Sangha of Auspicious Companions

October 26, 2016

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The Winter Pilgrim

In October 2007, Ann Sieben, a native of Denver, Colorado and a nuclear engineer by profession, was waiting for a work permit in Spain that never came through. Instead of looking for other work, she decided to walk on foot along an ancient pilgrimage path known as the Camino de Santiago. Later, in December of that year, she walked over 2100 kilometers from Canterbury to Rome. The following winter, she did it again — this time from Germany to Spain, and the year after, she walked over 4400 kilometers from Ukraine to Greece. Known as the “winter piligrim,” Sieben has journeyed on foot across 44 countries over 40,000 kilometers along paths walked by seekers and pilgrims from years ago — and she doesn’t carry any money, camera, or phone. In this inspiring conversation (transcribed and recorded) touching on multiple themes, Ann shares nuggets of deep wisdom and practical insights from her journey as a pilgrim, in which she evolved from being a touristic pilgrim to a spiritual pilgrim to a servant pilgrim. { read more }

Be The Change

Take a moment today to bring the attitude of a pilgrim to something you would routinely do. For inspiration, read: { more }

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October 25, 2016

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United Nations: A Meditation for Peace

October 24th is United Nations Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Charter in 1945. For 71 years, the United Nations has been working to maintain international peace and security, promote sustainable development, protect human rights, uphold international law, and deliver humanitarian aid. Spiritual leaders can also be found on the front lines of peace, and they are naturally tied to the U.N. by their common goals. Brother David Steindl-Rast is a Benedictine monk and author known for his contributions to the interfaith dialogue and for being a proponent of the transformative power of gratefulness. From his archives comes this powerful, poetic meditation delivered at a previous U.N. anniversary gathering. It is an homage to all activists before us, an observance of our commonality, and a call to action to stand up for peace — something the world still needs today. { read more }

Be The Change

Learn about a different culture through their food, art, or music. Visit a museum, try cuisine from a different country, or download different tunes.

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October 24, 2016

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Barefoot Skateboarders of Janwar

India’s largest skateboarding park isn’t in a big city, it’s in a small village in Madhya Pradesh. A sport which has long been identified with urban neighborhoods across the world, is being used in a village in central India as a trigger for social change. Ulrike Reinhard, a German national, established a skate park in Janwar, Madhya Pradesh in a region notorious for being one of the most socially and economically backward areas of the country. Untouchability, gender inequality, illiteracy, and alcoholism are rampant here. Through the voices of Reinhart and the children of the village, the film documents how the skate park is gradually changing the social fabric of the village and addressing some of its most deep rooted issues. { read more }

Be The Change

Support programs in your area that engage and empower youth.

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In Other News

• KarmaTube Video: Barefoot Skateboarders of Janwar
• DailyGood: Two Words That Can Change a Life
• Awakin Reading: Destiny is Within Us

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October 23, 2016

Small Acts of Kindness

Featured Kindness Stories

	Zulu greeting recognizes each individual and the light within them.
	A stranger’s look provoked pain and confusion but taught a lesson in judgment.
	A teen’s compassionate app helps bullied kids find kids to eat lunch with.

Idea of the Week

October 23, 2016

a project of ServiceSpace

Mary Oliver on the Third Self

“Mary Oliver sets out to excavate the building blocks of the self in order to understand its parallel capacities for focused creative flow and merciless interruption. She identifies three primary selves that she inhabits, and that inhabit her, as they do all of us: the childhood self, which we spend our lives trying to weave into the continuity of our personal identity; the social self, “fettered to a thousand notions of obligation”; and a third self, a sort of otherworldly awareness.The first two selves, she argues, inhabit the ordinary world and are present in all people; the third is of a different order and comes most easily alive in artists — it is where the wellspring of creative energy resides.” And it is to the third self that the artist must remain true: “My loyalty is to the inner vision, whenever and howsoever it may arrive.” { read more }

Be The Change

Set aside some time, unplugged and uninterrupted, to nurture your third self and awaken your creativity.

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October 22, 2016

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How to Awaken Joy in Kids

In an effort to help young kids to not only cope, but to actually thrive in the stress-filled worlds they live in, authors James Baraz and Michele Lilyanna outline several scientific-based practices that they have cultivated through their experiences as teachers of both children and adults. { read more }

Be The Change

Experiment with using the practices in the article when interacting with children in your own life.

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October 21, 2016

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Two Words That Can Change a Life

“”As I walked into the parking lot, I spotted the woman returning her shopping cart, and I remembered something in my purse that could help her in a different but hopefully profound way. It wasn’t a handful of cash or a lead on a job for her husband, but maybe — just maybe — it would make her life better. My heart pounded as I approached the woman. “Excuse me,” I said, my voice trembling a bit. “I couldn’t help overhearing what you said to the cashier. It sounds like you’re going through a really hard time right now. I’m so sorry. I’d like to give you something.” And I handed her a business-sized card. When the woman read the card’s only two words, she began to cry. And through her tears, she said, “You have no idea how much this means to me.”” Cheryl Rice shares more in this piece about the two simple words that touched her life and then rippled out to touch many others. { read more }

Be The Change

Today, take time to share a few kind words with someone. You never know just how much they might need it.

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Barefoot Skateboarders of Janwar

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October 20, 2016

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Why We Shut People Out, and What to Do Instead

Why do we often see the world as “us” vs. “them”? And though it helps quiet our fears, what should we do about this unhelpful, often-damaging instinct? Harvard Psychiatrist and Zen priest Robert Waldinger, director of the longest study on health and happiness, explains why we are natural wall-builders, but actually less safe when we label people instead of relating to them. Read on for useful wall-breaking advice. { read more }

Be The Change

As you meet with friends or strangers today, note any tendency in yourself to create a barrier. Embrace your inner wall-builder, then find a way to get to know them better.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 240,656 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

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