New Years Thanks....

“Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows.”
~Moliere

May I take this moment to Thank all of those who stepped forward and donated to "Practice for the children Pendant" charity for the children of Operation Shanti this year. We will continue on into the New Year in hopes of raising even more money for the children..
that their New Year will be as hopeful and as rich as all of ours.

We have raised $2080.00 and sold 115 pendants this year!
A dream come true for me...
as I aimed high, but this was so much higher than I even imagined!

I have more pendants en route to my home...
so if you would like one, just click on the "Pendant" button to the right and it will take you directly to Paypal where for $34.00 I will ship anywhere in the world!

Here are some of the places they have gone...
Florida, Chicago, Alabama, Australia, Canada, Kuala Lumpur, India, Rhode Island, Oregon, Maryland, Colorado, Texas, Washington, Utah, Wisconsin, United Kingdom, Hawaii, Ireland, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden, Germany, Costa Rica, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Japan (LOTS to Japan!!) New York, New Jersey, and Many to California!!

They are covering the globe~ and it is just so amazing and exciting~
so again I Thank You All~
May your New Year be Blessed and your Hearts be Peaceful

Lights at Karunya Mane..and.....

the kids got some Christmas Lights this year at Karunya Mane!!!
It looks so Magical...I can only imagine how they must sit at night out side and look at the lights and savor them..how special and wonderful!

I have some GREAT news!!
On this very special eve of Christmas~~~
we had another Big order from Shiho in Japan!! She has been a Huge supporter of the "Practice for the children Pendants" and she got another TEN!!!
We have hit 111 "Practice for the children Pendants"~~~~and we have raised...are you ready...??? $2020.00 for the children of Operation Shanti!!!!
All in Three small months~~~~
The wonder of it all~~wow~~~the wonder of it all...

May you have a Blessed Christmas Day.
I know I feel blessed..so deeply blessed.

Namaste~

Christmas in India!

Christmas at Karunya Mane!
Oh..how I wish I were there to help....

Merry Christmas!

Once upon a time.....

there was a little girl named Holly...

Holly lived in the United Kingdom. One day her Mom, Jacqueline heard about a woman in the US selling some pendants for an organization in Mysore, India called Operation Shanti..the money raised went to the children of Operation Shanti. For things like food, medicine, education and the basic necessities needed just to live.

Holly's Mom bought some pendants from the woman in the US and gave one to Holly..
they both loved the idea of what the pendants represented. "Do your Practice and All is Coming"....

Holly was turning 12 in December and was planning her birthday party. One day shortly after receiving her pendant, Holly told her Mom that she wanted to make her birthday invitations from the card that was sent with the pendant. It was a card with one of the little girls from Operation Shanti on the front, Sumitra was her name to be exact!

Holly made her invitations for her 12th Birthday Party and told all of her friends who would be attending her party that instead of them bringing her presents for her Birthday, that she would like them to instead make a donation to the children of Operation Shanti in Mysore, India.

(now this is where the author of this story takes a little break, as the tears well up in her eyes and she is unable to see the keyboard for a moment)

Holly's Big Day arrived and all of her friends came to her party..some brought gifts And a donation..but they All brought donations..LOTS of donations...
they brought so many donations to Holly's party that the children of Operation Shanti now have an extra $300.00 added to their "Practice for the children Pendant" money!!!
Now totaled at $1855.00~~~all since September 2009.

And this is where the author of this story would like to take a moment and tell Holly and her Mom and All of her wonderful friends Thank You so Very Much for doing such a beautiful thing for the children in Mysore, India.
You are all such compassionate, thoughtful, loving girls and that I hope you know how much this means to the children and to myself...
you have warmed my heart and made me even more sure that this Big Beautiful world we all inhabit, is really not so big after all...and we are kindred spirits living half a world away and I love and adore you all more than words can say~

Holly is away at a "wee little cottage in the snow" with her friends for the week..but when she returns her Mom promises to send me a photo of Holly wearing her "Practice for the children Pendant"...that little necklace that sparked an idea..and then traveled all the way across the globe to India.

"There never was a person who did anything worth doing, who did not receive more than he gave."
-- Henry Ward Beecher


Namaste~~~

A Huge Donation.....

I will have to wait until the weekend when I receive the photographs...
but I have a little story to share with you all about a little girl by the name of Holly in the United Kingdom, her Birthday Party this year, and her girlfriends who attended Hollys party...and what they gave instead of gifts...

I assure you, it is Not to be missed.
Stay tuned....

OM!

