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Yogi YouTube has done it again... This morning she served up a new artist - Krishna Kaur - G-d garbed as a black female in tribal attire - think Octavia Spencer in William Paul Young's "The Shack." Not only black but also a musician...As I hung out with her in my kundalini yoga practice, she blew away the blues with the accompanying hot and cool wind instrument and her comforting words of wisdom...Mother Mary came to me speaking... G-d is in the breath... G-d breathed into dirt...the mud...the woman...the man and they became living things... Krishna Kaur Khalsa, a yogini (female form of "yogi") and teacher in the kundalini form of yoga that I practice is also the first black artist/practitioner that I've met. My circle is widening...my heart is expanding... About Krishna Kaur Khalsa "Krishna Kaur, a dynamic, heart centered Yoga teacher, began studying Kundalini Yoga in 1970, and she has passionately taught the art and science of Kundalini Yoga and Self Awareness for 40 years. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from her teaching in Africa, Mexico, and inner cities throughout the United States. A master teacher trainer of Kundalini Yoga, she conducts workshops in Canada, Europe, and Latin America. She is certified by the 3HO Foundation and the Kundalini Research Institute as a Kundalini Yoga Teacher and Trainer of both Level I and II. She is the regional coordinator for 3HO Africa, which unites Kundalini Yoga in Africa. Krishna also founded and runs Y.O.G.A. for Youth, a non-profit dedicated to training yoga teachers to work with at-risk youth and creating yoga programs in schools and juvenile facilities. Krishna opened the first yoga center in South Central Los Angeles and continues to train yoga teachers, teach workshops, and bring yoga to the underserved populations throughout the world. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California." Give Your Self a Gift... I recommend that you give your body and spirit (they are really ONE) a gift - listen to this as a whole...receive whatever you need from the Generous Giver that knows what we need right in this present moment... Longing - Krishna Kaur (YouTube set list created by Musiqaa - see below for more) "Krishna Kaur her second solo album is a mixture of mantra, devotional poetry, R&B and jazz. Accompanied by C.C. White and Lina Wade on vocals, as well as saxophone, guitars, keyboards, percussion, and flute." 00:00 ⋄ Ong Namo 05:22 ⋄ Namo Namo 12:57 ⋄ Memories 24:17 ⋄ Hari will stand by you 31:01 ⋄ Ram Bhajh Pranee Re 38:32 ⋄ Man Jeetai Jagjeet 45:44 ⋄ Aadays Tisai Aadays Y.O.G.A. FOR YOUTH If you've followed my posts on my blog or Facebook, you'll know that empowering our young is one of my desires. THEY ARE OUR FUTURE!!! So, it seems natural that I'd be led to this teacher of youth. If you work with youth or simply have a heart for them - especially those whose behavior cries out, "HELP!!!" - read the following from the Y.O.G.A for Youth site: "Y.O.G.A. for Youth is deeply concerned about youth throughout this country and indeed around the world. For us it is important to assure that the adults taking the training will leave prepared to give a child tools to discover their own personal greatness that will help them make better choices in their lives, even when things don’t go their way. Since its inception in 1993, Y.O.G.A. for Youth has served over 16,000 young people in Los Angeles county alone. A division of Y.O.G.A., Inc, Y.O.G.A. for Youth is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to creating opportunities for youth to practice yoga and relaxation in schools, community facilities, hospitals and detention centers. To that end, we train adults to teach yoga postures, yoga kriyas, meditations and powerful breathing techniques to: Build confidence; Become mindful; Take responsibility for their actions; Become courageous “peaceful warriors”; Learn self regulation; Act and not react to the things they cannot control; Respect self, others and community; and Find ways to access their kindness." Notice that this last mindful "bullet" contains the same spirit and power of "kindness" that we're called to by the apostles of love: John from Galilee, the beloved disciple, "LOVE one another..." Paul from Tarsus - "love is kind, patient..." John from Liverpool - "All you need is love..." (3:39) Paul from Liverpool - "Silly Love Songs" (5:54) Jerry from San Francisco - "Woah, oh, what I want to know...Is are you kind? (Uncle John's Band) (8:41) "Ain't no time to hate...barely time to wait..." CHANNELING THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD Krishna Kaur's Website Musiqaa - YouTube Channel Lots of mindful music to raise your soul to new heights...Subscribe...By so doing, you let the Universe know what resonates with you...You cooperate with your healing... The Presence of the LORD - Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood (5:11) #music #kundaliniyoga #KrishnaKaur #Beatles #GratefulDead #EricClapton #SteveWinwood

I continue to receive more evidence that I/We live in a benevolent universe... The latest comes from an old soul – Mirabai Starr. Years ago, I was introduced to her by my Franciscan guru Richard Rohr. She was a featured presenter at the Center for Action and Contemplation’s 2016 Conspire gathering that I attended with my son as part of our father-son pilgrimage. Mirabai is one of several “Jewish angels” that have appeared to me at key moments in my present incarnation...but that's midrash for another moment... She is a wonderful storyteller and I could sit at her feet forever, bathing in the light of the Starr-dust that falls from her heart... In a 2021 Shift Network Mystics Summit podcast with mindful musician Trevor Hall – who she considers an anam cara (soul friend) – while in conversation, they said that G-d comes to us in the way we most need G-d at that moment. HOW FREAKIN GRACIOUS!!! Like AA’s “G-d as you understand G-d,” the divine energy shows up as a mother, father, brother, sister, sunset, animal, dear friend, delicious meal, messages on bumper stickers, license plates and frames, and myriad other forms and formlessnesses... --from my iPhone gallery... The second 5-Starr [sic] pearl of great price from Mirabai came in week 2 of her current course on John of the Cross’ Dark Night of the Soul (an offering hosted by Carolyn Myss). She described the relationship between the Lover and the Beloved as MANNA – but not simply the plain desert variety (1 “s”) – the one about which the people complained - BUT the “2-s” variety – DESSERT – whereby G-d comes to us in the flavor we most need at that moment...like a Baskin-Robbins version of William James “Varieties of Religious Experience.” 31-derful!!! HOW FREAKIN DELICIOUS!!! “Taste and see the goodness of the LORD.” These mystical awarenesses are helping raise my culinary consciousness and trust the process...trust the recipe... And they further support my claim that in the Kingdom of G-d, chefs hold a higher place than clergy. Taste and see for yourself... The Rabbi Cooks!? (0:55) HOW FREAKIN NUTRITIOUS!!! The Vegan Kosher Rabbi (6:53) --holding restaurants to a HIGHER standard than the government...Geez, that ain't hard... On a foraging trip into NYC with our son John, he brought us to a Juice Press store. There I saw a great sign: "Certified organic by our Hippie Certified vegan by our Conscience Certified kosher by our Rabbi" Taste and See – Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir Taste and See – a musical menu of metaphors...with wonder-filled nature imagery... I’ll leave you with this...what if we viewed sacred tomes as cook books and holy scriptures as recipes??? BUT, not as portrayed in that "To Serve Man" Twilight Zone episode. I'll let you find your way there...the full half-hour episode is on Vimeo. ...we become what and who we eat... DARK NIGHT IMAGERY "The dark night of the soul comes just before revelation. when everything is lost, and all seems darkness, then comes the new life, and all that is needed." --Joseph Campbell VIEWER TIP: There's a Trevor Hall song "hidden" in the darkness of these images... Moon / Sun - Trevor Hall (4:03) Mirabai, Trevor and I, along with countless others, have been nourished and blessed by the life and teaching of Ram Dass... The Fruitful Darkness - Trevor Hall (3:36) "The fruitful darkness Is all around us In bloom The dark within my dark Is where I found my light The fruit became the doorway And now it's open wide" Namaste, tOM #music #Gandhi #MirabaiStarr #RichardRohr #CAC #TrevorHall #ShiftNetwork #CarolynMyss #rabbi

