Night and Day
Note how little variation there is in the meditation posture whether practicing night or day or both—but not taking so much time on the cushion that there is no time for engaged action.
Note how little variation there is in the meditation posture whether practicing night or day or both—but not taking so much time on the cushion that there is no time for engaged action.


I was volunteering today at William Penn House, which was providing a comfort station for marchers during the day, as well as being full to capacity with guests.
I was doing some work in the office when a woman who looked about my age came who was in town with a group of women from Long Island for the March.
She came in to William Penn House for a bathroom, not because of any connection to Quakers or the house. But while she was waiting in line for the bathroom she ended up in conversation with the executive director, who said that the board member volunteering downstairs was also from Long Island–perhaps she knew me. It turns out that we went to the same elementary school and lived near enough to each other that we rode the same school bus.
It is just one of the reminders I’ve had this weekend of how connected we are.
The other day I was visiting with a friend who finds themselves with sudden responsibilities that are complicated and challenging.
As is my general inclination, especially when talking with those who are around the age of children I might have had and who have asked for input in the past, I gave some suggestions for things to read and possible strategies for some aspects.
As the conversation continued, my friend mentioned the unnecessary quantity of unsolicited advice being offered. Oops, I thought, and checked to see if my suggestions had overstepped the mark.
They said what I offered was helpful and not like the advice that was troubling. I just offered techniques that might be helpful for navigating the circumstances more effectively. The unwelcome advice offered said what the outcome/choices should be.
I think about this fine balance and how that applies to sharing and leading practices.
One can appreciate the beauty of the pre-dawn two ways: staying up through the night or waking up early. I almost never stay up through the night, but find myself waking up in the pre-dawn hours frequently lately, especially when we have not been getting any rain, and the rain finally arrives in the wee hours.
Classical yogis advise that the early morning hours are optimal for practicing. I have been choosing, when I awake in the very early morning, to go into my studio and practice, rather than struggling to get back to sleep.
I find that I am less tired and more productive if I take this invitation to practice rather than worrying about sleep deprivation and struggling to rest.