Anne Marie’s Life & EXCERPT: “Accepting Rachel’s Challenge & Entering the Garden” (the “missing” post-practice Monday post) *w/CORRECTION* April 20, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Baha'i, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Riḍván, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Anne Marie Hochhalter, by Jessie Van Amburg, Columbine High School, Commemoration of the Dead, mass shootings, mental health, Provody, Rachel Joy Scott, Radonitsa, Riḍván, Ridvan, Second Week of Pascha, Thornton Wilder
add a comment
“Happy Riḍván!” to those celebrating “the Most Great Festival.” Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or celebrating and/or observing the Second Week of Pascha & Radonitsa or Provody (Day of Rejoicing / Commemoration of the Dead)!
Happy Poetry Month!!
This is the “missing” (and backdated) post-practice for Monday, April 20th. The 2026 prompt question was, “What is on your heart and on your mind?”
WARNING: This post and the excerpted post reference Columbine High School and mass shootings. This post also references suicide. 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.
“ANTROBUS: …. Oh, I’ve never forgotten for long at a time that living is struggle. I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for — whether it’s a field, or a home, or a country. All I ask is the chance to build new worlds and God has always given us that second chance, and has given us [opening the book] voices to guide us; and the memory of our mistakes to warn us. Maggie, you and I must remember in peace time all those resolves that were clear to us in the days of war. Maggie, we’ve come a long ways. We’ve learned. We’re learning. And the steps of our journey are marked for us here.”
— quoted from The Skin of Our Teeth by Thornton Wilder
Seventeen-year old Rachel Joy Scott was one of the “voices to guide us”. After she and twelve others were killed, on April 20, 1999, her family found her notebooks full of messages that have stood the test of time. If you click on the excerpt title below, you will find a little of her story and the names of the others who were killed 27 years ago.
What you will not find is the name of Anne Marie Hochhalter, who was also a 17-year old at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Ms. Hochhalter was shot and left paralyzed from the waist down by the same person who killed Ms. Scott. She died on February 16, 2025, at the age of 43, because of sepsis complicated by the gunshot wounds she sustained in 1999. Her death is officially listed as a homicide — making her the fourteenth homicide victim.1
“Hindsight is always 20/20. We’re 20 years past the point of Columbine, and I can see where I went wrong [in coping], and that was in delaying counseling. I cannot stress that enough. Students and teachers that were there at Columbine, the people that didn’t lose a loved one or who weren’t injured, that they weren’t ‘that bad,’ they might have thought that they didn’t need it. That’s a lie, and it’s come back to bite a lot of us in the butt 20 years later because we put it off.”
— Anne Marie Hochhalter, quoted from the (Feb 16, 2018) Women’s Health interview, “‘I Survived Columbine And It Feels Like Nothing Has Changed: We haven’t addressed mass shootings at all.’” by Jessie Van Amburg
I don’t remember hearing about Anne Marie Hochhalter’s death last year. When I did hear about it, I thought about editing the earlier post(s); but then I thought about her life. See, despite her paralysis and the fact that she lived with severe pain for the rest of her life, Anne Marie Hochhalter also became one of those “voices to guide us”. She spent the rest of her life advocating against gun violence, supporting other survivors of gun violence, advocating for supplemental Social Security payments for people with disabilities, and training rescue dogs. She did all of that while also working and establishing her own independence. She did all that while also dealing with her own physical and emotional pain and trauma from the attack that left her paralyzed, as well as the trauma and grief related to her own mother dying by suicide (and using a gun, no less) six months after the Columbine High School shooting.
Anne Marie Hochhalter was an avid proponent of the NoNotoriety Movement and the “Don’t Name Them” campaign. When I wrote the earlier posts, I did so with that movement and campaign in mind. And that’s the other reason I’m only going to add an extra link to those earlier posts: Anne Marie’s voice is heard (and one of her challenges accepted)…in the silence.
Click on the excerpt title below to learn about Rachel’s Challenge and a little bit about Riḍván, “the Most Great Festival”
“I had counseling in the very beginning, but I was still in such a fog and a daze so I thought that I was okay. But I recently started it up again this year. I figured, Better late than never! But now, looking back, I wish I had been in counseling that whole time. It has a greater effect on you than you think, and it’s a delayed reaction. So many of my classmates have said the same exact thing.”