Mercy, Mercy Me (the Ecology) – Marvin Gaye (3:12) Good Planets Are Hard to Find – Steve Forbert (3:33) NOT SO SILENT SPRING Why “Silent Spring” Still Matters Earth Day 2021 How art can help save the world ISLAND VIBES Here are a few songs from one of my favorite musical environmentalists – who’s not just singing about it – he’s living it. "Permaculture" by Paul Izak ft. the Living Roots Family Band and J Brave (5:45) Plastic Island – Tavana with Paul Izak (creative animation) (3:20) "Creators" by Paul Izak ft.Tubby Love and Amber Lily (4:50) "NO GMO" by Paul Izak and Seeds of Love (14:22) Top Environmental Issues in 2020 // From a 6 year old (3 minutes) --and little children will lead us... ECOMUSICOLOGY: MUSIC AND THE ENVIRONMENT Music and the Environment “Throughout his research, Pedelty says he has ‘come to realize just how important the arts and popular culture are in informing our conceptions of environmental issues. I have also learned how important listening is to solving environmental problems, taking in what scientists, artists, and everyone else has to say and teach on these matters.’ He highlights how imperative music has been in social movements, such as the Civil Rights Movement, as a way to convey a sense of community and collective resolve. Pedelty hopes that the information and ideas that he examines from scientists, artists, and other professionals will help young musicians think about new ways that they can engage with environmental issues.” THE TRUTH WILL ALWAYS BE INCONVENIENT Popular Climate Songs: Raising Awareness about Climate Change by Raising our Voices in Song This article includes the following three songs: Love Song to the Earth (4:20) I Need to Wake Up – Melissa Etheridge (3:32) Tears of Mother Earth – The Monarchy Band (4:48) One more... Earth Song – Michael Jackson (6:44) IDLE NO MORE - AN INDIGENOUS-LED SOCIAL MOVEMENT It's time to learn from our indigenous sisters and brothers how to live in harmony with the Earth that sustains us... “Idle No More started in November 2012, among Treaty People in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta protesting the Canadian government’s dismantling of environmental protection laws, endangering First Nations who live on the land. Born out of face-to-face organizing and popular education, but fluent in social media and new technologies, Idle No More has connected the most remote reserves to each other, to urbanized Indigenous people, and to the non-Indigenous population. Led by women, and with a call for refounded nation-to-nation relations based on mutual respect, Idle No More rapidly grew into an inclusive, continent-wide network of urban and rural Indigenous working hand in hand with non-Indigenous allies to build a movement for Indigenous rights and the protection of land, water, and sky.” Idle No More – an elder encourages her people (7:18) Mahalo! tOM #music #environment #idlenomore #MarvinGaye #SteveForbert #PaulIzak #RachelCarson

Appetizers My initial inspiration for this post came from one of my sisters in Florida who sent a text and photos of an order she received in Florida from NY’s famous Katz’s Deli. Sis: “A New York present 🎁. NY rye bread and black and white cookies.” Me: “I'm becoming Jewish for Lent!!! Wow! What a feast!” Me: “Not too shabbos-y!” (It was a Friday afternoon) Me: “Let's see, if I catch a plane, I could be there in a few hours.” Me: “In honor of your good fortune, here's a song called Noshville Katz...Katz's allows dancing in the aisles AND on the tables: Me: “Here's the song again playing on a juke box.” (remember them?) Me: “Looks like there really is such a joint...” Me: “The song's writer is actually in the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. One more on the history of Katz's including mention of how they're giving back during these trying times. --A little chicken soup for the soul... Mazel tov!” Main Course I told Eileen about my sister’s text and she found this really cool movie – tasty and funny and all true. Deli Man movie trailer (2015) --One movie reviewer cautioned to eat BEFORE watching. The Rye or the Kaiser – Weird Al Yankovic "JD Needs His Deli Meats" Stern Show Parody “What do you call a religious animal that loves sandwiches? The Deli Llama.” (source) "Glatt Kosher Edible Things" - "My Favorite Things" New York Sidewalk Deli Second Helpings This next one’s perfect for Shabbos and these kids are not to Shabb(os)y Jewish Food (Based off of Katy Perry's "Roar") - Temple Beth Sholom of Orange County --“Give me deli in my belly…” The Deli Song (Corned Beef on Wry) This next 2021 article is about the deli featured in the previous song… How a Humble Jewish Deli Became a Mecca for LA Rock ‘n’ Roll --The history of Canter’s Deli and its “Kibitz Room” – check out who’s played there... --This deli is also included in the Deli Man movie. “I want to start a cafe and fill it with surrealist paintings. I'll call it Salvador Deli.” (source) I s this sandwich surrealist enough? Katz's Delicatessen - in "When Harry Met Sally" --Be sure to stay for the ending lines… Woody Allen orders a ‘Woody Allen’ at Carnegie Deli The Kosher Deli (joke) --When Abe, Sam and Moshe were 40, they discussed where to meet for lunch... Jones Beach Deli – Bellmore, NY --WARNING: DO NOT go swimming for 2 DAYS after eating here... The Food Police Deli is a Spiritual Experience After church is a perfect time for a snack. Where is a president to go? | It's A DC Thing (2021) Is the Jewish deli the new synagogue? (2021) Dessert (always leave ‘em laughing) For this next image I’m thinking “Oh, what a night!” that must have been... Samurai Delicatessen – SNL with John Belushi & Buck Henry I’ll leave you with this “May the Schwartz be with you...” Extras If you liked this, here's another food-related post: First Take-out Thanksgiving -Tom Talkin’ Turkey with Wildlife: Robin, Fox, Peacock, Jack & 5 Alice’s #humor #music #DeliManMovie #WeirdAlYankovic #KatzDeli #CantersDeli #JonesBeachDeli #WoodyAllen #SNL #JohnBelushi #MelBrooks

Musical Ammunition-1: International Reggae Day (July 1) Celebrated With New Official Music Video For Bob Marley’s ‘No Woman No Cry’ This is a time of widespread social unrest caused by the ongoing injustices resulting from the interlocking evils of systemic racism, poverty, climate change and ecological devastation, militarism and the war economy, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism. HOW? HOW? HOW? HOW? HOW? HOW? HOW? HOW we choose to respond is critical. For me, music with mindful messages delivers more effective power than bullets and Molotov cocktails thrown through storefront windows. One of the enduring musical prophets of social change is Bob Marley. BOB MARLEY – PROPHET FOR SYSTEMIC (BABYLON) CHANGE International Reggae Day – New Music Video for Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry” (from the article) In observance of the late and legendary Bob Marley’s 75th Birthday, and in honor of the July 1 International Reggae Day celebrations, an official music video for Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” premiered today. [about this new video] Directed by Kristian Mercado Figueroa and shot in Jamaica and New York City, the powerful visual explores two tales of a family divided by country but connected by their love and want for a better life for their children. We see a strong and loving Mother strive to look after her children in their homeland. At the same time, the Father works tirelessly, isolated in New York City, working as a taxi driver to better provide for his family back home. The video shines a light on the importance of family and connection while confronting the genuine struggles many families face in the modern world, often forced apart due to poverty. The video for “No Woman No Cry” debuted on Bob Marley’s Official YouTube Channel. Watch the new video HERE. Note: "No Woman, No Cry" means "No, woman, nuh cry" where "nuh" is the equivalent of the English "don't" in Jamaican Patois. So, the line is actually addressed to a woman and tells her not to cry. For more information on children and women-focused programs and resources and more info on International Reggae Day, please visit the link at the top of this section. Click here to subscribe to Bob Marley’s YouTube Channel. MUSICAL REVOLUTION These Lyrics Prove Bob Marley Still Speaks for the Revolutionaries of the World (from this article) But before Marley was known popularly [but incorrectly] as the patron saint of drug-fueled escapism and vacuous "peace and love" messages, he was one of our finest and most radical political revolutionaries. He was a harsh critic of capitalist and imperialist systems. The vast majority of his canon is aimed at tearing down these false idols in order to replace them with a new system of consciousness. [Article contains] the 14 lyrics [and links to their songs] that will keep Marley's legacy pure and uncompromisingly radical, like it needs to be. I’ve added the following new video links to replace the ones in this article that were broken or weren’t included. The article is worth reading…take some time to absorb its message… Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) Babylon System Slave Driver Real Situation Small Axe (from the above article) 8. On grassroots resistance "If you are the big tree, we are the small axe, ready to cut you down, to cut you down!" With his lyrical mastery, Marley could make the Bible seem as subversive as the Communist Manifesto. The revolutionary language in Marley's "Small Axe" is shrouded in biblical allusions. The axe metaphor comes from Matthew 3:10. And the song's second verse ("Whosoever diggeth the pit / Shall fall in it, fall in it") is straight out of Proverbs. Survival So Much Trouble in the World “Revolution” plus video and interviews from the assassination attempt on Bob’s life Jamaican politicians saw Marley’s reggae music as dangerous as his lyrics spoke about their oppression of the people. In the interview part of this clip, a former CIA person talks about CIA involvement in Jamaican politics. Showing tremendous faith in Jah and the resulting courage it gave him, Bob returns to the Peace Concert just two days after being shot. Later in the video, another musician likens Bob to Joseph, who after his brothers sold him into slavery, returns and feeds those same brothers. The Irish Harp – an instrument of Revolution DYK – The English once outlawed the harp, considering it a subversive instrument when in the hands of wandering minstrels, who used their craft to spread tales of English oppression among the townsfolk they visited. A friend who’s a harpist told me this story. Here’s a link that describes this war on the harp. This, one of several monuments around the globe, is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Mon, tis apple don’t fall far from da tree – like father, like sons Son Ziggy doin’ “So Much Trouble in the World” Son Stephen also followed in his father’s business, including collaborating with the Playing for Change Band on three songs. You can check these out in my blog post. P.S. (Peace Script) Masters of War – Bob Dylan This song came up while I was writing this peace [sic]. Begins with an impassioned speech by Dr. Martin Luther King... Another Bob…with more prophetic words…coming soon to a post near you… Musical Armory Music is my Ammunition – Playing for Change wailin’ on Bob Marley’s philosophy “The songs of my ancestors still ricochet through the wind, And the smoke is rising through the words I and I sing. Music is my ammunition; I fire down Babylon!” Legolas? (LOTR)... Hawkeye? (Marvel Avengers)... I’ll blow yer brains out… New heavy metal Marvel character - AXEMAN & his weapon of choice to deafen his enemies... I always count on the deviantart site to deliver a payload. Peace Soldier... Support the Arts - Artists of all Types are Agents of Social Change Peace thru Music, tOM #music #BobMarley #InternationalReggaeDay #BobDylan #harp #MusicalWeapons #MusicalAmmunition

A truly multicultural experience…and dedicated to those named Joseph – especially those Joe’s who are involved in the arts (music, dance, theater…)…Also included are my Dad’s brother Joe and my own Dad, who chose to invoke the spirit of this saint by taking Joseph as his confirmation name…As the patron saint of workers everywhere, my Dad made an appropriate choice – he could fix ANYTHING. Likely, where I got my hand skills and the career that followed. Thanks, Dad! Oh yeah! wanted to add that I survived 9 years of Catholic elementary school education - where I was taught by the Sisters of...yup...St. Joseph. One story...In eighth grade my parents and I were summoned to the convent - at night no less (scary) - because of a behavior infraction. I still remember my teacher - Sr. St. Dorothy - and her parting words to my folks: "Tom is either going to be very good or very bad." For my part, I'm counting on "mercy triumphs over judgment." We’ll start off slowly, liturgically and conservatively… Psalm 89 sung in honor of the feast of St Joseph (March 19) Another version of Psalm 89 from this year If you went to mass today, did they do this psalm? American Folk The next song could belong to a larger work we could call The Patriarchal Suit(e), Listen to the lyrics to see why… Here’s a Judy Collins version of the Cherry Tree Carol sung during Advent. I dedicate it to two families who recently lost children growing in the womb... From Israel...Joe's Original Homeland As I reflected on the mothers I mentioned above, I recalled these words from scripture “I will turn your mourning into dancing” and was led to this Israeli version. On to the Subcontinent Prayer dance in honor of Joseph - from India (2021) Another from India not about Joseph but from a school with his name and produced for their annual prayer dance. Another like the previous. The colorfulness of these subcontinent dancers reminded me of an earlier Joseph – the guy with the technicolor dream coat. Any Dream Will Do San Jose – Patron Saint of Immigrants Joe’s Also from Queens…NY Clip about St Joseph’s Bread and other customs from the motherland (Italy) Joe…Cocker…in Europe Hymn for my Soul – Joe Cocker --sounds like this Joe needs some help from his friends... School Rockin’ with Joe St Joseph’s Catholic School put on their musical version of the movie School of Rock. St Joseph’s College’s 2018 version of Queen’s “We will rock you.” San Giuseppe…Leave ‘em Laughing…Divine Comedy Joe sent me...OR, I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse... ...an Italian folktale Ciao! #music #humor #multicultural #JudyCollins #JoeCocker #Queen #SchoolOfRock #

POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN (PPC) Begun in 1968 through the efforts of Martin Luther King and others, the PPC was re-inaugurated in 2018 “to confront the interlocking evils of systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, militarism and the war economy, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism.” PPC Highlights The PPC’s goals (short- & long-term) are: · To get folks registered to vote in this election · To educate as many people as possible on the real issues (see above) · To mobilize & empower people – especially those directly impacted - to make the systemic changes needed at the national, state and local levels... “Transforming the narrative by changing the narrator" PPC Fundamental Principles PPC Demands The first demand is right in tune with HeadCount’s efforts to get folks registered to vote: “Systemic Racism Did you know that there are fewer voting rights in 2018 than there were 50 years ago when the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act were passed? Since 2010, 23 states have passed racist voter suppression laws, including racist gerrymandering and redistricting, laws that make it harder to register, reduced early voting days and hours, purging voter rolls, and more restrictive voter ID laws. Following the Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court case, which gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, 14 states had new voting restrictions in place before the 2016 Presidential election and there were 868 fewer polling places across the country.” PPC's Moral Monday's - Call Your Senators Now! Continuing right up to the election...and hopefully afterwards...to let our elected officials hear our collective voices for change. PPC Theme Song History – “Everybody’s got a right to live!” This song – currently being used by the PPC - was written and sung in 1968 at the first Poor People’s March by two associates of Dr. Martin Luther King (see song link below) and adapted and sung by Pete Seeger during the 1969 Poor People’s March on/in Washington. Another version by Austin’s David Pulkingham was featured in the “Pace e Bene/Campaign Nonviolence section, under “Day 1 Songs of Peace - Nonviolent Austin & Campaign Nonviolence.” See separate blog post (link coming) Everybody's Got A Right To Live - Fred Kirkpatrick/James Collier (song link) --“Rev. Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick and James Collier wrote and sing 'Everybody's Got A Right To Live' from the 1968 Columbia album 'Pete Seeger Now'. This album was a live recording of Pete Seeger, Bernice Johnson Reagon and these two men who were associates of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and at the time were participating in the Poor People's March and Resurrection City at Washington, D.C.” PPC’s “Everybody’s Got A Right to Live” Tool Kit (PDF) “Everybody’s Got a Right to Live has been a central message of the Poor People’s Campaign since 1968 when the Rev. Frederick Doughlass Kirkpatrick and Jimmy Collier sang it in Resurrection City. When we launched the Campaign in 2018, we revived this song and used its power to connect our movement across the country during 40 days of moral fusion direct action. Jimmy Collier once said, ‘Music is the easiest way to tell the story of what we’re trying to do; [our] songs are one of the best tools for getting people together.’ We invite you to join us as we raise our voices and demand that, ‘Everybody’s Got a Right to Live.’” PPC Musical Samples Pauline Pisano: Her music page………video page……Pauline’s a powerful 1-woman movement, getting’ by with some help from her friends (studio team). Jamel Coy Hudson: Cover of Bob’s “Redemption Song” and his passionate version of Matisyahu’s anthem to equality and nonviolence - “One Day.” Justice Jubilee Jam 9/26/20 --2-hour Facebook replay features Pauline, Jamel Coy Hudson and otherperformers using their voices and instruments as weapons for changing the system. ...and lots more on YouTube #music #PaulinePisano #JamelCoyHudson #DrMartinLutherKing #CampaignNonViolence

“It's no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence. It's either non-violence or non-existence.” - Dr. Martin Luther King In August 2020 I participated in three days of online training and presentations with this 30+-year old organization. I received my first ever introduction to the practice of nonviolent social justice activism. Very helpful! Very necessary in these charged and turbulent times! We are invited to practice not only nonviolence of actions, not only nonviolence of words...but, if we are to trust our Teacher...even nonviolence of our thoughts toward another (see Sermon on the Mount)... Pace E Bene Our Story Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service’s mission is to foster justice, peace and the well-being of all through education, resources, and action for nonviolent change. Founded in 1989 by the Franciscan Friars of California, Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service is now an independent, non-denominational 501(c)3 organization spreading the power of nonviolence. “Pace e Bene” (pronounced “pah-chay bay-nay”) is an Italian greeting from St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi meaning “Peace and all Good.”  It is a blessing, a hope, and a way of acknowledging the sacredness of those whom we encounter. Read more of our history here. For decades Pace e Bene has led trainings around the world, created resources for change and organized many campaigns and movements for nonviolence. In 2006 Pace e Bene Australia launched as well! Pace e Bene has been involved with many efforts for nonviolent change in the United States and internationally, including Pax Christi International’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative which is encouraging Pope Francis to advance nonviolence throughout the Church. Learn more here. In 2014 Pace e Bene launched its most comprehensive project yet—Campaign Nonviolence, a long-term movement for a culture of active nonviolence, connecting the dots between war, poverty, racism and environmental destruction. Campaign Nonviolence Nonviolent Cities Project “50 Cities and Counting Imagine a nonviolent city where everyone strives to practice nonviolence, where all the institutions teach and promote nonviolence, where violence no longer runs rampant. This is our vision. This is our work. The Nonviolent Cities Project not only envisions cities that could become nonviolent, it is working to make this vision a reality across the US and the world.” Campaign Nonviolence Action Week --"Every year, Campaign Nonviolence organizes a national week of action across the United States and around the world, built around the third week of September, near Sept. 21st, International Peace Day. For the last six years, we have organized an unprecedented national grassroots movement with actions in every state where people connect the dots between the issues of injustice and violence, including war, poverty, racism and environmental destruction, and hold public events, actions and marches demanding immediate positive social change." Here's an image from last year's events Oct. 3, 2020 Email “Every day it seems we hear from people about their worries and fears with all that life is throwing at us these days. Of course the U.S. election is top of mind here lately and the fear of violence and erosion of democracy looms large, leaving a heaviness in the air that's hard to escape. We know that the antidote to this requires a firm commitment to principled nonviolence. It's going to take people who have learned to incorporate nonviolence into every area of their life. Pace e Bene's online courses are taking off and topics range from personal nonviolence skills for a calm and centered mind to active nonviolence in the streets to challenge social injustice.” Nonviolent Austin Nonviolent Austin Facebook Page --further below are other links to their musical outreaches Jim Crosby, founder of Nonviolent Austin, with his weapon of choice - musical ammunition... A short article about Jim, Fr. John Dear (founder of Pace E Bene) and the origins of Nonviolent Austin. --Jim is an Episcopal Third Order Franciscan (TSSF), and Theology Teacher and Lay Chaplain at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. Public witness Education Presence at the state capital From the live music capital of the world…Nonviolent Austin and their musicians were part of a week of training sponsored by Pace e Bene/Campaign Nonviolence. They offered 9 days of musical segments about 30 minutes each. Below are link to Days 1 & 2. You can find the other days on YouTube. Day 1 Songs of Peace - Nonviolent Austin & Campaign Nonviolence --featured Willie Nelson and his sons performing “Can’t wait to be on the road again” and other songs – reflecting the hopes of touring musicians and their fans that we’ll all be able to once again experience the excitement of live shows. --At 0:15:24 and after a short introduction David Pulkingham does a great bottleneck slide version of the classic “Everybody’s got a right to live.” Day 2 Songs of Peace - Nonviolent Austin & Campaign Nonviolence Features song written to commemorate Cesar Chavez and the 1966 march on the Texas state capitol to demand a living wage for the migrant workers. The second performers were Danny Schmidt & Carrie Elkin. At 0:11:00 Danny sings “Black & Blue” with these soul-troubling verses: “Cause I don’t believe that victims go to heaven when they die They're stuck here as reflections in our eyes And of all the false confessions swearing that we’ve tried They’re the voice of silence asking when, and the voice that answers why” At 0:20:56 Danny starts a song – “Prayer for the Sane” - that includes these forceful lyrics: “It’s time to set our anger free It’s time for facts to shade beliefs It’s time to name the new north star It’s time for flames to skewer the dark It’s time to shake the voting booth It’s time for us to scream the truth” Fittingly, song was released in 2020 on our nation’s Independence Day… At 0:25:35 Carrie sings “Company of Friends” that includes these memorable images: “When I die, let them judge me by my company of friends Let them know me as the footprints that I left upon the sand Let them laugh for all the laughter Let them cry for laughter’s end But when I die, let them judge me by my company of friends” Here’s another version of “A Prayer for the Sane” Danny uploaded in April 2020. His video ends with this onscreen message: “Please vote…it matters” #music #NonviolentAustin #JimCrosby #DrMartinLutherKing #PaceEBene #CampaignNonviolence #WillieNelson #DavidPulkingham #DannySchmidt #CarrieElkin

What follows was offered to the guys I meet with monthly to share our lives - the stuff that's working and the stuff that's a work in progress. It features a poem that a guy named Buddy from my old neighborhood shared last autumn and a recent series of meditations from my spiritual father Richard Rohr on the theme of "Order...Disorder...Reorder." See the end for info about these men's groups. On the edge of autumn "September has a strange and wonderful feeling. It is the best part of the summer and the hardest part of the summer. Just when summer gets perfect—fresh nights, soft sun, casual breezes, crushingly full and quietly cooling trees, empty beaches and free weekends—it ends. Life is like that, too. Just when we get it right, it starts to change. The job gets easy and we know just how to do it and they tell us we’re retired. The children grow up and get reasonable and they leave home just when it’s nice to have them around. The days get less full of work but we’re older now and too stiff to play. The money we never had enough of to spend on “extras” abounds after the mortgage is paid off, but the desire for expensive travel and clothing and entertainment has waned. We celebrate the autumn equinox this month—one of only two days of the year in which daytime and nighttime are of exactly equal length. From now on daytime will begin to wane. But there is nothing to fear from this diminishment of the kind of life associated with sunlight. The night times of life have their beauty and their lessons, too. That’s life on the edge of autumn. And that’s beautiful. If we have the humility for it. Humility is a natural virtue. It’s one of those things that everybody has to get eventually or else die in misery. Diminishment, for instance, is one of the facts of life that breeds humility and diminishment is part of every experience. We get to practice it all our lives. Humility is the survival mechanism of life." —from A Monastery Almanac by Joan Chittister, OSB Reader: “What did you hear in these words?” What thoughts & emotions arise? Take a few minutes to sit with what comes up...allow Spirit to speak to and from your heart... Reflections on Change that Heals In Richard Rohr’s initial meditation from Aug. 9, 2020, in which he introduced 3 weeks of Daily Meditations on the theme of "Order - Disorder - Reorder, he says, “To grow toward love, union, salvation, or enlightenment, we must BE moved from Order to Disorder and then ultimately to Reorder.” In other places, he says that for this kind of change to take place, we have to experience either great love or great suffering or a combo of both. --Another model of Order...Disorder...Reorder ​ Most of us have varying degrees of tolerance for change, with the degree often dependent upon which area of our life is currently being affected. If a change is too uncomfortable, we may try to put it off. Sometimes, like with the pandemic, we have no option to delay, as we have to make the changes required of us. Right now, in each area of our life, we are each of us is in one of these stages. For example, our career could be in order, our relationship with our spouse or partner could be in disorder, and our relationship with one or more children could be in reorder. And it’s always evolving… Here’s an example from my life. After Eileen and I retired, we had a lot more eyeball-to-eyeball time and gradually saw that changes were needed in how we were relating to each other. After a lot of soul searching I was able to accept that, for starters, there were changes that needed to happen on "my side of the 50%." Once I admitted this, I realized that I had no idea how to change my old patterns of poor communication. These included walking away when being confronted with invitations to change - walking away and busying myself with tasks that made me feel good about myself. I felt STUCK! Eventually, this do-it-your-self-er reached out and asked for help. Really! I started by working for two years with a person my son found who specialized in the areas of emotional and energy therapy. Later, I asked a guy to act as my sponsor and formally take me through the 12 Steps. Simultaneously, my sponsor helped me find another counselor to deal with the stuff that was coming up in my Steps work. These three men enabled me to know myself better and to find better ways to deal with my emotions, including anger. As a result of this inner work: I don't run away from conflict as in the past but when possible try to stay and listen to Eileen and to Spirit to help me find new ways to grow. We are both becoming better able - more times than in the past - to share with one other those thoughts we used to keep to ourselves – where they would often gnaw away at our insides when we were apart. I am becoming able to more quickly recognize when I've reverted to the old patterns AND get back together and make amends - "Keep a short list!" “Yearning for a new way will not produce it. Only ending the old way can do that. You cannot hold onto the old, all the while declaring that you want something new. The old will defy the new; The old will deny the new; The old will decry the new. There is only one way to bring in the new. You must make room for it.” —Neale Donald Walsch [1] “Let go or be dragged.” --Zen proverb “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced”. - James Baldwin [1] cited in a 12/25/17 Richard Rohr Daily Meditation: "All Things New" ​ Richard Rohr - Order, Disorder, Reorder (The Stage of Initiation) (7 minute video) ​"There's no non-stop flight from Order to Reorder" --Richard Rohr ​ Music for Change that Heals Order, Disorder, Reorder - Jason Gray (song only) ​ "Like it or not, your love won't stop til it makes me new" ​ Order, Disorder, Reorder - Jason Gray (Jason gives backstory to song) Upcoming Opportunities to Experience Change that Heals -- JOIN ME... FOR MEN Illuman’s Soularize 2020: “The Masculine Path to Healing” ONLINE 10/15-10/18 - Can participate live or via replay $99. ​ “Join Illuman and Fr. Richard Rohr as we explore the Masculine Path to Healing! For many men the wounding of their souls is not generally recognized until midlife. The carrying of unresolved grief, internalized shame and guilt, loneliness, personal family traumas, intergenerational issues and societal pressures all serve to weigh men down in disparaging ways. The wounds of individuals spiral outward, leading to larger wounds in society such as racism, toxic patriarchy, and our ecological crisis–which in turn, further wound individuals in a negative feedback loop. The injury to a man’s soul, and the wounds of the world, cry out for healing, and Illuman offers a pathway through. We are men transforming men, through a Power greater than ourselves. Using the ancient tools of nature, ritual, image, storytelling and council we will help one another reclaim the soul’s wisdom and the gift of joy. Bearing gifts that often come straight from the wound itself, we then join sisters and brothers, as healing agents in a hurting world.” FOR EVERYONE Everything is Adrift with Richard Rohr ONLINE - Oct. 24 12-2 pm EST $75. ​ --“We are offered a tremendous opportunity in our day to change ourselves and our world. This opportunity may be described as a time of major regression, denial of the past and even collapse! This is no exaggeration as we look at the state of our planet, our worldwide politics of despair, the abandonment of many religious traditions and Western Christianity in particular, the loss of moral authority through the pedophilia crisis in the Catholic Church, and what historians will probably refer to as the abandonment of truth. Not to mention the pandemic and its global effects. How do we rebuild on such a non-foundation?” ​ ​Richard Rohr’s 3 Weeks of Daily Meditations on Order, Disorder, Reorder https://cac.org/order-disorder-reorder-part-one-weekly-summary-2020-08-15/ https://cac.org/order-disorder-reorder-part-two-weekly-summary-2020-08-22/ https://cac.org/order-disorder-reorder-part-three-weekly-summary-2020-08-29/ Autumn-themed Blog Posts Autumn…Falling Leaves…Rising Hopes --A post about the passage of time AND an introduction to a courageous woman – Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB, who’s not afraid to speak TRUTH to power. Seasons Change and So Do We --A song-filled follow up to my earlier Autumn post: Folk & rockin' reflections: Judy, Joni, Pete, Bowie, Dead Cosmic Song for Autumnal Equinox: Day/Night...Yin/Yang --As day & night balance for but a moment, reflections on balance from various traditions-ending w/cosmic song ​ For information about this and similar men's councils, please refer to the "Illuman" & other links on the "Men's Journey" web page on this site or contact me: Tom Tittmann 516-850-2493 ttittmann@icloud.com ​ Banding together on the journey... Peace, tOM #music #humor #JoanChittister #RichardRohr #JasonGray #ContemplativeOutreach #Buddy #Eileen #NealeDonaldWalsch #Zen #JamesBaldwin #Soularize

