Happy Halfway Day: passion to profit

Have others ever felt a passion -- a sense of urgency -- to do what is profitable, what is wholesome and useful toward liberation? If one, there is an accompanying feeling that one is not doing nearly enough to make reasonable progress toward the goal. How much time has passed, and how much time will pass, before we get on the ball? "Long enough, wanderers," the Buddha frequently said, "has it been that we have wandered on in this round (samsara) -- long enough to have become dispassionate toward all formations."

Lord Time clips Cupid's wings

(TOI) It’s July 2nd. You’re sipping ice water, wondering where [half] the year went, maybe even scrolling photos thinking, Didn’t we just celebrate New Year’s? Suddenly, someone says, “Hey, you know today is exactly halfway through the year?”

Wait, what? Yep. July 2nd isn’t just another random summer day stuck between fireworks and a cousin’s birthday party. It’s Halfway Day — the dead-center midpoint of the year.

Half of 2025 is behind us. The other half? Still ahead, ready to be claimed [if we seize the day, or squandered if we worry about Trump and other corrupt politicians advancing Project 2025].

Whether feeling super accomplished or lowkey behind on every goal made back in January, this little calendar milestone is a gentle nudge from the universe to pause, [meditate like you thought you would], reflect, and maybe even restart. More

• Words Leading to Disenchantment and Samsara: Two Essays (Bodhi Leaves, BPS.lk)

Why would anyone meditate?

Time keeps on ticking, ticking...How can I gain energy to make effort in meditation?

Overcoming complacency in meditation

(Beth Upton) April 21, 2025: Here I discuss what we can do if we notice ourselves becoming complacent (lazy, fatigued, unenthusiastic) in our daily meditation practice.

These videos are only made possible by generous donations. Please consider supporting this work: bethupton.com/support-my-work. Patreon: bethupton Find out more about my work here: bethupton.com. Shot by Alexis P.N. and Zsolt Batar. @GuavaFunk: laffcotchtv. Contact: alexispn777@gmail.com.

• Moment of Zen videos | Watch
• Carpe diem: "Seize the Day"
• New Year's Resolution Recommitment Day: June 1, 2026 (National Today)
• Model Ekaterina Stukanova; Times of India, July 2, 2025; Beth Upton, meditation advice, 2025; Dhr. Seven, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Jen B. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

If I stop worrying, will everything go well?

I keep thinking intrusive thoughts. Well, that is, the mind itself keeps thinking thoughts on its own

When we stop worrying, everything starts to flow and go well

(Solace Fox) March 31, 2025: Worry doesn’t solve anything. — It only keeps us stuck. This video guides us on how to stop overthinking, breaking the cycle, and finally letting life flow the way it’s meant to.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 – Why worry never helps
• 2:20 – The hidden cost of constant overthinking
• 5:33 – How worry blocks your potential
• 8:40 – Why peace feels unfamiliar at first
• 12:10 – Reconnecting with clarity
• 15:03 – When everything starts working again

Subscribe now for free ► @SolaceFox #purpose #god #selfhelp #motivational #consciousness #Oneness #spirituality #mysticism #enlightenment #awakening #awareness #life #motivation #universe #ego

Happy Friday the 13th (California chills)

Out on a Moonlight Walk, Little Red Riding Hood? How convenient, no Door Dash fee.

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13 is bad. Be afraid! 666, bich!

Thirteen is scary. Friday (party night!) is scarier. Combine them and holy F. Festivities could get spooky. It's not that we suffer from triskaideka-phobia ("fearing and avoiding the number thirteen").

This phobia is one of the reasons we FEAR Friday the 13th (para-skevidekatria-phobia or frigga-triskaideka-phobia, from the Old Norse Goddess Frigg, whose day is Friday).

• Los Angeles weather: Cooler temperatures arrive in SoCal, lasting into the weekend (ABC7)

12 apostles + 1 leader = 13

In 1910 Isador Coriat mentioned it in Abnormal Psychology, according to Wiki. The supposed unlucky nature of the number 13 -- which we were made to fear by the Church as it defamed our beautiful Moon, Earth's calendar with its 13 lunations or repeating phases, swapping it out with the solar Gregorian calendar, moving lunar calendars to lunisolar systems).

• HOW MANY MONTHS IN A YEAR? Doodling at work, wondering how often I should get paid my annual salary -- a month being every four weeks -- I stumbled on a math fact hidden in plain sight: How long is 4 weeks? It's 28 days. What is that called? It's called a month. How many months (moonths) in a year? Uh, um, 12? NO! Thirteen: 13x28=364+1 New Year's Day for turning around like a swimmer turning laps in an Olympic pool.
• SoCal faces natural disasters and rising stress: Here's how to manage anxiety and stay prepared
• Conspiracy: Gregorian calendar anniversary Google...
• Ireland's oldest city is home to fascinating Viking history

Oh, Goddess Soma (Moon), forgive us.

Imagine a time when things made sense for the ancients. Our Moon Moon (Sin, Nanna, Soma, Chandra, Luna) was a calendar in the sky, the seasons came and went, the sun did its thing (going around in a halo, not over us, as depicted in ancient Buddhist, Jain, Hindu, Vedic cosmology, and the modern realization of hated genius Eric Dubay), the stars seemed to wander yet magically keep their positions as Earth, we are now told, spun at 1,000 MPH and wobbled and wiggled all through open space, while expanding with everything else). Hogwash. Here we are on a platform with things moving above us. The Moon and 13 are key, so to keep that from us, we must fear them.

Give us the Sun! We want the return of the Sun! We'll convert to Astrotheology and do whatever the Church says! Just bring back the Son with all your priests and their cult magic.

Time to break out the Edgar Allen Poe poetry.

