A Joyful Practice

Quick Notes & 3 Excerpts RE: Work & Listening (the post-practice Monday post) September 1, 2025

Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).

Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.

The following post-practice compilation post is related to Monday, September 1^st, which was Labor Day in the United States and parts of Canada. Some of the excerpted posts include videos.

The 2025 prompt question was, “What part of your mind-body or life does a little, but gets a lot of your attention & what part does a lot of work, but doesn’t get commensurate attention?” You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra      (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).

Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

“I am opposing a social order in which it is possible for one man who does absolutely nothing that is useful to amass a fortune of hundreds of millions of dollars, while millions of men and women who work all the days of their lives secure barely enough for a wretched existence.”

— Eugene V. Debs, quoted from his statement to the Federal Court (Cleveland, Ohio), after being convicted of violating the Sedition Act, September 18, 1918

The first Monday in September is Labor Day in the United States and parts of Canada.

CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.

FTWMI: The Result of Labor (with updates)

2025 Update:

Between September 1, 2024 and September 1, 2025, the Labor Action Tracker counted strikes in 586 locations, plus additional labor protests in 683 locations; bringing the labor actions total to 1296 locations.

(NOTE: The total locations matches the same total locations as last year, however, the summary mechanism has changed.)

Click on the excerpt below for more details about the Labor Action Tracker and how modern day strikes and protests can lead to better working conditions.

FTWMI: Working Together (a post–practice Monday post w/ an extra excerpt)

“Deeply Listening,
Yoga
And the hidden systems
Of the body
Make themselves known.

Deeply Listening,
The wisdom
Of all sacred scriptures in the world
Is revealed.

Oh my soul,
Those who surrender themselves in Love
To the Divine
Continuously blossom and bloom.

Deeply Listening
Sorrows
And errors
Depart.”

— quoted from Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul by Guru Nanak (Translated by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)

Our practices, on and off the mat or cushion, give us the opportunity to pay attention to how the mind-body works — and to really listen, deeply.

Listening deeply is one of the important lessons in the Japji Sahib (known in English as The Song of the Soul) an ancient Sikh text at the beginning of the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the Adi Granth or primary sacred text / scripture in Sikhism. Originally compiled and printed by Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh guru, on August 29, 1604, it was placed in the Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India, today (September 1^st) in 1604.

CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.

FTWMI: Deep Listening (*Revised) – the post-practice Friday post

There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices. 

The following (2) playlists include the Japji Sahib:

• A vinyasa playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09012024 Deep Listening”]

MUSIC NOTE: The playlist contains John Metcalfe’s album Tree (with the remixes); however, one track has been moved. The story behind the album is beautiful (and it is about working). Additionally, I encourage you to deeply listen to Track #11 (which is the Japji Sahib).

• A First Friday playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09012023 Trusting, Listening… Deeply”]

MUSIC NOTE: You can start with Track #1, #2, #3, or #5. These are instrumental tracks. Track #4 is the Japji Sahib.

“If you
Trust what you hear
When you listen,
Then you will know
What you see,
How to understand
And act.”

— quoted from Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul by Guru Nanak (Translated by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)

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 an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

NOTE: The translation by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa is the foundation for The End of Karma: 10 Days to Perfect Peace, Tranquility, and Joy by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M. D., which I quote during the practice.

### BREATHE, WORK, LISTEN, REST (& do it all over again) ###