Each month, I donate all my proceeds from teaching yoga to a different charity, and throughout the classes I'll be talking a bit about the good works that organization is doing.
This will accomplish a couple of things....Firstly, all the students coming to class will, by default, be donating towards that charity, so coming to class will be an act of generosity to oneself and to others! This is exactly in line with the Jivamukti ethos of serving all living beings ~
lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu ~
Secondly, this will be a great way to learn about the important work being done by nonprofits and volunteer organizations worldwide. Perhaps this might even inspire some to look into certain causes and issues more deeply.
Thirdly, this gesture is my response to the inspiration I felt by Peter Singer's
The Life You Can Save. The book's message is that our current response to world poverty is not only insufficient but ethically indefensible. He argues that we need to change our views of what is involved in living an ethical life. To help us play our part in bringing about that change, we need to dedicate ourselves to personal philanthropy (figuring how much to give and how best to give it), local activism (spreading the word in your community), and political awareness (contacting your representatives to ensure that your nation’s foreign aid is really directed to the world’s poorest people).
So join me in becoming part of the solution in 2011!
Monthly Charities
January 2011: Yoga Prison Project
February 2011: Friends of Ramana's Garden, Inc.
March 2011: Women for Women International
Monthly Charities
