Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, November 17th) at 2:30 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.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07062021 HHDL Big Day”]
NOTE: There’s a message on the YouTube playlist that is not available on Spotify, so I substituted a prayer. You can find the message here.
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.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing Yom Kippur, Dussehra, and/or coming together with friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“Why can’t we talk it over? Oh it seems to me That sorry seems to be the hardest word”
— quoted from “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” by Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Please join me today (Saturday, October 12th) at 12:00 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules”calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “High Holidays: Sorry”]
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.
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.)
### MAY YOUR NAME BE WRITTEN & SEALED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE ###
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone communicating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom during International Week of the Deaf and during Banned Books Week.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This is the “missing” post for Wednesday, September 25th. Some embedded links direct to sites outside of this blog. This post references and contains a quote from a banned book.You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“Article the third… Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
— quoted from the transcription of the Joint Resolution of Congress Proposing 12 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, on September 25, 1789
Today (Wednesday, September 25th) is the fourth day of Banned Books Week (September 22–28, 2024) and the third day of International Week of the Deaf (IWD). It is also the anniversary of the birth of an author whose work has been challenged: William Faulkner, born today in 1897. Finally, it is the anniversary of the day, in 1789, when the United States Bill of Rights was submitted and approved by Congress.
All of this brings us to our next steps (as well as to the second power described as “unique to being human”): Words, which are the gateway into the other powers.
Whether we speak them, sign them, or write them, words have power. They allow us to communicate our experiences and express our innermost thoughts, desires, hopes, and fears. They also allow us to advocate for change, which is why third day of IWD is dedicated to Sign Languages advocacy and encouraging “everyone to actively advocate for the rights of deaf individuals and the official recognition of national sign languages. [You can sign] up for sign language rights by promoting your national sign languages in public arenas.” This kind of advocacy is something we can do in countries like the United States, where both freedom of speech and the right to a redress of grievances are enshrined right at the beginning of the U. S. Constitution.
Based on documents like the Magna Carta (which King John of England agreed to in 1215); the English Bill of Rights (from 1689); the Virginia Declaration of Rights (drafted and ratified in 1776); and the Northwest Ordinance (enacted by the U. S. Continental Congress in 1787), the U. S. Bill of Rights consists of the first 10 Amendments to the United States Constitution and codifies the rights and personal freedoms of citizens, limitations to the federal government, and clarifies that powers not specifically granted to the federal government (by the Constitution and its amendments) belong to the state governments or the citizens. It was proposed because of serious concerns and reservations expressed by anti-federalists. The idea was opposed by federalists like Alexander Hamilton, then a delegate from New York, who wrote in the penultimate Federalist essay (“Federalist No. 84”) that, “bills of rights are in their origin, stipulations between kings and their subjects…. [and, therefore,] have no application to constitutions professedly founded upon the power of the people, and executed by their immediate representatives and servants.” James Madison, then a delegate from Virginia and another federalist and collaborator on the Federalist Papers (along with John Jay of New York), initially opposed the idea; however, he would ultimately end up spearheading the entire venture.
What is now known as the Bill of Rights is actually a little shorter than what was originally proposed. The House of Representatives actually approved 17 articles on August 24, 1789. After some editing (which combined some articles and eliminated one altogether), the Senate approved 12 articles (on September 9th). Those 12 were then approved by Congress (today in 1789) and submitted to the states for ratification. Articles 3 — 12 became the first ten articles of the United States Constitution and were ratified by the states on December 15, 1791. The original second article, addressing the timeline for changing the compensation for Senators and Representatives, became the 27th Amendment (which was ratified in 1992, 202 years, 7 months, and 10 days after it was originally approved). As of today, the original first article, addressing the number of representatives in Congress (based on population1), is the oldest of six amendments still pending ratification.2
NOTES:
1When the U. S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights were ratified enslaved people, Indigenous and Native Americans, and women were not considered citizens and were either not counted at all or were not counted as the whole people they were.
2There is no time limit on ratifications; however, there are more states now than there were in 1789 and, therefore, ratification would require legal confirmation from more states.
As I mentioned before, the power of words is a gateway to the other siddhis described as “unique to being human” — including the power to “study, analyze, and comprehend” a situation and the power to eliminate “three-fold sorrow” with regard to that situation. We use our words to make change. We use our words to petition the government for a redress of our grievances and, also, to simply address things that have been overlooked. We can also use words to share our experiences and points of view. Of course, our words mean very little if they are not backed up by actions. Without the actions behind them, words become empty at best and straight-up lies at their worst. William Shakespeare cautioned us about this in the “Scottish play” and his words inspired his namesake, William Faulkner.
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”
— Macbeth in Act V, Scene V of Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Born in New Albany, Mississippi, today in 1897, and raised in Oxford, Mississippi, William Faulkner is remembered for his stream-of-consciousness and for novels and short stories primarily set in Yoknapatawpha County, a fictionalized version of the the Mississippi county where he grew up. After a brief stint in the the Royal Canadian Air Force (and also the British Royal Force) and after dropping out of the University of Mississippi, the only Mississippi-born Nobel laureate (so far) started writing and publishing novels like Soldiers’ Pay (1925), Sartoris (1927), The Sound and the Fury (1929), As I Lay Dying (1930), Light in August (1932), and Absalom, Absalom! (1936). He also worked as a screenwriter. In addition to winning the 1949 Nobel Prize for Literature, Mr. Faulkner won the National Book Award twice (for The Collected Stories of William Faulkner in 1951, and for A Fable in 1955) and also won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction twice (for A Fable in 1955, and for The Reivers in 1963). Despite all of his accolades (or maybe because of them), William Faulkner is yet another great writer who wrote a book that is often banned. In fact, one of his books has been challenged since it was first published in 1930.
As I Lay Dying is the story of Addie Bundren (who is dying at the beginning of the novel), her husband, their children, and their community. It is a story about death (and also life, since they go hand-in-hand) as well as how people grapple with their fear of death (and life). Told from the perspective of 15 different characters (including Addie and Anse Bundren and their five children) the book navigates the literal, emotional, and physical journey to fulfill a loved one’s dying wish. The book also discusses some things that are depicted in the other two banned books I’ve quoted this week — and these elements of the story are some of the same reasons the title gets challenged. But, there is another reason some people don’t like As I Lay Dying: it talks about abortion, a woman’s right to choose, and other people’s opinions about a woman’s right to choose.
Oh, then there’s that pesky part where a wife and mother of five sounds less than thrilled about her life.
“That was when I learned that words are no good; that words don’t ever fit even what they are trying to say at. When [Cash] was born I knew that motherhood was invented by someone who had to have a word for it because the ones that had the children didn’t care whether there was a word for it or not. I knew that fear was invented by someone that had never had the fear; pride, who never had the pride. I knew that it had been, not that they had dirty noses, but that we had had to use one another by words like spiders dangling by their mouths from a beam, swinging and twisting and never touching, and that only through the blows of die switch could my blood and their blood flow as one stream. I knew that it had. been, not that my aloneness had to be violated over and over each day, but that it had never been violated until Cash came. Not even by Anse in the nights.
He had a word, too. Love, he called it. But I had been used to words for a long time. I knew that that word was like the others: just a shape to fill a lack; that when the right time Came, you wouldn’t need a word for that anymore than for pride or fear. Cash did not need to say it to me nor I to him, and I would say Let Anse use it, if he wants to. So that it was Anse or love; love or Anse: it didn’t matter.”
— Addie in As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
Click on the excerpt titles below for the earlier posts related to Banned Books Week and International Week of the Deaf (IWD).
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone communicating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom during International Week of the Deaf and during Banned Books Week.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This is the “missing” post for Tuesday, September 24th. My apologies to not getting it posted earlier. Some embedded links direct to sites outside of this blog. This post references and contains a quote from a banned book.You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“An analogy will be helpful in explaining these two aspects. Let’s sat we are setting out from New York City to drive to Los Angeles. Every evening we check into a motel for the night and perhaps do a little sightseeing before continuing our journey. Eventually we reach Los Angeles. Once there, we enjoy experiencing the city. Depending on our goal, we stay for a week or two, a month, or perhaps permanently.