— Anne Marie Hochhalter, quoted from the (Feb 16, 2018) Women’s Health interview, “‘I Survived Columbine And It Feels Like Nothing Has Changed: We haven’t addressed mass shootings at all.’” by Jessie Van Amburg
The post excerpted above includes statistics about mass shootings. This year, I didn’t find reliable updates; however, from Friday the 17th until the morning of Monday the 19th, there were 11 shootings (that I know about) directly affecting 58 people (that I know about). Clearly, some of us are not listening to the right voices and accepting the right challenges. But/and, it is also true that sometimes we need to ask for help.
So, here is a third challenge: If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, dealing with depression, and/or struggling with addiction, I dare you to ask for help. It might be the hardest thing you do. It can also be the best thing you do.
“Having a support system around you of your friends and family is so important. Having people just to sit there when you’re feeling down—not to offer advice, just to sit beside you. Or take you out of the house, find you something that you like to do. Because if you just sit ay home and don’t go out, it just destroys you. It can destroy you. So counseling and having that support system are the two most important things I can think of.”
— Anne Marie Hochhalter, quoted from the (Feb 16, 2018) Women’s Health interview, “‘“I Survived Columbine And It Feels Like Nothing Has Changed: We haven’t addressed mass shootings at all.”’” by Jessie Van Amburg
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 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).
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
CORRECTION:1 As noted in the original post, 36 people were killed or injured on April 20, 1999. In addition to the 14 whose deaths are officially homicides, at least two other victims (Austin Eubanks and Greg Barnes) have died in ways that are related to this traumatic tragedy.
### I DARE YOU TO LOVE, BE NICE, & ASK FOR HELP! ###
First Friday Night Special #64 — Invitation for “More of That Sweet Ability of 3-Fold Healing” & EXCERPT: “Salt of the Earth, the 2024 remix” (the “missing” invitation) February 6, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Baha'i, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Vairagya, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, Baháʼí, brain, breathing, Charles E. Wheaton, cortical homunculus, Dominion, Florangela Davila, healing, Health, Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes, International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace, Maya Angelou, mental health, Mulk, nervous system, pranayama, primary somatosensory cortex, prāṇāyāma, Rachel Naomi Remen, Restorative Yoga, Season for Nonviolence, siddhis, somatosensory map, Sāmkhya Karika, Tantra Yoga, wellness, World Interfaith Harmony Week
add a comment
Happy Carnival (to those who are already celebrating)! Peace, ease, and healing on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, the penultimate day of World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW), throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
May we all have a sense of dominion when it comes to our health.
This “missing” invitation for the “First Friday Night Special” on February 6th, includes a related excerpt. You can request an audio recording of this Hatha/Tantra-inspired Restorative Yoga practice (with a little movement) 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.
“Poet and activist Maya Angelou turned a traumatic childhood experience into a catalyst for creativity and achievement. Healing involves the process of seeing the potential that still exists despite all that has been lost. When we shift from suffering and anguish toward integrity, wholeness and inner peace, we are experiencing healing.”
— quoted from the “Reflection” section of the “Day 8 ~ February 6 ~ Healing” 2026 page for the “Season for Non-violence,” provided by the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
Healing begins with people. While I often highlight healers like Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes (who was born today today in 1919), one of the siddhis (“powers”) described as “unique to being human” in the Sāmkhya Karika is the “the power to eliminate three-fold sorrow – physical, mental, and spiritual” — which means we are all healers. We can all participate (and have some dominion) in the healing process. Our mind-body systems include healing mechanisms, like our immune system, our lymphatic system, our digestive system, our parasympathetic nervous system, and our brain.
Yes, even our brain comes with healing technology!
For instance, did you know that when I say that “what happens in the body, happens in the mind and what happens in the mind happens in the body…” , I mean that literally, physiologically, and neurologically?
Every part of your body is “mapped” in your brain and each side of the brain’s primary somatosensory cortex has a representation of the opposite side of the body. This representation, known as the cortical homunculus (the “little man [or miniature human] of the brain”), is based on motor processing and sensory processing of the mind-body and is distorted, like a cartoon caricature that someone might draw of you at a fair. Just as (physically) touching a part of the body will activate a specific part of the brain’s somatosensory map, (mentally and mindfully) bringing awareness to a certain parts of the body — in a systematic way that corresponds with our “little man [or miniature human]” — can enhance our ability to relax the body. Research has also shown that certain meditation techniques can even use this brain technology to decrease pain.
