Sangha of Auspicious Companions

August 9, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

The 3 Stages of Generosity

How do you think about generosity? In this recent TEDx Talk, Nipun Mehta shares his experiences with generosity, broken down into three stages: Give, Receive, and Dance! When you give, you find that the compassion felt around you is contagious and it, in turn, creates a community. When you receive, you discover abundance, you realize generosity exists in so many different ways. And finally, when you dance, you give and receive with a natural rhythm, helping to create communities where generosity becomes the organizing principle. Then, giving becomes contagious. { read more }

Be The Change

Give, Receive, Dance!

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August 8, 2011

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Going Beyond Profit

The simple for-profit model that has guided business practice in the past appears to be shifting towards a new paradigm. Profitability is important, but only when it serves the more fundamental goal of creating value for others through our gifts. And when a company’s strategy loses touch with this key principle, the potential for true value-creation is also lost. In this article, Decision Analyst Somik Raha also shifts the plane of inquiry to the personal level: “Are profits what motivate us to share our gifts?” The response he receives, “No! More and more, I find that those of us who wish to create value are already in the beyond-profit mindset, driven by a strong motivation of service through a channeling of our greatest creative gifts.” { read more }

Be The Change

Author Lynne Twist explores the soul of money in this short passage. { more }

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August 7, 2011

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Sister Cyril’s Compassionate Vision

As principal of Loreto School in Calcutta, Irish Catholic nun Sister Cyril has worked some real-world miracles. Her school serves 1500 female students, of which 721 are so poor that they need food, medicines, and even money to meet the rent. By bringing children together like this, she is showing a way for middle class schools to integrate the poor living around them into their educational mainstream, to their mutual benefit. “The ripple effect” she’s demonstrating — founded on the belief that everyone receives to give — has helped to transform the school into a center for community development, one that is diverse academically, financially, culturally and even religiously. In 2007, Sister Cyril was awarded the Padmashri, one of India’s most prestigious awards, for having served over 450,000 street children. { read more }

Be The Change

Consider the ways in which you have received from others, and then reach out to help someone in need today.

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August 6, 2011

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The ‘Before I Die’ Project

Artist Candy Chang had an idea to turn an abandoned property in New Orleans into a sort of collective performance art piece in which all are invited to participate, simply by declaring what is important to them. Participants are invited to complete the sentence “Before I die I want to …” Chang has provided chalk, a large-scale blackboard, and the necessary permits. A thought-provoking piece of public art. { read more }

Be The Change

One thing worth taking seriously is the question: Before I die I want to … ? Reflect with others here. { more }

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August 5, 2011

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Alone But Not Lonely

An emerging body of research is suggesting that spending time alone can be good for us. Just as regular exercise and healthy eating make our minds and bodies work better, solitude, experts say, so can being alone. Sherry Turkle, director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self, makes the case for people to mindfully set aside time everyday when they are not engaged in so-called “social snacking” activities like texting, g-chatting, and talking on the phone. “People make this error, thinking that being alone means being lonely, and not being alone means being with other people,” John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago said. “You need to be able to recharge on your own sometimes. Part of being able to connect is being available to other people, and no one can do that without a break.” { read more }

Be The Change

Try spending some time alone today — without any “social snacking” 🙂

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August 4, 2011

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Kind Kids

Every parent wants to raise a kind, helpful child. But how? A recent study in Germany suggests that it might be easier than we think. According to the study’s authors, humans have a strong predisposition toward altruism, evident from the time they’re toddlers. The researchers found that it was surprisingly simple to motivate young kids to act on their altruistic instincts. When toddlers were subtly exposed to a simple background image of dolls facing each other, they became three times more likely to help someone in need. This article from Greater Good magazine explains further, offering grounds for optimism to anyone encouraging kids to be kind. { read more }

Submitted by: Greater Good

Be The Change

Model kindness and connection around kids — and see how subtle cues can make a big impact.

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August 3, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Ways to Connect More Deeply

“Make Crows Feet. Use the Right Words. Perfect Your Handshake. Dress for a Tie. Get Close. Don’t Impose Your Values. Accept Others. Pursue and Project Your Passions. Find Shared Passions. Default to Yes.” In this compelling infographic, former chief evangelist of Apple, Guy Kawasaki, further details his advice for increasing likability. Or put another way, simply connecting more deeply. { read more }

Be The Change

Share your own tips for connecting more deeply with other readers here. { more }

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