An Anything [But] Ordinary 2024 (the “missing” Sunday post) *UPDATED* February 11, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Lent / Great Lent, Life, Meditation, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: Brahmacharini, Carnival, Charl Blignaut, Che Kung, Dr. Miranda Brown, Durga, Estomihi, Gupta Navaratri, Helen Zaltzman, Léopoldine Emma Doualla-Bell Smith, Lunar New Year, Madiba, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace, Navaratri, Nelson Mandela, Parvati, Quinquagesima, Ruth Carol Taylor, Sam Hui, Season for Nonviolence, Season of Non-violence, Shrovetide, Spring Festival, The Gospel According to Luke, Thomas Edison, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Year of the Dragon, Yvonne Chaka Chaka
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“Happy (Lunar) New Year!” and/or “Happy Carnival!” to those who are already celebrating! Many blessings to anyone preparing for Lent. “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Gupta (Magha) Navaratri!” Peace and ease throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
This is the “missing” post for Sunday, February 11th. It includes some previously posted information (updated for 2024) and embedded links to related posts. 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.
“When you are grounded you are completely present, your mind is still, and you are totally focused. It is from this place of being grounded that you can operate most effectively….”
— quoted from the “Reflection” section of the “Day 12 ~ February 11 ~ Groundedness” page for the “Season for Nonviolence,” provided by the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
For some people, there was nothing special about today.
I mean, every day is special and every day that you can be grounded in the present is special. But, for some this day is just like any other date on the calendar.
Oh, sure, maybe you know that Thomas Alva Edison was born February 11, 1847, and that this was a special day for Nelson Mandela, who was freed from prison today in 1990, after 27 years in prison.* Maybe you remember last year’s Black History post about the history (before and after) Ruth Carol Taylor’s much heralded and publicized flight today in 1958. Or, maybe you were one of those people excited about the Super Bowl… or the halftime show… or something related.
But, all of that is history and — unless you mark some personal special occasion on February 11th — there is nothing extra special about today.
It’s just an ordinary… regular Sunday… on the Gregorian calendar.
“财神到 财神到
Caishen dao caishen dao [The god of wealth has come! The god of wealth has come!]
好心得好报
Hao xinde hao bao [Good news]
财神话 财神话
Caishenhua caishenhua [Myth of money, myth of money]
揾钱依正路
wen qian yi zhenglu [if you follow the right path]”
— quoted from the song “Cai Shen Dao” [“The God of Wealth Has Come!” by Sam Hui, lyrics in Hanzi [Chinese characters], pīnyīn [“spelled sounds”], and English
Of course, not everyone uses the Gregorian calendar. So, for some people today (Sunday) was the second day of the Lunar New Year designated as the Year of the (wood) Dragon. In parts of China and the diaspora, it was also the second day of the Spring Festival, a fifteen day celebration that culminates with the Lantern Festival. Each region that celebrates the Lunar New Year, places special significance on each day and highlights that significance with different stories, traditions, and food.
Food is a big part of the Spring Festival traditions. Certain foods are associated with certain deities and stories. Additionally, as Dr. Miranda Brown (who teaches at the University of Michigan, in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures) explained to Helen Zaltzman on episode 189 of The Allusionist, certain foods are consumed (or not consumed) during the Spring Festival because their names (in Chinese) are homophones that sound exactly like — or, very similar to — words that mean “gold,” “abundance, or surplus,” “becoming successful,” “many riches,” and “good fortune for all.” There are even noodles specifically called, “long life noodles.” Obviously people want to eat those things. Similarly, things that sound (and look) like the characters of bad fortune are to be avoided.
Some people honor the god of land on the second day, while others celebrate the birthday of all dogs. Traditionally, the second day is a day when daughters who had married and moved away from home would return to visit their birth families — which meant their families would welcome the son-in-laws. In some places, this second day of the new year is actually dedicated to the son-in-laws.