Additionally, certain types of prāṇāyāma (awareness of breath, extension of breath) can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is related to our ability to “rest and digest [and be creative]”. Many people (all over the world) currently have overstimulated sympathetic nervous systems, which means we are consistently in “fight or flight or freeze/collapse” mode. This is like constantly putting the “pedal to the metal” and pressing the accelerator of a car all the way down to the floor — which is dangerous, on a lot of different levels, and not sustainable. In order to heal, we need to be able to put on the brakes, ease into stillness, and rest in order to process (i.e., digest) what we have experienced.
“Wounding and healing are not opposites. They’re part of the same thing. It is our wounds that enable us to be compassionate with the wounds of others. It is our limitations that make us kind to the limitations of other people. It is our loneliness that helps us to find other people or to even know they’re alone with an illness. I think I have served people perfectly with parts of myself I used to be ashamed of.”
— Rachel Naomi Remen (b. 2/8/1938) as quoted in At Your Service: Living the Lessons of Servant Leadership by Charles E. Wheaton
When it comes to healing, there are times that we just need the knowledge to know how things work. At other times, we also need assistance from caregivers and professional healers who are committed to the healing process — people like Maxine Pitter Haynes and Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen. Finally, there are times when we need to get together and share information — as people do annually on February 6th, the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.
This year’s theme, “Towards 2030: No End To FGM Without Sustained Commitment and Investment”, is a reminder and an opportunity to commit and invest in the healing process.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes (b. 2/6/1919) and her sisters.
Salt of the Earth, the 2024 remix (the “missing” Tuesday post)
“‘I wasn’t soured by what happened to me,’ she was quoted in a June 1994 article in Columns, the UW alumni magazine. ‘I talk to people all the time about my experiences, and tell them they can’t be bitter. You have to pass over it, and go on…. It isn’t productive to hold on to it.’”
— quoted from The Seattle Times (March 26, 2004) obituary “Maxine Haynes, longtime educator and nurse in area” by Florangela Davila
This Hatha/Tantra-inspired Restorative Yoga practice (with some movement) is accessible and open to all. (It is also a sequence intended to prepare you for bed!)
(NOTE: There will be a little bit of quiet space in this practice.)
Friday’s playlist is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12042020 Bedtime Yoga”]
NOTE: The playlist is slightly different on each platform. You can start with almost any track (and extra tracks have been added for 2026).
Prop wise, I suggest using a chair, sofa, or coffee table towards the end of this practice and this is a kitchen sink practice. You can practice without props or you can use “studio” and/or “householder” props. Example of “Studio” props: 1 – 2 blankets, 2 – 3 blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. Example of “Householder” props: 1 – 2 blankets or bath towels, 2 – 3 books (similar in size), 2 standard pillows (or 1 body pillow), a belt/tie/sash, and a face towel.
You may want extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). Having a wall, chair, sofa, or coffee table will also be handy.
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).
### Sitting, Breathing, Healing ###
FTWMI: Q: Who Could Use A Hug Today? A: Everybody! January 21, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Healing Stories, Health, Life, Love, One Hoop, Yoga.Tags: 988, Catherine Caruso, Chase’s Calendar of Events, Health, hugs, International Hugging Day, Kevin Zaborney, Life, Love, Martin Buber, mental health, National Hugging Day, touch, Virginia Satir
add a comment
Many blessings to everyone, everywhere. May everyone breathe deeply and receive the love you need (the way you need it)!
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2025, and I decided to repost it rather than excerpt it. Class details, links, and some formatting have been updated.
“The world is not comprehensible, but it is embraceable: through the embracing of one of its beings.”
— Martin Buber
You can hug yourself (and embrace yourself) every day!
There is, also, something to be said for being hugged (and embraced) by others. Humans are sensational beings (i.e., creatures full of sensation) and the largest organ of the human body is skin: the sense organ associated with touch. In a 2024 Harvard University article entitled, “Exploring Our Sense of Touch from Every Angle: Harvard Medical School researchers are illuminating one of the most mysterious — and most essential — senses”, Catherine Caruso wrote, “Touch is the process by which specialized neurons sense tactile information from the skin and other organs and convey this information to the brain, where it is perceived as sensations such as pressure, temperature, vibration, and pain.”
Touch can be healing. While there are times when we don’t notice touch — and/ or take it for granted — and there are times when touch can be too much sensation, there are definitely times when we can have too little touch. There are times when we need touch. Sometimes, we even need a specific kind of touch: a hug. Hugs activate our sense of touch and have the added benefit of putting a little compression on the nervous system, which can be particularly helpful in certain situations.
Keeping all of that in mind, Kevin Zaborney, who was friends with the granddaughter of the owner of Chase’s Calendar of Events, created National Hugging Day. Now celebrated all over the world, it was first celebrated in 1986 in Clio, Michigan and today is the day! So, hug yourself and hug someone else (physically, with their permission) and hug everyone (metaphorically)!! Happy International Hugging Day!!!
“We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.”
— Virginia Satir
Please join me today (Wednesday, January 21st) 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 “02082022 Celebrating Being Humans”]
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.
### ((o0)) ###
Saturday music & blessings January 17, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Yoga, Music.Tags: 988, meditation, mental health
add a comment
Many blessings to everyone, and especially to anyone celebrating the Forefeast of the Theophany.
May all beings everywhere experience a trustful surrender. May all beings everywhere feel a sense of belonging!
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Saturday, January 17th) at 12:00 PM. 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.
Saturday’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 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.
### 
###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “Sailing Into New Beginnings” January 3, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Mysticism, New Year, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 12 Days of Christmas, 988, Animalic, Books, fantasy, Herman Melville, Hobbits, J. R. R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, lotr, mental health, Moby-Dick, The Hobbit, The Inklings, tolkien, yoga, yoga philosophy
add a comment
“Happy New Year!” to everyone. Many blessings to everyone, and especially to anyone observing the Nativity Fast / St/ Philip’s Fast and/or Twelvetide.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“‘Nobody else calls us hobbits; we call ourselves that,’ said Pippin….
‘I’ll call you Merry and Pippin, if you please – nice names. For I am not going to tell you my name, not yet at any rate.’ A queer half-knowing, half-humorous look came with a green flicker into his eyes. ‘For one thing it would take a long while: my name is growing all the time, and I’ve lived a very long, long time; so my name is like a story. Real names tell you the story of things they belong to in my language, in the Old Entish as you might say. It is a lovely language, but it takes a very long time saying anything in it, because we do not say anything in it, unless it is worth taking a long time to say, and to listen to.’”
— Pippin and Merry meeting “Treebeard” in “Book 4, Chapter 4: Treebeard” in The Two Towers (Volume 2 of the Lord of the Rings) by J. R. R. Tolkien
A new year means a new (and/or continuing adventure). Yesterday, I suggested that it could also mean a new name. Just as the name you choose for yourself, your business, and/or another person can tell a story, so too can the name chosen for a boat… and/or a book.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT NEW ADVENTURES!
(Plus there’s a little nod to Herman Melville, who set sail today in 1841, and J. R. R. Tolkien, who was born today in 1892.)
So, hoist your sails, bring your friends, and…
“Call me Ishmael”
— quoted from “Chapter I. Loomings” in Moby Dick, or The Whale by Herman Melville
Please join me for a (virtual or in-person) yoga practice, today (Saturday, January 3rd) at 12:00 PM. You must be registered and confirmed to attend in person. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the Zoom 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.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01032021 Melville Sails Tolkien Beginnings”]
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.
### ARE YOU LISTENING? (& TO WHAT or WHOM?) ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPTS RE: Light & Living “A (SAD) Wonderful Life” (the “missing” Saturday post) December 20, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Chanukah, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Movies, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Advent, Albert Hackett, Chanukah, Charles Dickens, Christmas, Clarence Odbody, Frances Goodrich, Frank Capra, George Bailey, Hero's Journey, It's A Wonderful Life, Jo Swerling, Julian Horowitz, Maccabeats, mental health, monomyth, Movies, Nativity Fast, Philip Van Doren Stern, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Shamash, St. Philip's Fast
add a comment
“Happy Chanukah!” to all who are celebrating. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing Advent, observing the Nativity Fast / St. Philip’s Fast; and/or letting their light shine with kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong! May you be nourished!
This is the “missing” compilation post for Saturday, December 20th. My apologies for not clearly posting the music before the practice. 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.
“‘You are fettered,’ said Scrooge, trembling. ‘Tell me why?’
‘I wear the chain I forged in life,’ replied the Ghost. ‘I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.’”
— quoted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
This is a strange time of year, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Amid the hustle and bustle, the business and the cheer, there is sadness and fear. There is also SADness. Yet, there is something that cuts through a lot of the dichotomy — because it embraces it. There is something for which we all slow down: our favorite holiday story (or song).
Many people have a favorite holiday story (or song) even if they don’t celebrate the holiday. Many people find hope and meaning in a Christmas tale — or the Chanukah story — even if they’re not Christian or Jewish (or religious in any way). People seeking that hope is the reason why theatrical productions of holiday stories, like A Christmas Carol (which was first published on December 19, 1843), are cash cows for non-profits. People wanting to “get into the spirit” also the reason why watching holiday movies, like It’s a Wonderful Life (which premiered today, December 20, 1946), is a tradition for so many families.
