Nuggets From Milan Rai's Call Posted by Pavi Mehta, Jun 18 2018 Last Saturday, we had the privilege of hosting Awakin Call with Milan Rai. Milan Rai is a self-taught Nepalese contemporary visual artist whose work is grounded in a personal response to the world around him. A moment of serendipity set him on his path. Inspired by a butterfly that alighted on his paintbrush in the middle of a challenging project in 2013, Milan began cutting out simple white butterfly shapes from paper and thoughtfully arranging and affixing them to trees, bridge pillars, walls, and dilapidated buildings in his hometown of Kathmandu -- aiming to make art accessible to everyone and not to limit it within the walls of galleries. His signature work, the White Butterfly, has invited interaction in more than 40 different countries across the globe. “What truly inspires me is the unfathomable depth of creative resurrection and metamorphosis that human beings are capable of...My handmade cutouts of white butterflies ... Read Full Story

What A Honor To Host An Awakin Circle In Vienna! Posted by Alma Gall, Jun 18 2018 It was such an honor to host the first Awakin Circle at the beautiful Co-learning & Co-working space Markhof in the heart of Vienna yesterday! What an enriching experience in silence, community & generosity, I am buzzing with gratitude & joy 💟! Warm invitation to join the next circle in July: we will meditate one hour in silence, followed by a sharing circle & a vegan meal cooked with lots of love!

Little Is Much: What Does This Mean? Posted by Damilola Fasoranti, Jun 18 2018 Little: Leading Interesting, Tasteful, Thoughtful Life Everyday. I work in the rural community of Nigeria (with Prikkle Academy) empowering young people to look into their skills, knowledge, talents and community assets to transform their own life experiences. Last year, I had a meeting that I was already running so late for, I had underestimated the minutes it would take me to walk to the meeting point. 20 minutes away from the house, the straps of my sandal broke, I was 9 minutes closer to the venue. Going back to the house wasn't a good choice. At that point, all I needed was a bike, taxi or a cobbler to suddenly appear. No bike, no cars passed for more than 15 minutes and the next cobbler was about 5 minutes away. Ouch!! It was uncomfortable walking in a broken sandal. I didn't want to walk barefooted, it's unsafe on an untarred, hot and sandy road. Yet, I had ... Read Full Story

First Awakin In Palencia, Spain Posted by Sabine Admine, Jun 17 2018 New members have appeared on the horizon to participate in strengthening the spirit of the Awakening Kin; in illuminating the whole globe with little, conscious and truly loving steps. This Saturday, on a very sunny afternoon, under the guidance of a support team from Burgos (warm thanks to Joserra, David and Asun!!!), we opened a door to a new living room that gathers brothers and sisters in behalf of generating and emitting infinite peace. Great sparkles, smiles and deep silence were shared. At the forthcoming parts welcoming words, inspiring and heartwarming stories were accompanied with a miniature broom-like talking stick. Delicious gifts and also some requirable ‘first timer’ moments were present. :) What a joy! Regarding to the previously mentioned ‘broom’ that served as a talking stick, we were speaking about it as if it was sweeping away the matter of such categories as age, race, gender, origin, religious beliefs, social status and ... Read Full Story

Complete And Delicious Success! #goodpeople Posted by Elizabeth Pimentel-Gopal, Jun 17 2018 Few leaked photos of Karma Kitchen Toronto yesterday, that we couldn't wait to share ... Banh Mi sandwiches and Vietnamese colesaw! Oooh. We can imagine who the expert chef might've been. A local city council candidate tweeted: "Congratulations @servicespace @connectwiththu on the inaugural #karmakitchenpicnic at the #mossparkmarket in #mosspark. Fantastic #FreshThinkingTO idea for connecting our diverse communities. A complete and delicious success! #goodpeople" And one volunteer's grade 6 son, Atna, was a rockstar yesterday! He cracked open all the supplies and went to work writing the sidewalk chalk greetings in all languages. He even came up with a scavenger hunt game where he hid the letters PEACE around the park, made clues and rallied all the kids together to go find the letters. At the end of the day, he wanted to return the letters for the next time, and I asked if he wanted to keep them to play again with his friends. :) He did. Big hugs to all! :)

Seeing China With New Eyes Posted by Xiaojuan Shu, Jun 15 2018 My most recent trip to China this year has forever transformed my relationship with China, where I was born and raised, and had lived until my mid-twenties. In the past, visiting China often brought up my old shame of being a peasant's daughter, and aversion of the contemporary empty consumerism. During this trip, I met so many inspiring souls and was in constant awe of the vibrant life force that had led them to living their lives with such audacity and creativity. My old self-image and my view on China were renewed, again and again, in their refreshing presence. During one long phone call with brother Zilong while sitting on a swing chair in a courtyard in an ancient town in southern China, I couldn’t contain my overflowing joy and said “I wish I could just move back to China and live here now!” Though now I know that I’m ... Read Full Story

Thought Some Of You Would Like ... Posted by Nicole Huguenin, Jun 15 2018 Thought some of you would like to read about the women who has walked around the earth 1.5 times as a mendicant pilgrim for the past 12 years. I just compiled 9 of her narratives in one place on this unlisted site. Also, thank you to the Daily Good team for sneaking in one of Ann, Winter Pilgrims stories a few weeks back. What a delight to wake up to one of the more adventurous ones she shares in my own inbox!

Dillan Returns To Awakin Circle -- And Speaks About Posted by Amit Dungarani, Jun 14 2018 [I remember Neil and Dillan's Excellent Summer Adventure from several summers ago. Then, they graduated high school, went to college and are soon graduating college too! They both recently came back home and joined an Awakin Circle. What a joy to read about Dillan's share (below) in the circle, on Pablo Neruda's poem!] It's been probably like five years since I've been here, since the days of my summer internship. It feels like a very, very long time. And it feels really good to be back. This afternoon, I called Neil and I was like, "Hey, did you read, did you read the passage for this week?" And he said no, and he's like, 'Do you want me to send it to you?" I'm like, "I have it in front of my face." So then I hung up and I took some time to read it and I was thinking about the ... Read Full Story

Third Awakin Circle In Austria Starts! Posted by Christine Lendorfer, Jun 14 2018 I just returned from the launch of our third Awakin Circle in Austria! And what a magic circle it was! Initiated by Alma and Sophie, in the center of Vienna, these youngsters holding the circle really made this shift from Me to We happen. Sophie's brief introduction to the meditation was so important, especially for people who meditated for the first time. In the second hour, Alma inspired the participants to listen empathically and to trust that the right words will appear when it is their turn to share. By the end, we were all in the flow of gratitude. By holding space for 20 people, sharing thoughts and serving a wonderful vegan dinner, a spirit of community and love came into focus. A BIG Thank you to Alma and Sophie for starting this circle. And thank you, Nipun, whose trip ripples continue on and whose spirit was very present in the circle. The magic of the circle is something we can always rely on. It happens so naturally, because, after all, we are all connected and part of something much bigger than ourselves. What a joy! P.S. Next Karma Kitchen Austria will be in Eisenstadt on August 31st!

Banyan Grove's First Meditation Retreat Posted by Birju Pandya, Jun 14 2018 Banyan Grove has begun to offer space for short meditation retreats! Here's a share from a recent participant of a retreat offered to those dedicating their life to the welfare of animals- During just seven days, I learned to breathe again, how to effectively manage stress by responding rather than reacting, to better communicate, appreciate the little things and become more disciplined in my self-care – physical, emotional and spiritual. I learned to be more grateful, more generous, more kind. We walked through breathtaking wooded trails and meditated in peaceful gardens. We ate exquisite fresh local vegan fare and slept in comfort in the warm, cozy home nestled in the trees. We enjoyed fellowship amidst silence and gained an appreciation for reflection and mindful practices. We were richly blessed by the teachings of Buddhist Monk Tashi Nyima and the guidance and care of a loving staff. Since returning, I have found it ... Read Full Story

Three Luminaries Together Posted by Rahul Brown, Jun 12 2018 Google machine learning delivered a YouTube video recommendation that delighted me: Rev Heng Sure, Master Hua, and Brother David Steindl-Rast all together! Like a light reflected between mirrors, it was remarkable to witness the kindness, humility, and paradoxical light-gravitas of Master Hua bounced between the Q&A managed by the other two. There's a couple of wonderful moments at the end that are worth waiting for.

