Moved By Love: Nurturing The Flowers Of Tomorrow Posted by Shaalini Srinivasan, Mar 02 2018 Latest issue of 'Moved By Love' newsletter is themed Nurturing The Flowers Of Tomorrow. The law of love could be best learned through little children, said Gandhiji. From exploring the need of Compassion Quotient among educators to making a case for juvenile justice, this month’s newsletter brings together stories of planting seeds of compassion, kindness with children and creating spaces to practice these values.

You Are Everyone And Everyone Is You Posted by Kush Kanodia, Mar 02 2018 Came across this interesting article on a different perspective: You Are Everyone and Everyone Is You: Here's an excerpt: I came across an interesting piece of writing by a man named Andy Weir. [...] It’s called “The Egg”, and what takes place in this piece is a conversation between “God” and a middle-aged man in his afterlife. God tells him that the man is dead, and that he will be reincarnated to a peasant girl in 540 AD. Confused, the man asks why and how can he be reincarnated into someone who has already lived in the past (and even someone of a different gender). God states that time is just a man made concept, and that, to God, things are different. The man then asks what many of us on Earth would ask if ever in this situation: “So what’s the point of it all?” Below is the conversation that takes ... Read Full Story

Sometimes It Takes Nine Years Posted by Elizabeth Pimentel-Gopal, Mar 01 2018 [Last Sunday, during the opening circle of Karma Kitchen volunteer orientation, an unsuspecting guest lingered around the periphery. It was our head Chef, Dhruva. "Would you have a few minutes to join us?" He sat and heard everyone's introductions and stories. At one piont, he tells us, "Actually, can I share a story?" Below is what he shared.] I've been connected to Karma Kitchen for 9 years. I know exactly, because my son was in 2nd grade when Karma Kitchen started. I always wanted to engage my son in such service, but he wasn't very fond of Karma Kitchen. It took away his father for two hours, on his favorite play day -- Sunday! Years went by. I kept volunteering on Sundays, and my son kept growing older. Last summer, I needed a little help with the restaurant so I asked him to spend some of his days working with me. One fine day, we ... Read Full Story

Fritjof Capra: From Tao Of Physics To Systems View Of Posted by Pavi Mehta, Feb 28 2018 This week's Awakin Call guest: 'Fritjof Capra: From Tao Of Physics To Systems View Of LifeReflection questions: Our guest this week has been at the forefront of efforts to bring new scientific and natural understandings to bear on social and cultural paradigms and systems. At a micro level, how does time in your nature affect your understanding of your place in the world and your relationships with other living beings?

KindSpring Weekly: Spotlight On Kindness: Staying Calm Posted by Ameeta Martin, Feb 27 2018 Latest issue of 'KindSpring Weekly' newsletter is themed Spotlight On Kindness: Staying Calm In The Storm. In the face of looming crisis or hardship, we so often seek to act or react quickly -- aiming to save, fix, or rescue ourselves and others. But as the farmer in this week's video reflects, the wise response often is to take the time to attune to the unfolding situation, and trust that internal guidance will move us to act skillfully -- in the right manner and at the right time and pace. - Preeta

Awakin Ras Al Khaimah Posted by Neelam Mandhani, Feb 26 2018 We had our second Awakin Ras Al Khaimah (Dubai) last Friday at our home -- and it was just so lovely! After meditation, we had a beautiful round of sharing where everyone spoke and we all felt so connected. Thank you for the inspiration from across the seas!

An Inspirational Moment On Valentine's Day, ... Posted by Yoav Peck, Feb 25 2018 An inspirational moment on Valentine's day, as thousands of Jews and Muslims join together to sing "One Day" in perfect harmony! If you look closely, you will see our beloved Galia with a heart on her forehead (at 0:39), singing her soul out .... All my life I´ve been waiting for I´ve been praying for For the people to say That we don´t wanna fight no more They´ll be no more wars And our children will play One day (one day), One day (one day)

