Got Persiflage?

Rajanaka News for Peeps (with Chocolate Bunnies), Bad Sneakers Edition

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Aho’Rajanaka,

I hope this finds you well.  There are no classes this weekend.  It’s a holiday (for some) and that was our original plan---to take a week off during our scheduled studies.

But I am going to show up tonight, Saturday at 5pm (use the usual Zoom, link below) and we can talk about anything, questions and the news (if you can stand it), what’s on your mind, or that you would like to share.  All are welcome.  Come for the fun, like a surprise visit to Chuck E. Cheese or finding a new friend sitting next to you when you got the middle seat.  As a community we are far and wide, of course.  It’s been many years together and it's lovely when new folks come to learn.  It’s a good thing we have some informal times other than those occasional first few minutes of my personal persiflage.  (Here’s the Zoom for this evening (samesame): https://rochester.zoom.us/j/95057662268)

Got persiflage?

So yesterday I braved the new world---groceries, post office---and was dismissed with a cordial “Happy Easter!”  Innocuous, well-meaning for sure, I was not offended by the presumption of religion though I immediately thought that if I had asked about how they were currently enjoying Ramadan or if Holi had been fun that this would not have met with the same familiarity.  I was tempted (not really) to say, “But what…what if they find the body come Sunday? Is Easter cancelled? What then about all of those bunnies, the colored eggs? What then?” 

People are tender about their religions even when they don’t fancy themselves observant.  And we live in less funny times, for sure.  I kept the Bad Religion Professor Joke to myself, smiled politely, and replied with a not wholly sincere “you too,” though I did mean they should have a swell time no matter what they might be doing this weekend.  Funny how we can use religion for painless jejune just meaning to be nice.  You can’t object to that when religions are so often anything but painless.  I like chocolate bunnies and Peeps, especially the pink and purple ones (hint, hint), as much as the next guy, let it be known.

We resume Sessions this week: Thursday for Tantric Ganapati with real mantra and puja practices, Saturday Buddhism (which will have a few more weeks beyond those scheduled), and Sunday Mahabharata.  Thursdays are 7pm Eastern, weekend Sessions at 5pm.  In a world in which so little makes sense and so much more is confounding, unsettling, and even disorienting, it’s good to learn together, have a welcoming even serious conversation that also reminds us what good company creates inside hearts.  See you then.

For now, bad sneakers, piña coladas, and pineapple and beets pizza.  I’ll make sure to make another if that’s not quite to your taste.  It’s good let people love what they like.  Happy Easter…ummm, Ramadan…uhh, Holi.  Or just happy weekend, see yas’ soon.  Kiss the dog, scratch the cat, feed the goldfish,

Saprema, Douglas

p.s. Special offer: custom Rajanaka sneakers (but I promise not to shill Bibles). Have a look, tell me what you think, douglas@rajanaka.com
Vyaghrapada-Approved, half tiger, half Patanjali in pink.