For some (particularly Cantonese people), the second day is known as “beginning of the year” and it marks the beginning of a new business year. As such, there are blessings and prayers for a prosperous new year. From 221 B. C. until 1912 A. D., it was common for beggars and the unemployed in China to spend today carrying around a picture of the God of Wealth and shouting, “Cai Shen Dao” ! [“The God of Wealth has come!” in Mandarin] In exchange for their pronouncement, they would receive “lucky money” from families and businesses.
In some parts of China, people celebrate the birthday of Che Kung on his “actual” birthday (the second), while others celebrate on the third day of the year. A military general of the Southern Song Dynasty, Che Kung is believed to have been capable of suppressing rebellions and plagues. Some even consider him “God of Protection.” Hong Kong and Guangdung Province are two of the places where people traditionally have a procession and visit a temple dedicated to Che Kung. Despite the pandemic, thousands of people visited the temple in Sha Tin in 2021; however, masks, temperature checks, and a health registration were required. In 2022, vaccinations were encouraged and people were required to use the “Leave Home Safe” app, which is a free digital contract tracing app launched by the Hong Kong government. In 2023, some media outlets reported a few less people than normal, while others reported more people than the previous year. Both scenarios could be true, but in either case, most people are hoping, praying, and wishing for a better business year.
People who travel to the temple on the second and third days of the new year give thanks, light red candles and incense sticks, and present offerings. Some will spin a golden pinwheel outside of the temple to maintain good luck from the previous year or to change their fortune in the New Year. Some will even buy a personal pinwheel. There is also a big ceremony around drawing fortune sticks, which people believe offers guidance for the coming year and can be interpreted by a fortune teller. Of course, this year (like the last three years), a lot of people are seeking guidance about how to proceed in a way that eliminates suffering (given the long term ramifications of the pandemic).
While billions of people around the world celebrate the Lunar New Year, many in India and the diaspora are celebrating (Gupta) Navaratri. As I mentioned on Saturday, the 9-night celebrations of Durga, the divine mother, in various manifestations, technically occurs four times a year. However, since this time of year is one of the least celebrated Navaratri holidays, it is considered “secret” or “hidden” (i.e., not obvious). The second day/night is dedicated to Durga as Brahmacharini (“Unmarried One“), a form of Parvati who is devoted to the path of Yoga. In art, she has all the symbols of an ascetic: bare feet, a mala (rosary) and a kamandalu (water pot). People consider her a symbol of bliss and calmness and pray to her for moksha (“liberation” from suffering), peace, and prosperity.
Of course, there are billions of people who look to another manifestation of the divine for peace.
A variation of the following was previously posted in 2021 (with additional context added in 2023).
“Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.”
— The Gospel According to St. Luke (18:31, NIV)
For some Western Christians, the fact that today is a “Regular” or “Ordinary” day means it is outside specifically designated periods of liturgy. For some, today is specifically referenced as Quinquagesima, as it is 50 days before Easter (including the Sundays, which are excluded when counting the 40 Days of Lent). For others, within Western Christian traditions, today is Shrove Sunday (which, in some traditions is also Transfiguration Sunday). Still others, specifically some Catholics who use the Latin Psalters, observe today as Estomihi, which comes from the opening lines of many services on this day: “Inclina ad me aurem tuam, accelera ut eruas me. Esto mihi in Deum protectorem: et in domum refugii, ut salvum me facias.” (“Incline your ear to me. Hasten to rescue me. Be for me a protector God and a house of refuge, so as to accomplish my salvation.”)
