to study, analyze, and comprehend an abstract idea whether it is spoken, written, or implied. We even have the capacity to decipher our own and others’ intention and predict the causes as well as the far-reaching effects of those intentions.”

— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.24 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

According to Yoga Sūtras 1.5-7, we all have functional/not afflicted thought patterns and dysfunctional/afflcited thought patterns, the latter of which creates suffering. Those two types of thought patterns can come in the form of correct understanding, false understanding, imagination (which is sometimes translated as “verbal delusions”), deep/dreamless sleep, and memory. Obviously, we want as much functional, correct understanding as possible and that comes from direct/sense perception, inference, and revelation documented in sacred text and/or scriptures.

But….

How do you know what you know? How do you know what you know is true? We all know there are things we don’t know; however, there are also things that we don’t know we don’t know. So, how do you know that what you don’t know you don’t know doesn’t negate what you think you know is true?

Maybe you don’t.

Maybe you can’t.

Or maybe you have no interest in going down that particular philosophical rabbit hole at [insert whatever time it is for you here].

There is also the possibility that you are someone who just knows — or who thinks you know — when someone is telling the truth. Maybe you have a feeling, a sense, a sensation that is information. We all have that. Unfortunately, we can all ignore that gut feeling, that prickly feeling, that little Spidey-sense. We can also override it.

Of course, there is another type of person you could be.

You could be the type of person who thinks/feels that you can tell whether a person is trustworthy — or whether they are a good dad — just by looking at them. Not because you are using the first and third of the siddhis (“abilities”) described as “unique to being human,” but because… you know, “blood will tell” or “blood will out.”

Click on the titles to find out why some things don’t mean what we think they mean.

FTWMI: Blood Will Tell (or Blood Will Out)…

Thicker Than…? (a”missing” 2-for-1 post, for Monday-Tuesday)

A Quick PSA & FTWMI: The Power of Giving & Sharing

“The first words he said when he had digested the shock, contained a magnanimous declaration, which he probably was not conscious of having uttered aloud – ‘Weel – blude’s thicker than water – she’s welcome to the cheeses and the hams just the same.’”

— quoted from “Chapter IX, Die and endow a college or a cat. Pope.” of Guy Mannering, or The Astrologer (pub. 1815) by Sir Walter Scott, Bart

Click on the title below for a post about Dad’s Big Day (that includes additional post links and video tributes)!

Reflections on the Figure of a Father (a prologue)

“15. You see a man in two ways, the one with his body and the other in his representation in a picture or statues, of these the former kind is more frail than the latter; because the embodied man is beset by troubles and diseases in his fading and mouldering, decaying and dying body, whereby the other is not. (The frame of the living man, is frailer than his dead resemblance).”

— quoted from (Book 6) “CHAPTER XXIX. Pantheism. Description of the World as Full with the Supreme Soul.” of The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated from the original Sanskrit by VIHARI-LALA MITRA)

There is no (Zoom) class today, but I will be back on schedule (and on Zoom) tomorrow. If you are on my Sunday recording list, I have sent you a copy of the 2020 Dad’s Day practice and copies of the (75-minute & 90-minute) philosophical practices from June 15, 2020 & 2024. If you want to be added to my Sunday list (or any other list), please email me or comment below.

As I announced via the class email lists, I am now posting practices on my YouTube channel (so that is another practice option for you) and will post a bonus video this week.

The “Dad’s Big Day” playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.

The playlist for June 15^th is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06142020 World Blood Donor Day”]

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).

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

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

### QUESTION WHAT YOU KNOW ###

FTWMI: Laissez les bons temps rouler (w/ “treats”) [abridged & revised for 2025]! March 4, 2025

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 19-Day Fast, Art, Baha'i, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Food, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Ramadan, Religion, Suffering, Vairagya, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: 19-Day Fast, “Big Chief” of The Wild Magnolias, Baháʼí, Carnival, Jon Batiste, kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ, klişţāklişţāh, kriya yoga, Lent / Great Lent, Mardi Gras, MHP, New Orleans, Pancake Tuesday, Ramaḍān, Ramadān, Shrove Tuesday, Shrovetide, Stay Human, Theodore “Bo” Dollis, Yardi Gras, Yoga Sutra 2.7-2.8
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It’s Mardi Gras, y’all! It’s also Shrove Tuesday and the last week of Shrovetide, for those who are feeling more prayerful!!

“Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramaḍān!” to anyone observing the holy month of Ramaḍān. Many blessings to all, and especially to those celebrating and/or observing the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, Great Lent, and/or Carnival/Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras!

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

For Those Who Missed It: The following is (technically) a revised and slightly updated version of a 2024 post. Some embedded links may be updated after the posting.

Photo courtesy of MHP. 2024.

The Tuesday before Lent has many names, but for a lot of people it is Mardi Gras, French for “Fat Tuesday,” the end of the Carnival season and the day before the Lenten season in Western Christian traditions. It is also known as Shrove Tuesday or (especially in the UK) Pancake Tuesday. It is a “moveable feast,” meaning the date on the secular calendar changes depending on the date of Easter each year. It also means that it coincides with different events each year. This year, Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday (in the Western Christian traditions) overlap the second day of Great Lent (in the Orthodox Christian traditions) and is also the fourth day of both the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, and the holy month of Ramaḍān.

Since the “Season for Nonviolence” principle for the day is “acknowledgement”, let’s just acknowledge that while these observations, traditions, and rituals are very different on the outside, they are all inspired by similar beliefs and the very human desire for deeper connections with something Divine, something more than one’s self — including making and reinforcing deeper connections within a community. And there’s the rub: While some people may think of community as being Divine, others think of “God.”

I would normally add, “Whatever that means to you at this moment” — which, on a certain level, is still valid in this discussion — but, one of the things these holidays underscore is that people have very different ideas about who rules heaven and earth. What the major religions seem to agree upon, however, is the idea that there is a Divine entity who can present as anthropomorphic (with human features, emotions, and motivations); that there are certain ways to connect with the Divine; and that some preparation is needed to make that connection.

“Laissez les bons temps rouler!”

— Louisiana French for “Let the good times roll!”

As I mentioned before, the Tuesday before Lent can be a moveable feast day of indulgence, when people treat themselves to anything and everything — but especially the things they are planning to give up during Lent. It is, simultaneously, a day of self-examination, repentance, and amendments for Christians who are focused on “shriving.” “Shrove” comes from the word “shrive,” meaning “to absolve.” While people observing Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day may indulge in “fatty foods,” they often do so with an eye on symbolism. Different countries and cultures have different traditional recipes, but the recipes generally include what can be considered symbols of the four pillars of Christianity: eggs for creation; flour as the staff of life or mainstay of the human diet; salt for wholesomeness; and milk for purity. Some churches will even make a point of ringing the bells on this day to “call the faithful to confession” — and to remind people to begin frying up the pancakes.

Carnival season begins with Three Kings’ Day (also known as Twelfth Night or Epiphany in some traditions) and ends with the biggest celebrations of the season, Mardi Gras (not to mention Lundi Gras)! In much of the Americas, Carnival and Mardi Gras are traditionally celebrated with parades, beads, masks and costumes, and parties from sunrise to sunset. Of course, Brazilian Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is the largest and most well known Carnival celebration — while New Orleans is practically synonymous with Mardi Gras. However, in the mid-80’s, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Australia started drawing large numbers of celebrants from around the world.

In New Orleans, it is customary to celebrate with a King Cake, featuring a little plastic baby figurine. The person who finds the baby is promised health and wealth — and is often expected to provide the following year’s King Cake. While many people toss or “request” beads during the parades, very few people remember that there was a time when the beads were made of glass and that the bead colors had special meanings: purple for justice; gold for power; and green for faith.

“… don’t tell no lie! Cause we gonna have fun, y’all, on Mardi Gras! … I’m not gonna tell no lie. We not gonna let Katrina, y’all, turn us ’round.”

— Theodore “Bo” Dollis, “Big Chief” of The Wild Magnolias opening the song “Brother John Is Gone / Herc-Jolly-John” on Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album

Carnival and Mardi Gras have outlasted gangs, political coups, police strikes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. In 2021, while much of New Orleans was shut down, the good times still rolled on — just not in a way that would turn Mardi Gras into a super spreader. Remember, as glutinous as the tradition may appear on the outside, its roots are deeply embedded in something more than the desires of the flesh. Thus, just as has been the case with so many other cultural traditions and religious rituals, the pandemic forced people to figure out how to honor the traditions while maintaining social distancing guidelines.

