cartoon by R. Sikorlyk
By doing selfless service you purify your heart.
Egoism, hatred, jealousy, ideas of superiority and all the kindred negative qualities will vanish.
You will develop humility, pure love, sympathy, tolerance and mercy.
Sense of separateness will be annihilated. Selfishness will be eradicated.
You will get a broad and liberal outlook on life.
- Swami Sivananda
Karma Yoga is the Yoga of selfless service.
It is loving worship or action performed without expectation of a reward.
I am inspired by the following projects, their founders,
and their shining examples of Karma Yoga:
One!International is a grass-roots non-profit poverty relief organization started right here at home in Sherwood Park by Tania Spilchen.
Tania has spent the last ten years living in Mumbai, India, working in slum communities bringing health, hope and education to severely disadvantaged children and their families.
I am proud to be a part of One!'s efforts to empower and encourage these beautiful people and to help them break the cycle of poverty in this lifetime.
This is a fun and educational website for all ages, sponsored by the United Nations World Food Program. Feed your mind while you feed hungry bellies!
Help donate A MILLION GRAINS OF RICE
by joining our freerice.com group: Kali's Kitchen
This project guided by Geshe Michael Roach is dedicated to locating, cataloging, digitally preserving, and sharing rapidly disappearing Sanskrit and Tibetan manuscripts which hold the philosophical, cultural and religious heritage of endangered cultures dating back more than 2000 years.
They are also a not-for-profit educational organization educating and employing Tibetan Refugees.
Participating in the Karma Yoga Program at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas (or any of the Sivananda Ashram locations) is the chance of a lifetime to live the yogic lifestyle in an authentic monastic ashram environment along with other aspirants and help to provide a place of respite and retreat for others. Learn from exceptional teachers and guest speakers, and make life-long spiritual friends and memories!
"For me, the Yoga Retreat is a refuge – I am inspired by the wise and generous teachers, by the profound and practical teachings and by the diverse community that unites here. Karma yoga is a chance to immerse myself in this refuge and to help offer it to others."
- Tara, Canada
Simple living and high thinking is the Yogis' motto. Consider making space in your home and your life by donating your surplus housewares, children's items and clothing to others who can really use them. Think of buying second hand as the "Green Yogi's" eco-friendly alternative to rampant consumerism. You can even save enough on that pair of jeans, purse or paperback to donate to the other causes above!
Patanjali Maharishi says, "Santosha (contentment) is the key to happiness."
Lama Marut says, "The mantra for contentment is: Om I have enough, ah hum."