We are all drawn to certain elements that come up in all these stories.
These are the same elements we find in the Hero’s Journey or monomyth and they include a “Supernatural Aid” (or magical helper) who facilitates the journey from one state of being to another. These helpers can be a ghost (or three), an angel (second class), an extra candle, and/or God (whatever that means to at this moment). They simultaneously aid the hero/heroine and the viewer/reader. Even when they are extraordinary (and magical), they serve as a reminder that, just as each of us can be the light, each of us can be the shamash/helper who spreads the light.
“Let me see the light
Give me something to live by
Let me see the light
I need something to live by
Help me see myself in my reflection
Shine tonight
Let me shed the light in each direction”
— quoted from the song “Shine” by Maccabeats (written by Julian Horowitz)
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR SOME STORIES (and a little bit about SAD).
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR WEDNESDAY’S CHANUKAH POST & EXCERPTS.
One More On Words [& Stories] (the “missing” Wednesday 12/17 post, w/EXCERPTS)
“Every time you hear a bell ring, it means that some angel’s just got his wings.”
— Clarence Odbody (AS2), quoted from It’s A Wonderful Life, (directed by Frank Capra; screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra, with additional scenes by Jo Swerling; based on “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern)
Saturday’s (instant reply) playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Chanukah (Day 3 – 4) & Shabda 2025”]
MUSIC NOTE: The YouTube playlist includes some videos, the musical version of at least one which is not available on Spotify. A date/theme-related playlist is also available The 2020 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12202020 A SAD Wonderful Life”]
“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. And when he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”
“You see George; you really had a wonderful life. Don’t you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?”
— Clarence Odbody (AS2), quoted from It’s A Wonderful Life, (directed by Frank Capra; screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra, with additional scenes by Jo Swerling; based on “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern)
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).
I will offering in-person classes during January 2026. Click here for more details and to reserve your spots now. Let’s start the 2026 together!
### LIGHT IN / LIGHT OUT [INTO THE WORLD]! ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “A Date We Remember” (with an extra post link) December 7, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Loss, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, 988, Advent, Amy Greene, Blackened Canteen Ceremony, healing, Healing Stories, Heather Cox Richardson, Life, meditation, mental health, Nativity Fast, OAR, Pearl Harbor, St. Philip's Fast, USS Arizona, World War II
add a comment
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating healing, kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom during Advent; during the Nativity / St. Philip’s Fast; and on one of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“I was beginning to see then what I have learned now. It’s not forgetting that heals. It’s remembering.”
— quoted from Bloodroot by Amy Greene
Silence and stillness. They are such powerful things and, yet, we can take them for granted. We sometimes take for granted that peace and healing and God (whatever that means to you at this moment) are found in silence and stillness.
Since today is the anniversary of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, we begin with a moment of silence (and stillness). As we remember those that died during the attack, we also remember those who survived. We remember survivors like Quartermaster Lou Conter, Fire Control Chief Petty Officer Lauren Bruner, and Petty Officer Second Class Doris “Dorie” Miller — all three of whom survived the attack and went on to continue their service (even though Petty Officer Second Class Miller would be killed later in the war).
Throughout this practice, in moments of silence and stillness (as well as in the movement), we are reminded that as individuals, as groups, as peoples and nations, we just need a little recovery time to heal. However, in our overstimulated, trigger-happy, litigious society, there are times when we have to very mindfully, deliberately, and intentionally cultivate silence and stillness. We very mindfully, deliberately, and intentionally cultivate these moments of remembering and healing.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
“Of the more than 16 million Americans who served in the war, more than 1.2 million were Black American men and women, 500,000 were Latinos, and more than 550,000 Jews were part of the military. Among the many ethnic groups who fought, Indigenous Americans served at a higher percentage than any other ethnic group—more than a third of able-bodied Indigenous men between the ages of 18 and 50 joined the service—and among those 25,000 soldiers were the men who developed the famous “Code Talk,” based in tribal languages, that codebreakers never cracked.”
— quoted from December 6, 2025 Substack post by Heather Cox Richardson
Please join me today (Sunday, December 7th) at 2:30 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.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12/7 and Healing 2021”]
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.