The Hut

Just got these in an email from Operation Shanti!

marianne's creative project while in mysore, with the help of shirley and adeline, was painting our little hut.

these are some of the children who are benefiting from your purchase of a "Practice for the children Pendant"in Mysore, India!

Enjoy~~OM!

Life is but a dream...

is what popped into my head this morning when I woke up.
It was the first thing that came to me...

Life is but a dream...

Sometimes these days I feel as if I am living a dream in fact.
A very Nice dream..

They say "You sew what you reap" and it is so very true, as I am finding out.

I want to say that I am just so very Thankful to all of the people in my life, even those who I had no idea I would be Thankful for.
They say that you learn from everyone whom you come into contact with..
I am finding that to be true as well.

Funny how you don't realize it at the time..who ever does?
Life is filled with Blessings and Lessons...
we just need to take notice and there it is right in front of our eyes.

And on another note...

We have now sold ONE HUNDRED "Practice for the children Pendants"~
and we have raised an AMAZING $1555.00 for some of the most precious and grateful children I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with in Mysore, India!
This in itself fills my heart with more Joy and Happiness than most will ever realize.

But those who know me best, know this is true. And they also know that nothing would make me happier than to see this number just keep on getting bigger~ and it is!
Because when you are a former child of the streets in India...and you are placed in a warm, loving, safe environment as these children are now..that they could never take one single solitary thing for granted.
And that they are a handful of the "Lucky" ones..
it feels so good to make a difference in their lives.
I hope all of those who have purchased a "Practice for the children Pendant" Really know how much you have done..even though most of you have told me privately that
"It is such a small donation, but I am happy to help"

Nothing about giving is Small...
It is HUGE!
So Huge you cannot even Imagine!

I Love and Appreciate you All~ and I hope you know how much I mean this.
OM Shanti~

Thirteen more "Practice for the Children Pendants" going out today..and just got 50 more boxes for shipping...

so you know what that means!!

We are at Ninety Three pendants now sold for the children of Operation Shanti and $1450.00!!
I have more pendants on the way!!!!
I have Plenty for the holidays~~~all I need is your order, OH..and a photo of you wearing it! ;~)

Thank You all so Very much for your gracious support thus far..but we have a Long way to go!!! Everyone needs one of these very special pendants, and after you have yours you will understand why.
There are many blessings associated with these..not only for the children, but in memory of Guruji...

I had this email from Kevin in the UK this morning and it touched me so deeply that I had to repost a portion of it...

Hi Tracy,

I think what you have been doing is wonderful and such a great cause, raising money for it in this way is also bringing the yoga community together from all corners of the world. For those of us who still aspire to get to Mysore, its an inspiration to keep the hope alive that one day we will get to practice there and see first hand how your work is helping to change the lives of children.

Hopefully one day we will all meet in Mysore and recognise each other through our Pendants.

I was just so pleased that Tiff mentioned it and that I was able to make my tiny contribution to such a worthwhile cause.

THANK YOU for doing it

Namaste

Kevin

"Do your Practice and All is Coming"

"Saying 'thank you' is more than good manners. It is good spirituality."
~Alfred Painter

I Thank You All who have supported the "Practice for the children Pendant" charity for 2010 and in that helping the children of Operation Shanti in Mysore, India~

I have plenty more pendants if you would like to get one for yourself or a gift~ just click on the side bar where it says "Pendant" and I will get one out to you!
They are only $34.00 and that includes shipping anywhere in the world!


Then send me a photo of you wearing your pendant and you will be in the collage that I am having made by "Jim" in Chicago..a retired editor for the Chicago Tribune!!
I need at least 70 photos to make it work though...
so Please send them in!!

Namaste~~~

A Collage for the children 84 pendants sold and $1315.00..so far!

I decided to have a nice collage made for the children of Operation Shanti with photos of everyone who bought a "Practice for the children Pendant"!
I have received a handful..but we have sold 85 pendants!! So I need MORE photos~~~

I thought it would be fun for them to see who helped support them and also to see you all with the pendants on!
My dear friend Lisa hooked me up with a gracious man who is a retired editor for the Chicago Tribune and he is creating this beautiful piece of art work for me~
What you see above is just a little something I created on "Big Huge Labs" to give you an idea of what is being created~

So, when you have a moment..snap a photo of your beautiful self, adorned with your "Practice for the children Pendant" on and send it to me in an email and I will forward it to Jim!

We have now raised an Amazing $1330.00 for the children of Operation Shanti...
if that doesn't make you feel good...
well, I don't know what else could! I Thank You All~~ and I have another 10 being made..so there are Plenty more on the way!!!