Several authors claim fear of 13 is an older belief but have yet to produce evidence to document the claim. In fact, the earliest attestation of 13 being unlucky is found after the Middle Ages in Europe. So enjoy a dose of triskaidekaphobia until what we've lost becomes clear. This is the first FTT of the year after all. There will be one more (12/13/24) closer to Xmas.

California was overheating; now it's chilly.

Can't wait? Move to Dictator Maduro's new Venezuela, where he declared Oct. 1st as "Early Christmas" three months ahead of time in a bid to deflect criticism for taking over and the economy being bad. But imagine three extra months of the holiday season! That ought to cheer everyone up for smiley face authoritarianism rather than Orwellian truncheons and 1984 imagery.

• What did the first settlers in America really eat?
• Editorial, Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

Easy way to decompress the spine

Joseph Everett (What I've Learned); Pfc. Sandoval, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Spinal traction or decompression is stretching out the back. It can be done by inverting. It helps posture, meditation, and sleep. This kind of stretching has made a noticeable improvement. The idea came from @TimFerriss's #fourhourbody. Why it works: It improves blood and lymph circulation. The circle above shows the lymph nodes on the vertebral column. Andrew Still said circa 1874, "[the importance of chiropracty/osteopathy is] found in the spinal column with all of its intricate bony framework, plus the beautiful circulation of blood and lymph through the nerve centers of the spinal cord and throughout the whole body.” Hang from a bar or, safer yet, use an inversion table. Hang completely upside down then lower yourself gradually while keeping the core engaged. Spinal traction is meant to be a "gentle" decompression process. More

• Former FBI lawyer Lisa Page breaks her silence
• PHOTOS: Tired of paying rent, build a tiny house
• Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes (Daniel Everett)

How to astral project in one day (video)

Aaron Abke, 11/22/18; Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Going to the realm of Kwan Yin and Prajna Paramita to see goddesses (William On/flickr)

How I learned to ASTRAL PROJECT in ONE day

Instagram: @aaronabke. All online workshops and webinars can be found at aaronabke.com. All Patreon (patreon.com/aaronabke) subscribers of $20 or more will receive all monthly online workshops free. All contributions are much appreciated.

• Meditation app Ananda premium by Manuel Loigeret (iTunes)
• #AstralProjection #AstralTravel #OutOfBodyExperience

Recommended: 2012 Yoga Teacher Training

Yogini Ami Fox (Fox Power Yoga); Wisdom Quarterly

"The hardest yoga posture anyone will ever do is simply walking in a yoga studio door."

Yoga teacher training will commence on Feb. 21, 2012 and continue until June 28. This is for future yoga teachers and practitioners who want to deepen their practice.

Fox Power Yoga’s emphasis is teaching students how to teach yoga. The objective is for students to walk out with the ability and confidence to teach Level 1-2 and Level 2-3 formats.

There is an emphasis on safely working with mixed levels, awareness of meaningful modifications, breath (pranayama), use of props, posture assists, sequencing, and cadence.

Fox Power Yoga’s emphasis is to teach a class weaving the physical, mental, and spiritual (yogic trinity) into a dialog.

Homework will emphasize weaving spiritual life lessons into classes so that a beginning teacher can do more than simply correct alignment. Alter students' life perspectives and give them meaningful insights to chew on. The result is being prepared to teach various styles to any group in a way that leaves them feeling great and ready for more!

Even the stiffest most conservative men can learn to yoga since they need it the most.

• Tuesday and Thursday from 7:00-10:00 pm
• Every other Sunday 10:00 am-7:00 pm
  

The course will also explore the unifying themes of various yoga styles as well as fundamental differences. Discussions will include: how to lead a yogic lifestyle, the evolution of yoga, the Eight Limbs of Yoga (Ashtanga), exploring Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, as well as a brief look at the science of Ayurveda, diet, and the chakras.

Full attendance qualifies one for a Yoga Alliance 200 certificate. Adjunct faculty will include:

• Clinical psychologist Dr. Jenny Lance (RYT 500) to explore the role of yoga as therapy for depression, anxiety, and trauma
• Dr. Baba Singh and Nimrita, Kundalini Yoga
  
• Marta Jaspberg, Iyengar and Restorative Yoga
• Matthew Moyer, Mysore Ashtanga Yoga
  
• Roger Nolan, whose background includes Buddhist Vipassana (Insight) Meditation to teach Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for depression
• Tracy Krosnoff, Shadow Yoga...
  

Monk entourage arrives ahead of Dalai Lama

The entourage: Always a few steps ahead of the Dalai Lama, two “advance monks” from northern India have finally arrived in Toronto to help prepare Canada’s first Tibetan cultural center for the leader’s arrival. Ven. Tenzin Kunchok, left, and Ven. Lobsang Tgndar arrive at Pearson Sunday [Sept. 8] (Colin McConnell/Toronto Star).

“Wherever the Dalai Lama goes, they do the preparation,” said Salden Kunga, a volunteer coordinator for the Dalai Lama visit, as he waited for the monks at Pearson airport on Sunday. “They are like the entourage.” Namgyal Nangsetsang, a Tibetan Cultural Centre spokes-woman, said the busy monks are about a week behind schedule.

“When they applied for their visas, they got it half an hour later,” Nangsetsang said Sunday, clarifying an earlier statement that said the monks had trouble getting their visas. “There was no problem from Canadian Immigration.”

Before Toronto, the monks were carrying out duties in San Francisco. They stayed longer in the U.S. than originally planned, but made it to Toronto with no delay Sunday. A third monk from India will arrive in a few weeks to assist with preparations at the cultural centre, which is still under construction at a $3.2-million warehouse near Lake Shore Blvd. and Kipling Ave. More>>

Yoga Workout (Namaste video)

More free at: URL