One New Orleans business owner decided to follow the normal parade route — but in his car and in the early, early morning. Of course, he was blasting New Orleans jazz all the way! Many others tweeted and created virtual events. Then there were the thousands of people who decorated their homes and businesses in the same way they would have decorated their krewe’s floats: They called it “Yardi Gras!”

In some ways, the creativity and ingenuity to work around challenging conditions while still holding on to what one values is very much part of the human spirit — and very much indicative of the spirit of New Orleans. It is is also a reflection of the seasons themselves: Shrovetide, Carnival, the “Fat” celebrations, and Lent are all about the dichotomy between what feeds the body and what feeds the soul. Of course, all this focus on wealth, indulgences, and vices, makes me think about the things we like and the things we don’t like — and how those preferences contribute to our overall experiences of life.

Remember, all of these observations, celebrations, rituals, and traditions are about making connections that transcend our mundane existence and alleviate suffering.

Click here and scroll down (to Yoga Sūtra 2.7) to go deeper into the philosophy.

Please join me today (Tuesday, March 4^th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Mardi Gras 2023”]

NOTE: The first before/after music track hits different on YouTube. If you know, you know. Some before/after music has been added for the Spring Festival!

Virtually Mardi Gras

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).

### KEEP NOTICING (& ACKNOWLEDGING) THE SPIRIT OF THINGS ###

Your Terms/Causes & Conditions of Happiness & FTWMI: “Be Happy, Now!” (a 2-for-1 “missing” Saturday & Monday post w/ excerpts) October 21, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 7-Day Challenge, Baha'i, Bhakti, Books, Buddhism, Dharma, Faith, Fitness, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Sukkot, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Deuteronomy, Devarim, Eddie Izzard, Happiness, Happiness 101, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, lojong, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, positive psychology, pratītyasamutpāda, saṃskāra, Sukkot, Tal Ben-Shahar, vasana, vāsanā, Yoga Sutra 2.33, Yoga Sutra 4.29, Yoga Sutras 2.1-2.55
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“Chag sameach!” to those celebrating Sukkot! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone grateful for friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.

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

This 2-for-2 post is the “missing” post for Saturday, October 19^th, and the post-practice post related to the practice on Monday, October 21^st. The 2024 prompt question on Monday was two-fold, “What is something or someone from your past and/or present for which you are grateful? What is a future something or someone for which you will be grateful?” This post contains some previously posted content. 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.

“And they have made us Liars. We cannot tell the truth anymore. You cannot reprimand your children.

[In adult voice] ‘No Jonny, you said you you didn’t have a biscuit, but there’s crumbs on your face and you did have a biscuit. You have lied.’

[In kid voice] ‘But you said you had read the terms and conditions when you ticked that box. It’s too quick for you to read the terms and conditions. You read it and [makes the sounds of fast moving text].’

The truth is no one in this room has read the terms and conditions. No one in New York has read the terms and conditions. No one in the Universe — Even God has not read the terms and conditions….”

— quoted from Eddie Izzard: Live at Madison Square Garden (part of the “Stripped” tour) by Eddie Izzard

Any time we update something, start using a new app, or sign a contract for something, we have to acknowledge the “Terms and Conditions” provided in the agreement. We may not always read the fine print, but there is something explicitly laid out that defines expectations and consequences. In life, we don’t always have things explicitly outlined; but, the terms and conditions still exist. In Buddhism and in the Yoga Philosophy, we think of them as causes and conditions.

I have heard the Buddha discussed pratītyasamutpāda, which can be translated into English as “dependent origination”, or “dependent arising”; indicating that “if this exists, that exists; if this ceases to exist, that also ceases to exist”. Here, “this” can be a grain (or direction) of suffering and/or a grain (or direction) of wisdom. A similar rubric is outlined in the second section of the Yoga Sūtras, where Patanjali described how afflicted/dysfunctional and not-afflicted/functional thought patterns (kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ) are like planted seeds that can lead to pain or pleasure. In both philosophies, the path to ending the causes and conditions of suffering includes meditation and right/skillful/functional thoughts, words, and deeds.

In the absence of the formal practice, both philosophies encourage cultivating the opposite.

“Now I’m allowing myself to lose my inner peace and happiness. This is a much greater loss than losing a portion of my material wealth. Furthermore, such occurrences are commonplace. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. In worldly matters I will do what needs to be done, but never at the cost of losing the pristine nature of my mind. I must adhere to the higher virtues of my heart.”

— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.33 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

Another way to think of these terms and conditions is simply as cause and effect — which includes the consequences of our actions, as well as expectations that arise from previous experiences. Some of our expectations are based on our direct lived experiences and some are based on the expectations of other people’s experiences. All of these expectations make up our conditioning. One of the intentions behind the 2024 Saturday practices has been to take a look at our conditioning; to bring awareness to our saṃskāra (“mental impression”) and vāsanā (a literal “dwelling” place of our habits); and to notice some of the reasons why we think, speak, and do as we do.

Once we bring awareness to our conditioning, we can start contemplating future conditioning: which seeds we want to plant and which habits we want to cultivate. However, the ultimate goal of all these practices is to find the state of mind that leads to less suffering. In Buddhism, the ultimate goal is nirvāṇa (or nibbāna, in Pali). In the Yoga Sūtra 4.29, Patanjali described a particular experience of samādhiḥ as “a cloud of virtue”. Either way you think of it, less suffering means… more happiness (whatever that means to you at this moment).

For some people, “the state of being happy” is an ecstatic kind of joy; for others it is “not being miserable”; and then there is everything in between. Both Yoga and Buddhism feature practices centered around happiness. For example, the second niyama (internal observation in the Yoga Philosophy) is santosha, the practice of contentment. In Tibetan Buddhism, one of the lojong (“mind training”) techniques is “Always maintain only a joyful mind.” (#21) Again, these are practices; the jumping off points for meditation and contemplation.

What if, however, you were commanded to be happy?

FTWMI: The following is a revised/updated version of a 2020 post entitled “Be Happy, Now!”

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

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

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

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

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

For seven days, 8 in the diaspora, people within the Jewish community and people who observe the commanded holidays, eat, sleep, socialize, and sometimes work in a temporary shelter. The shelter, a sukkah, consists of three walls of any material and a roof made of natural fiber. (Natural being something grown from the earth.) In 2020, when the pandemic created so many obstacles to the ways in which people typically observed and practiced their faith here, finally, was a time when there was less challenge. Yes, true, it was still best for people [around this time in 2020] to socially distance, wear masks, wash your hands, and avoid big gatherings — but, it was also best (when gathering) to be outdoors. It’s like Sukkot was tailor-made for 2020.

“1. Give yourself permission to be human.

2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning.”

— quoted from the Psychology 1504 (“Positive Psychology”) course by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar

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

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

“3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account.

4. Simplify!”

— quoted from the Psychology 1504 (“Positive Psychology”) course by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar

Many people refer to Sukkot as the “Season of Happiness”, because they view the instructions in the Bible as a mandate to be happy. Since the instruction is to be joyful, or rejoice, about things that have yet to happen — blessings yet to come — one has to wonder: How can we be “independently happy” and celebrate something that hasn’t happened yet? It’s a good question. And, it turns out, there are some really good answers.

Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, an expert in Positive Psychology and the author of Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment and A Clash of Values: The Struggle for Universal Freedom, used to teach a class at Harvard University called “Happiness 101”. In his class and through his research, he offered 6 very practical tips for cultivating happiness. Those tips are featured in the practices during Sukkot (and are highlighted throughout this blog post).

“5. Remember the mind-body connection.

6. Express gratitude, whenever possible.”

— quoted from the Psychology 1504 (“Positive Psychology”) course by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar

Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Sukkot 2”]

There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices (on Monday).

Monday Practice Note: Since the prompt question, on Monday, October 21^st, elicited several references to educational pursuits, I mentioned that we are in the month of ‘Ilm (“Knowledge”) on the Bahá’í Faith calendar.

This practice also included a teaser for Tuesday.

Click on the excerpt title below for additional content referenced during these practices (including an explanation about the “hedonic treadmill” (or “hedonic adaptation”).

FTWMI*: What Does It Mean to You?

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).

### YESTERDAY, TODAY, (the possibility of) TOMORROW ###

### Essential workers (outside of healthcare), Essential workers (within healthcare), Teachers ###

The McGuffin’s MacGuffin, redux & reprised (the “missing” Tuesday post) August 13, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Movies, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Ahimsa, ahimsā, Alfred Hitchcock, Angus MacPhail, antiracism, Ashtavakra Gita, Berlin Wall, Bhagavad Gita, Charles Gounod, Charlotte Chandler, Eleanor Roosevelt, Epictetus, fear, fearless, fearless play, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ibram X. Kendi, Jack Hawley, James Allardic, Jeff Alexander, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, Leland Poague, MacGuffin, nervous system, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Paul Tillich, Potsdam Conference, Richard Freeman, Seneca, Shantipat, Stanley Wilson, Swami J, Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Leitch, Todd McGowan, trauma, Upanishads, Wookiefoot, yama, Yoga Sutra 2.3, Yoga Sutra 2.9, ābhiniveśāḥ
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Many blessings to anyone observing Tisha B’Av and to everyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).

Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!

This is the “missing” for Tuesday, August 13^th. Technically, it is also the “long lost” post for 2023 and a portion of the 2022 practice. It includes some previously posted information. 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.

“Upanishad is the subtler, mystical or yogic teachings of the philosophy and practices leading to the direct experience of the center of consciousness, the absolute reality. ‘Upa’ means ‘near;’ ‘ni’ means ‘down;’ ‘shad’ means ‘to sit.’ Thus, Upanishad is to sit down near the teacher to discuss, learn, practice and experience the means and goals of Yoga sadhana or practices. The Upanishads are also known as Vedanta, which means the end or culmination of the Vedas.”

— quoted from the “Upanishad” page by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (“Swami J”)

While the endings are the same, the beginnings of each of the shantipats are different. They are situational. So, today, I bring your awareness to the beginning of the “Teaching Shantipat.”

“May all of us together be protected….”

— quoted from the beginning of the “Teaching Shantipat,” chanted in Sanskrit by Richard Freeman (when we are in the studio)

The beginning of the “Teaching Shantipat.” is interesting (to me), because it is very similar to the beginning of the metta meditation: “May I be safe and protected.”

“It is not that you must be free from fear. The moment you try to free yourself from fear, you create resistance against fear. Resistance in any form does not end fear. What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it, not how to escape from it, not how to resist it.”

— Jiddu Krishnamurti

“‘Work hard in the world, Arjuna, but for work‘s sake only. You have every right to work but you should not crave the fruits of it. Although no one may deny you the outcomes of your efforts, you can, through determination, refuse to be attached to or affected by the results, whether favorable or unfavorable.

“‘The central points of issue, Arjuna, are desire and lack of inner peace. Desire for the fruits of one‘s actions brings worry about possible failure — the quivering mind I mentioned. When you are preoccupied with end results you pull yourself from the present into an imagined, usually fearful future. Then your anxiety robs your energy and, making matters worse, you lapse into inaction and laziness.’”

— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (2.47) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face…. You must do what you think you cannot do.”

— quoted from You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt

“However, if the process of non-violence is to be effective in counteracting violence, we must first describe and outline it clearly and methodically. Because violent thoughts always precede a violent act, an act of non-violence will be effective only if it is preceded by non-violent thoughts. Violence is an active phenomenon, whereas non-violence is mistakenly thought to be passive – simply the absence of violence. But passive non-violence has no power to extinguish the fire if violence. Non-violence must be as active as violence itself.”

— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.33 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

“The opposite of racist isn’t ‘not racist.’ It is ‘anti-racist.’ What’s the difference? One endorses either the idea of a racial hierarchy as a racist, or racial equality as an anti-racist. One either believes problems are rooted in groups of people, as a racist, or locates the roots of problems in power and policies, as an anti-racist. One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an anti-racist. There is no in-between safe space of ‘not racist.’”

— quoted from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD

“Courage is the strength to do what is right in the face of fear, as the anonymous philosopher tells us. I gain insight into what’s right from antiracist ideas. I gain strength from fear. While many people are fearful of what could happen if they resist, I am fearful of what could happen if I don’t resist, I am fearful of cowardice. Cowardice is the inability to amass the strength to do what is right in the face of fear. And racist power has been terrorizing cowardice into us for generations.”

— quoted from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD

“[Spoken: Alfred Hitchcock]
Thus far, this album has provided musical accompaniment to make your passing pleasant
Our next number is designed to drown out the sound of shovels
Music to be buried by
[Music begins]

Of course, your assassin may have made burial unnecessary
So, if you are completely encased in cement
And are teetering on the edge of a pier
Please try not to pay attention to this next number
It is not meant for you
As for the others, if you spend your evenings watching murder instead of doing it yourself
You may recognize this”

— quoted from Track 5, “Alfred Hitchcock Television Theme” on the album Alfred Hitchcock Presents Music to Be Murdered By by Alfred Hitchcock and Jeff Alexander (narration written by James Allardice; “Funeral March Of A Marionette” by Charles Gounod adapted by Jeff Alexander and Stanley Wilson)

“Hitchcock explained how the MacGuffin got its name:

‘Two men are traveling on a train to Scotland. One of them is carrying an odd parcel. The other man says, “What have you there?” and the other answers, “A MacGuffin.”

‘“What’s a MacGuffin?”

‘“It’s a special device designed to trap wild lions in the Scottish Highlands.”

‘“But there aren’t any lions in the Scottish Highlands.”

‘“Then, there is no MacGuffin.”

‘The MacGuffin, you see, is only important if you think it’s important, and that’s my job as a director, to make you think it’s important.’”

— quoted from “II. British Films: Cub Director” in It’s Only a Movie: Alfred Hitchcock: A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler²

“Hitchcock’s example of the MacGuffin emphasizes its impossible status: not only is the object that one [never has], but one cannot even isolate it as an idea. It remains necessarily empty, and yet functions as an engine for the Hitchcockian narrative. The emptiness of the MacGuffin as an object permits spectators to locate their satisfaction in the striving that it unleashes rather than identifying satisfaction with the discovery of its secret.”

— quoted from “The Empty Object” in “27. Hitchcock’s Ethics of Suspense: Psychoanalysis and the Devaluation of the Object” by Todd McGowan (as published in A Companion to Alfred Hitchcock, edited by Thomas Leitch and Leland Poague)

Take a moment to bring your awareness to what happens when you experience fear.

Are you someone who runs away from it… or towards it? Are you someone who likes to be fearless and play? Are you someone who tears down walls and barriers? Or, are you someone who builds walls?

“This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

“Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.”

— quoted from the March 4, 1933, Inaugural Speech by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

“What conflicts with the courage of wisdom is desires and fears. The Stoics developed a profound doctrine of anxiety which also reminds us of recent analyses. They discovered that the object of fear is fear itself. ‘Nothing,’ says Seneca, ‘is terrible in things except fear itself.’ And Epictetus says, ‘For it is not death or hardship that is a fearful thing, but the fear of death and hardship.’ Our anxiety puts frightening masks over all men and things. If we strip them of these masks their own countenance appears and the fear they produce disappears. This is true even of death. Since every day a little of our life is taken from us–since we are dying every day–the final hour when we cease to exist does not itself bring death; merely completes the death process. The horrors connected with it are a matter of imagination. They vanish when the mask is taken from the image of death.”

— quoted from “Chapter 1. Being and Courage – Courage and Wisdom: The Stoics” in The Courage To Be (pub. 1952) by Paul Tillich

Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08132022 The McGuffin’s MacGuffin”]

NOTES:
¹ Angus MacPhail worked with Sir Alfred Hitchcock on Aventure Malgache (1944, uncredited writer); Bon Voyage (1944, writer); Spellbound (1945, writer for adaptation); The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956, uncredited contributing writer); and The Wrong Man (1956, screenwriter). He very briefly worked on the script development for Vertigo, which may be why the movie opens with San Francisco detective John “Scottie” Ferguson (as played by James Stewart) involved in a rooftop chase.

² Alfred Hitchcock used variations of this MacGuffin story on more than one occasion, including during a lecture at Columbia University in New York City (in 1939) and in a series of interviews. In some versions the conclusion was that there were no lions in the Scottish Highlands because the device in the parcel worked.

“We are very afraid of being powerless. But we have the power to look deeply at our fears, and then fear cannot control us. We can transform our fear. Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.”

— quoted from Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm by Thich Nhat Hanh

Extreme heat (and traumatic events) can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, they can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.

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).

### BE Fearless & PLAY. BE WISE.###

How Do We Know? (a note with excerpts) June 15, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Love, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Adhyayana, Ajna, Blood, Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys, Dr. Paul Emmerez, Dr. Richard Lower, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, siddhis, Sir Walter Scott, Uha, Yoga Sutra 2.24, Yoga Sutras 1.5-1.7
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Happy Pride! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating the Afterfeast of the Ascension and/or uprooting ignorance so we can all have more peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).

“Uha means ‘knowledge without doubt, clear understanding, intuitive knowledge.’ It is the power of revelation – the fundamental force behind all human discovery. It has its source in mahat tattva, the pure and pristine manifestation of Ishvara’s prakriti, and is therefore infinite. In our day-to-day life, it manifests in the form of discerning power. This is also the force behind our memory.”

“Adhyayana means ‘study, analyze, and comprehend.’ We have the capacity to study, analyze, and comprehend an abstract idea whether it is spoken, written, or implied. We even have the capacity to decipher our own and others’ intention and predict the causes as well as the far-reaching effects of those intentions.”

— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.24 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

But….

Maybe you don’t.

Maybe you can’t.

Or maybe you have no interest in going down that particular philosophical rabbit hole at [insert whatever time it is for you here].

Of course, there is another type of person you could be.

You could be the type of person who thinks/feels that you can tell whether a person is trustworthy just by looking at them. Not because you are using the first and third of the siddhis (“abilities”) described as “unique to being human,” but because… you know, “blood will tell” or “blood will out.”

Click on the titles to find out why some things don’t mean what we think they mean.

FTWMI: Blood Will Tell (or Blood Will Out)…

Thicker Than…? (a”missing” 2-for-1 post, for Monday-Tuesday)

“The first words he said when he had digested the shock, contained a magnanimous declaration, which he probably was not conscious of having uttered aloud – ‘Weel – blude’s thicker than water – she’s welcome to the cheeses and the hams just the same.’”

— quoted from “Chapter IX, Die and endow a college or a cat. Pope.” of Guy Mannering, or The Astrologer (pub. 1815) by Sir Walter Scott, Bart

Please join me today (Saturday, June 15^th) at 12:00 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.

Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06142020 World Blood Donor Day”]

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

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

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

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

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

### QUESTION WHAT YOU KNOW ###

Reverent, Earnest, Love (the “missing” Wednesday post) February 14, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Art, Bhakti, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Healing Stories, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Love, Meditation, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Vairagya, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.
Tags: Ash Wednesday, attachment, avidya, avidyā, Father James Martin, Feast Day of Saint Valentine, Frederick Douglass, Genesis, God of Wealth, Gupta Navaratri, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, kriya yoga, kriyā yoga, Lent / Great Lent, Lunar New Year, Magha Navaratri, Melissa Block, Merriam-Webster, Navaratri, niyamas, Oscar Wilde, reverence, Saint Valentine, Season for Nonviolence, Season of Non-violence, Skandamata, Spring Festival, Swami Vivekananda, The Gospel According to Mark, Valentine's Day, yamas, Year of the Dragon, Yoga Sutras 2.7-2.8
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“Happy Spring Festival!” Many blessings to everyone observing (or getting ready to observe) Lent. “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Gupta (Magha) Navaratri!” Peace and ease to all throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!

This is the “missing” post for Wednesday, February 14^th. It includes some previously posted information (updated for 2024) and embedded links to related posts. Click here for the 2023 post primarily about Valentine’s Day, Frederick Douglass, and The Importance of Being Earnest. You can request a recording of the related practice(s) 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. Donations are tax deductible.

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

“Here are some of the forms in which love manifests itself. First there is reverence. Why do people show reverence to temples and holy places? Because He is worshipped there, and His presence is associated with all such places. Why do people in every country pay reverence to teachers of religion? It is natural for the human heart to do so, because all such teachers preach the Lord. At bottom, reverence is a growth out of love; we can none of us revere him whom we do not love.”

— quoted from “CHAPTER IV. THE FORMS OF LOVE — MANIFESTATION” in The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda — Volume 3: Para-Bhakti or Supreme Devotion by Swami Vivekananda

The word “reverence” may seem like an odd choice for the “Season for Nonviolence” principle of the day for February 14th. It comes to English by way of Middle English and Old French, from the Latin word meaning “to stand in awe of.” It a word used to describe a feeling or emotion of deep respect and can also be the actions that come from said emotions. Since it is often associated with religion and religious practices, we can easily see Bhakti Yoga (“union” through “devotion”) as reverence in action. What we may not immediately recognize is that an awareness and respect of something (and/or someone) other than ourselves is deeply embedded in the Yoga Philosophy. It is the underlying foundation of all of the yamas (external “restraints” or universal commandments) and most — if not all — of the niyamas (internal “observations”). In fact, the yamas and niyamas are sometimes referred to as “respect for others” and “respect for yourself.”

Just consider, for a moment, how different the world would be if we actually did have more respect for others and ourselves. Just consider, for a moment, what would happen — or not happen — if, instead of putting conditions (and labels) on our love, we put more respect on the way we manifested the energy of love.

“Such is the power of love. When a man has forgotten himself altogether, and does not feel that anything belongs to him, then he acquires the state of Tadiyata; everything is sacred to him, because it belongs to the Beloved. Even in regard to earthly love, the lover thinks that everything belonging to his beloved is sacred and so dear to him. He loves even a piece of cloth belonging to the darling of his heart In the same way, when a person loves the Lord, the whole universe becomes dear to him, because it is all His.”

— quoted from “CHAPTER IV. THE FORMS OF LOVE — MANIFESTATION” in The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda — Volume 3: Para-Bhakti or Supreme Devotion by Swami Vivekananda

While people may not automatically think of reverence when they are celebrating Saint Valentine’s Day as a commercial holiday, it is important to remember that the day wasn’t initially associated with romantic love. It is actually a Christian feast day. It also was not the only (religious) holiday being observed on the 14th this year. It was also Ash Wednesday — which is the beginning of Lent in the Western Christian traditions; the fifth day of the Lunar New Year; and the fifth day and night of Navaratri, the Hindu celebration of the Divine as a woman.

These cultural and/or religious observations are “moveable feasts” (or fasts, in some cases), which do not always occur on the same day on the Gregorian calendar. (See link above for more on secular events.) Additionally, these rituals and traditions may appear very different on the outside and be rooted in different theology; however, at the heart of them all is the desire for deeper connections and that powerful love best described as “reverence.”

“The moment I have realised God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him — that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free.”

— quoted from the lecture “Practical Vedanta (Part II),” delivered in London (Nov. 12, 1896), as published in The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda — Volume 2: Practical Vedanta and other lectures by Swami Vivekananda

Hinduism is not the only religion where the feminine aspects of the Divine are celebrated. It’s not even the only religion where an observation related to a woman, as the Divine, is associated with a period of nine days/nights. To my knowledge, however, Navaratri (“nine nights”) is unique in that it celebrates many different aspects of a single woman. Each night/day is associated with a different manifestation of Durga/Parvati, the mother goddess, and is part of nine-part story cycle/journey that ends with a demon-king being destroyed. The fifth day is devoted to Skandamata, who is a fierce mother as protector — who simultaneously holds her baby, rides a lion, and keeps her eyes (especially her third eye) open for any and all danger.

In 2024, the fifth day of Navaratri also happens to be the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

A variation of the following was previously posted.

For many people celebrating the Lunar New Year, the fifth day is the day to go back to work after a four-day holiday. Businesses opening back up are met with great fanfare: parades, music, and fireworks. There’s also the promise of “lucky money,” in red envelopes; which business owners will give to their customers — who will then promptly spend some of the money in the business. Some people will also celebrate the birthday of all cows. This fifth day is particularly auspicious in parts of China where it is recognized as the birthday of the God of Wealth.

Of course, all this focus on wealth, indulgences, and vices, makes me think about the things we like and the things we don’t like — and how those preferences contribute to our overall experiences of life.

Yoga Sūtra 2.7: sukhānuśayī rāgah

— “Affliction that has pleasure as its resting ground is attachment.”

Yoga Sūtra 2.8: duhkhānuśayī dveşah

— “Affliction that has pain as its resting ground is aversion.”

Very early on in our human lives, people start to establish preferences. There are things (and people) we like and things (and people) we don’t like — and we will spend an extraordinary amount of time creating situations and environments full of the things (and people) we like and free of the things (and people) we don’t like. When things are not to our liking we experience suffering that we often attribute to things not being the way we want them. However, according to Eastern philosophies, believing things (or people) can make us happy or miserable is ignorant. Specifically, in the Yoga Philosophy, this is avidyā (“ignorance”) related to the true nature of things, which is a dysfunctional or afflicted thought pattern. Avidyā is seen as the bedrock of four other types of dysfunctional/afflicted thought patterns — two or which are rāga (“attachment” or what we like) and devşa (“aversion” or what we don’t like) and it is these afflictions (kleśāh) which lead to our suffering.

To experience freedom from craving and liberation from avidyā, and the subsequent suffering, Patanjali’s recommendations include abhyāsa (a devoted and uninterrupted “practice” done with trustful surrender devotion) and vairāgya (“non-attachment”). What is always interesting to me is that when you combine abhyāsa and vairāgya with the niyamas (internal “observations”) you end up with a practice that can look very much like Lent.

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

— Ceremonial words used on Ash Wednesday (drawn from Genesis 3:19)

“Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

— Ceremonial words used on Ash Wednesday (drawn from The Gospel According to Mark 1:15), Roman Catholic tradition after 1969

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “Lent comes from the Middle English word lente, meaning ‘springtime,’ which is itself descended from the Old English lencten.” (Italics are mine.) It is also the past tense and past participle of “lend,” but we will get into that symbolism in a week or so. In most Christian traditions, Lent is a 40-day period (46 when Sundays* are counted) when people actively focus on their spiritual life and connection to God by fasting, praying, and either giving up something — something to which they have a strong attachment (or aversion) — and/or doing something positive. When people give something up they will often donate the money they would have spent on whatever they gave up.

The 40-day ritual is a mirror of the days Jesus spent in the desert and is an opportunity for Christian contemplation, discernment, and self-reflection. Like the observation of Passover, the holy month of Ramadān, and the Baháʼí Nineteen-Day Fast, observing Lent falls under the rubric of what Patanjali described as kriyā yoga (“yoga in action”): a combination of tapah (“heat, austerity, or discipline”), svādhyāya (“self-study”), and īśvarapraņidhāna (“trustful surrender to [God]”).

In many Western Christian traditions, the Lenten season officially begins with Ash Wednesday, which is a day of fasting and prayer — and it is also the day when people truly begin to get ready for Easter. Many take a moment out of their day to attend Mass or services and to receive ashes, which are traditionally made from the previous year’s Palm Sunday fronds. In a ritual that has ties to Judaism and Biblical times, the ashes are a sign of penance and preparation. They are sometimes sprinkled on the crown of the head; however, the more common practice in modern times is for a priest or pastor to use the ashes to make the sign of the cross on a person’s forehead. People are not required to wear the mark of the cross throughout the remainder of their day; however, many choose to maintain that link and reminder.

The practice is considered sacramental in the Roman Catholic tradition, but the ashes and receiving the ashes are not sacraments; which means they serve as a symbol and preparation aide for holy sacraments, as well as a reminder of the grace of the sacraments. The fact that receiving ashes is not a sacrament also means that, in the Roman Catholic tradition, anyone (including non-Catholics and those who have been excommunicated by the Church) may receive ashes.

Of course, if you are unfamiliar with these religious traditions and rituals, you may find it odd that people are walking around with a mark on their face. Or, perhaps you recognize the mark as a symbol of their faith, but you’ve been unclear about the symbolic significance (as mentioned above) or even why the Lenten season — like the other religious observations mentioned above — can be so powerful that the rituals and traditions have endured the test of time.

To understand the latter, we need to consider the desire for spiritual nourishment and then go a little deeper into that very common aspect of being human that I mentioned before: having preferences, and the absolute freedom that comes from trustful surrender.

“When I was in college, my Jewish roommates used to tell me what to give up for Lent….

Since then, for over 20 years my friend Rob has phoned me every Ash Wednesday to assign me a Lenten sacrifice. The sacrifices have grown easier over the years since Rob is running out of things for me to give up. For a few years he favored spices. One Lent I was suppose to avoid anything with oregano. It sounded easy until it dawned on me that pizza was out of the question for six weeks. Having another person choose your sacrifice adds an extra dimension to Lent. Since my penance is not within my control, it feels a little more spiritual. As with far more serious struggles in life, like an illness or the loss of a job, things outside our control are the most difficult to deal with. They are, in traditional Christian theology, crosses that eventually need to be accepted, much as Jesus finally accepted his cross.

When I was dealing with a long illness, I once complained to an older priest that I didn’t want that particular cross. He said, well it wouldn’t be much of a cross if you wanted it, would it?”

— Father James Martin quoted from the interview “Priest Lets Friend Choose His Sacrifice for Lent” with Melissa Block on NPR’s All Things Considered (2/28/2006)

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “One More for Ash Wednesday & Day 5 2024”]

*NOTE: Sundays during Lent are considered anniversaries of Easter and the Resurrection; therefore, they are not counted as days of penance.

### LOVE IS THE FOUNDATION ###

Reintroducing… An “Impossible” Person January 23, 2024

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Loss, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: adaptive yoga, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, disability, Ed Roberts, Harry Reasoner, independence, KISS MY ASANA, klişţāklişţāh, kriya yoga, Lee Roberts, Matthew Sanford, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, political science, pranayama, prāṇāyāma, Rolling Quads, Shotokan Karate, svadyaya, svādhyāya, yoga, yoga philosophy, Yoga Sutra 2.1, Zona Roberts
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Breathe in… and savor the best parts of your life. Breathe out… and let go of something that keeps you from savoring the best parts of your life.

This is the first part of “Doing: Lessons in unexpected, ridiculously inconvenient, unplayable things (& ‘impossible’ people).” A version of the following was originally posted in 2021 (and reposted, in a different contexts, in 2022 and 2023). Click here for that philosophical 2021 post in it’s entirety.

“From a practical standpoint then, svadhyaya is the process of employing the power of discernment and maintaining a constant awareness of who we are, what we are trying to become, and how the objective world can help us accomplish our goal.”

— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.1 from The Practice of the Yoga Sūtra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

The Yoga Sutras offer a detailed explanation of the dysfunctional/afflicted thought patterns that create suffering. Patanjali described those thought patterns as ignorance, the false sense of self, attachment (rooted in pleasure), aversion (which is attachment rooted in pain), and a fear of loss/death. He established ignorance (avidyā) as the root of the other four and stated that this groundwork is established no matter if the ignorance is dormant, attenuated, disjointed, or active. He then broke down the different ways avidyā manifests in the world — which basically goes back to the ways in which we misunderstand the nature of things — and how the other four afflicted thought patterns rise up.

We can find examples of how avidyā and the other four dysfunctional/afflicted thought patterns manifest all around us. There are, therefore, also examples of how the sources of our ignorance can be the path towards freedom, fulfillment, and more clarity. One example of this is how some people view those that are not considered “able bodied.” Think about the activist Edward V. Roberts, for example.

“I fell in love, like many people do. We do that as well. And it became ridiculously inconvenient to have my attendant pushing me around in my wheelchair with my girlfriend. It was an extra person that I didn’t need to be more intimate. I learned how to drive a power wheelchair in one day. I was so motivated to learn something that it changed in many ways my perception of my disability and of myself. She jumped on my lap and we rode off into the sunset or to the closest motel.”

— Ed Roberts in a 60 Minutes interview with Harry Reasoner

Known as the “Father of the Independent Living” movement, Mr. Roberts was born today in 1939. By all accounts, he spent his formative years as a “regular” boy. Then, at the age of fourteen, he contracted polio — this was in 1953, two years before the vaccine ended the polio epidemic. The virus left the active, “sports-loving” teenager paralyzed from the neck down, with mobility only in two fingers and a few toes. It also (temporarily) crushed his spirit. He initially spent most of his days and all of his nights in an 800-pound iron lung. When he wasn’t in the iron lung, he used “frog breathing” — a technique that uses the facial and neck muscles to pump air into the lungs.

Now, if you have not interacted with someone with a disability, you might think — as Ed Roberts initially thought of himself — that he was a “helpless cripple.” You might, like him and one of his early doctors, back in 1953, think that there was no point to his life. You might think that he couldn’t do yoga; couldn’t get married (and divorced); couldn’t have a child; and definitely couldn’t do anything to change the world. You might think that he wouldn’t be celebrated.

But, if you think any of that — just as he initially thought that — you would be wrong.

“There are very few people even with the most severe disabilities who can’t take control of their own life. The problem is that the people around us don’t expect us to.”

— Ed Roberts in a 60 Minutes interview with Harry Reasoner

Just to be clear, to my knowledge Ed Roberts didn’t practice yoga. However, he did practice Shotokan karate. Also, it is interesting to note that (a) the glottis (which includes the true vocal chords and the rima glottidis or empty space at the back of the throat) that we engage to practice Ujjayi prāņāyāma, is the same area he would engage to breathe without the iron lung and (b) once he changed his understanding of himself — let go of his “false sense of self” — he was able to change the world.