It Was A Night Of Hugs ... Posted by sunita Lama, Feb 25 2018 It was a night of hugs and sacred connection!  This circle had a unique flavor of old and new, far and near! It was a privilege to hold space with aunty Karoona, who’s in Dubai for just a month but made it for the evening. Aunty Nisha ( Sonia’s mom) Khusbu ( Sonia’s sister-in-law) , Vache ( Sehr’s friend) and Jacob,‘The Feel Good Guy’, were the ‘newbies’ who brought in their characteristic richness, vibrancy and variety. Meyank ,our old timer joined us after about a year and Sehr who had a super busy day, squeezed out an hour for collective silence . We were also joined by Zilong and his parents from Baotou, Inner Mongolia. The temperature there is -3 degrees, yet his parents stayed awake (Inner Mongolia time is four hours ahead) and sat at exactly 7:00 pm, Dubai time making the space all the more precious. Our kinship is sealed for many lifetimes! The evening was a mix of deep insight and lighter moments where we shared wisdom, humor, endless hugs and delicious food. ( The 'dhoklas' that aunty Nisha prepared were to die for). In other words, we fed the soul and the stomach!     

A Teacher’s Antidote For School Shootings: Love Posted by Trishna Shah, Feb 24 2018 So moved to read this beautiful process one teacher has incorporated into her classroom every week as an antidote to school shootings, since the Columbine school shooting years ago. What a wonderful reminder to serve with what we have, do small things with great love and honour the role of community in collectively laddering journeys in any context. What a gift it would be for all teachers to take the time and to be present in a way that enables them to do this in every classroom in some way, to ensure that no child is left out, lonely or feeling disconnected for too long without someone taking notice and serving him/her with love.

Bayarea: Weekend Events + Fritjof Capra Posted by ServiceSpace , Feb 23 2018 Dear Friends, A roundup of few local events ... This Sunday, Liz and I will be serving at Karma Kitchen Berkeley. Come by for lunch, or seeding generosity ripples, or hugs! Mary Rothschild, Poonam, Marie, Asis, Cynthia and various others will be at our community table -- that you can join as well. (P.S. Newest KK location starting in March? Israel!) Next weekend, there's Awakin Kids Circle where kids meditate, dance to Nimo's songs, make pizza by hand -- while parents reflect on insightful topics. The day after will be Awakin Banyan Grove, which is taking a beautiful life of its own! Here's a gorgeous photo of about 40 of us in the doorway last Sunday after Kozo and Bill concluded a Healing+T retreat. Oh, and tomorrow, a courageous 23-year-old is our Awakin Call Guest: Arti Kuber on Forgiveness. And next Saturday, Preeta and Pavi will be moderating a call with the legendary ... Read Full Story

We Had A Beautiful Awakin Circle ... Posted by Ashima Goyal, Feb 23 2018 We had a beautiful Awakin circle this Wednesday. It was the first time we had Romanian translation for the reading and except for the girl who translated and me no one knew that we will have it read in Romanian also. While everyone who has been coming to the circles understands English, there was a delightful excitement in the room when I said, “and today we have the gift of Romanian translation as well.” As it so happened, this Wednesday was also the International Mother Language Day and we couldn't have had a better coincidence. One of the participant shared that while she understand English very well and it comes very naturally to her but when she heard the passage in Romanian, it shifted something in her. She could relate to it more personally than just in an intellectual way. Just like Nelson Mandela had said: "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart."  

Gandhi Ashram Visit Of Canadian Prime Minister Posted by Jyoti , Feb 22 2018 Saw some pictures on India's DNA newspaper webpages, with Jayesh-bhai, that some friends here may enjoy seeing too, so sharing them, with the link to the website where the originals belong at the bottom.

Nuggets From Awakin Call -- Patrick Cook-Deegan Posted by Preeta Bansal, Feb 22 2018 I had the pleasure of hosting last week's insightful Awakin Call with Patrick Cook-Deegan, expertly moderated by Aryae! Patrick is an educator, speaker, and wilderness guide focused on helping young people live more meaningful lives. At Stanford’s Design School, Patrick launched and now independently directs Project Wayfinder, which seeks to inspire our next generation to become intentional meaning-makers empowered to contribute to the world around them. Project Wayfinder works with high schools, offering kits and educator workshops to help equip students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to become purposeful navigators of their lives and the world. It also offers summer institutes at leading universities for high school educators, to equip them to lead students on the Wayfinder Journey and reflect on their own paths as wayfinders. The term “wayfinding” comes from an ancient, natural system of navigation used by Polynesians to voyage thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean. Patrick also ... Read Full Story

Inspiring Link Posted by Amit Dungarani, Feb 21 2018 The scale of the problem of Youth crime is a growing concern. Many young offenders are also victims of broken homes, poverty, and domestic violence. They have complex emotional needs which require a balance of welfare and justice models. How can the society contribute to therapeutic inclusion and intervention philosophy, for greater reduction in recidivism compared with punitive approaches? What started out as a small volunteering project turned into so much for Sachi Maniar, who started Project Ashiyana in 2013. In the years since, she has worked to help and improve the lives of all the children at Umkerhadi children’s home, to help them learn, grow, and realize their full potential despite the conditions they have found themselves in. This talk was given at a TEDx event in Mumbai. We are very proud of the work Sachi does and are grateful she is a vibrant and active contributor to the ServiceSpace global community.

Aarti Kuber: Healing Through Acceptance And Forgiveness Posted by Amit Dungarani, Feb 21 2018 This week's Awakin Call guest: 'Aarti Kuber: Healing Through Acceptance And ForgivenessReflection questions: Have you compassionately addressed persons in your life who have wronged or violated you? What role did those encounters have in your healing and life journey?

Krishnamurti On Impermanence Posted by Parag Shah, Feb 21 2018 [Below are two excerpts on the topic of impermanence that recently inspired me, from J. Krishnamurti] Question: Doesn't the knowledge that life is impermanent bring suffering? Krishnamurti: Right, sir. But it is a fact that life is impermanent, isn't it? Your relations are impermanent, your thoughts are impermanent, your self-fulfilments, your ambitious drive and achievements are impermanent, because there is death. And why should one suffer because of impermanency? The fact is that there is impermanency. It is so. But you don't want to accept that fact, you say, "There must be something permanent". You have a picture of what permanency is, and therefore, when you are faced with impermanency, there is a feeling of despair. You put death, which is the essence of impermanency, in the distance, so there is an interval, a gap between you and that which you call death. Here you are, living every day, carrying on with ... Read Full Story

Young Siddhartha’s Compassion :) Posted by Vinod Eshwer, Feb 20 2018 Recently, I asked my son, Siddhartha, to miss school so he could learn how to make a lake. :) We headed to the farm in our village. We had to walk a lot to the fields and back. On one such walk, Siddhartha saw a farm worker, about to carry three pipes all alone. He asked me to ask the labourer, if he needed any help. I told Siddhartha to check himself. So he quietly walked up to the man, lifted one end of the pipes, placed it on his head and walked all the way to where it was to be unloaded. (A little less than a kilometers maybe) Every morning we have tender coconuts delivered home, which he opens and serves. This morning, he did this:)

KindSpring Weekly: Spotlight On Kindness: Paying It Posted by Ameeta Martin, Feb 20 2018 Latest issue of 'KindSpring Weekly' newsletter is themed Spotlight On Kindness: Paying It Forward. Over and over, we hear how there are no small acts of kindness. I believe there are no small acts of grace either. We are all intertwined with amazing synchronistic beauty. When we allow our hearts to be open to the intricate design, there is nothing to be done, but bow our heads in gratitude and appreciation. Fold our hands and focus on how to pay it forward. -- Mindy

Exactly What Is Needed - Richard's Gift Posted by Anand Gopal, Feb 20 2018 Always a joy to see an email like this go through our screen. (Not sure if you know, but here's a freshly produced list of 100+ interviews!) Thank you, Richard for inspiring all of us!

The Three Pillars Posted by Danny Lopez, Feb 20 2018 “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi My partner Cherie and I recently returned from a retreat in Ahmedabad, India called Gandhi 3.0. This was an international gathering of leaders, activists and change-makers with a focus on connection and gratitude. The retreat is the brainchild of our new friend Nipun Mehta, one of the founders of ServiceSpace, and is based on the simple idea that if diverse people can all hold space with a focus on inner transformation, something may shift in the matrix of our inter-connection and create a field for radically innovative solutions for today’s challenges. We had the fortune of meeting and forging relationships with many incredible individuals from places like India, Nepal, Portugal, Spain, Israel, Dubai, China, Canada and the U.S. Our days were spent in deep dialogue with one another while we visited local sites like ... Read Full Story