Namaste~

what you all did for the children of Operation Shanti~

has been overwhelming!!

We had 74 orders for "Practice for the children Pendants"

We raised $1165.00 for the children of Operation Shanti~

and there is more....
but that will have to wait until another update. But trust me on this one..it is GOOD!

I have had the question asked..
"Will there be a chance if someone wants a pendant that more can be made?"
the answer is without a doubt...
"Yes!"
but..they must be Pre-ordered and that can be done by going to the right side bar and ordering it directly through Paypal.

I would Love to raise even More Money for the children of course.
The holidays are coming up...and we will all be very busy...but the maker of these beautiful pieces has agreed to do more if the orders come in.

So, that being said, I hope if you would like to get one..or a gift for someone for the holidays that you will consider it~

I Thank You All..
I bow to you in deep Gratitude and...
for all of those who have already ordered one..or one for a gift..Please,Please email me a photo of yourself and those whom you bought one for wearing your pendant as I having a special gift made with them for the children of Operation Shanti and one for someone Very special as well~~ ;0)

UPDATE!!!
Right after I posted this I had Another request for a pendant..so I have 10 more being made right now!! Place your order!!! :0) (there are 7 of those 10 now available!!)

The Last one is gone....BUT we have more coming!!!

As with everything...all wonderful things come to an end~~~~
and this is the last of the Beautiful "Practice for the Children Pendants"~~~

I never imagined (yet I hoped) that we would sell 69 of these special pendants.
I especially never imagined that we would raise so much money for the children of Operation Shanti..(yet I had hoped we would!)

The holidays will upon us in no time now and we will all be so busy with our lives and our families~~~a special time indeed.

Your very last chance to get one of these Limited Edition Pendants in memory of Guruji...and a wonderful way to help the sweet children of Operation Shanti!

I will not be able to "hold" any unless an order is placed through Paypal as that would not be fair to those who pay in advance~ I hope all of you who want one will be able to get one before they are gone.

And to those who already have theirs...
I hope you are loving them and wearing them and each time you reach down and look at yours or hold it in the palm of your hand...you remember what wonderful Karma you have created by supporting "Practice for the Children Pendant" charity for 2010!!!

Namaste~~~

Shri K. Pattabhi Jois

OK...
Time for a Big Update!

I am just really, Really so happy about this!!

We have now sold 59 "Practice for the children Pendants"!! FIFTY NINE!!

And.....

We have raised $940.00 for the children Of Operation Shanti!!

$940.00!!!

I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined that these pendants would have been so popular. But I *listened* to that unheard voice..that speaks to me..and followed my Intuition and went for it and with it.

and look how far we have come.

Wow...
it renders me speechless.
It makes me believe that we can All Do Great Things..if we choose to.

I am ready to take Holiday orders..anytime you are ;0)

Thanks to all of you Blessed Souls who made this Dream...a Reality.
For the children....

This is gonna be a good one for them!
and I just know Guruji would Smile on this one....

Introducing the Creator of the "Practice for the Children Pendant"!

I wanted to introduce the very special woman who has worked so hard on making all of the beautiful "Practice for the children Pendants"!

Her name is Susan and she is a very busy Mom and Yogini herself..yet she unselfishly has hand made all 60 of the pendants for next years charity for the children of Operation Shanti...
I am still so very humbled by her generous spirit...
she has agreed to make as many as we have orders for and she told me that she is honored to be working with me on the endeavor....as did her daughter...in her words

What an amazing thing this is- my daughter Emily (she's 16 but far wiser than her years), said the most beautiful thing about this project. She said that all the people all over the world would be wearing the same necklace, conceived by you, and made by me, and that the necklace was like a common thread tying them all together. What an amazing thought- you should be very proud of this achievement, and...
I am willing and able to make as many necklaces as you want!

I am so deeply grateful to have found such a lovely soul to make these special pendants for all of us...

Shanti~~

And the Winner of the "Practice for the Children Pendant" is.......

Diane Perone!!!

Here is her winning quote~~~~


"The whole world is you. Yet you keep thinking there is something else."
Hsueh-Feng

Thank You ALL for submitting such Beautiful Quotes~~~
I loved them All!

I have only Three pendants left at this point~
I will then be having them made on a "pre-order" basis~
So if you are thinking about possibly giving a "Practice for the children Pendant" for a holiday gift...please place your order ahead of time so that we can be sure you will have it by the holidays!

Namaste~~~

"Practice for the Children Pendant" Giveaway is Saturday the 31st!! Tell me your favorite quote to enter!!

