A Quick Note, Links, & Excerpts Related to Life (a post-practice Monday post) January 20, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Donate, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Meditation, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Super Heroes, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Inauguration Day, Martin Luther King Day, Martin Luther King Jr, MLK, Stanford University, The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, The Seattle Times
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Many blessings to everyone, especially those observing Maha Kumbh Mela. May everyone breathe deeply and savor the richness of living a three dimensional life!
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
This is a short post-practice post for Monday, January 20th (with excerpts). It includes some links that will direct you to a site outside of this blog. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is on your mind and on your heart?” You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“I want to use as a subject from which to preach this morning a very familiar subject, and it is familiar to you because I have preached from this subject twice before to my knowing in this pulpit. I try to make it something of a custom or tradition to preach from this passage of Scripture at least once a year, adding new insights that I develop along the way, out of new experiences as I give these messages. Although the content is, the basic content is the same, new insights and new experiences naturally make for new illustrations.”
— quoted from the “Loving Your Enemies” sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (11/17/1957)
The third Monday in January is one of several different occasions throughout the year when people (myself included) invoke the words of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. While some turn to the obvious “dream” or “how long” speeches and while others quote passages from his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, this is a day when I usually turn to one of MLK’s sermons. I usually pick one of his favorites, one that he delivered multiple times over his career. In fact, there is one in particular that I referred to for many, many years — before I decided to switch things up with another of his favorite go-to sermons, called “Loving Your Enemies” (which I have cited during a variety of different classes).
This year, I decided to go back to that sermon I started referencing years and years ago — and that I think about every day. I decided to go back, because every version of the sermon contains a message that I think is particularly important right now, a message about “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life”.
“And there are three dimensions of any complete life to which we can fitly give the words of this text: length, breadth, and height. Now the length of life as we shall use it here is the inward concern for one’s own welfare. In other words, it is that inward concern that causes one to push forward, to achieve his own goals and ambitions. The breadth of life as we shall use it here is the outward concern for the welfare of others. And the height of life is the upward reach for God. Now you got to have all three of these to have a complete life.”
— quoted from the “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life” sermon at New Covenant Baptist Church in Chicago by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (04/09/1967)
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University includes a collection of MLK’s sermons, speeches, and writings. Included in that collection are various versions of the aforementioned sermons (and other sermons that he delivered in different locations).
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT MLK (& INAUGURATION DAY).
Happy Wisdom Day: To Noble Kings
The Day of Introductions (the Wednesday 1202021 post)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
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).
### YOU CAN LIVE A COMPLETE LIFE! ###
EXCERPT: “What We Need to Live Well” January 17, 2024
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Faith, First Nations, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Kumbh Mela, Life, Loss, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Day, mental health, Peter Collinson, Sebastian Junger
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May all beings everywhere feel a sense of belonging! Warm wishes for peace and righteousness to everyone celebrating Kumbh Mela!!
“Though they have few but natural wants and those easily supplied. But with us are infinite Artificial wants, no less craving than those of Nature, and much more difficult to satisfy….”
— quoted from the “Hardwicke Papers” copy of a letter addressed to Peter Collinson dated “Philadelphia May 9th, 1753” and signed “B: Franklin”
The following excerpt is from a 2021 post:
“[Benajamin Franklin] was once critical of himself because, as he wrote, his experiments were ‘able to produce nothing in this way of use to Mankind.’ Yet, he stayed curious, kept trying new things and eventually invented many things that made life easier for people; including the lightening rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove. While these things all served a purpose and made life easier, maybe even more efficient, they didn’t (in and of themselves) help others live well — when living well is related to purpose and, therefore, related to others.
Ultimately, once we establish the meaning of the living well, the real question we must ask ourselves is. ‘What do we need to live well?’ Whenever we’re addressing life ‘needs,’ I find that we sneak a whole lot of ‘wants’ and desire into the mix. These are what Benjamin Franklin would classify as ‘Artificial’ and that would fall into the category of ‘extrinsic’ values, according to the definition Sebastian Junger uses in his book Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, which is a discussion on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”
Click here for more about the work and insights of Benjamin Franklin (born today in 1706, according to the Gregorian calendar) and Sebastian Junger (born today in 1962).
Click here for similar insights discussed (in 2022) when today was Martin Luther King Day.
“The findings are in keeping with something called self-determination theory, which holds that human beings need three basic things in order to be content: they need to feel competent at what they do; they need to feel authentic in their lives; and they need to feel connected to others. These values are considered “intrinsic” to human happiness and far outweigh “extrinsic” values such as beauty, money and status.”
— quoted from Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger
Please join me today (Wednesday, January 17th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01172021 Franklin Junger”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
### DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO LIVE WELL, LOVE WELL, & STAY FULLY HUMAN ###
More of What We Need (the Monday post) January 19, 2021
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: agape, Martin Luther King Day, Martin Luther King Jr
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[This is the post for Monday, January 18, 2021 – Martin Luther King Day for many in the USA.
The 75-minute Common Ground Meditation Center practice, in the spirit of generosity (“dana”), is freely given and freely received. 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 Monday’s practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
If you are able to support the center and its teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” my other practices, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.]
“The Greek language comes out with another word for love. It is the word agape, and agape is more than eros. Agape is more than philia. Agape is something of the understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill for all men. It is a love that seeks nothing in return. It is an overflowing love; it’s what theologians would call the love of God working in the lives of men. And when you rise to love on this level, you begin to love men, not because they are likeable, but because God loves them. You look at every man, and you love him because you know God loves him. And he might be the worst person you’ve ever seen.”
– quoted from “Loving Your Enemies” sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (11/17/1957)
The Civil Rights Activist and (1964) Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. Since 1986, the third Monday in January has been a federal holiday designated as his “birthday” – even though it was not officially observed on the state level until 1991 and it wasn’t until 2000 that every state actually acknowledged the date with his name. However, even to this day, there are states that combine the observation of Reverend King’s birthday with the acknowledgement of the rights for which he fought or with the celebration of people significant to the Confederacy.
Even in this, the United States is conflicted.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the greatest orators of the 20th Century. One of my personal MLK Day traditions, as a yoga teacher, is to share his words. Specifically, I am in the habit of sharing his sermon on the “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life” (which is a natural follow-up to the practice about Benjamin Franklin’s instruction to “live well”). However, this year, it seems like a lot to focus on the three elements within that sermon (the length of life being one’s inward concern; the breadth of life being the outward concern for others; and the height of life being “the upward reach for God”). Reverend King, himself, acknowledged that “A lot of people never get beyond the first dimension of life.” So, this year, I thought we could focus on one thing – just one, simple, little thing that can make a huge difference. This year, I turned to another of his favorite sermons: “Loving Your Enemies.”
I often lament that I cannot truly share the power of his speeches and sermons in class, because I cannot replicate and share his cadence and emphasis (let alone the power of hearing his words along with the congregation or audience). But, I can share that with you here. It doesn’t have to be today, or even tomorrow, but sometime soon, take a moment to listen (or read) one (or both) of these sermons.
As I have noted before, you can find similar teachings on love in other religions and many of the Eastern philosophies. I truly believe that if more of us live these ideas – fully integrate them into our being – we can all live well.
“Loving Your Enemies” – audio and transcript (from November 1957, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama)
“The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life” – audio and transcript (from April 9, 1967, Chicago, Illinois)
“There’s another reason why you should love your enemies, and that is because hate distorts the personality of the hater. We usually think of what hate does for the individual hated or the individuals hated or the groups hated. But it is even more tragic, it is even more ruinous and injurious to the individual who hates. You just begin hating somebody, and you will begin to do irrational things. You can’t see straight when you hate. You can’t walk straight when you hate. You can’t stand upright. Your vision is distorted. There is nothing more tragic than to see an individual whose heart is filled with hate.”
– quoted from “Loving Your Enemies” sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (11/17/1957)
If you are interested in some of my previous posts on Reverend King, you can find my January 2016 post here and a thread of related posts here.
A Joyful Practice 