Care2 Reaches 25 Million Members

Image Source: oneloveorigami.blogspot.ca

Today I became a member of Care2.com and helped them reach 25 million members!

Care2 is "the largest online community for healthy and green living, human rights and animal welfare."

Its free to join, and as a member you earn Butterfly Rewards for commenting on articles, starting and signing petitions, sending free e-cards and more. 

Butterfly Rewards can be redeemed to make a difference in the world by protecting the rainforest, providing food, water, and education for children, protecting wild, shelter and farm animals, and even helping farmers grow food crops and organic cotton!

Here are just a few links to recent articles you yogis and yoginis may find interesting:

The New and Improved Vegetarian and Vegan Food Pyramid

Gender Discrimination and Child Mortality in India

Ayurveda: Oil Pulling Heals Gums and Whitens Teeth Naturally

4 Ways Mindfulness Transforms Your Life

Thanks to Care2 for offering one more way to "Be the change you wish to see in the world." 

White Tara, by Betsy Schott



White Tara by Betsy Schott



Wow!  Check out this gorgeous new painting by my dear friend Betsy Schott!  Jai Betsy!



Natural Beauty: DIY Sugar Scrub

My homemade Vanilla Sugar Face and Body Scrub

Ugh, winter skin.  Need I say more?

You can do something about it without a trip to the beach, the spa, or even the mall. 

Creating and customizing your own Lip, Face and Body Scrub is easy and fun.  The main ingredient?  Sugar! 

Yes!  Sugar (when used externally) is alpha-hydroxy rich which promotes healthy glowing skin. 

Sugar scrubs gently clean and exfoliate, promote healthy circulation, moisturize and soften the skin.  They eliminate the need for separate body wash and moisturizer, and are far less dehydrating than salt scrubs. 

Making your own bath and body products from natural, food-based ingredients means no yucky toxins absorbed into the skin or harming the environment.  You'd be surprised how many commonly used cosmetics you can make at home.  Check out these 15 DIY Beauty Recipes from Food-based Ingredients from Care2. 

This Sugar Scrub is safe for all skin types and gentle enough for use on body, face, and even lips. 

What you need:

1/2 cup sugar.  You can use white sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar, whatever you've got.

2 Tbsp. oil.  My favorite is coconut but any will work.

1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional).

You are welcome to use essential oils instead, but I like to use food grade extracts for this recipe.  For one thing, they're less expensive.  After all, you're just going to rub this on your skin and wash it down the drain.  And second, they're edible.. you know... ummm... just in case a little bit of your sweet, yummy smelling lip scrub accidentally gets past your lips...

What to do:

- Mix the sugar, oil and vanilla together with a fork or your fingers. 

- Put it in a non-breakable container.  (No glass or ceramics in the shower please.) 

- Gently scrub all over wet skin a little bit at a time. 

- Rinse off and pat yourself dry.

This recipe makes enough for two full-body scrubs.  Enjoy!

Grandmothers to Grandmothers

Image Source: Grandmothers to Grandmothers

Sherwood Park Yogini, Candice is about to embark on an amazing trip with the Stephen Lewis Foundation to meet with grassroots community groups who work on the frontlines of the AIDS pandemic in Africa!

As part of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign Candice will see first hand what its like for African Grandmothers who have stepped up to care for millions of orphaned children, sometimes as many as ten to fifteen in one household! 

She will bear witness to the love, courage and resilience that allows these Grandmothers to act as caregivers, leaders and advocates in the survival and education of Africa's children as well as the many challenges they face to do so.

If you, or anyone you know would like to donate Aeroplan points to this worthy cause, it would be much appreciated by Candice, by the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and by our brothers, sisters, grandmothers and grandchildren in Africa.

Candice, best wishes for a healthy, safe,  heart and eye opening journey!  Om Trayambakam!

We look forward to hearing about it when you return!

The Five Bhavas; Expressions of Love

Sanskrit Valentines, Introduction to Sanskrit Workshop

When we think of how we relate to the Divine, most of us in the west think of just one form of love, something akin to the love of a parent or respected authority figure.

In Yoga there are five very distinct ways of embodying and expressing this love.  They are known as the Five Bhavas.

According to Swami Sivananda:



"There are five kinds of Bhava in Bhakti. They are Shanta, Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalya and Madhurya Bhavas. These Bhavas or feelings are natural to human beings and so these are easy to practice. Practice whichever Bhava suits your temperament.

In Shanta Bhava, the devotee is Shanta or peaceful. He does not jump and dance. He is not highly emotional. His heart is filled with love and joy. Bhishma was a Shanta Bhakta.

Sri Hanuman was a Dasya Bhakta. He had Dasya Bhava, servant attitude. He served Lord Rama whole-heartedly. He pleased his Master in all possible ways. He found joy and bliss in the service of his Master.

In Sakhya Bhava, God is a friend of the devotee. Arjuna had this Bhava towards Lord Krishna. The devotee moves with the Lord on equal terms. Arjuna and Krishna used to sit, eat, talk and walk together as intimate friends.

In Vatsalya Bhava, the devotee looks upon God as his child. Yasoda had this Bhava with Lord Krishna. There is no fear in this Bhava, because God is your pet child. The devotee serves, feeds, and looks upon God as a mother does in the case of her child.

The last is Madhurya Bhava or Kanta Bhava. This is the highest form of Bhakti. The devotee regards the Lord as his Lover. This was the relation between Radha and Krishna. This is Atma-Samarpana. The lover and the beloved become one. The devotee and God feel one with each other and still maintain a separateness in order to enjoy the bliss of the play of love between them. This is oneness in separation and separation in oneness."

So, which type of Divine Lover are you?