The Centered Place Newsletter
October 2025
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Greetings!
We've got a good cup of tea for you, something that warms your heart. Here's a short tale, with a lovely lesson:
A Buddhist monk asked a student, “If you were carrying a cup of tea and someone bumps into you, and you spill the tea, why did you spill the tea?”
The student replied, “I spilled the tea because the guy bumped into me. It was his fault that I spilled the tea.”
The monk replied, “No. Listen to me carefully: You spilled the tea because that’s what you were carrying in your cup.”
The student thought about it and admitted that he doesn’t understand.
The monk lovingly explained: "When life bumps up against you, whatever you are carrying inside is going to spill out. If you are carrying anger, vengeance, fear, jealousy, then that’s what’s going to spill out. But, if you are carrying love, compassion, peace: that will spill out.
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When life bumps up against you, what will spill out of your cup? I have thought about this before, and there are times when I am frightened by the thought! In the state that my mind is in, what will spill out of me?
If your mind is full of negative thoughts and feelings, you are not alone! Commonly cited statistics reveal that 80% of thoughts are negative, and 95% of those thoughts are repetitive (no wonder why mantra repetition can be redeeming!).
If your mind is full of negative thoughts, you might be able to keep those thoughts and feelings under control in ordinary circumstances. But when something shakes or confronts you, that negativity will inevitably spill out somehow. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross said:
"People are like stained glass windows; they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within."
Your true beauty is your Divine Essence. It's who you really are. But if you are filling your mind with negative stuff, that stuff will prevent your beauty from shining through.
Swami Nirmalananda says in this month's teaching article:
"You must live in the eternality of your own Beingness [Self], so you are undisturbed by events as they pass by. You meet and manage them, but they don't define you... "
Don't let anything or anyone define you. You are already defined. Your own Divine Essence defines who you really are. Swami continues:
"The source of happiness is your own Divine Essence, your own Self. This is also the source of love, creativity, compassion, generosity, helpfulness, kindness and all the other Divine virtues. They bubble up spontaneously when you find your own Self.
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Give your Divine traits a chance to bubble up. And keep it going. James Taylor says: "shower the people you love with love." Take it further: shower your love and light on everyone. Be like the sun: shine brilliantly and indiscriminately. The sun does not decide to shine on only some people and not others.
Make your world brighter. If we all do that together, the whole world will be brighter for everyone.
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Speaking of sun, see our Fundraiser of the Month. Support solar and other sources of renewable energy. Contribute to help move our nation and all nations to away from fossil fuels, for good — for the good of all beings and all future generations! Also, see the quotes in the Illuminating Words in Dark Times and the Words of Wisdom sections below.
Love and light,
Nancy and Phil
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- Announcements & Reminders
- Swami Programs Here September 19 & 20
- Practice of the Month
- Meditation 101 class starting October 30
- More Illuminating Words in Dark Times
- Fundraiser of the Month: 350.org
- Ongoing Local Fundraiser for Sharing Cupboard Food Pantry
- Pollinators Arise! Milkweed Seeds Available at the Studio
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- Self-Care
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Class schedule & Fees
- Zoom Information
- Testimonials
- Health Notices
- Birthdays
- Offerings from the Ashram
- Wisdom to Live By
- Video of the Month
- Enlighten Up
- Please give us a review!
- Problems Receiving Newsletters?
| | | Announcements and Reminders | |
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No classes Saturday October 18 through Wednesday October 22
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Meditation 101 ~ Meditation Made Easy
Three Thursdays, October 30, November 6 & 13 ~ 6:30 - 8:30 pm
More information below
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Yoga Joint-Freeing Exercises class In Easthampton MA, November 8th from 1 to 3 pm. The class is taught by Andrea Wasserman, a Svaroopa® yoga teacher and friend of ours. The class will be at the Nirvana Yoga studio. More information is available at lovenirvanayoga.com.
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Shavasana! Relax!
Make it a Habit!
Do a 10 to 20minute Shavasana once a day. It's refreshing and healing, especially in the evening to recover from a hard day or in the middle of the afternoon for a deep "spiritual" siesta.
We've been following a guided awareness track from Experience Shavasana with Gurudevi Nirmalananda album. It's using a script similar to what we use during shavasana at the beginning and end of each class. The Guided Awareness helps focus and quiet the mind, and increases the healing capacity of the practice. For more information about the tracks on the album and how to purchase it, click the button below. (You can purchase the album from Amazon as an MP3 download for only $9.49. If you are signed up for Amazon Music Unlimited, you can listen to any of the five tracks any time. You can also purchase the album or any individual tracks from the Apple Music Store.)