Keep in mind that these are all “moveable feasts,” meaning their dates on the secular calendar change depending on the date of Easter each year. Also keep in mind that the Western and Eastern Churches have different calendars — and not all Orthodox communities share the same liturgical schedule. So, these last days of Shrovetide (which includes Shrove Monday and Shrove Tuesday) will be observed by some Eastern Christian traditions in March.**
Just as people start preparations for the Lenten season at different times, people have different ways of getting ready. Carnival and Mardi Gras celebrations are opportunities for people to indulge in the things they plan to give up, as the Lenten season is a period of fasting and repentance in preparation for Easter. Whether fasting or feasting, there is a symbolic association with food. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, especially in Slavic countries, the last week before Lent is known as Maslenitsa (Belarusian: Масленіца, Russian: Мaсленица, Rusyn: Пущаня, Ukrainian: Маслянаas) or Butter Lady, Butter Week, Crepe week, or Cheesefare Week, making the last Sunday before Lent (which this year will be March 17th, according to some Eastern schedules) Cheesefare Sunday.
Rather than focusing on indulging, however, some Christians designate the three weeks before Lent as Shrovetide. Shrove comes from the word “shrive,” meaning “to absolve” and, for Christians who are focused on “shriving,” Shrovetide is a period of self-examination, repentance, and amendments of sins. In the Orthodox traditions, Shrove Sunday is also known as “Forgiveness Sunday,” which includes “Forgiveness Vespers.” By emphasizing forgiveness of sins and transgressions, as well as fasting, as a foundation for beginning the Great Lent, people believe that they will be better able to focus on the spiritual aspects of life with a pure heart.
“As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”
— The Gospel According to St. Luke (9:29 – 31, NIV)
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Quinquagesima 2022”]
NOTE: This playlist has been revised for 2024, but the practice timings have not changed.
“During apartheid, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela once summoned Yvonne Chaka Chaka to her Soweto home to deliver a note and a message from her husband in prison on Robben Island.
‘It was just a note to say “your music keeps us, your fathers, alive in jail”,’ the Princess of Africa told me earlier this year. I asked her if Madiba ever told her what song of hers he enjoyed most.
‘Umqombothi,’ she replied. It remains her most popular track.”
— quoted from the 12 Dec 2013 City Press article, “Who was Mandela’s favourite singer?” by Charl Blignaut
CORRECTIONS: * Umqombothi is not “butter beer,” as I referred to it during the practice. It is, however, “special beer.” Click here for an additional post about Madiba, music, and the significance of this beer.
**I think I have finally found a good calendar converter! However, during the practice, I defaulted to the idea that there is a one week difference between the Gregorian and Julian calendars — which is not currently accurate and does not take into consideration that different Orthodox communities use different calendars. I apologize for the confusion.
### ARE YOU (GETTING) READY? ###
More Than 46664 (mostly the music with UPDATED links) July 18, 2021
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Music.Tags: #46664, Madiba, Nelson Mandela, yoga philosophy, yoga practice
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“Music is a great blessing. It has the power to elevate and liberate us. It sets people free to dream. It can unite us to sing with one voice. Such is the value of music.”
– Nelson Mandela speaking to musicians at a festival
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, July 18th) at 2:30 PM. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can always request an audio recording of this practice (or any practice) via email or a comment below.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
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.)
You can find last year’s post here. You can find this year’s post here.
### Peace In, Peace Out ###
Compassion and Peace (with reference to a “separated” time) July 18, 2020
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.Tags: apartheid, Ashtanga, Buddhism, compassion, compassionate abiding, freedom, hatha yoga, inspiration, Long Walk to Freedom, loving-kindness, Madiba, Nelson Mandela, peace, Pema Chodron, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, Race, Racism, Raja Yoga, separatedness, South Africa, Swami Vivekananda, The Insecurity of Freedom, vinyasa, yoga philosophy, yoga practice, Yoga Sutra 2.29
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“If one wishes suffering not to happen to people and the earth, it begins with a kind heart.”
– Pema Chödrön
“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”
– Nelson Mandela
Can you imagine, just for a moment, living four lives in one lifetime? Imagine (yourself) simultaneously being a member of a royal family, a lawyer, and a second-class citizen of your country. Now, imagine yourself using your personal privilege to fight the injustices that make it impossible for you to live in a free, just, and equitable society. Now, imagine spending over 27 years in prison (some of it in solitary confinement and some of it with the least amount of privileges) – while simultaneously being heralded around the world as a hero. Finally, imagine being a Nobel Peace Prize winner and President of your country. It’s a lot, right? Now, go back and imagine all of it while also being a husband and father, a son and a friend.
