Notable, effective
and trustworthy charities to donate energy of any kind to:
F.O.T.S.I.--FRIENDS
OF TIBETAN SETTLEMENTS IN INDIA
For several years I was facilitating a benefit Yoga workshop on a Saturday in Santa
Cruz for this agency, a practice for a good cause! FOTSI exists to
help the Tibetan monks, nuns and laypeople who come to India for asylum
with nothing and endure many health and psychological
complications resulting from crossing the Himalayas, climactic/ environmental
adjustments to India, and in some cases surviving imprisonment by the
Chinese government. This wide-ranging effort is spearheaded by one incredible
woman from Boulder, Colorado who donates 100% of what you send to Tibetan
settlements in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, and elsewhere in India.
She is a great example of the truth that one person (with a full-time
job and family life to boot) CAN make a difference. http://kunasz.com/TSI/TSI.html
AMMACHI'S
CHARITABLE WORKS Amma's service to humanity is always
generously meted out with care for what is needed on a most immediate
level by the people. (I guess this is why we get Her Divine hugs too!)
Recent efforts made by the community around Amma and Amma Herself concern
tsunami relief -- Her home state, Kerala, was hit hard last year by
the tsunami and the effort to sustain life and rebuild homes for those
affected must continue. She has also pledged money for aid for victims
of Hurricane Katrina here in the United States. Other activities which
have continued prior to and throughout the advent of these recent natural
disasters include free homes for widowed women, schools, hospitals,
and free homes for poor people of South India. www.amma.org
TONG-LEN
A charity in McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh, India started by a Tibetan
monk to help homeless tribal Indian people, who are neglected by their
own government and are even poorer than the Tibetan refugees currently
living without any outside assistance in India. This organization is
giving free education to children (who would be often turned out in
the streets to beg, rather than study), food, clothing and job training
for Indian families. www.tong-len.org
SRI
RAMA ASHRAM of Baba Hari Dass, which facilitates an
orphanage, school, and medical facilities for parentless/ homeless children
up to 17 years of age. Anything that you buy from Gateways Bookshop
in Santa Cruz, or any Yoga programs that you attend at the Mount
Madonna Center also benefit this project, after costs are covered.
www.sriramfoundation.org
ONE
WORLD CHILDREN'S FUND started by Shanti of Santa Cruz,
an ever expanding outreach for children in India and Africa providing
for their most basic needs for health and for education (also a basic
need!) www.owcf.org
Recommended books
and online writings:
Patanjali Yoga Sutras
I love the translation from my teacher Kofi Busia (translation is available
for printing FREE at kofibusia.com).
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
translated by Baba Hari Dass.
Yoga: the Discipline
of Freedom by Barbara Stoller (no Sanskrit, a commentary in
English only)
Light on Yoga
(photos, how-to and why-to-do the asanas, philosophy, mythology and
much more here) Light on Yoga Sutras (complete translation
and commentary), Light on Pranayama by BKS Iyengar.
Indispensable nourishment for the sincere Yogi or Yogini who wishes
to learn more about the classical Yoga practice from a poetic and pragmatic
elder considered one of the greatest modern influences, after his own
Guru Sri T. Krishnamacharya, on the transmission of Yoga in the East
and West.
Shambhala: the Sacred
Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Tibetan buddhist
teachings integrated with elements of shamanism and a radical vision
of non-duality as the Warrior path.
Women of Wisdom
by Tsultrim Allione. A rare collection of life stories of master Tibetan
Yoginis , finally giving their place and role in Tibetan Buddhism a
voice through their beautiful biographies, collected by Tsultrim from
Tibetan teachers.
Black Elk Speaks
by John Neihardt. The oral autobiography of Nicholas Black Elk, a holy
man of the Oglala Sioux, who was alive in the late 1800's and survived
the rapid degeneration of the way of life brought by whites upon his
people and land, that of present-day South Dakota.
Awakening Osiris
by Normandi Ellis. A deeply poetical translation/interpretation
of the Egyptian Book of Coming Forth by Day (Book of the Dead).
Heart of the Fire
by Cerridwen Fallingstar. An account of the effects of the Inquisition
in 17th century Scotland on women healers
Mists of Avalon
by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
The Camelot cycle and predating look at old Europe's tribal culture
of the Goddess through the perspective of the women characters.
Critical Path
by Buckminster Fuller. Where physics, technology and ecology may meet,
by necessity if not by our popular convention....
Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
by disciple "M". A rich and precious volume full
of wisdom teachings and life story of this extraordinary Sage and devotee
of the Divine Mother Kali.
Massage
Therapists/ Healers for Santa Cruz Area
(if you're in pain,
or, shall we put it, "in wellness transition"
these people will be of great help!!)
Massage
Therapy: Dana
Gorath, CMTdanagorath.com
cell: 831 588-7132
Acupuncture/Herbal
Medicine:
Mariposa Bernstein, Lac., DAOM Metamorphosis Acupuncture 831 462-6482 Mehndi
(Henna) for Healing and Ceremony: Rica de la Luz sacredmudhenna.com
Sacred Mud Studios 831 457-2098
Physical Therapy and Pilates Sherri Betz, PT ~ Therapilates
Studio (founder) 831-476-3100
Yoga
Related Resources
International Tours/
Yoga Journeys
Yoga Journey to Southern
Greece:
Crete & Santorini (annual in summer) with Phoenix
Yoga Journey to North
India (request dates) with
Phoenix
Yoga and Indigenous Traditions:Tulum,
Mexico(Jan. 2011)
with Phoenix and local Mayan teachers
