Sangha of Auspicious Companions

May 19, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

To Serve With Love

“A tug at my dress. I look down. There is Meena. All of six. We have just met. “Akka (sister), you must eat in our house tonight,” she says. A sweet spontaneous invitation, and an offer I can’t refuse. Meena and the others emerge with enormous vessels (or perhaps they only seemed enormous because the bearers are so small). I am served with rice, vegetables, and curry — and love. Such love. It’s a love that will surprise you everywhere at Reaching the Unreached, a not-for-profit started in an Indian village by Brother James Kimpton. It is difficult to describe his work. It encompasses so much and so many. Among other things, he digs wells, runs schools, dresses wounds, rescues orphans, and feeds the hungry. There are entire villages that exist and generations of children who are because of this man’s heart.” This profile shares further. { read more }

Be The Change

Find a situation today to practice serving with love.

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May 18, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

The Impossible Floating Village Football Team

This is the true story of a football team that lived on a little island in the south of Thailand called Koh Panyee — a floating village in the middle of the sea that does not have an inch of soil. The kids that lived there loved to watch football on TV, and really wanted to play for themselves. Watch this stunning short film on how they used innovative thinking, hard work, and determination to make their dream come true. { read more }

Be The Change

“Maybe part of the problem is we don’t prompt ourselves enough towards faith in the preposterous.” So shares this reflection on being ‘Practically Preposterous.’ { more }

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May 17, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Emotional Lives of Animals

It won’t surprise pet owners, but now, scientific research also shows that many animals are intelligent, and even have some abilities that dwarf ours. Dogs are able to detect diseases such as cancer and diabetes and warn humans of impending heart attacks and strokes. Elephants, whales, hippopotamuses, giraffes, and alligators use low-frequency sounds to communicate over long distances. Many animals also display wide-ranging emotions, including joy, happiness, empathy, compassion, grief, and even resentment and embarrassment. It’s not surprising that animals — especially, but not only, mammals — share many emotions with us, since we also share brain structures that are the seat of our emotions. { read more }

Be The Change

Take 10 minutes to observe birds live their lives; look up and call your local animal shelter to express your gratitude and to find out how you can support them.

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May 16, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Genius of the Fold

People who think of origami as simple paper playthings may be surprised to know of a professional origami artist, much less one who’s a Caltech physicist. Robert Lang walked away from a successful career in lasers and opto-electronics to fold paper full time. Now widely regarded as a legend in the field, Lang has published more than 500 original origami designs, with some of his work exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He also pioneered the use of math and computer science to design origami models so complex and intricate, that it seems almost inconceivable that they were once a humble square of paper. And Lang has actually fused this mind-bending artistry and scientific bent, helping researchers fold a football-field-sized telescope lens into a compact package that could be launched into space. { read more }

Submitted by: N. Verma

Be The Change

“Paper Cranes for Japan” resulted in a million paper cranes being sent from around the world, raising $500K for post-tsunami relief. From a participant: { more }

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May 15, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

10 Keys to Happier Living

Happiness matters to all of us. And by focusing our time and energy on things that have been shown to consistently bring happiness, each of us can live rich, rewarding lives. The recently launched project, Action for Happiness, has identified practical actions that anyone can take in their everyday lives — not only to help boost their own happiness but also to contribute to building better, more positive environments in their families, relationships, workplaces and communities. { read more }

Be The Change

Experiment this week with some of their 10 Keys to Happier Living. { more }

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May 14, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

The Man Who Stopped A Nuclear War

Ever heard of Stanislav Petrov? Probably not, even though he saved the world as we know it. Petrov, a former member of the Soviet military, didn’t actually do anything, but that was precisely the point. In 1983, Petrov held a very important station: as lieutenant colonel, he was in charge of monitoring the Soviet Union’s satellites over the United States, and watching for any sign of unauthorized military action. This was the Cold War era, and suspicions were high. When an alarm announced that the US had launched missiles their way, Petrov could have pushed the red button to start a full-scale nuclear war. Luckily, he didn’t, saying to the Washington Post, “I had a funny feeling in my gut.” { read more }

Be The Change

The next time you are about to make a decision with major impact, check in with your gut feeling.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 106,288 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

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May 13, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Homeless Man Bails out Banker

A year ago, everything was going right for her: a good job at a bank in the suburbs and a safe home. But last year, she lost that — and with her 10-year-old, had to move into a truck. Police threatened to take away her son until she found a safer alternative, so she moved into a hotel for a few nights to sort things out. That’s when her angel showed up. A man named Curtis Jackson paid her hotel bill day after day, everyday. It turns out that Curtis isn’t a big shot. He himself is homeless. But while on the street, he had always been treated by her with dignity and kindness; so in her time of need, he started raising money for her by panhandling on the streets — $9,000 since December. { read more }

Be The Change

Think of someone who has treated you with kindness in the past, and see if you can honor that in any way, big or small.

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May 12, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Leadership Lessons from Everyday Life

“Leadership is a capability that each of us has within us. It is formed as we take on the opportunities and challenges of everyday life, and it is measured by our successes and failures. It is my belief and experience that the leadership lessons we learn in our everyday lives can and should be carried with us into our work environments, and that they can help us become better leaders of our people. As I have reflected on leadership over the years based on my own experiences across several countries and continents, I have been inspired by people everywhere, irrespective of their country or their socioeconomic status, who exemplify the true qualities of leadership. And they do so by the strength of their character and their authenticity — by the way they live their lives every day.” { read more }

Be The Change

Explore deepening your own authenticity through everyday experiences today.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 106,233 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other CharityFocus projects include:

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