Los Angeles represents samadhi as a final state. The journey from beginning to end represents samadhi as a process.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 1.17 from The Secret of the Yoga Sūtra: Samadhi Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
If you travel and/or if you read, you know that traveling and reading can open up your horizons and your consciousness. You can learn about people, cultures, and so many things you would not encounter if you never left home and/or never opened up to someone else’s stories. I love both reading and traveling, but I also acknowledge that there are challenges to both and that I haven’t loved every place I’ve traveled or every book I’ve read. I have also travelled and/or shared books with people who didn’t enjoy the same things I did (and vice versa). Despite the challenges, I think we are all richer for the experiences.
Since today is the third day of Banned Books Week (September 22–28, 2024) and the second day of International Week of the Deaf (IWD), we are ready to take another step (or two) in our philosophical journey. But let’s back up a minute and consider how this is all connected. First, both of these observations, as well as the practice of the Yoga Philosophy, are ultimately about freedoms. We could even say they are also all about powers.
As I mentioned yesterday, the 2024 Banned Books Week theme is “Freed Between the Lines” and the 2024 IWD theme is “Sign Up for Sign Language Rights” — with this second day placing extra emphasis on inclusion education and the rights of Deaf children. In the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali indicated that everything in the known world has a two-fold purpose: to be experienced and for that experience to lead to our freedom / liberation. (YS 2.18) This means that even things and people we don’t like and/or don’t understand can serve a purpose — if we pay attention. And that’s why I said that the first step is paying attention (and the willingness to pay attention).
According to Yoga Sūtras 1.17-18, there are four basic levels of conscious awareness: gross, subtle, bliss, and I-ness. All of which are the stages of growing awareness that can lead to complete absorption. One of my favorite analogies with regard to this thread breaks down what happens when you walk into a room. The gross level is noticing that music is playing; the subtle level is when you start noticing the details of the song — melody, harmony, beat, lyrics — and realize that you recognize the song; the bliss level is when you start singing (and maybe dancing) and really start to enjoy the experience. Finally, the I-ness is when you start forgetting everything that is not part of this experience.
I have mentioned that some aspect of this analogy applies even if you don’t (or can’t) hear the music, because you can still feel the vibration and maybe notice other people’s experience of the music. However, since it is International Week of the Deaf, it might be better to use the first analogy quoted above.
But, what if you don’t travel (or hate Los Angeles)? Then, we can use the physical practice as a comparison point. For example, if you observe someone (or learn about someone) practicing a yoga pose, your awareness is brought to the fact that something is happening. If you start practicing the pose yourself, you start breaking down the mechanics (which is the subtle stage). At some point, you find what works for you, you start focusing on your breath, the pose starts to feel good, and you start moving into that deep state of focus where you are no longer distracted by outside elements.
That fourth state of consciousness is connected to an object (the music, the pose, your breath, the benefits and effects on your body, etc.). However, at some point, that “single-pointed focus” can become “seedless focus,” meaning your mind no longer needs an object as an anchor. The practice also includes the ability to tap into your innate vitality and powers, including the siddhis described as “powers unique to being human.” So, if the first step is paying attention (and the willingness to pay attention), then the next step is using those powers — with each power becoming a step towards the next power.
Accessing and utilizing all of your powers comes with responsibilities. I think that one of those responsibilities is to tell your story (even if you are just telling it to yourself). Another is the responsibility to pay attention to other people’s stories — or, at the very least, not to invalidate their stories. Each of those responsibilities comes with challenges; however, if you take your time, step-by-step, you are prepared to meet those challenges.
By focusing on the rights of Deaf children, the second day of IWD highlights the importance of “quality multilingual inclusive education that provides deaf learners inclusion through national sign languages.”
As explained above, the Declaration on the Rights of Deaf Children consists of ten articles. Those ten articles are not only valid with regard to Deaf Children, they are also valid (and important) with regard to children from all over the world — and especially those who are dealing with trauma, loss, and disabilities, while also navigating a new language (or two).
Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini’s first novel, The Kite Runner, features a young boy (Amir) who falls into that latter category. The book is not on the most recent “Top 10 Most Challenged Books,” which is published annually by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). However, it has been on the list in multiple years — in particular, when the book first came out and again when the movie adaptation premiered. Even though it is not on the most recent Top 10 list, it is still challenged quite a bit — and it gets challenged by people from every community mentioned in the book!
Beginning in the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, The Kite Runner tells the story of what happens to Amir, his family, his dear friend Hassan, and their communities during the fall of Afghanistan’s monarchy, the Soviet invasion, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime. It is beautifully written, but is also full of really hard, tragic, and horrific events. In fact, one could argue that the caliber of writing makes the hard, tragic, and horrific events even more so. It is not something I would recommend to everyone and anyone; however, I did benefit from reading it.
What is as interesting to me as the book itself, is the fact that people have very different opinions about the point and focus of the book. I personally find it hard to engage in a conversation with someone who objects to a book or library service without actually reading the book and/or using the service; however, I get that it is easy to fear what we don’t know. The thing is, this is one person’s fictionalized account of their life experiences. Additionally, Mr. Hosseini has said that the main focus of the book is the relationship between a parent and a child and the life lessons the parent teaches their child — something about which many people know and value.
“Theft is the one unforgivable sin, the one common denominator of all sins. When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. There is no act more wretched then stealing.”
— Amir, remembering the lessons of his father, in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Tuesday’s NOON (mostly instrumental) playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Ramadan 2024: Planting & Transforming”]
Tuesday’s EVENING playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09242024 Understanding Language and Culture”]
MUSIC NOTES: Technically, either playlist will work for either practice.
If you are struggling, 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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Dormition (Theotokos) Fast; and/or working to cultivate friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!
This is the “missing” for Sunday, August 25th. Technically, it is also the “long lost” post for the 2021 practice. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“III.24. Extraordinary strength, resulting from samyama on the concept of physical strength (the aphorism specifically mentions the strength of an elephant, which was undoubtedly the strongest creature in Patanjali’s world), but it might also include mental, moral, or spiritual strength. This could be interpreted as an exceptional form of mind-body control or as a mind-matter interaction effect. Swami Satchidananda sums up this siddhi with the comment, ‘You can lighten yourself; you can make yourself heavy. It’s all achieved by samyama. Do it; try it. Nice things will happen’ (p.188).”
“III.37. Siddhis may appear to be supernormal, but they are normal. This is not a description of a siddhi, but rather a caution to avoid regarding or attaining the siddhis as unnatural or supernormal, as that could become a distraction to sustaining and deepening samadhi.”
— quoted from the “Taxonomy” section of “Part I: From Legendary Yoga Superpowers… Chapter 7: The Siddhis” in Supernormal: Science, Yoga, and the Evidence for Extraordinary Psychic Abilities by Dean Radin, PhD
In the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali defined yoga (“union”) as a moment when all the internal chatter fades away (YS 1.2) and devoted a whole chapter to describing the powers that come when you focus-concentrate-meditate on a single thing and harness the power of the entire mind-body. He also outlined a process by which one can become completely absorbed into (or merged with) the point of their focus-concentration-meditation. Some of it sounds magical, extraordinary, or supernatural; but, it’s actually extra ordinary and very much supernormal. The ability to be single-minded and absorbed into something (or someone) is something we all do at various times in our lives.
We do it when we are “in the zone” and we do it when we are in the “first blush” of love.
Being in the zone is what athletes call it when you are in the moment, see exactly what needs to be done, and can do it in a way that almost appears effortless. Things just fall into place. Sometimes it even feels effortless and magical to the person that is in the zone. (YS 4.29) Other times, an athlete may find themselves running into the same obstacles and hinderances described in the Yoga Sūtras (YS 1.30-1.31) — not realizing that they need to practice non-attachment. Patanjali recommended focusing on the breath and, thousands of years later, a tennis player and coach recommended the same thing.