Just a reminder that I will be having a drawing for a "Practice for the children Pendant" giveaway this Saturday!! If you would like to take a chance at being the Lucky winner..just leave a message with your favorite quote and check back Saturday night to see if you were chosen!!

Also, I have Three pendants that are ready to ship if you would like to purchase one!

Below are the quotes I have received thus far...
they are All lovely~~~




from Christina~

"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love
looks like."
~Saint Augustine

from Yogilauren

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see!
MARK TWAIN

from Flo

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." Mahatma Gandhi

from Maya

“Whether the world be a hallucination or the mind be a hallucination, whether all return or all appear but once, the suffering is just the same. For he who suffers is part of the hallucination, of whatever kind that may be. What then is the difference? This: whether in the sufferer there is—or is not—he who watches him who suffers” from Ka by Roberto Calasso

from Diane

"The whole world is you. Yet you keep thinking there is something else." Hsueh-Feng

Namaste~~

"Be the Change"

I wanted to take a moment and give you an update on the absolutely Wonderful outcome that we have had thus far with next years charity for the children of Operation Shanti in Mysore, South India.

I have had so many gracious souls step forward to donate and I want to tell you all Thank You so much. Because without you...none of this would be possible.
As many of you who know...and I say this because there are so many who keep helping and donating year after year.
It all began in 2008 when I wanted to take something to the children that would be of some good for them. I came up with "Walking in their Shoes" and blogged about it here and I only needed 35 pairs of shoes as that is how many children there were at that time...but I received an overwhelming 95 pairs of shoes!! Many from you, my readers who sent me shoes or money to purchase shoes. I took them to Mysore that year...and my sweet husband sewed each child a shoe bag and we wrote their name on each one...

Then earlier this year we went back to see the children at their new home called Karunya Mane..and there are now 45 children who reside in this wonderful new place they call home.
We were able to take 70 pounds of Art Supplies...again, which so many of you helped donate...
I really don't know how I could have done any of this, without all of you!

I wanted to do something again..for the children..for next year. I don't think I will be able to fly to Mysore next year. Sadly.
So I wanted to come up with an idea for the new charity that would honor Guruji. Our beloved Shri K. Pattabhi Jois who passed away earlier this year...who resided in the same town that the children of Operation Shanti reside in.
I wanted to "Give Back" a little something that Guruji has given all of us. All of us who practice his method of Ashtanga Yoga...

I found a very special woman who agreed to work diligently on making these beautiful "bubble pendants" for me so that I could sell them and make money for the children of Operation Shanti...(more on this special soul to come!)
that they could have some things that otherwise they would not be able to have..
I had No idea how popular these would be...I just knew that I loved the first one that I had made, and got this "hunch" that perhaps the Yogis and Yoginis all over the world who teach and practice this wonderful practice would also love them and treasure them in memory of Guruji.

I was right.
I began this new charity on my birthday last month..September 22nd, and to this day we have sold 58 "Practice for the children Pendants" raising $925.00 for the children of Operation Shanti!

We are selling them for 34.00 and that includes shipping anywhere in the world, and they have been sent Everywhere across the globe!
They are becoming quite popular as friends are sharing links on Facebook and showing them to others and the orders just keep on coming in....
It has been truly a dream come true~

They are wonderful gifts and come beautifully packaged in a crisp white box filled with teal crinkle paper and wrapped in lovely tissue tucked into a Burgundy Silk Organza bag...and included in each box is a very special card that I had made especially for this charity...the little girl on the front of the card is a child from Operation Shanti named "Sumitra" with her hands in Namaste~~

We All want to Thank All of you who have purchased a "Practice for the children Pendant" and to those who are considering ordering one..I Thank You as well in advance~
"May we All Be the Change we wish to see in the World"
Because together...we Can be!

Shanti~~

.....All is Coming....

Yoga is possible for anybody who really wants it. Yoga is universal.... But don't approach yoga with a business mind looking for worldly gain.
~Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois

What do people think about the "Practice for the Children Pendants"???

(photo taken at Queen Anne Hotel, San Francisco)

Just got home a few hours ago from the city..Ran in my third Marathon..and yes, I do believe that the third time IS a charm! Amazing finish time this year...and...
when I arrived back home I found an email that we have sold yet Another "Practice for the children Pendant"!! This one will be going all the way to Ireland!

54 Pendants and raised $865.00 for the children of Operation Shanti!
I am so deeply grateful to all of you who have supported this endeavor. You Light up My Days~ and every time we sell another pendant, it just brings me to tears knowing what good we are doing for those sweetest children in Mysore, South India~

I have a new shipment that just arrived and have 5 that are not spoken for...if anyone is interested!!