Even though he could attend school by telephone, Zona Roberts, Ed Roberts’s mother, insisted that he attend school in-person one day a week. for at least a few hours. She also encouraged him to think of himself as a “star” and to advocate for his own needs. So, when he was in danger of not graduating from high school, because he hadn’t completed driver’s education or physical education, he pushed back on those who would limit him.

After graduating from high school, he attended the College of San Mateo and the University of California Berkeley — even though one of the UC Berkeley deans wanted to reject him because someone else had had an unsuccessful bid at college and the dean viewed all people with disabilities as a monolith. At Berkeley, Mr. Roberts pushed to have on-campus housing that would accommodate his needs and, once that was established, pushed the university to admit and provide the dormitory experience to other people with “severe disabilities.” The Cowell Residence Program became a model for universities around the world.

Mr. Roberts and some of the other students in the Cowell Residence Program referred to themselves as the “Rolling Quads.” They were very active in changing people’s perceptions and understandings and, therefore, they were able to change policy and infrastructure. “Curb cuts,” the ramped opening between a sidewalk and street, are one of the changes that resulted from their activism. After Ed Roberts graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Political Science, he went on to teach at an “alternative college.” He also served as Director of the state organization that had once labeled him too disabled to work and eventually co-founded the World Institute on Disability (at Berkeley). His activism — including protesting at the San Francisco offices of the Carter Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and testifying before Congress — led to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990).

“And I literally went from like 120 pounds to 50 pounds. I also discovered how powerful the mind is, when you make up your mind.”

— Ed Roberts in a 60 Minutes interview with Harry Reasoner

If I remember correctly, I first dug into Ed Roberts’s story because someone on the internet mentioned him and his birthday. Maybe this was in 2017, when there was a Google Doodle to honor him. Or, maybe I made a note to myself when I saw the Google Doodle and then incorporated it into a class the following year. Either way, I had time to dig in.

Perhaps, since some of my themes are date-related and I do keep an eye out for such things, one might not consider my heightened awareness of Ed Roberts as being overly synchronistic or serendipitous. This is especially true considering that my annual participation in the Kiss My Asana yogathon is one of the many things that predisposes (or conditions) me to pay attention to stories about accessibility. If anything, I could kind of kick myself for not digging into his story sooner.

But, we only know what we know and we don’t know what we don’t know. The odds are pretty high, though, that I would have eventually come across his story and his legacy — which provides a lot of reminders about how to move through the year in a way that brings change that makes the world better than we found it.

“My bottom walk-away experience that I believe I carry with me every day is that my father never settled for anything and always fought for everything. And he always, always followed his gut, followed his passion, went with it no matter who was against him, and oftentimes there was more people against him than it was for him.

So I’ve always followed my gut and followed my passion. And in so many different speeches, he would always encourage that person to look within themselves, find their passion, follow it. You can’t… You can’t go wrong with your gut. You can’t go wrong with your passion. Don’t ever settle. He never settled. I’ll never settle. I carry that with me every day, and if there’s anything he loved to pass on, it’s just go for it.”

— quoted from “A Day in the Life of Ed Roberts: Lee Roberts Talks About His Father, Ed Roberts” by Lee Roberts

Please join me today (Tuesday, January 23^rd) 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 (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07112020 An Introduction”]

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.)

Errata: This post has been updated to more accurately describe the anatomy related to “frog breathing.”

### Wake Up Your Mind & Just Go For It! ###

How Do You Deal with Your Answers?* June 13, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Life, Loss, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Vairagya, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: ataraxia, Dr. Irvin Yalom, Dr. Louis Hoffman, existentialism, Flight from Death, Franciscus van den Eden, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, Philosophy, Yoga Sutra 1.5, Yoga Sutra 2.13, Yoga Sutras 2.3-2.4
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Happy Pride! Many blessings to everyone!!!

“I am using the term [existential] in a very simple, straightforward way; simply to refer to existence. [As an adjective] Existential Psychotherapy means simply, a therapy focused on concerns emerging from the nature of existence.”

– Dr. Irvin Yalom, speaking at a 2009 Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference

Existential therapists, like Dr. Irvin Yalom (who turns 92 today), are concerned with the same questions as existential philosophers: Who are we? Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? You know, those easy questions. The therapists, however, may be more concerned (than the philosophers) about how we answer the questions. Or, we could say, they are concerned with the actions that come our answers.

Born today in 1931, Dr. Irvin Yalom is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford and an author of fiction and non-fiction that deals with the mental and emotional workings of the mind (and heart). He pioneered existentialist psychotherapy and was featured in the 2003 documentary Flight from Death, which explores how people deal with what Patanjali highlighted as the fifth afflicted thought pattern: fear of loss/death. (YS 2.3)

Dr. Yalom’s therapy and research are based on his belief that “we are here, through random events; that we are here alone…. that we are responsible for carving out own life pattern, our own meaning… we have no predestined fate, most of all it means that we are finite… we all have to face inevitable death.” Like Virginia Satir and Dr. M. Scott Peck, he focuses not so much on a “presenting” issue/problem as on how we deal with our issues and problems. He outlined four givens: Isolation, Mortality, Meaninglessness, and Freedom (which comes with responsibility). According to Dr. Yalom we deal with inner conflict around the four “givens” and our responses are either functional or dysfunctional. Dr. Louis Hoffman added a fifth “given” to this idea: we have an emotional, embodied experience.

In the Yoga Philosophy, what Dr. Yalom calls “functional or dysfunctional” is described as klişțāklişțāh (“afflicted and not afflicted”). Philosophically, we can see the correlation between our dysfunctional or afflicted thoughts and actions and our suffering (and/or the suffering of others). Of course, this takes us right back to the root or bedrock of our suffering: the first afflicted thought pattern, ignorance.

Yoga Sūtra 1.5: vŗttayah pañcatayyah klişțāklişțāh

– “The tendencies that cause the mind to fluctuate (or rotate) are fivefold, and are either afflicting or non-afflicting.”

Yoga Sūtra 2.4: avidyā kṣetramuttareṣāṃ prasuptatanuvicchinnodārāṇām

– “Ignorance is the ground for the remaining afflictions, whether they are dormant, attenuated, disjointed, or active.”

Yoga Sūtra 2.13: sati mūle tadvipāko jātyāyurbhogāḥ

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

Please join me today (Tuesday, June 13^th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Today’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06132020 Yalom’s Big Day”]

“‘Lads, your needs are few, they are easily attained, and any necessary suffering can be easily tolerated. Don’t complicate your life with such trivial goals as riches and fame: they are the enemy of ataraxia. Fame, for example, consists of the opinions of others and requires that we must live our life as others wish. To achieve and maintain fame, we must like what others like and shun whatever it is that they shun. Hence, a life of fame or a life in politics? Flee from it. And wealth? Avoid it! It is a trap. The more we acquire the more we crave, and the deeper our sadness when our yearning is not satisfied. Lads, listen to me: If you crave happiness, do not waste your life struggling for that which you really do not need.’”

– the fictionalized Franciscus van den Enden speaking to his students in The Spinoza Problem: A Novel by Dr. Irvin D. Yalom

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.)

*Some quotes were added after the initial posting.

### HOW ARE YOU COPING? ###

Resurfacing the Quixotic Mind (the Saturday post) January 16, 2021

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Meditation, Music, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Alan Bergman, Dale Wasserman, Frank Zamboni, Joe Darion, klishtaklishta, klişţāklişţāh, Lawrence Zamboni, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand, Miguel de Cervantes, Mitch Leigh, Patanjali, Pete Zamboni, Richard Zamboni, yoga sutras
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[This is the post for Saturday, January 16^th. You can request an audio recording of Saturday’s practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

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

“‘Now look, your grace,’ said Sancho, ‘what you see over there aren’t giants, but windmills, and what seems to be arms are just their sails, that go around in the wind and turn the millstone.’
‘Obviously,’ replied Don Quijote, ‘you don’t know much about adventures. Those are giants – and if you’re frightened, take yourself away from here and say your prayers, while I go charging into savage and unequal combat with them.’”

– quoted from “Chapter Eight – the great success won by our brave Don Quijote in his dreadful, unimaginable encounter with two windmills, plus other honorable events well worth remembering” in Part 1 of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha) by Miguel de Cervantes

Two years ago when I decided to start the New Year (of 2019) by introducing my Saturday class to the beginning Patanjali’s Yoga Sūtras, it seemed like a grand adventure. Yes, there would be dreams and windmills and friendship, not to mention wild horses and beautiful landscapes. But, on a certain level, a philosophical level, I thought it would be the beginning of four years of relatively pedestrian exploration. Yes, I thought it would be intensive study that could be applied to our lives on and off the mat. Yes, I knew it would be a little too esoteric for some – especially those who just dropped in now and again and/or started new in the beginning of the year. But, no, I didn’t really consider that, off the mat, we would find ourselves in the middle of the same kind of social and political backdrop that inspired Miguel de Cervantes to create the ingenious gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha.

