A Joyful Practice

EXCERPT (with links): “I Can’t Say That… Can I?” August 30, 2023

May you be safe, peaceful, healthy, and hydrated.

“‘You are in the wrong,’ replied the fiend; ‘and instead of threatening, I am content to reason with you. I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all…? Shall I respect man when he condemns me? Let him live with me in the interchange of kindness, and instead of injury I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance. But that cannot be; the human senses are insurmountable barriers to our union. Yet mine shall not be the submission of abject slavery. I will revenge my injuries; if I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, and chiefly towards you my archenemy…’”

– quoted from Chapter 17 of Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

The following excerpt is from a 2020 post:

“After all is said and done, there is a part of me, like Mary Shelley, that finds a kindred spirit in the heart of the ‘monster.’ There is that part of me that would like to know only peace and love; and would choose to practice those favorite mantras (‘Peace In, Peace Out; Inhale Love, Exhale Kindness’) as if we live in a vacuum. There is also a part of me that recognizes why so many in the world are turning towards the ‘monster’s’ other choice. And, in this moment, I seek (and seek to teach) the practice that helps us deliberately choose peace and love in light of the situations that cause others to rage.”

“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.”

– quoted from the movie based on Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Click here to read the short post highlighting Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (b. 1797); the end of the Second Battle of Bull Run (also known as Manassas) in 1862; Molly Ivins (b. 1944); the first message sent via the Moscow–Washington hotline (in 1963); and Thurgood Marshall’s confirmation to the Supreme Court of the United States (today in 1967).

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

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10202020 Pratyahara”]

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 (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.)

### THE LIGHT IS STILL ON & THE LINE IS STILL OPEN!! ###