“It is said that in breathing humans recapitulate the rhythm of the universe. When the mind is fastened to the rhythm of breathing, it tends to become absorbed and calm. Whether on or off the court, I know of no better way to begin to deal with anxiety than to place the mind on one’s breathing process.”
— quoted from the “Focus During a Match” section of “7. Concentration: Learning to Focus” in The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey
Letting go of your own ego and getting out of your own way are foundational lessons in The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance (1974) by W. Timothy Gallwey. A tennis player and coach, Mr. Gallwey used his own experiences to help others play better psychologically — because sometimes you can up your game by changing what you are doing mentally, emotionally, and even energetically. Years after The Inner Game of Tennis was published (and after he published a companion book in 1976), Mr. Gallwey found that people were applying his book to other areas and in other disciplines. So he wrote Inner Skiing (1977), The Inner Game of Golf (1981), The Inner Game of Winning (1985), The Inner Game of Music (1986), and The Inner Game of Work: Focus, Learning, Pleasure, and Mobility in the Workplace (1999), and The Inner Game of Stress: Outsmart Life’s Challenges, Fulfill Your Potential, Enjoy Yourself (2009). In each book, the bottom line is to get to a place where the mind is quiet.
Which brings us back to the other time when everything else disappears: love.
Love, nothing else matters — except in tennis.
“Perhaps this is why it is said that great poetry is born in silence. Great music and art are said to arise from the quiet depths of the unconscious, and true expressions of love are said to come from a source which lies beneath words and thoughts. So it is with the greatest efforts in sports; they come when the mind is as still as a glass lake.
Such moments have been called ‘peak experiences’ by the humanistic psychologist Dr. Abraham Maslow.”
— quoted from the “‘Trying Hard’: A Questionable Virtue” section of “3. Quieting Self 1” in The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey
Full disclosure: When I was growing up, I was the only person in my immediate family who didn’t play tennis. So, there are a bunch of things about tennis that just don’t make sense to me. For instance, why does “love” mean “zero” in tennis? There are a lot of different theories about why “love” equals “zero” in tennis. Some of these theories don’t have a lot of supporting evidence; they just seem like old wives tales that may or may not be true. They stick around, however, because they are funny. For instance, there is the idea that English speakers were mispronouncing the French word l’ œuf (“egg”) — so it sounded like they were saying “love” — and that the number zero looks like an egg. This is sometimes paired with the idea that if you make a bunch of mistakes (and score no points) you’ve laid a goose egg. The biggest problem with this theory is that when in France, where tennis was first developed, people simply used the word zéro.
Another prevalent (and possibly more credible) theory about the term, that dates back to the 1700s, is that when you have no score, but you still give it all you’ve got, then you are playing for the love of the game. This is a slightly more credible theory, because, according to the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the word “amateur” comes from the Latin words anator (“a lover”) and amo (“to love”), referring to a person who does something for love rather than for money.
Of course, every professional begins as an amateur and one could argue that every professional wants to feel the way they did when they were an amateur — as if nothing else matters, but that moment and the love of the game in that moment. And, this is where things get interesting; because, in tennis, the most prestigious tournaments are “open” to amateurs and professionals. They all play for the same stakes. They all play with love so palpable it can make other people fall in love with the game. Some even play with the kind of passion that can also change the face of the game.
“I always wanted to be somebody. If I made it, it’s half because I was game enough to take a lot of punishment along the way and half because there were a lot of people who cared enough to help me.”
— quoted I Always Wanted to Be Somebody by Althea Gibson, edited by Ed Fitzgerald
Born today in 1927, Althea Gibson was a professional tennis player as well as a professional golfer. In 1949, she was the first Black woman and the second Black athlete (after Dr. Reggie Weir) to play in the National Indoor Championships hosted by the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA, now known as the USTA). While she earned a full athletic scholarship to Florida A&M University (FAMU) and was considered an elite athlete all around the world, her race and ethnicity meant that she was not able to play in some of the most prestigious competitions in the world. To be clear, USTA had anti-discrimination rules in the 1950s; however, to qualify for certain tournaments, a player had to have a certain amount of points. In order to earn those points, a player had to play (and place) at a number of tournaments. Of course, some tournaments were held at clubs that were white-only — which meant that a player like Althea Gibson couldn’t play.
The first crack in that glass ceiling came when American Tennis Association (ATA) officials and 18 time Grand Slam championship-winner Alice Marble very publicly lobbied for Althea Gibson to be the first African-American to receive an invitation to the Nationals. Three days after her 23rd birthday, Ms. Gibson made her debut at Forest Hills and won. The world took notice; even though she ultimately lost the next match (in a delayed round) to Louise Brough, the then three-time defending Wimbledon champion, who also lobbied for inclusion.
Six years later, in 1956, Althea Gibson became the first African-American to win a Grand Slam event when she won the singles crown at the French Championships (now known as the French Open). She and Angela Buxton (from the United Kingdom) also won the doubles. Later that season, she won the championships in Rome, Italy; New Delhi, India; and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The following year, and the year after that, she won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals (which preceded the US Open) and was named “Female Athlete of the Year” by the Associated Press. (1957 was also the year she beat Louise Brough, who by then had won 35 major championships.)
“According to [American sculpture Eric] Goulder, each [of the five granite blocks] represents the ‘boxes’ society puts people in. [Althea] Gibson’s image emerges from the highest one, which balances on its corner to emphasize how she transformed the world’s view of African American athletes.
‘Her shoulder is exposed to make clear that those who followed stand on her shoulder,’ said Goulder. The final box, which is aligned differently from the others, is meant to show that the world has changed, but not entirely.
Its inscription reads: ‘I hope that I have accomplished just one thing: that I have been a credit to tennis and my country.’”
— quoted from the August 26, 2019, Reuters article “Trailblazer Althea Gibson honoured with statue at U.S. Open” by Arlyn Gajilan
Overall, Althea Gibson won a total of 11 Grand Slam events — including five singles titles, five doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. In 1964, she became the first African-American woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour, where she broke course records and was among the 50 money winners for fives years. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (in 1971); was one of the first six inductees into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame (in 1980); and, in 2007, on the 50th anniversary of her first victory at the US National Championships, she was inducted into the US Open Court of Champions.
Althea Gibson was also inducted into the the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the Black Athletes Hall of Fame, the Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey, the New Jersey Hall of Fame, the International Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame, and the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Additionally, she received a Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (in 1988) and was the first woman to receive the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Theodore Roosevelt Award (in 1991). In 2000, Sports Illustrated placed her at #30 on their “100 Greatest Female Athletes” list. In 2013, the United States Postal Service honored her with a postage stamp and, in 2019, a bust of her was unveiled outside of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, where the US Open is now held.
“In a statement Sunday, tennis champion and activist Billie Jean King had this to say: ‘We all know people who influence us and, if we are lucky, we meet a few in our lives who improve us. Althea Gibson improved my life and the lives of countless others. She was the first to break so many barriers, and from the first time I saw her play, when I was 13 years old, she became, and remained, one of my true heroines.
‘It was truly an inspiration for me to watch her overcome adversity. Her road to success was a challenging one, but I never saw her back down. Althea did a lot for people in tennis, but she did even more for people in general.’”
— quoted from the September 29, 2003, Chicago Tribune article “Althea Gibson” (by the Chicago Tribune staff)
Even though Ms. Gibson broke so many color barriers that people compared her to Jackie Robinson, she couldn’t overcame all the obstacles put in her way. Despite winning multiple times at Wimbledon, she and her doubles partner, Angela Buxton, who was Jewish, were denied membership to the All England Club on more than one occasion.1 While many of the competitors that she beat were receiving endorsement deals, similar deals never came her way. That sort of racism and prejudice led her to join the LPGA, but even there she ran into literal barriers to entry. Sometimes she was not allowed to compete. Sometimes she had to change clothes in her car, because the clubs, hotels, and dressing rooms were segregated and no accommodations were available to her. While the highest earners (during the years she played on the tour) averaged, almost $35,000 a year, Althea Gibson’s lifetime golf earnings were under $25,000 (plus or minus a car she won at a Dinah Shore tournament).
Despite the ongoing challenges, Althea Gibson kept persevering. Maybe one of the reasons she never seemed to back down was because she was always fighting to survive. She dropped out of school when she was 13 years old and ran away from home because her father was abusive. At one point she lived in a Catholic shelter for abused children. By that time, she was already a paddle tennis champion in New York City and her neighbors had pooled their resources together to purchase her a junior membership and lessons at the Cosmopolitan Tennis Club in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem. But, young Althea didn’t initially love tennis. It was a means to an end; it was one of her many means of escape.
“‘Being a champ is all well and good,’ I would tell the well-meaning people who asked me about my retirement, ‘but you can’t eat a crown. Nor can you send the Internal Revenue Service a throne clipped to their tax forms. The landlord and grocer and tax collector are funny that way: they like cold cash. I may be the Queen of Tennis right now, but I reign over an empty bank account, and I’m not going to fill it by playing amateur tennis, even if I remain champ from now until Judgement Day.’”
— quoted from “So Much to Live For” in So Much to Live For by Althea Gibson with Richard Curtis
In addition to being an accomplished athlete, Althea Gibson was also a singer, a saxophone player, an actor, a sports analyst, and an author. She turned to all of those mediums in an effort to support herself and pushed the limits of everything she did so that each industry was better than she found it. She even opened for the Harlem Globetrotters by playing exhibition games with Karol Fageros and ran for public office. For much of her adult life, she was also a mentor and coach. She facilitated Pepsi Cola’s national mobile tennis project in underprivileged areas and ran multiple other clinics and tennis outreach programs. She inspired her competitors, as well as players in subsequent generations: like Billie Jean King and Serena and Venus Williams.
The Williams sisters, in particular, sought advice on how to play and how to deal with racism (on and off the court). In fact, Serena Williams won her first (of six) US Open titles in 1999, shortly after faxing a letter and a series of questions to Ms. Gibson. In 2000 and 2001, Venus Williams followed in Althea Gibson’s footsteps by winning back-to-back championships at Wimbledon and the US Open. Like Evonne Goolagong, the Australian Aboriginal (Wiradjuri) athlete who became the second non-White woman to win a Grand Slam championship (in 1971), the Williams Sisters and other African-American athletes experienced a different financial landscape than Althea Gibson, but they still had to deal with racism and prejudice.
“You can’t compare tennis with baseball, basketball, or football. When Jackie Robinson broke the color line in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, dozens of good baseball players in the Negro leagues were waiting to follow. When Althea Gibson, the first prominent black in tennis, won national grass-court titles at Forest Hills in 1957 and 1958, there was no reservoir of black talent waiting to walk in if the door ever opened. Blacks had no identification the sport — on or off the court.”
— quoted from “3. The Passage” in Off the Court by Arthur Ashe with Neil Amdur
Another person Althea Gibson inspired was Arthur Ashe, who who won the US Amateur Championships today in 1968. A couple of weeks later, on September 9th, the Army lieutenant at West Point, followed in Althea Gibson’s footsteps: winning the first US Open and becoming the first African-American man to win a Grand Slam event. He also became the first person (period) to win the US Amateur and the US Open in the same calendar year. These were not his first, nor his last, groundbreaking achievements in tennis. In 1963, he was the first Black player selected for the US Davis Cup team and, so far, he has been the only Black man to win the singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.
Up until 1968, the US National Championship events were held at a variety of locations and only open to amateurs. When it became the US Open, it was open to professionals as well as to amateurs — which is what Arthur Ashe was at the time. In fact, he was the underdog, going up against a professional. He was also active duty, during a war — his younger brother Johnnie accepted an extra tour in Vietnam, which allowed him to compete since the United States had a policy against sending brothers into a war zone. First Lieutenant Ashe’s amateur status meant that his prize money went to the runner up.
“‘Money makes me happy.’ Who would make such a crass remark? I did, in my book Portrait in Motion, written with Frank DeFord. But the truth is that I’m glad I have enough money to live comfortably, and I enjoyed adding to my bank account as I earned money on the tennis court and in various business deals when I was a professional. I was not born poor, but my father was hardly rich. I long ago decided that, on the whole, I much prefer having money to not having it. In that sense, it makes me happy.
On the other hand, I also learned a long time ago what money can and cannot do for me. From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”
— quoted from “6. The Striving and Achieving” in Days of Grace: A Memoir by Arthur Ashe and Arnold Rampersad
Arthur Ashe was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame (in 1979), the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Hall of Fame (in 1983), and the International Tennis Hall of Fame (in 1985). In 1975, he received the inaugural Player of the Year Award from the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and was named the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year. In 1977, other players on the ATP-tour awarded him the ATP Sportsmanship Award. In December 1992, just a few months before he died, he received the “Sports Legend” Award from the American Sportscasters Association. In 1993, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s George Thomas “Mickey” Leland Award, and ATP’s Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award by the ATP. He was also an author and an Emmy Award winner. In 1997, the newly constructed Arthur Ashe Stadium became the largest venue at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, home of the US Open. “Soul in Flight,” a statue sculpted by Eric Fishl, was unveiled in 2000 as a memorial to Arthur Ashe and to the spirit of sportsmanship and humanitarianism that he embodied. In 2005, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp in his honor.
Throughout his career, Arthur Ashe was an activist. He was part of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and also part of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. He also advocated for Haitian refugees and was a campaign chairman for the American Heart Association. In 1983, he contracted HIV after a blood transfusion during heart bypass surgery and, when he announced his diagnosis in April of 1992, he became a very public HIV/AIDS advocate and educator. He also founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.
“Perhaps my favorite prayer-poem by Howard Thurman is ‘The Threads In My Hand.’ The speaker of the poem says that he holds only one end of a number of threads, which come to him from ‘many ways, linking my life with others.’ Some threads come from the sick and troubled, some from the dreaming and ambitious; still others are knotted beyond the speaker’s power to understand and unravel. But one thread is different from all others:
One thread is a strange thread—it is my steadying thread;
When I am lost, I pull it hard and find my way.
When I am saddened, I tighten my grip and gladness glides along its quivering path;
When the waste places of my spirit appear in arid confusion,
the thread becomes a channel of newness in life.
One thread is a strange thread—it is my steadying thread.
God’s hand holds the other end…”
— quoted from “10. The Threads in My Hands” in Days of Grace: A Memoir by Arthur Ashe and Arnold Rampersad
In chapter 10 of Days of Grace: A Memoir, Arthur Ashe described himself as “a fortunate, blessed man… [with] no problems” — aside from two really major health problems. Those two health problems were not the one’s most commonly associated with tennis players. In fact, neither Arthur Ashe nor Althea Gibson seemed to have dealt with the one of the health issues most commonly associated with a non-contact sports like tennis: “tennis elbow” — which is a bit of misnomer. While 50% of tennis players report elbow pain — 75% of which is considered true “tennis elbow” — tennis players only make up about 10% of all the cases of nationwide. In other words, you can have “tennis elbow” even if you’ve never played tennis. It’s simply a repetitive stress issue. So, if you do certain movements repeatedly, without stability, you could end up with tendonitis or tendinosis. Tennis, even when done on a table, is very asymmetrical; making unilateral stability a priority.
But, neither of these record-breaking seemed to have a problem with tendonitis or tendinosis. Unfortunately and ironically, Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe both had cardiovascular issues.
Two cerebral hemorrhages, in the late 1980s, a stroke in 1992, and related medical expenses left Althea Gibson in dire straits. No help was forthcoming when she reached out to various tennis organizations; however, Angela Buxton, her former doubles partner, was able to engage the tennis community and raised nearly $1 million in donations from around the world. In 2003, she suffered a heart attack and then, later that year, died from complications related to respiratory and bladder infections.