Imagine what your physical state would be like at these different times in your life. Now imagine your mental state… your emotional state… your spiritual state. Some of this may be hard to imagine. Even though many people have compared the stay-at-home order to being in prison, the truth is that unless you are quarantined with someone who is physically and mentally abusing you (and preventing you from eating, sleeping, exercising, and reading the news when you want to), the last few months are nothing like prison. So, for some, it’s not only hard to imagine living one of these experiences (let alone all of them), it’s impossible. It’s not only hard to put ourselves in these scenarios, it’s hard to imagine anyone living all of these experiences in one lifetime – and yet this was the life experience of #46664.
Also known as Madiba and “Father of the Nation,” Nelson Mandela was born today in 1918. He was controversial throughout his life – and far from perfect (in fact, he called himself a sinner and asked not to be judged by his failures). However, it is interesting to note all he accomplished and all he overcame. It is interesting to consider, as he did in his autobiography, how each layer of experience (samskara) changed his understanding his own freedom, or “illusion” of freedom, and how his ever-changing level of conscious awareness changed the way he engaged the next experience, which in turn allowed him to achieve all that he achieved. In other words, it is interesting to note how he viewed himself and how his understanding of himself played a part in the way he engaged the world. Mandela was a man who did not let the world define him.
“… that is when the hunger for my own freedom became the greater hunger for my own people. It was this desire for the freedom of my people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect that animated my life, that transformed a frightened young man into a bold one, that drove a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal, that turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home, that forced a life-loving man to live like a monk. I am no more virtuous or self-sacrificing than the next man, but I found that I could not even enjoy the poor land-limited freedoms I was allowed when I knew my people were not free. Freedom is indivisible; the chains on any one of my people were the chains on me.
It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed.”
– quoted from Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela
“We work on ourselves in order to help others, but also we help others in order to work on ourselves.”
– Pema Chödrön
“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself.”
– Nelson Mandela
To be honest with oneself requires a little introspection, a little reflection, and a lot of awareness. One of these things we must be aware of as we contemplate ourselves is that our initial viewpoint is (almost always) skewed by our experiences (samskaras) and that our conscious viewpoint is layered on top of subconscious and unconscious viewpoints. So, to be honest with oneself requires unpacking the layers – which can be tricky even when you live a relatively simple life and even when you use a system of practice. Still, a system gives you a place to start.
Yoga Sūtra 1.1: atha yogānuśāsanam
– “Here, now, at this auspicious moment [having been prepared according to the ancient tradition] the instruction of union begins.”
Just as there are multiple levels of conscious awareness (four, according to Patanjali) there are also multiple levels of practice. For instance, when you are moving through an asana practice, there is a physical-mental level, an emotional-energetic level, and a psychic-symbolic level. As you use your mind to move your physical body and the movement of the body affects the mind, you affect your emotions and your energy, which in turn affect the function of your mind-body, and, ultimately gives you access to your intuition and the powers of your senses. Therefore, whether you realize it or not (and whether you believe it or not), as you practice things are happening on multiple levels: internally and externally. In truth, everything we experience happens on multiple levels, but the practice of yoga is systematic and deliberate in its intention to engage these multiple levels on the inside and the outside.
Both the physical practice of yoga (haţha yoga, regardless of the style or tradition) and the philosophy of yoga have an internal component and an external component; and both can change the way one understands themselves, the world, and how one fits in the world. Again, there are other ways – even other systems and contemplative practices – that allow someone to engage themselves on multiple levels. The practice of “compassionate abiding” for instance, is a way to take a look at one’s self on multiple levels. Remember though, that while this practice (which I’ve mentioned this week) can be a standalone practice, it is the beginning of larger practices (related to shenpa, loving-kindness, and compassion) and it is part of the bigger system that is Buddhism. To understand a single part of the system (and how that one piece fits in the whole system), you need to go deeper into the system. So, let’s go deeper into the yoga system.
Yoga Sütra 1.2: yogaścittavŗttinirodhah
– “Yoga is the mastery of the fluctuations of the mind.”
Yoga Sütra 1.3: tadā draştuh svarūpe’vasthānam
– “[When the fluctuations of the mind are mastered] the Seer abides/rests in their own true nature.”
Yoga Sütra 1.4: vŗttisārūpyamitaratra
– “At other times, the Seer identifies with the fluctuations of the mind.”
Yoga Sutra 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 Sutra 2.3: Avidyāmitārāgadveşābhiniveśāh kleśāh
– “Ignorance (or lack of knowledge), false sense of identity, attachment (rooted in pleasure), aversion (attachment rooted in pain), and fear of death or loss are the afflictions.”
Yoga Sūtra 2.28: yogāngāuşţhānādaśuddikşaye jñānadīptirāvivekakhyāteh
– “Unshakeable discernment (or knowledge) comes from the sustained practice of the limbs of yoga, which eliminates/destroys impurities and illuminates knowledge.”
Yoga Sūtra 2.29: “yamaniyamāsanaprānāmapratyāhāradhāraņādhyānasamādhyo’şţāvangāni
– “Restraint, internal observance, seat (or physical posture), control of breath/prana, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation, and the highest meditation/absorption are the eight rungs/limbs of yoga.”
I mentioned last week that sūtra 2.28 could be considered a teaser or an introduction to this week’s sūtra. And, whether you realized it or not, as we moved through the July 11th practice, I walked you through the philosophy of yoga – which is the focus of this week’s sūtra. Swami Vivekananda relayed the instruction to the Western world as Rāja Yoga, meaning “royal union,” to designate it as the highest or most complete form of the practice; however, Patanjali called it aşţāngā yoga, meaning 8-limb or 8-rung yoga. (This is different from the physical practices of “Ashtanga Yoga,” which is a vinyāsa form of haţha yoga and therefore a container in which to practice the 8-limbs). In the philosophy, each rung leads to the next rung, and also (simultaneously) acts as a limb of stability as your practice the other limbs. While some will argue that the system was intended to be practiced in a state of societal renunciation, there are aspects of the practice which make the most sense when they are held up to the light of day and practiced with some social interaction. It is easier, after all, to convince ourselves that we have mastered the fluctuations of our mind when there is nothing and no one around to “distract” us.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the mind won’t distract us if we are alone for an extended period of time – it absolutely will. However, if we have the luxury of time and space to reach a quiet mind state for an extended period of time, we may find it easier to maintain that state the longer we no longer engage with the world. The true test of our practice, as Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel pointed out in The Insecurity of Freedom, “is not how to worship in the catacombs but rather how to remain human in the skyscrapers.”
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. The true test of our devotion to freedom is just beginning.
I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”
– quoted from Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela
Please join me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, July 18th) at 12:00 PM. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below.
Today’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. (This is the playlist dated 07/11/2020.)
[Full disclosure, this will not be my typical Nelson Mandela themed class – and we may or may not do a mandala sequence, as I am still figuring out how to make that work on Zoom.]
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
– quoted from Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela
“Few of us seem to realize how insidious, how radical, how universal an evil racism is. Few of us realize that racism is man’s gravest threat to man, the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason, the maximum of cruelty for a minimum of thinking.
Perhaps this Conference should have been called ‘Religion or Race.’ You cannot worship God and at the same time look at man as if he were a horse.”
– quoted from the “Religion and Race” speech delivered January 14, 1963, and published in The Insecurity of Freedom by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
Another man who lived 9 lives (and dressed as himself at Comic-Con), Rest in Peace / Rest in Power 1940 – 2020
A Joyful Practice 