First published today in 1605, Book 1 of Cervantes’ El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha is the beginning of what many consider the first “modern novel.” It is the second most translated book in the world (after the complete Bible) and it is also viewed as social commentary disguised as a fantastical farce. The primary character is, at best, idealistic – a dreamer beyond all dreamers; but, at worst, he is completely and utterly delusional. Is he speaking and moving through world as if everything and everyone in the world is a metaphor? Or, does he truly believe the windmills are giants that threaten the fair Dulcinea and all of their neighbors? Furthermore, does Cervantes – in writing what can (and was) easily be seen as social and political allegory – believe that those idealistic individuals who take on the political establishment are incredibly foolhardy or incredibly brave? Sometimes it is hard to tell. What is unquestionable, however, is that Don Quixote has a whole lot of things going on his mind and all of that citta vŗitti (“fluctuations of the mind”) determines how he interacts with the world around him.

“Keys that jingle in your pocket, words that jangle in your head”

– quoted from “Windmills of the Mind,” music by Michel Legrand with English lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman

Don Quixote, the story and the man, might have been very different if the title character did some yoga. Some might think there would be no story without the titular character’s mental confusion and delusion. However, Don Quixote, himself, was often very clear about his understanding of reality and very clear about the fact that the people around him disagreed with his understanding of reality. So… in some ways, maybe it would be the same story. After all, Cervantes frames much of the story around the way Don Quixote’s mind works and that is the same paradigm Patanjali uses in the Yoga Sūtras.

We contemplated the last sūtra of the second chapter last Saturday. Before we “progress” or move forward, I thought it would be a good idea to spend a little time reviewing the first two chapters and possibly delving a little deeper into certain aspects of the practices Patanjali recommends in the those chapters. So, this week’s practice includes a quick summary review of the “Samadhi Pada” (Chapter or Foundation on Concentration), in which Patanjali explains (in 51 sūtras) how the mind works and how to work the mind.

“Like a tunnel that you follow to a tunnel of its own
Down a hollow to a cavern where the sun has never shone
Like a door that keeps revolving in a half forgotten dream
Or the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face
And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind!”

– quoted from “Windmills of the Mind,” music by Michel Legrand with English lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman

At the beginning, Patanjali explains that the practice of yoga (as well as the state of yoga that is “union”) cultivate stillness or quietude in the mind, thereby restoring or connecting the practitioner to their “own true nature.” He describes five types of mental activity: correct understanding (which is achieved through sense perception, inference, and/or revelation described in sacred text); incorrect understanding; imagination (which is activity not connected or rooted in reality as it currently exists); dreamless sleep; and memory (which can also engage the other types of activity) – and further breaks they types of mental activity into two categories two categories (klişţāklişţāh, “afflicted” and “not afflicted”); meaning they mental activity either creates suffering or does not create suffering.

To work the mind, in order to cultivate quietude, Patanjali recommends abyhāsa (practicing with devotion to the practice for a long period of time, without interruption) and vairāgya (practicing without attachment). He describes four levels of conscious awareness – which are also the four levels of concentration – as gross (meaning the awareness that something is happening); subtle (awareness of the different aspects of what is happening); bliss (enjoying what is happening); and i-ness (a level of absorption whereby there is a seamless connection between the person concentrating and the object on which they are concentrating).

Patanjali also explains in the first chapter that the benefits of the practice – which include faith, vigor, retentive power, stillness of mind, and intuitive wisdom – can be achieved in a time based on the level of engagement (mild, intermediate, or supreme). After detailing the importance of OM and the power of a devoted surrender to the Divine, he adds to the list of benefits by explaining that meditation helps one overcome nine obstacles (disease, mental inertia, doubt, carelessness, sloth, an inability to withdraw from sense cravings, an attachment to misunderstanding, frustration, and failure to retain the highest level of conscious awareness) and their five accompanying ailments (pain, mental agitation, unsteadiness or trembling of limbs, abnormal or disturbed inhalation, and abnormal or disturbed exhalation).

Finally, he offers the following ways to practice concentration (that leads to meditation):

heart focus: offering friendliness to those who are happy; compassion to those who are suffering; happiness to those who are virtuous; and non-judgment or disinterest in those who are not virtuous;
breath focus: pranayama;
single-pointed focus: on a specific part of the body, a sense organ (and corresponding sensation); or an external object;
inner light & inner joy focus
focusing on a virtuous one who is without desire: choosing either a sacred person whose virtuous history is known or the best/ideal version of one’s own self;
wisdom focus: bringing awareness to knowledge gained from dreams and sleep; and
focus on a well-considered object (with some understanding of the benefit of the object)

“Translating from one language to another, unless it is from Greek and Latin, the queens of all languages, is like looking at Flemish tapestries from the wrong side, for although the figures are visible, they are covered by threads that obscure them, and cannot be seen with the smoothness and color of the right side….”

– quoted from “Chapter Sixty-one – of what befell Don Quijote on his entry into Barcelona, with other Accidents that have more truth than wisdom in them.” in Part 2 of El ingenioso cabellero Don Quijote de la Mancha (The Ingenious Knight-errant Don Quixote of La Mancha) by Miguel de Cervantes

Again, one of the goals and benefits of the practice described by Patanjali is the clarity of the mind – being able to not only see the beauty of something, but also how everything is put together. Here, in the first chapter, however, he really focuses on smoothing out the mind. One way I think about the meditation practice is that we spend some time touching on and scooping up all the bumpy distractions; then we wash over those same areas with the breath and the mind in order to smooth it all out; and then we use the breath and the awareness to seal in that smoothness. In this way, the practice is like a Zamboni®.

Invented by Frank Zamboni, who was born today 1901, in Eureka, Utah, a Zamboni® is an ice resurfacing machine that shaves the ice, collects the shavings, washes the ice with a cleaner, and then spreads a thin coat of fresh water to seal in the smooth(er) surface. Perhaps being born in Eureka destined Mr. Zamboni to become an inventor, but the resurfacer wasn’t his first (or last) bit of ingenuity. The son of Italian immigrants, he initially moved to California to help his older brother Lawrence run an existing business. But then the Zamboni brothers decided to try something different; they opened an ice-making plant. Not convinced the plant would sustain them once advancements were made in air conditioning and refrigeration; they decided to open Iceland, an ice skating rink in Paramount, California, with their cousin Pete.

Iceland (which still exists) was special and attracted a lot of attention, because Frank Zamboni figured out a way to eliminate the rippling effect that was caused by the pipes underneath the ice. He invented a circulation system and “flat tanks” that enabled them to build a rink that would hold up to 800 skaters at a time – making it one of the largest (and the smoothest) rink in the country.

Well… it was the smoothest, except after a day full of skaters.

“For neither good nor evil can last for ever; and so it follows that as evil has lasted a long time, good must now be close at hand.”

– quoted from “Chapter Nineteen – An account of the second discourse that passed between Sancho and his master: the succeeding adventure of the corpse, and other remarkable events” in Part 1 of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha) by Miguel de Cervantes

In 1949, a few years after opening the rink, Mr. Zamboni had invented (and eventually patented) the machine that would bear his name. Before his invention, resurfacing the ice required 5 men and 90 minutes. After his invention, resurfacing the ice required 1 person and 15 minutes. Figure skaters and hockey teams were quick to jump on board and, in a relatively short amount of time, Frank Zamboni had a new business venture. But, he wasn’t done. He would go on to invent mechanisms to remove water and paint from outdoor turf as well as to install and remove the turf (the “Grasshopper”). He also invented machines to fill dirt on top of a cemetery vault (the “Black Widow”) and lift and carry burial vaults (the “Vault Carrier”); and had a hand in building and selling machines to deal with snow, trenches, and air craft.

Frank Zamboni was a dreamer and, in some ways, he dreamed of things so fantastical most people couldn’t even begin to imagine them. He was awarded almost twenty patents during his lifetime. In 1988, his son Richard (who is Chairman and President of Frank J. Zamboni & Company, Inc.) told a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, “One of the reasons he stuck with it was that everyone told him he was crazy. When he finally finished, he was so sick of it that he didn’t even bother painting it.” So, in many ways, Frank Zamboni was a little like Don Quixote, trying to find a better way.

“When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”

– “Cervantes”, quoted from Act II of Man of La Mancha: A Musical Play by Mitch Leigh, Dale Wasserman, Joe Darion

Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.