Here are some of the comments from those who have already received theirs..

Om Shanti Tracy!

My mom loves her gift! Thank you so much for all that you are doing. You ARE the change I hope to see in the world.

Peace and Blessings,
Gxx

(from heather in sacramento)
sooo IT CAME today!!!! and it is soooo beautiful!!! i adore the card so much!! how amazing to be a part of this. thank you with all my heart!!!!!

(from caroline in canada)
tracy i've found my operation shanti pendant in the mail this evening, and it's astonishingly beautiful - the card and wrapping were an amazing touch too ... i just know that your vision will soon be a reality :)

Hi Tracy! I just wanted to let you know that my pendant came and I LOVE it!!! Thank you so much! What a beautiful idea and awesome way to raise money for Operation Shanti! Christina

(from kristi in colorado)
I got mine too! It's beautiful -- loved the card and packaging as well. You're a class act!

(from alyson in Los Angeles)
I LOVE MY PENDANT!!!!!!!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

(from michelle in california)
I just received my beautiful pendant! What a precious thank you card that came as well I will keep it and cherish it always!!! Thank you my dear! ♥

(from mary in alabama)
My "Practice for the children Pendant" arrived in the mail today:) So lovely and the precious child photo is on my fridge ... See possibility, be bold and blossom~Namaste♥

(from lisa in chicago)
i just received my pendants & they are even more beautiful in person! the jewelry maker is very talented. it's got a real rustic feel to it & the words will be nice to share with my students in a subtle way :-)
instant service! also very good packing & wonderful thank you cards & photo. i think a lot of ashtangis will really love these

and those are just a few...
so if you are pondering ordering one..I hope these comments will help you make your decision! ;~)

Namaste~~

"Practice for the Children Pendant" Giveaway!!!!!

The Holidays are just around the corner and I thought it might be fun to have a "Practice for the children Pendant" Giveaway!!!

So.....If you would like the chance to win, just leave a comment and tell me your favorite quote!

That's It!

I will choose a winner randomly on October 31st~~~~
and will notify the winner, as well as post it here!!

I Love quotes! Good Luck~

AND AN UPDATE!!!
I have shipped off the next set of Forty "Practice for the children Pendants" and here us who they went to!! Christina in Colorado, Heather in Sacramento, Lydia in Texas, Samia in Seattle, Tracey in Florida, Jennefer in Utah (2)!!, Monica in Wisconsin, Samatha in the United Kingdom and Phyllis in Napa..for her Birthday from her daughter Geri in Los Angeles!!! Thank You ALL!! I have the next set of 10 being made right now..which makes 60 pendants made thus far!!

and another Update..10/16

Just got home and had a Box with Ten "Practice for the Children Pendants" waiting for me!
I packed them all up and they will be shipped off tomorrow before I head to San Francisco to run in my Marathon. They will be going to..KINO at the Miami Life Center in Miami (3) Jacqueline in the UK (3) a Very Special someones mom in Hawaii, Sundaramma Aunty and Prakruti in India and Diana at TMZ in Los Angeles!


If you would like to place an order, the cost is 34.00 and that includes shipping. They will arrived beautifully packaged in a crisp white box with teal crinkle paper and the pendant will be tucked inside a beautiful burgundy silk organza bag...The colors of a Peacock and ready for gift giving! OR I can send it directly to the person whom you would like to give it to! There is direct link in the right hand side of my blog that says "Pendant" that will take you to paypal to place your order~

Namaste~~

FIFTY "Practice for the children Pendants" YES!!!

I am getting Really Excited about the outcome of the "Practice for the children Pendants" thus far!!!

You see...if you have a Thought, or a Hunch or an Idea...Go With It!!! Because this is how this charity for the children of Operation Shanti began...in fact it is how they all began...
I got an Idea..that just came to me literally, and I followed them All through~

People tell me that since they have seen what can be done when just "One person does One thing" it makes them believe that everyone can make a difference if they just try.
It Inspires them..and if I can Inspire just One person to help someone less fortunate than themselves...it has made All of this 100000% more worthwhile than I already feel about it!

I Am Excited and I just Know that we can keep on Going with this and Keep on Giving..because maybe Just Maybe this could be the Biggest and Best one yet~~~~

We have $790.00 for those dear children in Mysore, India...and I just Know I can raise more! I just know it.....

Namaste my friends~ and a Huge Thank You to all who have helped make this such a success with your purchases~~ I am eternally Grateful to you all~

Forty THREE and counting!!!

