Happy Thanksgiving Yogis

This is the time of year many families and friends across North America get together and eat till they sleep.  This is one of the busiest times at American Airports.  Many yogis engage in Pot-lucks at their yoga studios.  Some studios who embrace the practice of yoga with Ahimsa, encourage students to eat vegan/vegetarian Thanksgiving.

For many years I used to volunteer at the Missionaries of Charity in NYC, and the past few years I invited yoga students to join me for serving food on Thanksgiving at the shelter, as it was a bigger event and required more volunteers than weekly meals.

Volunteering at Missionaries of Charity, BX, NYC with some Amazing Yoga Students.

While many people view thanksgiving as a chance to consume ridiculously large amounts of foods that leave us in a food coma, or nothing more than a mass slaughtering of turkeys, or a celebration of the genocide that took place years ago, it still is a HUGE north American Holiday.  Regardless of what we eat, it is important to take the time to reflect & give thanks.  Truly, giving thanks and celebrating our loved ones should be done on a regular basis for an abundant life and not just annually.   Some folks may say I cannot think of things to be thankful for, so perhaps you should start with a list of 5 things.  Sadly our consumer driven society leaves many people in a feeling of "lack" or "dissatisfaction" when we truly have more than most people in other parts of the world.  If only we take a moment to reflect with gratitude, only then will more blessings out pour.

List for ways to make thanksgiving more than just a annual event of eating.

1.  Give thanks at every meal, acknowledging mother nature/God, the hands that made the food, and the people you share the meal with.
2. Adopt a turkey from Farm Sanctuary's Adopt a Turkey Project.
3. Volunteer at a local shelter to give food to people who otherwise would have nothing or donate canned goods.
4. Volunteer at a local hospital or animal shelter.
5. Make your yoga practice, every breath an inhalation of gratitude, every asana an offering of thanks.
6. Keep a daily meditation practice of gratitude
7. Keep a daily journal and list all the blessings in your life.
8. Be Thankful for the people in your life always, and make sure they feel your gratitude and love.
9. Add some detoxification yoga asana and foods to your life, so that you can be kind to your digestive system.
10. Smile and Say Thank at every chance you get!

Wishing you all a wonderful day filled with love, peace, joy and thanksgiving! ~ Namaste

Happy Thanksgiving...

While every day, and every breath is an opportunity to give thanks, today is a national day to give thanks for many Americans. Originally intended to be a chance to celebrate Harvest, it has been adopted as a wonderful opportunity for family & friends to get together and eat. Every year, my tradition has been to volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity, a place where I used to volunteer weekly. It is an organization started by Mother Teresa, continued on by the Brothers, Sisters and Lay people to house and feed the homeless. Since this is the week of my beloved Mother's Birthday, I have spent years volunteering with the Missionaries to celebrate her love, as she was the person who introduced me to the organization. Whatever is your venue to give back, remember each day is a chance to be grateful. The food banks run throughout the year. The words thank you can bring so much joy to another persons life.

The only disagreement I have with this Holiday is of course the massive murdering of the Turkeys. Just wanted to post a note to say thanks. I am filled with tremendous gratitude for all the abundance of love I have received from everyone & everything. Thank you. ~ Om Shanti

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! Although giving thanks should be done everyday, in America we commemorate the day that the first Thanksgiving meal was shared today. We are very fortunate and have much to be thankful for. The aftermath of my recent cold has been my new sultry/congestion voice, and since that was all, I woke up and headed to The Missionaries of Charity in the Bronx. Every year, I like to help out at this wonderful soup kitchen in NYC, because since I was a little girl I have had a fondness to the actual Mission. The Missionaries of Charity was founded by Mother Teresa, and here in NYC they provide food, shelter and hospices to the needy people of the community. The Sisters that run the mission are familiar with me as a volunteer, and remembered that I was in the impromptu play last year, so this year again, I was quickly cast in the new play. Alongside the hidden talent of the people who come to the shelter, myself and two sisters from the Mission put on a new original Thanksgiving play, which echoed the biblical theme of "The Stone that the builders rejected, has become the corner stone". I was cast as a builder, and arranged the stones, which were actually the people who come to the shelter dressed in cardboard boxes. This year, I was amazed to see the new volunteers that came and shared there kindness of heart. The continued generosity of spirit of the Sisters and the Volunteers was enough to find a reasons to give thanks.

I have mentioned this volunteer opportunity to many people, and this year was the first year that another person came along. Special Thanks to Hank, who faithfully attends my 6:30 am yoga class at Bamboomoves! I had mentioned casually what my plans were for Thanksgiving after our Monday morning class, and told Hank to google the Missionaries of Charity, since I didn't have the address on me at the time. When I got off the train this morning, and walked in the direction of the Mission, there was Hank in his car honking and waving. Initially, I waved backed, thinking it was another random person in NYC that likes to honk and wave at female pedestrians, until he rolled down the window and called my name. I was so happy! Often times the men who volunteer wind up lifting the big cooking containers with food, and I was so impressed with how Hank immersed himself into the volunteer experience. While I had fun in the play and doing the clean up. It was so great to have another person I know come along to experience a different type of Thanksgiving! It is great to give thanks, and sometimes when we give, we find more reasons to give thanks! Thanks Hank for sharing your time with the needy people of NYC.

Later, I was able to feast on some yummy vegetarian Indian food with my friends here in NYC. Personally, I have so many things to be thankful for...faith, family, good friends, shelter, music, yoga, food, and as I am typing I realize I could probably go on for hours.....Giving Thanks is awesome! Happy Thanksgiving! ~ Peace & hugs, Ambria

Thanksgiving @ Bamboomoves

Thanksgiving came early at Bamboomoves. This past Sunday, Bamboo had an amazing Thanksgiving party. The menu was pot luck Vegan Yumminess!!! There was so much food that we had left over. While I was suffering with the sniffles, I came for a short while to introduce my friend and talented Indian Flute (Bansuri) player, Eric Fraser. A few people noticed how I had been standing at a distance, and this was unusual, so I signaled to them and whispered with my new found sultry phlegm voice that I have a little cold. The evening began with a packed studio, and the certificates being awarded to the Brave new group of ladies that completed the 21 day health & wellness challenge. These ladies lost weight, look amazing and most importantly feel amazing! We progressed the night with a lovely meditation, and spontaneous sharing of thankfullness, followed by the yummy food, the brilliant bansuri sounds of Eric Fraser and finally a rockin Kirtan. Eric wound up joining the Kirtan to jam. It was a great night, and wonderful to see a family friendly vibe in a growing yoga community! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Pictured on Bottom (Eric Fraser )

Pictured on Top (Kirtan and Eric Fraser)