| One common thread among all Yoga practitioners is | | | | realistically afford to share. |
| the desire to make the world around them a better | | | | Some people say, "I will give some day, when I have |
| place to live on all levels. Many Yoga teachers | | | | enough money." This is a conditional relationship |
| volunteer community time in selfless service or | | | | toward humanity. Imagine placing this condition on |
| contribute to local charities. | | | | friendship: "I will be your friend, but you must make |
| Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi once said, "We must | | | | the first move." If all of us thought this way, we |
| be the change we wish to see." What are the | | | | would have no friends, and it would be a very hostile |
| deeper implications and universal meanings of these | | | | world. |
| words? You could spend years analyzing the words | | | | Luckily, most people are inherently good, but cruelty |
| of Mahatma Gandhi. In a Yoga class, he is often | | | | always makes the headlines of newspapers, radio, |
| mentioned as the "shining example" of a Karma Yogi. | | | | television, and the Internet. Be careful not to be |
| Now let's reflect on his inspiring words and apply | | | | swept up in a polarization of issues, when you watch |
| them to the present. We live at a time when change | | | | the news. Life is not so clear that we can define it |
| must be accepted, but some of us resist change, | | | | simply as a struggle between good and evil. |
| even in the face of disaster. | | | | Sometimes, good people fight each other on the |
| As one example: Look at the lack of human action, | | | | battlefield, because they have been polarized into a |
| with the inevitable consequences of global warming | | | | conflict based on an idea, philosophy, or dogma, |
| right in our path. We cannot leave the responsibility | | | | which defines the other side as less than human or |
| of changing our planet up to governments, corporate | | | | inferior. |
| empires, or somebody else. | | | | When you listen to a story about a conflict of any |
| Global warming, tolerance, poverty, world peace, and | | | | kind, do not be in a hurry to judge, pick sides, or |
| hunger concern all of us, but we have to focus on | | | | jump to conclusions. When you choose a charity, to |
| these issues at the "grass roots" level, for change to | | | | help or support, make sure it does contribute to the |
| happen. One person alone cannot make a significant | | | | common good of humanity. |
| impact on these problems, but a collective human | | | | One of the changes we wish to see is a better |
| intelligence, in the form of a charitable organization, | | | | world for our children and grandchildren. Yoga, and |
| can make huge progress. | | | | Yoga meditation, develop steadiness of mind, which |
| Therefore, seek out a charity, which contributes to | | | | will result in seeing clearly under stressful conditions. |
| the benefit of humanity, animals, or the planet. You | | | | Perhaps, the knowledge of Yoga, the positive results |
| do not have to give money, when you have none, | | | | it brings, and its growth, on a global scale, is the most |
| but you can volunteer your services. When it comes | | | | important change we have seen because Yoga can |
| to giving to charity, you give only what you can | | | | create a better world for our descendants. |