Arthur Ashe had a family history of cardiovascular disease and was 36 years old when he suffered his first heart attack in 1979. His heart was in such bad condition, despite his athleticism, that he needed a quadruple bypass. A few months later, he had to delay his return to tennis, because of chest pains. In 1983, he had a second bypass surgery — which is when it is believed he contracted HIV. Paralysis in his right arm led to a battery of tests, exploratory brain surgery, and the HIV diagnosis. Due to the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS, Arthur Ashe and his wife initially decided that the best way to protect their young daughter was by not publicly disclosing his diagnosis. In the fall of 1992, he had a second heart attack and learned that a newspaper was planning to release his diagnosis. A few months later, in 1993, he died from AIDS-related pneumonia.
“By the time you read this letter from me to you for the first time, I may not be around to discuss with you what I have written here. Perhaps I will still be with you and your mother, sharing in your daily lives, in your joys and in your sorrows. However, I may be gone. You would doubtless be sad that I am gone, and remember me clearly for a while. Then I will exist only as a memory already beginning to fade in your mind. Although it is natural for memories to fade, I am writing this letter in the hope that your recollection of me will never fade completely.”
— quoted from “11. My Dear Camera” in Days of Grace: A Memoir by Arthur Ashe and Arnold Rampersad
As I mentioned before, I grew up as the non-playing member of a tennis-loving family. Most of the time I didn’t mind not playing tennis, because I was absorbed in other things. I loved other things. There was one time, however, when I was really grateful that I didn’t play — and so were my parents.
It was during a time when we were living in the Maryland-D.C. area, late 70s or early 80s. If memory serves me2 — and if I go by the 1981 publication date of Off the Court — I was probably have been as old as 12 or 13. Either way, I was small (spoiler alert: I have always been small). Since I wasn’t playing in the tournament, I wasn’t restricted to certain areas the way my brothers were restricted. So, my parents lifted me over the fence with a copy of Arthur Ashe’s autobiography. Being the man that he was, he didn’t hesitate to sign it.
It was a very memorable day that I will never forget, but, to him, it was: “Just another day at the office…”
“…he told the Baltimore Sun’s Jim Caffrey[,] ‘I never get too excited about winning anything; it’s just my philosophy of life.’”
— quoted from the August 13, 2017, Andscape (“#RememberWhensdays”) article, “The day Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win the US Open: Ashe earned the top ranking in the country with the five-set victory” by Rhiannon Walker
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08252021 Love from Althea & Arthur”]
NOTES: 1The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), also known as the All England Club, is a private members’ club in Wimbledon, London, England. Established on July 23, 1868, the majority of the nearly 600 members are are Full Members — who, along with Life Members and Honorary Members, make up no more than 500 members. A little over 50 members are Temporary Members of Junior Temporary Members.
To be placed on the waiting list, full and temporary membership candidates must submit an application with formal letters of support from four existing full members, “two of whom must have known the applicant for at least three years.” While some honorary members are occasionally elected by the club’s committee, “past [Wimbledon] Singles Champions, other eminent Lawn Tennis players…” are typically (and automatically) invited to become honorary members. While Black players and Jewish players were theoretically eligible to join the club in 1951 and 1952, respectively, neither Althea Gibson nor her doubles partner Angela Buxton (who retired at the age of 22, because of tenosynovitis) ever made the cut.
2In July 2025, my father randomly texted me about getting Arthur Ashe’s autograph. He remembered it being on a program, which would have made me a lot younger than the age I remembered.
CORRECTION: During the 2024 practice, I referred to Arthur Ashe as a photographer; however, I was confusing him with his wife, the photographer and graphic artist Jeanne Moutoussamy.
Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating a heart full of peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).
“The problems we face today, violent conflicts, destruction of nature, poverty, hunger, and so on, are human-created problems which can be resolved through human effort, understanding and the development of a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. We need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share. Although I have found my own Buddhist religion helpful in generating love and compassion, even for those we consider our enemies, I am convinced that everyone can develop a good heart and a sense of universal responsibility with or without religion.”
— quoted from the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama (December 10, 1989)
Today is the Dalai Lama’s 89th birthday and, even as he recovers from knee surgery here in the United States, he is focused on suhrit-prapti (“the ability to cultivate a good heart; obtain friends”), which is one of the siddhis (“abilities”) described as “unique to being human” in Yoga and Sāmkhya. In the aforementioned philosophies, as well as in Buddhism, lessons of the heart are also lessons of the mind. In fact, the entirety of the Yoga Sūtras could be considered mind trainingtechniques.
As I mentioned in 2020, the Dalai Lama celebrated his 85th birthday by giving “A Short Teaching on Mind Training” to a group in Taiwan. (He was in India.) He focused his dharma talk on the end of Geshé Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses for Training the Mind. In Tibetan Buddhism, lojong are “mind training” techniques to prepare a practitioner for a variety of loving-kindness and compassion practices. They are aphorisms designed to cultivate bodhicitta (the awakened of enlightened mind/intellect). The most common lojong practices in the West are approximately 59 statements found in a 12th century text by Chekawa Yeshe Dorje. Geshé Chekawa based his instruction on the teachings of Geshé Langri Tangpa (which is whole story unto itself). While the Dalai Lama focused on the end of the text in 2020, he has previously taught and written about the entire text — and in particular, the eight verses.
“In all my deeds may I probe into my mind,
And as soon as mental and emotional afflictions arise-
As they endanger myself and others-
May I strongly confront them and avert them.”
— Verse 3 from Eight Verses for Training the Mind by Geshé Langri Tangpa
Please join me today (Saturday, July 6th) at 12:00 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules”calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07062021 HHDL Big Day”]
“The whole world naturally seeks peace, and peace is rooted in having a good heart.”
“I believe we can combine our traditional [Tibetan] understanding of the mind and modern science to show how to cultivate love and compassion and achieve peace of mind. We all want to be happy and fundamental to that is having a good heart.”
— quoted from the speech to the 8th World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet (in Washington, D. C., June 22-23, 2022) by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama
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.
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.
“Eid Mubarak, Blessed Festival!” to anyone celebrating Eid al-Adha. Happy Pride! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating the Afterfeast of the Ascension cultivating a good heart, peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).
This is a post-practice post related to the practice on Monday, June 17th. It includes an excerpt from a related 2020 post and a note about the observation of Eid al-Adha. The 2024 prompt question was, “How long is your longest, ongoing friendship?”You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.”
— quoted from the poem “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus
I have heard that the Buddha described sangha (“community”) as one of the three jewels; in other words, it is something of great value. In Yoga and Sāmkhya, two of the six Indian philosophies, the ability to “cultivate a good heart” (i.e., make friends) is so valued it is considered a great power that all humans possess. It is something within us and all around us, something we carry with us.
The excerpt below is from a 2020 post about friendship. If you click on the link (here or below), you will find that I shined some light on causes and conditions that can lead to friendship, as well as several examples of how people have expressed friendship. Notably, the highlighted expressions or tokens of friendship — the Statue of Liberty (which arrived in New York on June 17, 1885) and the moment when Mbuyisa Makhubo and an unknown woman helped Antoinette Sithole after her 12-year old brother Hector Pieterson was killed during the Soweto uprising (June 16 – 18, 1976) — involved strangers.
Even though most of the people involved never met or, in some cases, never met in a way that allowed their friendship to blossom, we can still feel the strength of their bonds. Because, as I mentioned in the blog post, “What initially connects people is on the outside…. What keeps people connected, however, is on the inside.”
“What is on the inside is something that can only be felt. It doesn’t always have an external reference point. Yes, we can see an expression of love, a token of friendship, and understand it from our own experiences. However, when we see a parent and a child hugging, or even two children hugging, we don’t exactly know what they are feeling. We can only know how we have felt in similar circumstances.”
Some people would say that the feeling I’m referencing in that excerpt is something divine, something that requires faith. Some folks might even say that that same feeling — and a similar kind of faith — allows them to think of God as a the ultimate friend, someone who is always there and who offers tokens of friendship on a daily basis. If you count yourself in that number, the question then becomes, how do you express your friendship with God? How do others express their friendship with the Divine?