(photo courtesy of Lisa Hill who graciously purchased 2!)

Just to let you know..if you are interested in purchasing a "Practice for the children Pendant" I have 7 that have not been spoken for! They will be arriving next week...and once we sell those we will have reached our 50th pendant sold!!!

Thank You ALL for your wonderful, gracious support for the children of Operation Shanti!! We have raised $675.00 since September 22nd!!
Namaste~~

The Third set of Ten "Practice for the Children Pendants" have just shipped off!

(here is a photo of one of our Wonderful supporters, Mary Helen, wearing her "Practice for the children Pendant"!!)


and here is where they are heading...

Denise in Oregon (3)!!Kristi in Colorado!!! Alyson in Los Angeles!!!...Patricia at an APO address and Mary in Canada (4)!! That makes Ten! I should be getting the next ten Very soon!!

Thank You again for all of your support and it has been so Magical...
Every single day we have had orders for pendants!!
Such a Blessing...

We have sold 42 pendants since September 22nd..and raised $660.00 for the children of Operation Shanti!
I appreciate you ALL and put my hands together in Namaste..in Gratitude...

Shanti~

Behind "Practice for the children Pendant"....

For those of you who are just finding my blog...

These necklaces are the "Practice for the Children Pendants" with 50% of the proceeds going to the children of Operation Shanti in Mysore, India.

http://operationshanti.blogspot.com/ to read more about them!

It is a charity that I have supported now for the past 3 years. They truly do so much for the street kids and their Moms..they transform their lives. They give them a New Life....

I have been to Karunya Mane (the name of the place they live) in Mysore and I have spent time with them..and because of that great experience I will never be the same person I was before that time.
I have had so much support in the past with the 95 pairs of shoes from all over the world that were sent to me to take to India for the children when we did "Walking in their Shoes" and earlier this year when I took 70 pounds of Art Supplies to them when we did "The Colors of Love"..also graciously donated by readers and friends from all over the globe...how blessed we are.


Those kids just touched my heart in a way I can't ever explain and now it is my life's mission to do one great thing every year for them...
and I have TWO great things I am working on now for the 2010 Charity for the kids. One of which is still in the works...
It is a Huge playground structure...
but as I said, that will take some doing and it is being worked on as I write this!

The second is the "Practice for the Children Pendants" also honoring the late beloved Shri K. Pattabhi Jois. I wanted to do something that would include Guruji and the Ashtanga students all over the world. Something that they would have to wear around their necks, to hold and have as a daily reminder that "Practice and All is coming"...
thus this pendant was born.

I am so deeply grateful that I have had such a wonderful response to these amazingly beautiful pendants. I have an idea that Guruji has given me his blessing on them as well..because I began this on my birthday which was September 22nd and we have now sold 42 "Practice for the Children Pendants" and raised $660.00 for the children to date!!!! How Amazing is that?!!!!
Everyday I have been blessed to get an order or orders from somewhere in the world and today an email from one the greatest Ashtanga teachers in the world who we ALL know, love, admire and deeply respect. Who wanted to place an order for some of the pendants~

That made my day!!

This has been a great blessing thus far and it will keep on being a blessing because it is something that we all share together as One....and it is for such a good cause!

If you would like to place an order for one..they are handmade one at a time by a wonderful friend of mine who works on these daily for us and then sends them to me and I then package them beautifully in silk organza burgundy bags and teal colored crinkle paper with a very special Thank You card that I had made...

I can send them anywhere in the world for 4.00 shipping.
They are special gifts as well~~~~

If you would like to order one there is a link on the right hand side of my blog that says "Pendant" and that will take you directly to Paypal~
I Thank You ALL once again for your loving support in the endeavor and would love to hear from you!

OM Shanti!

The second set of Ten arrived today!!!

I have Ten more "Practice for the Children Pendants" going out to the people listed below on Monday!!!

Michelle in California, A surprise for FIVE Very special people in a Land Far, Far away, Mike in Rhode Island, Martha in Oregon, Tiffany in Oregon and Christina in Maryland!!!

Thank You ALL sooooo much once again~~~~
Shanti!

all is coming...

off go the first ten "Practice for the children Pendants"!
(in case you are wondering why there are only 7 boxes..a few people ordered more than one!!) :0)

As of this morning we have sold 33 "Practice for the Children Pendants" and have a total of $525.00 for the children of Operation Shanti!!
I Thank You all~~~~~~

Ready to Ship the First TEN "Practice for the Children Pendants"!!!

