THANKFUL FRIDAY
Cindy Maddera
I have written about my yoga practice here so many times. All of you know how important this practice is to me and the health of this body. I believe so strongly in the benefits of a yoga practice that I went to yoga teacher training and became a teacher. I teach because I want to share the joy that I get from practicing yoga. I follow @goodtalkthanks by Mira Jacob on Instagram and she posted something in her feed this week that made me shake my head at myself.
It was like she was pointing a finger directly at me and I immediately went to giveindia.org and made a donation. Then when I went to remind everyone about Yoga In A Tiny Space, I made it clear that donations for class would go to giveindia.org. When the pandemic was at its worst in this country, I gave frequently to Harvesters and bought extra food for food banks every time I went to the grocery store. I did what I could to help the people in my community. But I limited the size of that community. My community is not just my surrounding area. I work with and am friends with a number of scientists from India. I have been blessed with tupperware containers of homemade saag paneer. The daily practice that keeps this body whole and fills this heart with joy is a practice that comes from India. Though I may never get a chance to set foot in that country, I am forever grateful for the gifts their culture has brought to me. Those gifts, this practice, makes the people of India part of my community.
The massive COVID outbreak that is happening in India right now is devastating. The average reported death rate for just Wednesday was 3,645 people. There is a shortage of oxygen and hospital beds and other medical supplies. The US has urged people working in the US Embassy to leave India as soon as it is safe. Things are really really bad in India right now and they could really use our help. I am giving because I have been blessed by the people of this country. I am giving because it is the right thing to do. I urge you all to consider making a donation too.
Thank you.