MENU First Course - Holiday Mixed Messages: Dancing (family & friends)...Mourning (Native Americans) Take-out: turkey COVID with gravy First Thanksgiving (what they didn’t teach me in school) Which came first dept.: happiness or gratefulness? Classic movie/TV diner/food scenes Songs for giving thanks Go ask Alice…she may tell you to feed your head…or kiss my grits… Artistic license Cartoon humor Public service announcements FIRST COURSE - HOLIDAY MIXED MESSAGES: DANCING (FAMILY & FRIENDS)…MOURNING (NATIVE AMERICANS) I am thankful for my family - both immediate and far out (i.e., extended)...all the way back past my German and Irish heritage to my African/Woodstock Garden roots. Triocular Vision In the spirit of our current times, I like to use humor, music and meaning-filled images as three lenses through which to view life as it’s happening - not always as I’d like it to be - but in its raw state – from objectionable to ordinary to organic and all the way to orgasmic. Dark Meat (the Yin side of Thanksgiving) Please check out my other Thanksgiving post that addresses the “dark meat” side of this holiday: Thanksgiving: A Day of Remembrance & Mourning for Native Americans. You’ll find the link at the end of this post. As I saw the first family Thanksgiving texts arriving, I searched for “Thanksgiving + humor + Robin + Williams” and found this video of my favorite comedian cooking with Martha Stewart. K.I.S.S. Children have always been part of my redemption story; so, here’s a simple thanksgiving song from our little ones – for us. Remember, one Teacher reminds us to become like them. So does Gene Simmons and his other bandmates (seen here at a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade): “Keep It Simple, Saints” Veggie Tales Here’s one for children and their children- especially those being raised in a vegetarian home... Alright, one more from Frank Zappa, in which he sings that if we call any vegetable they’re sure to respond. Hmmm…sounds similar to “when the men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go.” After all, the mushroom is a vegetable…a magic one at that… TAKE-OUT: TURKEY COVID WITH GRAVY This year we opted for take-out. Not out of fear – as in “whoopee we’re all gonna die”…some day (see link at end to article about Country Joe’s support for veterans). Instead, due to my ongoing lung issues that were complicated by COVID, I felt that sitting in a restaurant while coughing (coffin) could make other patrons uncomfortable. So we called in our order to a local eatery – Jonathan’s – and had a feast. Patient with “Covid coif” doing my Aqualung-inspired breathing treatment… Aqua-Bong? Breathing Meditation 1 As I breathe in, I visualize “GRACE”… As I breathe out, I visualize “WASTE”… Buddhist Version As I breathe in, I visualize “LIFE”… As I breathe out. I visualize “DEATH”... Click video to see and hear my breathing exercise/meditation. It’s stored in deep space in the Aqualung Nebula (the above device is part of a nebulizer medicine-delivery system). What doesn’t kill you…makes you stronger (Nietzsche) Humankind’s Genesis…the life is in the breath… A Creation Story: Day 6 – G-d breathes life into humankind --a creative retelling using the movement arts Alternate Breathing Exercise Soundtrack Sacred Pink Floyd 11 Speak To Me And Breathe - Kundalini Sacred Dance --I selected this one for a few reasons: I’m a practitioner of Kundalini yoga, I love Pink Floyd and am a big fan of the movement arts. It’s all here. --FYI: I’ll be doing a separate post on Sacred Pink Floyd and other mindful movement artists…stay tuned…IN… COVID does have upsides: · Last week I was admitted to Winthrop Hospital with a small bowel obstruction – Really, NO SHIT! – and the bug got me a private room. I felt like a celebrity. In fact, people had to wear formal wear – Blue “tuxes” and face masks and shields – just to come and see me. It felt like Mardi Gras. · It would have been even more realistic if my doctor was Dr. John. · I now have Aunty Bodies to protect me from the next round of Space Invaders. Canadian Choir puts coronavirus spin on Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody FIRST THANKSGIVING (WHAT THEY DIDN’T TEACH ME IN SCHOOL) SNL First Thanksgiving - Will Ferrell --role-reversal racism makes the point WHICH CAME FIRST DEPT.: HAPPINESS OR GRATEFULNESS? “In my experience, if you are not radically grateful every day, resentment always takes over.” ― Richard Rohr, Breathing Underwater – Spirituality and the Twelve Steps (more quotes from the book here) This book led me to the Steps and I’m forever grateful!!! Forever Grateful Music Festival – “GratefulFest brings happiness…” STAR DATE: 9/27/47-9/27/20 – A Day to Be Grateful for another yearly trip around the sun… --blog post in celebration of my 73rd trip around the sun. CLASSIC MOVIE/TV DINER/FOOD SCENES Playing this game: Instead of show/movie titles, I’ve included some popular and some cryptic quotes. Let me know how many you guess before clicking the links. “Check, please!” “I’ll have what she’s having.” --Note the cap insignia on one customer – lead actor’s a huge fan of this team This diner owner learns to go with the Flo [sic] “In the country, where I come from, turkeys aren’t born with little pop-up things.” --see cartoons below “NO substitutions!!!” Not on the Interstate System, this far out diner features a very logical waiter who works for a very emotional boss with control issues. “No sex while thee Standish, Miles, it might lead to dancing.” --OK, I’ll admit, this was a HARD one… Turkey flambe & a chain saw carver Happy Thanksgiving from Alice Cooper SONGS FOR GIVING THANKS Thank You – Sly & the Family Stone Alice’s Restaurant – Arlo Guthrie --see article at end of post about Arlo and Howard Beach, Queens Cold Turkey – John Lennon (NYC) Share the Land – The Guess Who Thank You – Led Zeppelin Thank You, Lord - Bob Marley & the Wailers Thank You, Jah – Rita Marley (his daughter carrying the vibe & message forward…) GO ASK ALICE…SHE MAY TELL YOU TO FEED YOUR HEAD…OR KISS MY GRITS… Alice/Mel’s Diner (Southern style – Mel learns to go with the Flo [sic]) Happy Thanksgiving from Alice Cooper Alice in Wonderland - 2010 – “Here’s Johnny…” Alice’s Restaurant White Rabbit (turkey with mushroom stuffing – animated version). In UK, rabbit is a Christmas dish for the poor. White Rabbit (another animated version of this great song) White Rabbit – an Ate & Hashbury production Killer Rabbit (OK, I’m taking a little humorous artistic license) Bohemian Rhapsody Corona Virus Choir Version ARTISTIC LICENSE For Pedro, Mike, Antoinette and other graphic artists… CARTOON HUMOR Counting your blessings and not your calories... Cheers for Woody (pun intended) PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS College Students: We’ve got you covered for COVID… High tuition for internet classrooms, no fraternity/sorority parties???…NO MORE…Enroll NOW: 5-Minute University (a low-cost, high-class alternative) Vaccinate Yourself with Music Post --advice from early in the pandemic – music is still is the best medicine!!! Pandora Thanksgiving Playlist (98 songs) Classic Rock Songs for Thanksgiving 10 Thanksgiving TV Episodes That Will Help You Get Through This Holiday An Unlikely Hero / Anti-war anthem gives Country Joe a platform for crusade to honor vets (2012) Arlo Guthrie, Howard Beach and Thanksgiving Thanks to my sister Peggy for this cool remembrance… “You probably know Arlo Guthrie as the singer-songwriter of “Alice’s Restaurant,” the epic 18-minute song every radio DJ plays on Thanksgiving Day. It’s likely you’ve gone up and down the dial while driving to visit family that day, and found it on every station, all day long. Or maybe you went to school in Massachusetts, and you know Arlo from his song of the same name, which is the official folksong of the state. And, at the very least, you know that Arlo’s dad, Woody Guthrie, wrote the iconic anthem “This Land Is Your Land.” But this next part might surprise you.” Big Bow Wow, New Park Pizza, “A” train, Dylan comes to Howard Beach to visit Woodie…Did I whet your appetite? Read article for more… Upcoming Posts: More images like the following in an upcoming post. Please check out my other thanksgiving post that addresses the “dark meat” side of this holiday: Thanksgiving: A Day of Remembrance & Mourning for Native Americans. #music #humor #Thanksgiving #RobinWilliams #JackNicholson, #AliceCooper #NativeAmericans #KISS #CountryJoeMcDonald #breathing #meditation #Genesis #PinkFloyd #Covid #Queen #DrJohn #WillFerrell #gratefulness #GratefulDead #RichardRohr #SlyFamilyStone #ArloGuthrie #JohnLennon #BobMarley #RitaMarley #GuessWho #LedZeppelin #TVShows #movies #FrGuidoSarducci #CDC Peace, tOM Turkey