I arrived home from a long day and found that the Thank You cards had arrived!!
Soooooo, tomorrow I will pack up the first Ten "Practice for the Children Pendants" and Monday they will ship off!!

Angela in India, Julie in San Diego, Lisa in Chicago (2 pendants!) , Mary Helen in Alabama, CJ in Australia, Caroline in Canada and Earn ( 3 pendants!) in Kuala Lumpur< Malaysia will be the First Ten to receive their "Practice for the Childre...n Pendants"!!! YAY! Look out..they are soon on their way!! Thank You Again my dear friends~~~ ♥

I had 5 orders awaiting me as well...!!! We are at 31 Pendants Sold and $480.00 for the children of Operation Shanti!!!

What a Beautiful welcome home for me this evening...

Shanti!

AND...just as I was about to "Log Off" for the night..yet Another Donation came in for $15.00 and now we have $495.00 for the children of Operation Shanti! So Blessed~

Guruji and the first Ten "Practice for the Children Pendants"

Today was a HUGE day for me!! I am still waiting for the Thank You cards to arrive..anyday...and then I am sending the first Ten of the 26 "Practice for the Children Pendants" off!!

I got all of the shipping boxes and the gorgeous Teal crinkle paper, and the beautiful Burgundy Silk Organza bags...I just need the cards and off these will go!!

We have officially sold 26 Pendants and now have $405.00 for the children of Operation Shanti!!


I hope you will all think about getting one of these...they are just so special~~
Namaste~

"Practice for the Children Pendant" Thank You cards...

I have just had these professionally made...and I placed an order for 100!
I have more pendants being made this week..You will receive one with each order placed!
The pendants are all individually hand made and it is a painstaking process~ These are Very Special as is the jeweler who has agreed to make them all!
Each week she has created and hand made each one individually~ I know you will treasure yours when you receive it.
I Thank You all once again for your help in making this dream a reality and once again this year helping the children of Operation Shanti!

(the girl in the photo is Sumitra of Operation Shanti)

We have now sold 22 Pendants and raised $345.00 for the children of Operation Shanti!!!!
US taxpayers who buy the pendants can get a receipt for a tax deduction from Operation Shanti for the value that they receive (so the portion of the pendant sale that goes to them $15.00 ) -- They just need full name and email address or mailing address (email better as it is easier)

UPDATE on "Practice for the Children Pendant"

I am just SO excited over the outpouring of support for the "Practice for the children Pendant" that I wanted to tell you all Thank You and give you an update~

Our beloved Guruji is still with us and he has obviously given us his blessing..as everyday I am getting orders and the total is now up to SIXTEEN Pendants! That brings us to a new total of $255.00 for the children of Operation Shanti!! I had one gracious woman donate $15.00 AND another $34.00 as she decided she wanted one of the beautiful pendants after all~~~

I am getting orders from all over the globe~with the last order placed for THREE Pendants from a donor in Kuala Lumpur!!
WOW.....

I am SO grateful to you All~~
I wanted to let you know that these are indeed suitable for the men in your life as well~ as they have a nice weight to them and are substantial in size~
They will come in a beautiful Organza bag, well packaged, along with a special Thank You card~

I Thank You from the very bottom of my heart for all of your support in all of my charity work with Operation Shanti..this is the Third one and it is proving to be quite special~

Please see the side bar link if you would like to order one for yourself or for a gift~ and you can also visit Operation Shantis blog while you are on that sidebar!!

Namaste~

"Practice for the Children Pendant"!

As a few of you know...

I have been working on getting a playground structure for the children of Operation Shanti~~

I called out all my forces for this new project..
one of them Tracey F. my dear friend whom I met via my blog a few years back when I had "Walking in Their Shoes" and got so many shoes for the children that I personally carried over to Mysore, India.

Tracey F. is an entrepreneur, go getter, smart cookie with a heart as big as the earth, but most of all..she is my friend now. I am so blessed.

She helped me write the letter to the "sources that be" whom we asked for the playground structure...still waiting for the word and once we get it...I will reveal who we asked. You know her from the movies...
She is an advocate for all things good, stands up for what she believes in, is a lover of animals and Life..and she lives it to the fullest!
I am good friends with her best friend and we have a connection which I am also blessed to have as well~

But beyond all of this..as that pot is stewing and brewing...
I designed a piece of jewelry for the Yoga people out there along with a friend of mine and I am pleased to offer it to you now!
It was designed with our beloved Guruji in mind~ and hence it is a very special piece and I hope that those of you who see it and love it will order one as I have one around my neck and love it with all of my heart! They are little bubble pendants that are two sided..I hope you like them. I designed them in honor of Guruji, to celebrate his life and his influence and love for all of us~

The Good News is that half of the proceeds from each necklace will be going to Operation Shanti to help the kids with whatever it is they may need for their well being and daily life~ The cost of each necklace will be 30.00 w/4.00 for shipping. The total will be 34.00~ for anywhere in the world! Your pendant will arrive in a beautiful silk organza bag with a very special thank you card!