Karma Kitchen Dubai -- A Massive Heart Surgery. :) Posted by Sehr Karim, Jun 12 2018 OMG. All I have to say is that my legs hurt. hahahah. We just finished our first Karma Kitchen in Dubai, and it was a downright phenomenal experience. After months of dotting so many i's and crossing so many t's, we finally arrived. And in short, I can just say that it was a massive heart surgery -- for volunteers who worked so hard, for the guests and restaurant owners and staff who took a massive leap of faith and were over the moon, for the media -- and larger Dubai -- who were happily surprised about this expansive shift in consciousness. It was an overflowing full house, with 2 rounds of seating, that started at 7PM and closed past midnight! One of the most famous chefs in Dubai, Chef Akmal and his wife Inez who manages the place, hosted this at their restaurant 3Fils. It is one of the hippest ... Read Full Story

Karma Kitchen Dubai! Posted by Sehr Karim, Jun 10 2018 Just concluded an amazing Karma Kitchen launch here in Dubai. More stories coming super soon. :)

Laddership News: Dedication Posted by Jane Murray, Jun 10 2018 This month's 'Laddership Newsletter' was just posted online. As we approach the midpoint of the year, this month is a time for reflection on the dedication of various Laddership Circle alum, who volunteer with an unwavering faith in kindness and its power.

Nuggets From Greg Tehven's Call Posted by Audrey Lin, Jun 09 2018 Today, we had the privilege of hosting Awakin Call with Greg Tehven. “I think we have to love our sense of place, and champion the heck out of it,” says Greg Tehven, who is turning the world of economic development on its head and inviting people to build the communities they want to live in. Confronted with the business failings of his beloved hometown of Fargo, North Dakota, he asked himself what the community could offer to the public that would help get it back on its feet. An unexpected answer surfaced, based on the city's small population and open spaces: drones. Fargo now hosts an annual drone conference attracting attendees from around the world. The town has quickly become an appealing city for college graduates, business leaders, and tech enthusiasts. Co-founder of Emerging Prairie, curator of TEDx Fargo, and host of a burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem, Tehven is changing what it ... Read Full Story

A Project Of Love: "The Garden ... Posted by Maria Daniel, Jun 08 2018 A project of love: "The Garden Masterpiece Grown From Rescued Plants. With more than 300 plants and sculptures trimmed to perfection, Pearl Fryar’s topiary garden in Bishopville, South Carolina is a haven of love, peace and goodwill."

Inspiring Link Posted by Somik Raha, Jun 07 2018 A wonderful story on KQED about Voluntary Action by moms in the tenderloin district of San Francisco: Creating a Safe Passage for Kids in San Francisco's Gritty Tenderloin | The California Dream | The California Report | KQED News The Tenderloin is notorious for drug use and sales on its streets. But it's also one of the few affordable neighborhoods left in one of the nation’s most e

Someone Posted This Quote Over At ... Posted by Michaele Premet-Rosen, Jun 07 2018 Someone posted this quote over at the KindSpring feed and I want to share it here with you. ✨"The problem is not only what you can do. But to do is just one of the things you can do. To Be is another way of doing. If you can be relaxed, if you can be peaceful, if you can be compassionate – that is a lot of action already. If you have peace, tranquillity, compassion then your presence is also very helpful. So to be is very important and to do something that comes from that kind of being, to be peace first and to do peace later. If you have friends who know how to be, to be relaxed to be peaceful, to be fresh, to be healthy then together you can create a powerful collective energy of peace, joy, happiness that can bless many people… and that collective energy of peace contributes to the wellbeing of people."✨ ~ Thich Nhat Hahn

KindSpring Weekly: Spotlight On Kindness: Fitting In Posted by Ameeta Martin, Jun 05 2018 Latest issue of 'KindSpring Weekly' newsletter is themed Spotlight On Kindness: Fitting In Vs. Belonging. Humans have an inherent emotional need to belong and be an important part of a group or something larger than ourselves. According to Brene Brown (featured below), as we become increasingly drawn to groups with similar ideologies, this attempt at fitting in can paradoxically lead to more loneliness and "counterfeit" connections. True belonging begins with the courage to stand alone. - Ameeta

Video On Diversity And Inclusion Posted by Priyanka Agarwal, Jun 05 2018 I was very honored to be a part of this beautiful video by IBM on diversity and inclusion!