“Cause I can believe In the in-between What can’t be said And only seen When you close your eyes And open your heart And everything you know Just falls apart”
— quoted from the song “God is My Friend” by Bob Schneider
There is a story in the Hebrew Bible / the Christian Old Testament and in the Qur’ān, that is also referenced in the Christian New Testament. It is the story of Abraham and the Akedah or “Binding of Isaac (or Ishmael).” Growing up, I learned the very basics of the story from a (mostly) Christian perspective. That is to say, in some Christian traditions, it is a prefigured prequel to story of Jesus and a story about temptation, Abraham’s faith and devotion to God, and how the faithful are reward. As a kid, however, something about the story always seemed off to me. So, as an adult, when I first heard about Eid al-Adha (which started at sunset on Sunday night), I kind of dismissed it. It still seemed off to me.
Going a little deeper, however, I discovered a couple of things I was not taught — and/or did not understand — as a child. First, some biblical scholars (in all traditions) indicate that everyone in the story (save for the son, in some version) knew there would not be a human sacrifice. Or, I should say, God and the angel knew and Abraham had faith. According to these same scholars, the story is more about Abraham’s willingness to follow a commandment than it is about the actual intention to sacrifice his son. Second, the story might have been a cautionary tale against human sacrifice. Finally, there are some significant differences in the way the story appears in Bereshit / Genesis versus the way it appears in the Qur’ān.
First, the Torah / Christian Old Testament does not indicate exactly how God spoke to Abraham and/or how Abraham knew the message came from God (versus the devil that tempted him to do the wrong thing). Second, the text (almost) makes it sound as if Abraham was lying to his son — which is one of the things that always felt really off to me. Another thing that felt off to me was that the son in the New Testament (Jesus) knew his role in the story, while the son in Genesis did not… at least in the Christian tradition.
“…[Ibrahim] said: O my son! surely I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you; consider then what you see. He said: O my father! do what you are commanded; if Allah please, you will find me of the patient ones.”
— quoted from Sūrah as-Saffat (“Chapter of Those Who Set the Ranks” or “The Rangers” / Portion 37 of the Qur’ān”) 102
As quoted above, the Sūrah as-Saffat makes it very clear that the messages came to Abraham in his dreams. There is also a very clear conversation between the father and the son. That conversation established consent and, also, reinforces the idea that the story is as much about the faith of the father as it is about the faith of the son. In the Qur’ān, it is the faith of the father and the son that is emphasized and, also, celebrated. It is celebrated on Eid al-Adha, which started at sunset on Sunday (June 16th) and is observed in some countries through June 20, 2024.
In addition to a special prayer, there is (obviously) a feast, a ritual sacrifice (of a sheep or other livestock), and symbolic stoning of the devil. There is also extra alms giving, similar to the extra charity given during the holy month of Ramadān and Eid al-Fitr. The extra alms during this particular eid (“feast” or “festival”) have a particularly special significance since a third of the meat from the livestock is given to family and friends and a third is given to the poor. Eid al-Adha also marks the end of the Hajj (“pilgrimage”) in Mecca. The alms giving and the pilgrimage are two of the Five Pillars of Islām — which make up the framework of worship and signs of faith. In other words, they are tokens or expressions of ones devotion, respect, and affection.
FRIEND [Old English, with Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German words “to love,” also related to “free”] 1. One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect and affection, which lead him to desire his company, and to seek to promote his happiness and prosperity; opposed to foe or enemy.
“FRIEND’SHIP, noun frend’ship. 1. An attachment to a person, proceeding from intimate acquaintance, and a reciprocation of kind offices, or from a favorable opinion of the amiable and respectable qualities of his mind. friendship differs from benevolence, which is good will to mankind in general, and from that love which springs from animal appetite. True friendship is a noble and virtuous attachment, springing from a pure source, a respect for worth or amiable qualities. False friendship may subsist between bad men, as between thieves and pirates. This is a temporary attachment springing from interest, and may change in a moment to enmity and rancor.”
— quoted from Webster’s Dictionary 1828
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.
“‘Take this story to heart,’ Rabbi Bunam used to add, ‘and make what it says your own: There is something you cannot find anywhere in the world, not even at the zaddik’s [home of a righteous person], and there is, nevertheless, a place where you can find it.’”
“There is something that can only be found in one place. It is a great treasure, which may be called the fulfilment of existence. The place where this treasure can be found is the place on which one stands.”
— quoted from “VI. Here Where One Stands” in The Way of Man: According to the Teaching of Hasidim by Martin Buber
ERRATA: I originally posted this with the wrong end date for the Soweto uprising.
Happy Pride! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating the Afterfeast of the Ascension and/or uprooting ignorance so we can all have more peace, freedom, and wisdom (inside and outside).
“Uha means ‘knowledge without doubt, clear understanding, intuitive knowledge.’ It is the power of revelation – the fundamental force behind all human discovery. It has its source in mahat tattva, the pure and pristine manifestation of Ishvara’s prakriti, and is therefore infinite. In our day-to-day life, it manifests in the form of discerning power. This is also the force behind our memory.”
“Adhyayana means ‘study, analyze, and comprehend.’ We have the capacity to study, analyze, and comprehend an abstract idea whether it is spoken, written, or implied. We even have the capacity to decipher our own and others’ intention and predict the causes as well as the far-reaching effects of those intentions.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.24 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
According to Yoga Sūtras 1.5-7, we all have functional/not afflicted thought patterns and dysfunctional/afflcited thought patterns, the latter of which creates suffering. Those two types of thought patterns can come in the form of correct understanding, false understanding, imagination (which is sometimes translated as “verbal delusions”), deep/dreamless sleep, and memory. Obviously, we want as much functional, correct understanding as possible and that comes from direct/sense perception, inference, and revelation documented in sacred text and/or scriptures.
But….
How do you know what you know? How do you know what you know is true? We all know there are things we don’t know; however, there are also things that we don’t know we don’t know. So, how do you know that what you don’t know you don’t know doesn’t negate what you think you know is true?
Maybe you don’t.
Maybe you can’t.
Or maybe you have no interest in going down that particular philosophical rabbit hole at [insert whatever time it is for you here].
There is also the possibility that you are someone who just knows — or who thinks you know — when someone is telling the truth. Maybe you have a feeling, a sense, a sensation that is information. We all have that. Unfortunately, we can all ignore that gut feeling, that prickly feeling, that little Spidey-sense. We can also override it.
Of course, there is another type of person you could be.
You could be the type of person who thinks/feels that you can tell whether a person is trustworthy just by looking at them. Not because you are using the first and third of the siddhis (“abilities”) described as “unique to being human,” but because… you know, “blood will tell” or “blood will out.”
Click on the titles to find out why some things don’t mean what we think they mean.
“The first words he said when he had digested the shock, contained a magnanimous declaration, which he probably was not conscious of having uttered aloud – ‘Weel – blude’s thicker than water – she’s welcome to the cheeses and the hams just the same.’”
— quoted from “Chapter IX, Die and endow a college or a cat. Pope.” of Guy Mannering, or The Astrologer (pub. 1815) by Sir Walter Scott, Bart
Please join me today (Saturday, June 15th) at 12:00 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules”calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06142020 World Blood Donor Day”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
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.
Happy Pride! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing Eastertide; Counting the Omer, and/or working as a force of peace, freedom, and fulfillment (inside and outside).
This is the “missing” post for Tuesday, June 4th.This post contains passing references to sociopolitical conflicts, oppression, and war.You can request an audio recording of this practice or a related 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.
“The ancient philosophers divided the world into four realms of life. Look closely and you will see they are realms of transcendence—because to live means to transcend:….
And we human beings, how do we transcend our bounds? We reach outside of ourselves with words. With dialogue.
Of all creatures, we alone are capable of hearing ourselves through the ears of another.”
— quoted from the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman
According to Indian philosophies like Yoga and Sāmkhya, when a person is in their natural state of existence, they are endowed with certain siddhis or “abilities,” six of which are outlined in the Sāmkhya Karika as “powers unique to being human.” The power of word (shabda) is one of these six and Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD, described it as the power “to give a form to sound, assign meaning to each segment of sound, and to store both sound and meaning in memory….[and] the capacity to communicate both sound and its meaning to others. We also have the capacity to give a visual form to each segment of sound and the meaning associated with it.” So, this power includes spoken expression, sign language, and written language. It is a power associated with the fifth chakra, which is energetically and symbolically associated with the throat.
The Viśuddha chakra is also associated with will and determination — which is an interesting dynamic when we talk about situations where people fight for the right to be heard while others actively (and systematically) deny those rights. Those types of situations happen all the time and are currently happening all over the world. Since our current events might be a little too fresh to really gain perspective, let’s step back and consider a couple of encounters that took place on two different June 4ths: one happened here in the United States in 1919; the other happened on the other side of the world in 1989. Both involved people who wanted to be heard and governments who opposed that desire. In some ways (most ways), however, the outcomes were very different. In one case, people were disempowered. In the other, some people were empowered with the richest power.
“Your every choice, thought and feeling has biological, environmental, social, personal and global consequence. Actions motivated by personal will that trusts Divine authority, gives you the richest power.”
— quoted from “Morning Visual Meditation” (focus for Chakra 5) by Caroline Myss
For Those Who Missed It: The following is an updated and slightly revised post from 2020. A coda, a 2021 excerpt, and a playlist have been added for additional context.
If you are a certain age or older (as I am) and from certain countries (ditto), and you don’t even have to click on the link above to see the photo. Just the words immediately conjure up the general timing (1989), if not the exact date it appeared around the world (which is June 5th), and circumstances. Even though the picture is still, you can probably “see” the little bits of motion that surround this “incident” in and around Tiananmen Square in 1989. That’s how the people in China refer to it (if they refer to it): the “June 4 incident” or the “six-four incident.” Not the protest and (definitely not) the massacre, unless they are outside of China.
The Chinese government initially referred to the events in 1989 as a “counterrevolutionary riot,” but then started diminishing the impact. The “counterrevolutionary riot” became just a “riot” and then a “political storm.” Now, the government calls it “political turmoil between the Spring and Summer of 1989.” They did not initially acknowledge that anyone died in and around Tiananmen Square — after what started out as peaceful, student-led protests against the government. Later, they would acknowledge that “some” people were injured and “a few” died…but they still distance the injuries and deaths from the “incident.”
Keep in mind, “some” and “a few” are calculated in the thousands.
More telling than how they speak (or don’t speak) about what happened over those couple of days in 1989, is the fact that if you grew up in China and are 35 years old or younger, you can probably identify the location (after all, it is a landmark in Beijing), but you may not be able to identify the time, date, and circumstances associated with this picture. At least, this was the finding of a PBS interview dated April 11, 2006. When I watched the interview, I was a little surprised. What surprised me even more was that if you grew up in the United States and are 35 years old or younger, you might not even be able to identify the location. (I asked around.)
Do you know this woman? Do you have any idea why (or what) this woman would have been celebrating today in 1919? It’s not surprising if you don’t, regardless of your nationality or age (since if you are reading this blog, you probably weren’t alive at the time). But there are some clues; in particular, that date: June 4, 1919. Ring a bell? Does it help if I say she’s connected to the United States?
Feel free to Google it. I’ll wait.
Even if you somehow know this woman is a suffragist, her name (Phoebe E. Burn, “Miss Febb” or “Febb” to her friends) may not mean a whole lot to you. Even if you’ve attended one of my August 18th classes and heard me mention her name (and that of her son, then 24-year old Harry T. Burn, Sr. of Tennessee), it still might not immediately register that the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women the right to vote, was approved by Congress today in 1919. It was passed with 56 “ayes” and 25 “nays,” and ratified by the required three-quarters of the Union on August 18, 1920.
Harry Burn, the Republican Representative from Tennessee, was the youngest congressman and was expected to vote against the amendment; which would have killed the legislation. When he voted, he was wearing a red carnation, indicating he was against the amendment. However, unbeknownst to those around him at the time, he carried a note from his mother telling him, “Don’t forget to be a good boy and help Mrs. Catt put the ‘rat’ in ratification.” And, so he did.
Some states got on board relatively quickly, but it would take a while for other states to make the law officially valid. In fact, women would not “officially” and legally have the right to vote (without impediment from the state) in Alabama (until 1953), Florida (until 1969), Louisiana and Georgia (until 1970), North Carolina (until 1971), South Carolina (until 1973), and Mississippi (until 1984).
If you’re wondering why it took so long, consider the fact that many people in power (i.e., men) saw women as little more than children or property. Additionally, they feared what would happen if the power dynamic shifted and women were not only seen as their equals, but also given equal time to be heard as they voiced their concerns about the country. (Speaking of power dynamics, don’t even get me started on how long it took some states to ratify the 13th Amendment, which didn’t even include the right to vote. Yes, I’m looking at you, Delaware, Kentucky, and Mississippi.)
Protests, revolution, and change: it always comes down to this. It also comes down, once again, to perspective. When leadership does not get on board with the changes their constituents are demanding, progress is slow and painful. When individuals do not do the little bit that they can do, for as long as they can do it, very little to nothing happens. When people do not speak up to those they love who may be on the wrong side of history, we find ourselves at a stalemate.
Just consider the historical examples of today.
Despite the quarantine (in 2020), the political landscape in China looks similar to 1989 — people are once again protesting. And, while women have the right to vote in the United States, own property, drive, and operate a business (that’s not a brothel, boarding house, and/or saloon), there are still major discrepancies in the lived experiences of American men and women.
But, wait a minute. I’m kind of leaving something (or should I say, someone) out of the discussion. Do you see it? Can you see it? If you can’t, you’re in “good” company, because some people couldn’t see it in 1919 either.
𝄌
Throughout the practice, you may or may not have noticed what was missing, a voice that wasn’t being heard. Sadly, it is a voice that is too often still not heard: the voice of certain marginalized people. While the 15th Amendment to the U. S. constitution theoretically guaranteed Black men the right to vote in 1870, many states and territories implemented laws that prevented African-American men from exercising that right. Similarly, Black women — who were an active and critical part of the suffrage movement — were “legally” prevented from voting until the Civil Rights Act of 1965. Additionally, Native and Indigenous Americans who were granted U. S. citizenship by way of the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 (enacted on June 2, 1924), were not always able to enjoy their rights — including the right to vote — until 1948. Again, because states could still legislate barriers to entry.
As I said before, some of these voices are still not being heard. We see this, again and again, as people who cry out against the atrocities happening around the world (including in China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Israel and Palestine, Myanmar, Sudan, Ukraine, and Russia)* are silenced or in some way restricted — not only in those areas, but also in these here United States.
Maybe none of this seems like a big deal if you are someone who, historically, is enfranchised, seen, and heard. Consider, however, that we are all part of the same world; we are like different parts of the same body. You can ignore your little or your big toe all you want, but see what happens the next time you stub that toe. See how you move through the world when some part of you is in pain.
Now, consider what happens when you listen to the sensation, the information, communicated by your mind-body and move in a way that cultivates harmony and peace, instead of more pain.
“It is easy to keep oneself in a holding pattern, claiming that one does not know what to do next. But that is rarely true…. Admittedly it is frightening to leave the familiar contents of one’s life, even [when] one’s life is often desperately sad. But change is frightening, and waiting for that feeling of safety to come along before one makes a move only results in more internal torment because the only way to acquire that feeling of security is to enter the whirlwind of change and come out the other end, feeling alive again.”
— quoted from the section entitled “Between the Head and the Heart” in “Chapter 5 – The Fifth Chakra: The Power of Will” of Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing by Caroline Myss
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06042022 Having A Say”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlist includes speeches that are not available on Spotify. I would add some more recent speeches…, but many of this year’s speeches were “muted.”
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.
*NOTE: According to Humanitarian Law & Policy analysis by Samit D’Cunha, Tristan Ferraro, and Thomas de Saint Maurice — all legal advisers for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), “there are over 120 armed conflicts around the world, involving over 60 states and 120 non-state armed groups. The majority of these armed conflicts are of a non-international character, the number of which has tripled since the turn of the millennium.”
“Happy (Lunar) New Year!” and/or “Happy Carnival!” to those who are already celebrating! “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Gupta (Magha) Navaratri!” Peace, ease, and contemplation throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
This is the “missing” post for Saturday, February 10th. It includes some previously posted information (updated for 2024) and 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.
“I am going to venture that the man who sat on the ground in his tipi meditating on life and its meaning, accepting the kinship of all creatures and acknowledging unity with the universe of things was infusing into his being the true essence of civilization.”
— quoted from the “What the Indian Means to America” in Land of the Spotted Eagle by Luther Standing Bear
The “Season for Nonviolence” word (for February 10, 2024) is “contemplation,” which is what I always encourage — especially on Saturdays. This year, during the Saturday practices, we are using energetic and symbolic aspects of the body to focus on how our past, present, and future are connected and how different aspects of our lives prepare and inform us. We started with the lower body and our foundation in life and this month we have moved into the realm of relationships, particularly friendships we make with people we (or others) might perceive as being different.
Some of our earliest life lessons revolve around friendship, who is considered a stranger (and therefore a danger), and how we view (some described as) a foreigner. This is part of the reason Robert Fulghum’s “all I really need to know I learned in kindergarten” is true. Kindergarten, pre-school, daycare — and even Sunday school — are all laboratories, sandboxes, and playgrounds (if you will) for the things we learn in our first family, tribe, and community of birth. These are the places where we first put our early life lessons to the Litmus test, to see if they hold up (or prove true) beyond a theoretical idea. Sometimes we have experiences that cause us to carry those early life lessons throughout our lives. Other times we have experiences that cause us to re-examine what we were taught by out elders.
To be clear: We are all strangers and foreigners to someone. We could also all be friends to someone who is different from us. However, for many people (especially in the United States), our initial experiments in “cultivating a good heart” occur with people who have a shared culture: same history (i.e., similar tragedies and triumphs), same language, same food, same religions and philosophies, same rituals and traditions, same music, and same calendars. On a certain level, shared culture also translates into shared expectations. This does not mean that we will not have disagreements, misunderstandings, and disappointments (just because we share a culture with someone). It does, however, mean that we have to be mindful of how expectations can be a major source of conflict (and suffering).
First, we have to be mindful of the fact that we all come into relationships with expectations. Sometimes we are very aware of our own expectations and how they may be different from others. Sometimes we are even good at communicating our expectations and being open to others having different expectations. More often than not, however, our communication and listening skills are underdeveloped because we assume that people with a similar background (i.e., shared culture) have the same expectations and/or that our expectations are the only reasonable expectations. As I mentioned last week, technology has created opportunities for us to encounter — sometimes at an early age — people who are perceived as being different from us. So, in some ways, we all have to go back to those childhood lessons.
Our capacity to cultivate friendships with someone different from us can be aided or hindered by the lessons we first learn in our homes. For instance, I learned early on that other people had different cultures and that sensory information (like scent) can be a trigger “a remembrance of things past.” Someone else might have learned that other people had “strange,” “weird,” “odd,” “exotic,” and/or “primitive” cultures and food. The latter characterizations can manifest as an aversion to new experiences (at best) and the worst -isms, -phobias, intolerance, and fetishes. The former characterization can create an openness that allows one to discover common elements.
We can discover that an unfamiliar ritual or tradition has the same underlying meaning as something very important to us. (Similarly, we can discover that something that looks the same on the outside has different meaning on the inside.) We can find that we have the same favorite musician as someone in Münster, Germany and/or the same favorite foods as someone in Xinyuan, China and New Delhi, India — even if we have never visited those places. We can share a hobby or a profession with someone from a different background and, therefore, share an experience — like climbing a mountain that very few will climb — that cements our bond. We can develop deep lasting friendships with people who are currently celebrating a new year, celebrating the end of a season, observing a holy time, and/or preparing to celebrate a holy time — even when, to us, it is just a regular time.
“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
Today is the beginning of the Lunar New Year. The Chinese lunisolar calendar designates this year is the year of the (wood) Dragon. While many East and Southeast Asian cultures celebrate at the same time — and even though there are some similarities to celebrations held at other times of the year — each culture has different rituals and traditions that connect people with their extended families, ancestors, and heritage.
In parts of China and the diaspora, the beginning of the New Year is also the beginning of the Spring Festival, a fifteen day celebration that culminates with the Lantern Festival. Even though each day of the Lunar New Year has a special significance, each region has different stories and traditions related to that significance. For example, according to one Chinese creation story, different animals are celebrated depending on when they were created; thus, today is the birthday of all chickens. Others are celebrating the birthday of the water god and, therefore, will not wash their hair or their clothes on the first two days of the new year. Some Buddhist people celebrate the birth of Maitreya Buddha on the first day of the lunar new year and spend New Year’s Day, as well as several days leading up to the first day, chanting, praying, and/or meditating (depending on their beliefs). People will also light candles and make offerings at the temple before their feasting begins.
Even though there are some differences between regions and cultures in celebrations of the Lunar New Year, there are some common elements. The Lunar New Year celebrations generally include extended family coming together; the welcoming of ancestors and (in some households) the welcoming of household deities (like the water god); red clothes, red decorations, and red envelopes; fireworks, parades, and loud noises, a bit of feasting, and (of course), the wish, prayer, blessing, or shout for prosperity: “Cai Shen Dao! [The God of Wealth has come! in Mandarin]”
In 2024, the Spring Festival celebrations begin on the last weekend of Carnival, which is the lead up to Mardi Gras (which is the lead up to Lent for Western Christians), and coincides with a “hidden” or “secret” celebration of Navaratri.
“‘There is no demand for women engineers, as such, as there are for women doctors; but there’s always a demand for anyone who can do a good piece of work.’”
— Edith Clarke quoted in a March 14, 1948 Daily Texan article
Navaratri (which means “nine nights” in Sanskrit) occurs four times on the Hindu calendar and is a celebration of divine feminine energy — specifically of Durga, the divine mother, in various manifestations. Each Navaratri begins by celebrating Durga as Shailaputri (“Daughter of Mountain”). Shailputri is the daughter of Himavat, the Mountain King or Guardian God of Himalayan Mountains, and is recognized as a divine manifestation of Mahadevi and a reincarnation of Sati (the wife of Shiva), who then reincarnates as Parvati. In art, she holds a trishula or trident in her right hand and a lotus in her left hand, all while riding Shiva’s bull Nandi, whose name means “happy, joy, and satisfaction.” Although extra emphasis is put on the celebrations in the spring and fall, Magha Navaratri (which begins today) and Ashada Navaratri have special significance in certain regions and are referred to as Gupta Navaratri, meaning they are hidden or secret — not because no one knows about them; but, because the celebrations are not as big and obvious as the celebrations in the spring and fall.
Since the (secular) Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar, the Lunar New Year falls at different times according to the Western schedule. This year’s celebrations begin on the birthday of several musicians, a mathematician, a couple of mountain-climbing twins, and someone whose work allows us to hear more clearly. Their backgrounds are different, but their stories (and work) are all ultimately about making connections.
“Describing the experience later, he said that when things happen that he doesn’t understand ‘… I have to figure them out. I have to learn. And that’s essentially what led to some of the discoveries that I made, you know, the curiosity. Well, why does nature behave in that way? You know, what are the compelling parameters around the way nature behaves? And how can I better understand the physical principles that I’m dealing with? You know, it’s still a big part of my life.’”
— quoted from the Biz & IT section of Ars Technica, in an article entitled “Listen up: James West forever changed the way we hear the world — Now in his 80s, the legendary inventor still pursues research and fights for education.” by Kevin Murnane (dated 5/8/2016)
A Joyful Practice 