Enjoy your Self!
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Last Weeks Focus Practice: Are You Breathing?
Here's someone who is remembering to breathe. That's Kevin B. of Marlboro, holding a printout of "Are You Breathing" reminder labels. Still want some? Click on the appropriate size of labels you want. He's got the smaller labels.
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Thursday October 30, November 6, November 13
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Onsite and Online (Zoom)
Taught by Phil
For new and experienced meditators
- On day one, learn to meditate
- Learn new skills the next two classes
- Learn to sit comfortably and to settle your mind
- Develop a consistent and rewarding practice
- Receive coaching and answers to questions
- Already meditating? Give your practice a big boost
Register by contacting us.
| | | | Illuminating Words in Dark Times | | |
"We need love in our hearts so we don't perpetuate a cycle of anger and hate, but we need fierceness so that we don't let things continue on their current harmful path." ~ Dr. Kristin Neff
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Who has the Power to Create Peace?
Contributed by Nedda Wittels
www.raysofhealinglight.com
It's not who you may think.
- It's not the politicians or the spiritual leaders.
- It's not "someone out there" who will miraculously come along and save us from ourselves.
Peace starts within the heart of each human being.
- If your heart is full of anger, you are not at peace.
- If your heart is full of fear and anxiety, you are not at peace.
- If your heart is full of regret, blame, or hatred, you are not at peace.
- If your heart is filled with remorse, you are not at peace.
- If you are unwilling to forgive and forget, you are not at peace.
...Whatever you feel in your heart, that energy is felt by the whole of humanity. There are no secrets. There is no privacy. We are all One Consciousness.
If you have animals, they know exactly what you're feeling all the time. They tune into your energy even when you think you're hiding it, even when you're hiding it from yourself.
When your Heart is filled with Peace, no one can manipulate you, control you, enslave you, or program you to do what they want you to do.
If you want to stop war, end the war within yourself.
If you want to create peace, create peace within yourself.
YOU have the Power to create peace.
Are you, oh Divine Creator, creating Peace?
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KNOW YOUR SELF
and you will have
EVERYTHING!
| | One Who Survived Very Dark Times, and How: | |
Edith Eva Eger was only 16 years old when Nazi soldiers took her and her family from their home in Hungary and shipped them to Auschwitz.
When they arrived, her mother whispered to her for the last time: “Remember, no one can ever take away what you have in your mind.”
A few minutes later, Edith was separated from parents. Her mother and father were sent to the gas chambers, but Edith's bravery kept her and her sister alive.
When she was liberated by American troops, she only weighed 66 pounds. She had lost everything — except her will to live. While in the camps, she guided those close to her to look at life from the inside out, as in being reflective of their inner world. Her belief is to never wait for someone to make you happy, but to go within and seek happiness within oneself, as this will then alter the way you perceive the world around you.
Her deep faith encouraged her to pray for the guards that kept her in the camps, understanding that they were brainwashed. In her words, "People said where was God, but I always say that God was with me. The Nazi guards were prisoners, too. I prayed for them. I turned hatred into pity. I never told anyone that they were spending their days murdering people. What kind of life was that for them? They had been brainwashed. Their own youth had been taken away from them."
Years later, she emigrated to the United States.
She married, had children, and studied psychology.
She befriended Viktor Frankl, a neurologist, psychologist and philosopher who also survived Auschwitz. She went into therapy, and studied to receive her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas. She opened a therapy clinic in La Jolla, California and was appointed to the faculty at the University of California, San Diego.
For years, she had never spoken of what she had endured.
Until one day, she realized that unspoken pain is a prison.
So she decided to tell her story — transforming her suffering into healing for others. She wrote an extraordinary book: “The Choice.” Not a story of victimhood, but of freedom. She used to say:
“You can live to avenge the past, or you can live to enrich the present...Forgiveness doesn’t excuse what happened.
It’s not about changing the past — it’s about freeing the future.”
Today, her words are taught in universities and therapy centers all over the world. Edith Eger showed that the body can be imprisoned, but her mind and spirit cannot. You cannot change what happened to you in the past, but you can choose to be free from the past now. Even in a hellish environment, you can choose to remain human.