Post contains two sections: An image- and song-filled look at the various light-themed traditions Songs about being the change you want to see in the world FESTIVALS OF LIGHT In some similar ways, these traditions visualize light coming to dispel the darkness – of social struggle, human ignorance, and individual and collective suffering - and then celebrating hope with lights and gift giving: Hanukkah (Menorah with 9 candles) Diwali (oil lamps, candles and lights) Christmas (Advent wreath with 5 candles) Kwanzaa (7 candles) Shab-e-Barat (candles & other lights) SONGS & IMAGES OF LIGHT Hanukkah Chanukah Song – Adam Sandler --no disrespect meant, this song is in the festive spirit of the holiday, as it celebrates the gifts that Jewish performers continue to provide for all people… Diwali – Hindu, Sikh, Jain & some Buddhist Traditions Call on the Light Within – GuruGanesha Singh Band with Fire Dancers --Saw them live a few years ago. Band is awesome and rocking in concert! --His roots are in the yoga tradition I practice: Kundalini and he was influenced by the Grateful Dead. From his bio page: “Early influences by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead and Eric Clapton formed the early ideas for GuruGanesha but it's when he met Yogi Bhajan in 1972 that all of his life's ideals would form into one statement of joy. ‘I was inspired in a way that I had never felt before. It was as if my heart burst open as if it were the sun itself.’" I Am the Light of My Soul – Snatam Kaur --Snatam created this for the children of the world. I was introduced to her in my first Kundalini yoga class over 6 years ago. Subsequently, I attended her concerts and did a workshop with her. A true blessing! Christmas Christmas Lights – Coldplay --a gritty and realistic song of hope amid darkness and disappointment Home Improvement Christmas "Wood" (animation) Special ! --not a song but a creative telling of the true meaning of the season Kwanzaa A Kwanzaa Song --celebrating the struggles and accomplishments of Black history Shab-E-Barat (Muslim) - Featuring Children Songs for Shab-e-Barat Shab-e-barat || special ||song ||#shab-e-barat || with ||arab style New Shab e Barat Kalaam 2019 - Rao Ali Hasnain - Aye Shab e Barat - Official Video - Heera Gold SONGS ABOUT BEING THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD This part began as I was listening to two songs that will be used at my 12/12/20 Men2Men council gathering. The first two were chosen by Greg our presenter. I added some additional songs – all so appropriate for this and every season – as we are invited to reach out to those around us. The other songs just came to me. FYI – I chose these particular video versions just for this post. About Men2Men A group of guys simply trying to encourage each other to be the change we want to see in the world...For the past 5 years I’ve been meeting in council with other brothers who’ve chosen to walk the trails of life together. These gatherings were begun by my spiritual father Richard Rohr, who subsequently gave them to the care of a group called Illuman. You can read more about this transformative process on the “Men’s Journey” page on my website and in the “CHANGE THAT HEALS” 10/10/20 blog post listed above. For more info or to sample one of our council meetings, please call or text me: 516-850-2493. Songs About Being the Change If Everyone Cared – Nickelback Make Me a Channel of Your Peace – Tessera Peace Train – Cat Yusuf Stevens Be a Light – Thomas Rhett, Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban That’s How You Change the World – Newsboys One More Light – Linkin Park Who cares if one more light goes out In the sky of a million stars? It flickers, flickers Who cares when someone's time runs out If a moment is all we are? Or quicker, quicker Who cares if one more light goes out? Well, I do Shalom, Peace, Paz, Pais, As-salamu Alaikum... tOM #music #humor #lights #Hanukkah #Diwali #Christmas #Kwanzaa #ShabEBarat #AdamSandler #GuruGaneshaBand #SnatamKaur #Coldplay #HomeImprovement #RaoAliHasnain #Men2Men #Nickelback #Tessera #ThomasRhett #RebaMcEntire #HillaryScott #ChrisTomlin #KeithUrban #Newsboys #LinkinPark

One of my reconnected friends – Steve – from my early surfing and partying days - says there’s a Grateful Dead song for every occasion…so here goes… Come back here when you find yourself at one of those seeming “dead” ends on the road of life…and listen to the river sing sweet songs… Deadication I Deadicate [sic] these reflections to the following folks that have left this sphere in a bus headed for never ever land: Jerome “Jerry” Garcia – for me, the heart of the Dead Ron “Pigpen” McKernan – a founding member of the Grateful Dead Charles “Chic” Moeser – a surfing, traveling and Dead-lovin’ partying companion, shown below in his VW Bus in 1969 “When they come to take you down When they bring that wagon round When they come to call on you And drag your poor body down” --Sugaree Gratefulness is next to G-dliness Today is the first day of the rest of my life… Woke up to “Uncle John’s Band” lyrics playing in my head (and there’s no monthly subscription fee for this service) Next, I “looked out of any window” and it was grey Passing a mirror, I observed my reflection and there was more than “a touch of grey” I then walked over and sat on the bed next to Eileen and picked up on last night’s conversation about HOW we choose to see life’s situations, particularly the troubling ones. Basically, it was about “is the glass half full or half empty,” and we continued looking at the roles of expectations (and how they can cause suffering) and potentialities (and how they can provide hope). Rather than viewing them as irreconcilable opposites, Eileen offered an invitation from our contemplative teachers to hold the tension of these seeming opposites. A helpful practice, especially in this time of widespread division. I’m choosing to believe that only by sitting in this place of mental discomfort can my heart be opened to find the “narrow path” between the two that Jesus mentions, which is similar to Buddha’s Middle Way. This resonates with my Libran sign – the balance. At this point in my journey through the stars, been trying to achieve more balance and avoid the state that arises from imbalance. I offer you these words of wisdom from a guy I know in the Program, who, when asked if he had balance in his life, quipped, “Sure, I got balance…I pass it on the way to either extreme.” FYI - I share the exact same star date - month date and year - with performer Meatloaf and the same month and day with my friend Pascale I’m forever grateful for… The life I’ve been given and the life I’ve lived…it’s been one of progress not perfection Waking up besides Eileen, as I have for more than 42 years, and the growing intimacy we are experiencing (“in-to-me-see”) Sharing life with John, who’s not only our son, but also our “delivery boy” – “[Tom & Eileen], did you know that the child you delivered will soon deliver you? (my interpretation of the Christmas song “Mary did you know.” Also for John’s introducing his parents to the wonders of epic movies like: The Matrix, LOTR, The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Tree of Life and many others Physical & mental sobriety – the mental one is a work in progress Guides including three Jews and a Hindu that introduced me to a loving version of the Divine. Among them: an unnamed rabbinical student, Ram Dass, Richard Rohr, Thomas Keating, Joel Silberman, and others The wisdom & practice of the 12 Steps – these are helping restore & develop better relationships with myself, other people and my Higher Power Reconnecting with old friends and the wonder-filled telling of old tales and also the discoveries of who each of us are NOW Staying connected with my 2 brothers & 4 sisters via our text threads Remaining connected with a few special friends and meeting with some of them every month in our home The Sacraments…of the Present Moment…of Nature…of Good Food…of Laughter…of Tears…of Joys…of Sorrows… Trail guides (“visible angels”) that have helped me navigate rough patches when I got stuck along the path. Included here are: Jon Terrell, Bill Terenzi, Lilly Link, Joe Barlin, Dave Klampert, Eleanora Fitch, Joel Silberman…and many others, some of whom were invisible angels… Tom K and his courses on mindfulness practices that help me return more frequently to the present moment – the only moment there ever is… Kundalini yoga and my wonderful teacher Elena, who not only helped my body learn how to stretch, she also showed me how to exercise my spirit, as she introduced me to the joys of the sacred yogic music she played in class Music, and my rediscovery