“As the author of this great history reaches the events that he narrates in this chapter, he says the he’d have preferred to pass over them in silence , fearing he wouldn’t be believed, because here Don Quixote’s mad deeds approached the limits of the imaginable, and indeed went a couple of bowshots beyond them. But in the end, in spite of these fears and misgivings, he described these deeds exactly as they happened, without adding or subtracting one atom of truth or concerning himself with any accusations that might be made that he was lying; and he was right to do so, because the truth may be stretched thin, but it never breaks, and it always surfaces above lies, as oil floats on water.”

– quoted from “Chapter Ten – Gives describes Sancho’s cunning enchantment of the Lady Dulcinea; with other events as ridiculous as they are true” in Part 2 of El ingenioso caballero Don Quijote de la Mancha (The Ingenious Knight-errant Don Quixote of La Mancha) by Miguel de Cervantes

A little note about quotes, translations, and “paramount”: My apologies for not citing the translators in the aforementioned quotes. I actually used more than one translation and, by the time I was putting this together, I realized that I hadn’t ever noted which quote came from where or when I had spliced translations. Part of my error comes from the fact that I don’t always reference translators during the practice.

Additionally, because of the different translations, I was not able to find the original source for the following great quotes, which are attributed to Cervantes and “Don Quixote” – but which may actually be from another (related) source:

“It’s up to brave hearts, sir, to be patient when things are going badly, as well as being happy when they’re going well…”

“…for hope is always born at the same time as love…”

Finally, I mentioned “paramount” during the practice (as a synonym for “supreme”) but neglected to tie that back into the theme. Serendipitously, “Paramount” kept coming up today as it is the name of the city where the Zamboni family opened their ice rink and also the name of the studio where the English version of “Windmills of the Mind” was originally recorded. Just a fun trivia fact for those of you who were wondering.

A Joyful Practice

FTWMI: The McGuffin’s MacGuffin, redux & reprised August 13, 2025

— quoted from the “Upanishad” page by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (“Swami J”)

“May all of us together be protected….”

— quoted from the beginning of the “Teaching Shantipat,” chanted in Sanskrit by Richard Freeman (when we are in the studio)

— Jiddu Krishnamurti

— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (2.47) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face…. You must do what you think you cannot do.”

— quoted from You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt

— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.33 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

— quoted from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD

— quoted from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD

“[Spoken: Alfred Hitchcock]Thus far, this album has provided musical accompaniment to make your passing pleasantOur next number is designed to drown out the sound of shovelsMusic to be buried by[Music begins]

“Hitchcock explained how the MacGuffin got its name:

‘Two men are traveling on a train to Scotland. One of them is carrying an odd parcel. The other man says, “What have you there?” and the other answers, “A MacGuffin.”

‘“What’s a MacGuffin?”

‘“It’s a special device designed to trap wild lions in the Scottish Highlands.”

‘“But there aren’t any lions in the Scottish Highlands.”

‘“Then, there is no MacGuffin.”

‘The MacGuffin, you see, is only important if you think it’s important, and that’s my job as a director, to make you think it’s important.’”

— quoted from “II. British Films: Cub Director” in It’s Only a Movie: Alfred Hitchcock: A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler2

— quoted from “The Empty Object” in “27. Hitchcock’s Ethics of Suspense: Psychoanalysis and the Devaluation of the Object” by Todd McGowan (as published in A Companion to Alfred Hitchcock, edited by Thomas Leitch and Leland Poague)

“This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

“Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.”

— quoted from the March 4, 1933, Inaugural Speech by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

— quoted from “Chapter 1. Being and Courage – Courage and Wisdom: The Stoics” in The Courage To Be (pub. 1952) by Paul Tillich

— quoted from Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm by Thich Nhat Hanh

### BE Fearless & PLAY. BE WISE.###

FTWMI: How Do We Know? (an *UPDATED* note with excerpts) June 15, 2025

— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.24 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

“The first words he said when he had digested the shock, contained a magnanimous declaration, which he probably was not conscious of having uttered aloud – ‘Weel – blude’s thicker than water – she’s welcome to the cheeses and the hams just the same.’”

— quoted from “Chapter IX, Die and endow a college or a cat. Pope.” of Guy Mannering, or The Astrologer (pub. 1815) by Sir Walter Scott, Bart

— quoted from (Book 6) “CHAPTER XXIX. Pantheism. Description of the World as Full with the Supreme Soul.” of The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated from the original Sanskrit by VIHARI-LALA MITRA)

### QUESTION WHAT YOU KNOW ###

FTWMI: Laissez les bons temps rouler (w/ “treats”) [abridged & revised for 2025]! March 4, 2025

“Laissez les bons temps rouler!”

— Louisiana French for “Let the good times roll!”

“… don’t tell no lie! Cause we gonna have fun, y’all, on Mardi Gras! … I’m not gonna tell no lie. We not gonna let Katrina, y’all, turn us ’round.”

— Theodore “Bo” Dollis, “Big Chief” of The Wild Magnolias opening the song “Brother John Is Gone / Herc-Jolly-John” on Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album

Click here and scroll down (to Yoga Sūtra 2.7) to go deeper into the philosophy.

### KEEP NOTICING (& ACKNOWLEDGING) THE SPIRIT OF THINGS ###

Your Terms/Causes & Conditions of Happiness & FTWMI: “Be Happy, Now!” (a 2-for-1 “missing” Saturday & Monday post w/ excerpts) October 21, 2024

“And they have made us Liars. We cannot tell the truth anymore. You cannot reprimand your children.

[In adult voice] ‘No Jonny, you said you you didn’t have a biscuit, but there’s crumbs on your face and you did have a biscuit. You have lied.’

[In kid voice] ‘But you said you had read the terms and conditions when you ticked that box. It’s too quick for you to read the terms and conditions. You read it and [makes the sounds of fast moving text].’

The truth is no one in this room has read the terms and conditions. No one in New York has read the terms and conditions. No one in the Universe — Even God has not read the terms and conditions….”

— quoted from Eddie Izzard: Live at Madison Square Garden (part of the “Stripped” tour) by Eddie Izzard

— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.33 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

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

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

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

“1. Give yourself permission to be human.

2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning.”

— quoted from the Psychology 1504 (“Positive Psychology”) course by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar

“3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account.

4. Simplify!”

— quoted from the Psychology 1504 (“Positive Psychology”) course by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar

“5. Remember the mind-body connection.

6. Express gratitude, whenever possible.”

— quoted from the Psychology 1504 (“Positive Psychology”) course by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar

### YESTERDAY, TODAY, (the possibility of) TOMORROW ###

### Essential workers (outside of healthcare), Essential workers (within healthcare), Teachers ###

The McGuffin’s MacGuffin, redux & reprised (the “missing” Tuesday post) August 13, 2024

— quoted from the “Upanishad” page by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (“Swami J”)

“May all of us together be protected….”

— quoted from the beginning of the “Teaching Shantipat,” chanted in Sanskrit by Richard Freeman (when we are in the studio)

— Jiddu Krishnamurti

— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (2.47) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face…. You must do what you think you cannot do.”

— quoted from You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt

— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.33 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

— quoted from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD

— quoted from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD

“[Spoken: Alfred Hitchcock] Thus far, this album has provided musical accompaniment to make your passing pleasant Our next number is designed to drown out the sound of shovels Music to be buried by [Music begins]

“Hitchcock explained how the MacGuffin got its name:

‘Two men are traveling on a train to Scotland. One of them is carrying an odd parcel. The other man says, “What have you there?” and the other answers, “A MacGuffin.”

‘“What’s a MacGuffin?”

‘“It’s a special device designed to trap wild lions in the Scottish Highlands.”

‘“But there aren’t any lions in the Scottish Highlands.”

‘“Then, there is no MacGuffin.”

“[Spoken: Alfred Hitchcock]
Thus far, this album has provided musical accompaniment to make your passing pleasant
Our next number is designed to drown out the sound of shovels
Music to be buried by
[Music begins]

— quoted from “II. British Films: Cub Director” in It’s Only a Movie: Alfred Hitchcock: A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler²

FTWMI: How Do We Know? (an UPDATED note with excerpts) June 15, 2025

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

“[Spoken: Alfred Hitchcock]
Thus far, this album has provided musical accompaniment to make your passing pleasant
Our next number is designed to drown out the sound of shovels
Music to be buried by
[Music begins]

— quoted from “II. British Films: Cub Director” in It’s Only a Movie: Alfred Hitchcock: A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler²