All we have to do is see eachother in everyone else.

For every act of evil there are a million acts of kindness...

Do you volunteer?

Do you volunteer? Over the holiday season or throughout the year?

Pretty much everywhere you go this time of year you can see people giving of their most valuable commodity. Time.

Speaking as somebody who has volunteered pretty much my whole life I can tell you that everybody wins. Not only the person/people you are giving the time to, but you too benefit. Hugely. I'm not exaggerating in saying that it might just be one of the most valuable experiences of your life.

If you give of yourself, good on ya!

And if you don't you should do yourself and the folks in your community a favour by giving of yourself. There is only one you. And the world needs us! All of us.

We all have causes we believe in and topics that interest us. And we all have skills and ways of helping unique to us. Everyone can benefit! I almost feel guilty volunteering. Nothing makes you feel better! It adds such a richness to your life. I believe it releases endorphins too. And from a karmic stand point you can't go wrong. We will all need help in this life and thats a fact. So why not help?

I have an array of organizations I love to help but the two biggest are The Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada (website here), including their BrainWAVE Program ( website here), and the one and only Shanti Uganda Society (website here). *Both of which are always looking for volunteers!

If you ever had any questions for me or wanted to be pointed in the right direction feel free to contact me, anytime at yoginilori@gmail.com I'd really love to help you get started. You will not regret it!

Happy holidays and namaste xo

Resisting change. The ego mind.

Ever get scared? Bitter? (Pissed off even) hahaa..I do.

We all do, lets face it. We're human.

Everyday isn't rainbows and lolli-pops and unicorns. If it was how would we grow?

For me it's generally because I am trying to resist change at some level. It me wishing things were different than they are...people's behavior, situations..

It's me wanting to control something that I have absolutely no control over. Thats the ego mind.

The truth is that we only have control over our words, our thoughts and our physical actions.We can influence other people and situations at times but we can't control people or events.

What do you do when you feel that tightness in your jaw, that knot in your stomach?

I had a situation this morning that left me feeling completely invalidated. It happens.

Very rarely thankfully, but it does happen.

I sat with it, I felt it, I meditated on it, breathed into it, accepted it and then...

I let it go.

What do you do with those raw feelings?

Rumi. so timeless.

THE GUEST HOUSE

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

-- Jelaluddin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks