Hi Everyone,

Well, it’s been a long journey, but we’ve finally arrived. Just before I left for Mexico, I received a letter from the federal government indicating that the Karma Yoga Project has been determined to be a public charity with an effective exemption date of April 16, 2008. What does that mean? Your donations to the Karma Yoga Project are now tax deductible!

So many of you have helped us along the way through your purchases of our products, participation in our yoga workshops, and by making donations–even without the benefit of a tax deduction. And your support over the past couple of years has been greatly appreciated. I know that the world is a different place today–so many people are struggling to make it–even right here in the United States due to the economic challenges we are facing as a country and a planet. There are many wonderful charities out there for you to choose from that are doing amazing things. We are humbled that you have trusted us with your donations in the past and hope that you will continue to support our efforts to make the world a better place for all beings.

I will be returning to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the 4th time on July 14th. I’m looking forward to seeing the kids again, making home visits, and reviewing Beyond the Orphanages’ records to see how each child/adolescent is progressing in school. We do our best to keep our expenses low and I’m so grateful for Brenda and Doug Lyons–a wonderful couple that I met during my 2008 visit to Addis–who are allowing me to once again stay in their home. Their gift will save the Karma Yoga Project about $1,000. So, the total cost of our trip this time will be about $2,200 in airfare and $300-500 in food and taxi expenses during the two week stay.

If you’d like to help us with our expenses for this trip, please click on the donation link. And if you’re interested in helping us through your volunteer efforts, we could really use someone who would be willing to keep us up-to-date with blog and newsletter posts. If you have any other talents that you think might be helpful, just send us an email (donna@practicekindness.com). We’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for sharing our journey with us…

Donna

Hey Beautiful People,

I hope that you’re all well and happy! I just returned from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this past Wednesday and am still soaring from the beautiful energy of the children I visited while there.

This past Sunday, I taught a yoga class to the kids whom I work with who are a part of Beyond the Orphanage and some children from Kiddane Mehret Children’s Home. I think that there were about 55 kids who participated and we practice outside in the beautiful Ethiopian sunshine. March is definitely the time of year to visit Ethiopia. Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, people are smiling.

A few of our BTO kids had experienced a very limited yoga practice with me in July of 2008…the rest of the kids had never tried or even heard of yoga before and were very open to the experience. Hewan, BTO social worker, helped with translating for me at the beginning so that I could tell the kids a little bit about yoga–being in the present moment, breathing in and out through the nose, and not worrying about what you can and can’t do. After that, we just practiced–sharing the beauty of movement, breath, and sunshine together. Since we didn’t have mats, I had to modify our practice a bit–but yoga does transcend all barriers and it was a fun, fulfilling practice I believe for all of us. The kids were smiling and laughing and I think that I enjoyed teaching this class more than any other class I’ve taught over the past seven or eight years.

Take a look at the beautiful pictures and I think that you will see that our practice transcended all and united the beauty of our souls as One.

Wishing you love and sunshine…

Donna

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Just wanted to let you know that I’ll be teaching a Flow/Yin Mix at the Lululemon at the Borgata this Saturday, January 30th, from 9:00-10:00. I’ll first share a bit about the Karma Yoga Project and then lead you into an amazing practice! Be ready to open your heart and your hips!

Namaste,

Donna

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know that the Hearts for Haiti yoga event has been cancelled due to heavy rains and flooding. You can still donate to the Red Cross texting the word Haiti to 90999 and then confirming with a yes when they text you. You can also donate online to www.chances4children.org.

With love and appreciation for your thoughtfulness,

Donna

Hi Everyone,

If I could be in Haiti right now assisting in the volunteer efforts I would be. But since I’m here, I will be joining some Anusara friends for an evening of fundraising and heart opening for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. The Hearts for Haiti yoga practice is this Thursday in Carefree, Arizona. It’s only about 20 minutes or so from the Scottsdale and Shea area so please don’t think it’s too far.  Here’s the schedule and how your support will help those suffering in Haiti:

How you can help: Your donation will help supply food for an orphanage in Haiti or funds to the Red Cross. Craig Juntunen, author of “Both Ends Burning,” resides in Pinnacle Peak and operates an orphanage in Haiti. He and his wife have adopted 3 Haitian children. He reports that there is only a week’s supply of food left for the children who live in his orphanage. Through this event, we can help send food to these children or assist the Red Cross with their efforts in Haiti.

When: Thursday, January 21st 5:00-8:30 pm

Where: Spirit in the Desert – 7415 East Elbow Bend Rd., Carefree, AZ 85377 480-488-5218

How you can help: Come join in by collectively sending loving and healing energy to Haiti. Bring your mat if you are doing yoga. Some mats will be available. *Make a donation by check to Chances for Children or the Red Cross.

Schedule of Events:

5-6pm – Anusara Yoga – Denise Hatch, Debbie Payne, and Carolyn Pelletier will lead a heart opening one hour Anusara yoga class to connect to the hearts of Haiti and to send healing heart energy.

5-6pm – Kids Yoga – Bobbi Hamilton and Andia Pizzato will teach a one hour kids yoga class for children to connect heart-to-heart

6-6:20pm – Meditation – A 20 minute meditation to send strength, peace and healing to Haiti

6:30-7pm – The Hearts Way – Free presentation by Dr. Sharon Lamm-Hartman, author of “Discovering Your Passionate Calling in 9 Weeks.”

6:30-8:30pm – Wine Tasting and Cheese Platters

If you can’t make the practice, please text 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross. All you have to do is text the word Haiti. They will require that you reply to their text with a Yes and your cell phone bill will be charged $10.00. It can’t get any easier than that. And no matter how difficult your life is, you can afford $10 and it will save a life.

Please comment on this post and let us know how your sharing love and compassion with our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

Sending you love and blessings for your love and compassion,

Donna

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year!

Have you ever noticed that every day and every moment, you’re surrounded by the Divine? OK, don’t freak out! You can replace “Divine” with whatever feels comfortable for you! But for me, the Divine is the Universal Spark of Illumination in absolutely everything–you, me, your cat or dog, your best friend or biggest challenge, the mountains, a flower, water, air. I could keep going and going.

I hope that today, you will take a moment first with yourself–and then with someone or something else–and realize how you are supported and loved–and even taught challenging lessons by the Universal spark of Illumination in your life.  Here’s an example: the other day, my friend Greg, told me that he had just planted 49 fruit trees (http://yourguidetogreen.com/TheUrbanFarm/). I was so excited…what a great example of the Divine he is! He just helped bring fruit and oxygen into our community. And then I think of my friend Ethan’s cat, who greets me at my door every morning with a purr. And all of my Goddess girlfriends who listen when I need to talk and who make me laugh when I’m too serious. I’ve been having difficulty with insomnia and the other day, Alicia, who’s also having some trouble with sleeplessness, posted on my FB wall that she was taking a sleep break and wondered if I was up too! Instead of feeling frustrated about not sleeping, I was laughing at her interpretation of insomnia.

I’m also seeing the Divine in all of the people trying so hard to help the people in Haiti–yoga workshops to raise money and send healing thoughts–organizations going there and doing their best to rescue people from collapsed buildings, providing medical treatment for the injured, and providing water, food and hope. Please send some love to all beings in Haiti…the helpers and those who need help. And if you can, please send some money through UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/haiti_52480.html) or the Red Cross (http://redcross.org). They will do amazing things–even with just a few dollars!

Gratitude is flowing from my heart to all of you as I think of how you’re making the world a better place every day–as I think about how we can be perfect in our imperfection when we let that Spark of Illumination shine through us.

With love and gratitude for all of our perfect imperfection…Shine On!

Donna

“Hello World!”  is the perfect greeting for my first official blog for the Karma Yoga Project as we have changed our path and are now a nonprofit corporation. The last time I blogged, I had just visited New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, and Ethiopia and the Karma Yoga Project is destined to be global after my 2008 experience in Ethiopia. I worked with some amazing people and met some fantastic preteens and teens and now I believe that our paths were meant to cross and we will share our futures and our dreams to make the world a better place for all beings.

I hope that you will be inspired by future posts and that you will join us in making our world a better place for all beings.

May your path be filled with flowers,

Donna