### LENGTHEN YOUR SPINE & BREATHE ###
Please Keep Mou’-ving Your Body! (mostly an excerpts, links, & music) November 16, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Food, Health, Men, Music, One Hoop, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Bhagavad Gita, Gheranda Samhita, inspiration, Jack Hawley, James Mallinson, Men's Health, mental health, Movember, self-improvement
add a comment
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone grateful for friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“‘People who eat too much or too little or who sleep too much or too little will not succeed in meditation. Eat only food that does not heat up the body or excite the mind. When you balance and regulate your habits of eating, sleeping, working, and playing, then meditation dissolves sorrow and destroys mental pain.’”
— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (6.16 – 6.17) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley
Click on the excerpt title below for the Movember overview.
“This mudra destroys decrepitude and is called Mulabandha.”
— quoted from 3.13 of The Gheranda Samhita: The Original Sanskrit and An English Translation by James Mallinson
CLICK HERE FOR ALL MY MOVEMBER POSTS!
(Note there will be some duplicates.)
Please join me today (Sunday, Movember 16th) at 2:30 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.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Movember 3rd 2020”]
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.
### ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “Here’s To Those Who Serve(d)” November 11, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Loss, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Suffering, Tragedy, Yoga.Tags: 988, Armistice Day, inspiration, Laurence Binyon, mental health, Movember, Thomas Hardy, Veterans Day, World War I
add a comment
Gratitude to those who serve. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom on Armistice Day / Veterans Day.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind. CONTINUE TO BREATHE!
“Compassion. Respect. Common Sense.”
— Retired Marine Staff Sergeant Tim Chambers (a.k.a The Saluting Marine) when asked what he wanted to inspire in people who see him standing/saluting
People serve in the armed forces for different reasons. Even in countries where service is compulsory, there are people who volunteer. Even when we had wartime drafts in the United States, there were conscientious objectors, like Desmond Doss, who served with distinction — without carrying or firing a weapon.
Regardless of what any of us believe about wars and violence, common sense indicates that we can offer compassion and respect to those who serve(d).
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE FOR MORE.
“IX
Calm fell. From Heaven distilled a clemency;
There was peace on earth, and silence in the sky;
Some could, some could not, shake off misery:
The Sinister Spirit sneered: ‘It had to be!’
And again the Spirit of Pity whispered, ‘Why?’”
— from the poem “And There Was a Great Calm (On the Signing of the Armistice, 11 Nov 1918)” by Thomas Hardy
Please join me today (Tuesday, November 11th) 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 in 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 “11/11 @ 11”]
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.
### PEACE IN, PEACE OUT ###
FTWMI: A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “Caught In The Middle” (a post-practice Monday post) November 10, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Men, Movies, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: Catch-22, Double Bind, healing, Joseph Heller, Life, Lutheran Church, Lutherism, Martin Luther, mental health, Mindfulness, The Bateson Project, wellness
add a comment
Many blessings to everyone and especially to looking for friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind. CONTINUE TO BREATHE!
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted on November 10, 2024. Date-specific items have been revised. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is on your heart and mind?” 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.
“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.”
— Martin Luther (b. 1483)
There is often a contradiction between what someone thinks they will do in a situation and what they actually do in that situation. Sometimes this is because our ideals don’t line up with our actual actions (i.e., thoughts, words, and deeds). Sometimes it is because the situation is much messier than what we imagined. That messiness can come from our own hearts and minds — and it can also come from the hearts and minds of others.
For a lot of people, things are messy right now. You might find — even if things are [quote-unquote] going your way — that your sympathetic nervous system is kicking in and that you want to fight, flee, or freeze (collapse). Take a moment to breathe and come back to (a variation of) the “formula” I mentioned [this week in 2024]:
-
What are you seeing/hearing?
-
What are you thinking?
-
What are you feeling?
-
What do you want?
-
What can you do?
It is in this moment, this liminal or threshold moment, that we choose how we untangle this double bind of Catch-22 situation.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR A RELATED POST.
“‘The enemy,’ retorted Yossarian with weighted precision, ‘is anybody who’s going to get you killed, no matter which side he’s on, and that includes Colonel Cathcart. And don’t you forget that, because the longer you remember it, the longer you might live.’”
— quoted from Catch-22 (Chapter 12) by Joseph Heller (pub. 1961)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: In previous years, we have used different pratyahara playlists. In 2024, we used a playlist available on YouTube and Spotify [Look for “05252022 Pratyahara II”]. Click on the excerpt title above for the previous playlist.
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).
A Joyful Practice 