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Save the Planet: Help Build a World Powered by Renewable Energy
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I have known about this organization and its co-founder, Bill McKibben for years. He's an environmentalist, activist, author and educator based at Middlebury College in Vermont. When I read an interview with McKibben recently in the Boston Globe Magazine (September 16 issue), I knew I wanted a fundraiser to support his organization (350.org) which endeavors to save our planet and civilization from catastrophic climate change. McKibbens gives us hope.
He wrote The End of Nature in 1989, which warns of the environmental cataclysm that could likely happen. Everything that he said would happen this far has already happened. Yet, in his latest book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization, he gives us much hope for the future. Although the current administration is cutting funding for solar energy projects, and is instead promoting fossil fuels, solar power is continuing to grow at a blistering rate in the United States as well as in the rest of the world. The same is true for the growth of wind power. McKibben writes: "In a world where almost everything seems to be going wrong, this is the one big thing suddenly going right."
So, here's our Fundraiser of the month! Let's support 350.org, which strives to keep the good momentum going, and also to slow the expansion of fossil fuels. To donate, click any of the buttons below.
Here's a summary of the impact 350.org has in the U.S. and around the world:
Listen to an interview with Bill McKibben hosted by WBUR Boston: https://www.wbur.org/events/1030942/here-comes-the-sun-bill-mckibben (53 minutes). He's brilliant ~ fitting for such a powerful proponent of solar energy (and other renewables).
Charity Navigator gives 350.org an A.
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Thank you for your generosity and for actively caring for the planet and for present and future generations!
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The Sharing Cupboard Food Pantry
As a volunteer at the Sharing Cupboard, I see firsthand how appreciative people are for the service the food pantry provides. These past few months, I am also seeing an increasing number of families coming for help. The Sharing Cupboard Food Pantry serves residents of West Brookfield, Warren and West Warren.
Federal funding cuts have affected this food pantry as well as food pantries and food banks across the country. We continue collecting donations of money, food and other items weekly for the West Brookfield Sharing Cupboard Food Pantry. Top priority includes non-perishable food and householdsuch as:
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- Pancake mix
- Cake mix
- Brownie mix
- Syrup
- Cookies
- Canned tuna
- Canned carrots
- Canned peas
- Canned green beans
- Ramen noodles
- Tea (bags)
- Coffee
- Hearty soups
- Peanut Butter
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- Baked beans
- Knorr Rice Sides
- Knorr Pasta Sides
- Rice pilaf
- Crackers
- Jelly/Jams
- Cereal (this especially has become scarse recently)
- Condiments (mustard, ketchup, mayo, etc)
- Non-food items such as paper towels and toilet paper
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Volunteers are always needed.
Sharing Cupboard Food Pantry
The First Congregational Church
36 North Main Street West Brookfield 508-344-2682
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Pollinators Arise!
Milkweed seed available at The Centered Place
Nancy has packets of milkweed seeds available. They will be in the mudroom. Help yourself - start or add to your pollinator garden now for next year!
Photo at right by Stephanie Bennett Vogt
https://substack.com/@stephaniebennettvogt
| | In other words, self-care is Self-caring. Self-care is yoga: the quieting of your mind so that you can experience, know and honor your true nature — your Self! | |
- All classes are offered onsite and online except Thursday mornings, which are onsite only.
- You can join the Experienced class Friday mornings if you know the basic poses and require little assistance.
- If you are new or need assistance, start with Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday mornings if you can, or sign up for a private introductory session (or even a series of private classes).
The following buttons link to PDF files that can be downloaded or printed:
| | Seniors can have 10% discounts for classes. Scholarships are available for those in financial need. Gift certificates are also available. Give a loved one a gift that keeps giving! | |
Zoom Information for Online Class Attendance
| To join a class online, click the Join Zoom Class button below a few minutes before a class's start time: | |
Or, copy this link and paste it in your browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4132778765?pwd=M0QxMTNKYlhtc1lCb1R4NEdIQnRhZz09
Or, if Zoom prompts you for the meeting ID and passcode, enter the following:
Meeting ID: 413 277 8765
Passcode: YourSelf
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Testimonials
"The way you have been teaching us Warrior Poses, over the last 2 months, has really helped me understand how to do them... Attending classes several times a week helps me be more consistent. To me, it is your pointing out details and the consistent repetition that makes the difference... I;ve also noticed when standing in Tadasana... I am much more aware of where my feet are. Similarly, as to whether my neck is in line with my spine... Lastly, that you always include the teachings provided by our Gurudevi in each class is ... the "Bonus" you always give us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."
~ Nancy (Purna) Chang, Easthampton MA
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Masks Are Optional and available at the studio.