So...
my new charity for this upcoming year, January 2010 is now on and if you would like to order one of these Limited Edition Necklaces I will be taking orders beginning today and you can send me a paypal payment through the link here on my blog!
I will have 10 pendants by next week~and once I receive them I will ship them immediately..and remember the holidays will be upon us before we know it! What a Perfect gift for the Yogini in your life!!

I have sold ALL TEN, in just 4 days!!! I will be having more made right away, so if you are interested get your order in soon!!! These are Limited Edition~so I hope you will take advantage of these very special pieces!

I hope this new charity aptly named "Practice for the children Pendant" makes you all as happy as it does me..and will make them as well~
Thank You all for always helping out when you can..
because it blows my heart wide open!

OM Shanti

p.s. if you click on the pictures you can see a bit more detail on the clasp~~these are truly Very Special pieces and you can wear them while you practice as well..just not in the shower~~~ALSO, these are suitable for men as well as women as they are substantial in size!

WE HAVE RAISED $180.00 FOR THE CHILDREN OF OPERATION SHANTI AS OF SEPTEMBER 23rd!! WITH THE SALE OF ELEVEN PENDANTS SO FAR and ONE DONATION OF 15.00!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

This one's for LG!

(photo taken early this year in Mysore, India when I met LG!)

OK....a LONG overdue post for my great friend LG!
She was curious about what my "secret" is....

well...I have a few secrets ;~) but she specifically wanted to know "What are you doing, you look great" I Thank You a Million times over for the compliment first and foremost as I turn the BIG 48 next week!!

I feel it has to be credited to a number of things that I do in my life..
first is that I try to be Positive every chance I get..even in the midst of negativity in some situations..that is Life~

I drink LOTS of fresh filtered water every day...All Day!

I exercise 6 days per week..sometimes 7 and I always make sure I SWEAT...A LOT! So much that my clothes weigh about 4 or more pounds when I take them off...yes, that much sweat!

I have recently begun to make fresh Green Drinks every afternoon~~
and here is the drink that I love and make every single day..and I drink the whole thing!!! (after my workout)

Tracys Green Drink~
4 carrots
5 handfuls of fresh organic spinach (big handfuls)
4 stalks of celery
a BIG chunk of fresh ginger
a full size cucumber
a full Gala apple
a full lemon
one cup of 100% pure coconut water

I run all of the above through my juicer..
takes minutes
and the clean up is so easy...

I have fresh veggies every night for dinner during the week
I saute them very gently along with some leeks, zuchini, crookneck squash, grated carrots along with a package of Organic Vegan Buckwheat SOBA noodles and firm organic Tofu...
then adding some fresh roma tomatoes after they have been gently sauteed.....
WOW! Sooooo good and filling!

Some nights I will have a glass of red wine that I adore or other nights I will have a Kombucha drink instead~

I always get at least 9 hours of sleep per night and I HIGHLY endorse Eye Cream...!!!
Been using that good stuff since I was 16 years old and to this day I have no wrinkles around or near my eyes....and I go one step further...
I put eye cream between my eyes (you know those lines women get Botox injections for) above my upper lip area.....and in the crease of my chin!

It works for me...
and now you know my secret!!!
Oh..one more thing..

I make it a point to Laugh Everyday and Sing!!!
Life is Good....

Alotusgirl meets Mysore Life!

The day arrived and we met up with Jean in Berkeley at the infamous Cafe Gratitude!

The rain even came along that day as well~~~
yes..some beautiful, Glorious, welcomed Rain~

Jean, Ray and I had so much fun together and it is true what they say about some people you meet...
You feel like you have known them for a lifetime!

I met Jean by reading her daily blog while she was living in Mysore, India with her new husband H. She was my daily "fix" to the place I love and call my second home..
I would leave her a comment here and there..and she would read my blog too...we became Friends.

Distant friends...and now we are lifelong friends...
She will be leaving again very soon to travel back to Mysore, and reunite with her new husband...days must seem like years for her. But she is a beautiful, balanced, level headed woman and she knows how to take each day as it comes.

It was a treat to meet her and one day we will meet again....
that is for certain!