of it, thanks to Elena…and to that other Holy Personage: Yogi YouTube and her “Recommended for you” feature that continues to expand my listening pleasure Freedom to learn the wisdom found in spiritual traditions other than the one I was given. This is allowing me to choose the form of the Formless that I want to get to know and also choose the ways in which I want to do this – which are limitless. As one of my teachers says, “Mystery is not unknowable, it’s endlessly knowable…” My recent embracing of Mystery – which is helping calm my overactive mind’s attempts to figure out everything…to have an answer for everything…Ahhh…Ommm…Peace… Accepting Mystery enables me to be grateful for times I get it and times I don’t – as the Dead sing, “Sometimes the light’s all shining on me…other times I can barely see…” That this morning as I climbed stairs in our home, the stairs creaked and my knees didn’t That with all my medical adventures, including spending part of last summer’s vacation in a first-class Chicago hospital (not a typo - Northwestern Memorial Hospital), I can confidently state, “More parts work than don’t!” For being drawn to assemblages of people (some via Richard Rohr invitations) who are helping me see the actual faces of those who’ve been discarded for years by our systemic injustices – and even more so during this time – these assemblages include: Poor People’s Campaign, Pace e Bene/Campaign Nonviolence, Multicultural Solidarity (LI group)… Finally, I’m grateful I’m not Dead…or am I?… Tom & Eileen Celebrating the Day After spending the morning with my Muse and writing much of this post, I connected with Eileen, my life partner for over 42 years, and here’s how we tripped thru the day… FYI – Eileen reminded me that she did go to one Dead concert with me – at LI’s Nassau Coliseum. Brunch at Small Batch in Roosevelt Field Appetizer: Granulated sugar doughnuts with caramel sauce Main Course: Feasted on pan-cake with strawberries and fresh whipped cream Beverage: Hot coffee with sides of Kahlua and more whipped cream Dessert: Ordered an ice cream sundae before the meal began, but after I had finished the above, though my mind still wanted it, I chose to listen to my body (gut brain) and declined…so I might live to truck thru another day… Note: I do not normally eat like this…just practicing a brief sh*tting on the “should’s” and enjoying some Sugar-eeeee! Clark Garden Nature Center in Albertson Eileen suggested this and it turned out to be a lot of fun. Besides meeting lots of plant kingdom flower children, we also met some cool people. They even had a rose variety called “Sunshine Daydream.” While not a White Rabbit, I was tempted to follow it........ A timely reminder... Want evidence for this guy's message...look no further than the US of A...... Goin’ to Hell in a Bucket One of the cool people we met was actually pretty hot – he’s a volunteer firefighter in Port Chester. I spotted his tee shirt with a Dead logo superimposed over a firefighter’s crest. Here’s an article about the connection between this firehouse and the Dead. And another. Dinner – back on the wagon and eating healthy Rock with Guac – avocado with black bean & corn salsa, Lundberg honey nut rice cakes with Blue Mountain Organics almond butter, Forager’s Cashewgurt vanilla bean cashewmilk yogurtand Garden of Life Chocolate Almond Fudge Bar (no fat or sugar) Delicious…and no suffering from Mexacali Blues (cousin to Montezuma’s Revenge) and didn’t have to truck “out of the door and back on the street”…me and my uncle and drive all the way to El Paso. After Dinner Movie Most evenings Eileen and I watch movies. She is an awesome curator – always pleases! Since it was my day, I got to pick… Grateful Dead Movie trailer --first time seeing it. Cosmic, Charlie!!! Dead musicians singing about ordinary life Obviously my favorite band, the Dead and their current offshoots were/are, like me, working class guys singing about/writing about the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows of ordinary life – the only life there ever is. “Music is the soundtrack for life” Uncle John’s Band/Playin’ in the Band Like waves in surfing, the Dead played songs in connected sets. And this is an example. And like life, sometimes there were forgotten lyrics or hoarse voices…but the music never stopped…they kept playin’ in the band… Box Of Rain – 7/7/89 – Philadelphia, PA --bassist Phil Lesh doing the lead vocals --just 9 months after our son John emerged from “beggar’s tomb” – his mom’s womb --John would go on to play in many bands in many parts of our “global concert hall” Truckin' - New York, NY 10/30/80 – Radio City Music Hall --includes mention of my hometown – New York Touch of Grey (my favorite video version) --from the Grateful Dead Movie, it shows me we will all still be playing in the band in whatever’s next after we’re finished truckin’ here…and get on another bus that’ll take us even Furthur… For Furthur [sic] Reference Secrets for a long life… Grateful Medicine --How going to Grateful Dead concerts is good for your health Four Grateful Dead Songs That Made Me A Better Dad. The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics by David Dodds --I use his site whenever I want to dive deeper into the cosmic imagery of Hunter & Garcia and the other lyricists I don't trust to nothing...I'm just playing in the band (blog post) --So, as Jerry sang in “Ripple”, “Let there be songs (not rocks and bullets) to fill the air.” Gratefulness.org --Sue, a Facebook friend, recommended this site. The “grateful…” caught my attention. The website can serve as introduction to the varied and rich life of Benedictine Brother David Steindl-Rast. -- “We hold grateful living as an engaged mindfulness practice, grounded in both wisdom and science, which supports our ability to see the wonder and opportunity in every moment, and motivates us to act boldly with love, generosity, and respect towards one another, ourselves, and the Earth.” --“wonder and opportunity” – sort of sounds like the name and energy of my website. Before the dawn of time… And there was darkness and love light the first day…(song version features Ron “Pigpen” McKernan at Princeton University in 1971) Images from a life of trying to get & stay free… --from 12 Steps wisdom…SO helpful for peace of mind… --wisdom from the Grateful Dead/12 Steps/centering prayer/ yoga tradition… --release the crazies…right up the chakra channels and out through the top of my head.. --trading my sorrows for scents. Almost lost Eileen and let her slip away due to that white stuff…Used to be cocaine up that nose…now it’s pollen from Japanese lilacs…sweet… FYI - Song version is from the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY (see stories above). --a DIY-er for most of my life…I gradually found that asking for help wasn’t a sign of weakness but of power. Thanks to Richard Rohr, the 12 Steps & the Overcomers group for introducing me to the paradox of powerlessness…”When we are weak…we are strong…” Huh?...Ahh… --took a Feng Shui class with my friend Caroline (rear right) in 2017. We’re holding our Bagua maps. I see it now as unblocking a creative channel…Many years ago in a Queens College sociology class, I did a self-image collage – from magazine cutouts, not web images like in the above. I still remember a caption that I had placed at the top of the poster board. It featured a young man sitting on top of a mountain with the caption “Lord of the summit atop the clouds.” Many years later, this lofty imagery is captured by an image from a road/trip/pilgrimage son John and I did in the summer of 2016. --here’s my eagle-eyed vantage point. While I might not be 8 miles high, I can see for miles and miles and miles. (0:09:52) Father and son walking in the woods - 2016 John and I spent a lot of time OUTDOORS “discovering the wonders of nature”: hot air ballooning, tram rides up mountain faces, white-water rafting and worshipping in cathedrals of stone (in upcoming post). We also visited the ashram of Yogi Bhajan in Espanola, NM (he brought my practice of kundalini yoga to the West) and St. Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, CO – the former home of Thomas Keating, who taught my family the centering prayer practice of meditation. We even stayed overnight in Fort Carson - not in the brig but as guests of a friend of John’s and her military man. PLAYLIST OF ALL SONGS IN THIS POST Have a Grateful Day… Peace, Shalom, Paz, Paiz… tOM #music #humor #GratefulDead #guides #Eileen #Jesus #Buddhism #KundaliniYoga #Elena #12Steps #FengShui #BaguaMap #PortChesterNYFirehouse #RichardRohr #Overcomers