We have plenty of air circulation and air filters.
If you feel ill, have a cough or runny nose, or might have been exposed to someone who tested positive, it's best to stay home, even if you tested negative. Feel free to join classes via Zoom.
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Scent-Free Studio
Help us accommodate those who are chemically sensitive to fragrances and other scented products. Thank you!
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"There are two great days in a person's life: the day we are born and the day we discover why." ~ William Barclay
We wish the following students and friends a very happy birthday. Those whose names are in bold are students who are currently attending classes. Wish we could embolden the rest of you!
Megan McDonough and Vivian Cole (1st), Trish Long & Tiffany Giza Nichols (3rd), Pat Peritz (4th), Kate Harper (5th), Sharon Como (8th), Brenda Chartier, Rhonda Collette and Linda Labaire (9th), Robin Tobin (11th), Tony Fernandes (12th), Shanoah Whitman and Chris Regan (16th), Patricia O'Connor (18th), Lyn Homuth (20th), Wes Wiedemann (26th), Joan Anderson (27th), Sharon Johnson & Linda Wrobel (29th), Eliza Watras (31st)
The best things about birthdays? You get to celebrate another year of being awesome.
| | | Offerings from Swami Nirmalananda and the Ashram | | |
Numerous free audio recordings are available online. Listen from home or during your travels. Listen from your cell phone (using the new Gurudevi app), or from your PC at https://svaroopa.org/audio-recording.
Many videos of Gurudevi's discourses are available for rent.
You can also purchase numerous audios, such as the Mystical Yogic Breathing CD pictured on the right.
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You can attend Satsangs in which Gurudevi presents discourses on yogic teachings and leads chanting and meditations.
You can also join Swami Nirmalananda online in meditation every morning, by subscription.
New books by Swami Nirmalananda are available.
For more information, see https://svaroopa.org/books
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Illusion & Delusion
From the October Teachings Article of the same title:
"Yoga says you must find where happiness is arising from, so you can tap into it directly. The source of happiness is your own Divine Essence, your own Self. This is also the source of love, creativity, compassion, generosity, helpfulness, kindness and all the other Divine virtues. They bubble up spontaneously when you find your own Self.
The knowing of your own Self frees you from illusion and delusion... You stop chasing clouds... You live in the eternality of your own Beingness, so you are undisturbed by events as they pass by. You meet and manage them, but they don't define you...
Looking for others to appreciate you or to approve of you is a well-trodden path. However, when your sense of self depends on their opinions, it's not self-worth at all. It is called "other-worth," that others find you worthy. Do you think that will be eternal? ... Or make you happy?"
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"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
~ Leo Buscaglia
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This short video is an eye, ear and mind opener! Arthur C. Brooks is a professor at Harvard and author of New York Times bestsellers From Strength to Strength - Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, and Build the Life You Want, the latter co-written with Oprah Winfrey. I urge you to watch this 5-minute video! I didn't choose it to fill space in the newsletter; I chose it to fill you with inspiration and new purpose. Don't fill every so-called empty moment with your phone. Give insight, meaning, a sense of purpose and a sense of Self to seep in instead. Depressed? You will become happier. He is walking the talk. He shares that one way he does the walk turning off his cell phone at 7 pm every night. Devices are not allowed when his family shares shares a meal: "We are there for each other, we are not there for people who are somewhere else."
5 minutes 41 seconds - that's all. [Skip over the ad(s).]
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Groaner of the Month
"Every morning I get hit by the same bike. It's a vicious cycle."
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2nd Worst Groaner of the Month
Lately, I've had the urge to worship paper bags.
People say I'm sack religious.
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Bathroom Break(up)
On the first day of school, about mid-morning, the kindergarten teacher said, "If anyone has to go to the bathroom, hold up two fingers."
A little voice from the back of the room asked, "How will that help?"
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Brotherly Love
Young Brother’s Heart Swells with Joy as Sibling Joins Royal Guard at Horse Guards Parade (the boy's sign says: "That's my Big Brother." This is not funny, but it's heartwarming. Nothing wrong with that!
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Please Give Us a Review
So many of you have written us to tell us how much you appreciate our studio and services. Could you take a moment to add a comment about The Centered Place on Google and Facebook?
Your reviews help folks become aware of our studio. Plus, reviews help reassure potential students out there that they can trust us.
We thank you!
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Wishing you all the peace, love and strength you need to face each day and make it a better one, for you and many others.
Phil and Nancy 🙏🙂🧡
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