Generosity and abundance
June has been such a brilliant month for me and I want to share with you why 😊
As many of you will know, I have started teaching classes in Maumbury Rings. This will be my fifth year of teaching outside and I wanted to do something different to celebrate that. One of the great teachings of yoga is that when we are generous to others, that generosity comes back to us. Giving to others is a powerful way to live in abundance. In our modern world, where we have become incredibly individualised this can be a difficult concept to grasp. We have learned from a young age to compete against each other and to hold on tightly to the resources we have - this is a natural survival instinct but it can also lead to us having a scarcity mindset, which does not feel good.
Generosity is something that is easy to talk about, but when we look deeply into our life, are we actually living it? I wanted to put generosity into action in my own life. So this year the classes I offer in Maumbury Rings are completely free to attend - they are a gift to you. If you enjoy the class and are inspired to do so, I encourage you to “pay it forward” through your own act of generosity.
This idea came to me last Autumn, after I was deeply moved by the work Medical Aid for Palestinians were doing in Palestine during the war. I decided to give all the money that I had made from park classes last August to the charity MAP. Then, I was thinking about how there must be so many different organisations and charities doing amazing work to help others - so many people in need of generosity and kindness that I know nothing about. It occurred to me that many of my students will have charities that are important to them or will think of amazing ways to offer kindness into the community.
I thought that if I could provide some free yoga classes over the summer, that could potentially free up some resources for my students to “pay it forward” - that way they can get all the benefits of attending a yoga class AND support a cause that is important to them. And so, this is how the “pay it forward” park classes were born!
Here’s just a few of the ways you have paid it forward - a BIG thank you to everyone who has got involved so far, and if you would like to share with me your acts of generosity, I would love to hear from you - I can’t tell you how much happiness it’s already brought into my life so THANK YOU!
A meal was bought for a homeless person in Dorchester.
Time given up to help out a neighbour in need.
Food bank bags from Waitrose have been purchased.
Copies of the Big Issue have been bought.
And, donations have been made to multiple charities including:
Remember that generosity comes in many different forms and we all have different resources available to us. You could give money or material goods, dedicate time to volunteer or help out someone in need, prepare a meal for someone or get creative with your unique skills!
We are just one month into these classes and already I can’t tell you how much joy it has brought me seeing the ripple effect generosity can have. I’ve had amazing conversations with some of my students and found out about charities they have founded or supported, as well as hearing the stories of why these particular charities are so important to them. Abundance here has come as the privilege of getting to connect with others and listen to some of the challenges they have overcome or the incredible work charities have done to support them and their families through difficult times. Sometimes it’s the greatest challenges in our life that lead us to creating something beautiful or being in the position to help others through similar challenges.
I have also realised that the feeling of needing money/resources/wealth is not a good feeling. Of course we live in a world where we need money and resources in order to survive, but many of us have much more than we need and still feel like we don’t have enough. When we give generously to others, it is a good feeling - giving comes from a place of feeling like we have enough already - this feeling is abundance.
Abundance comes in many different forms - the warmth of the sun on our skin, the cool breeze, stepping into the ocean on a summers day, sharing a meal with loved ones, a warm hug, giving to others without needing anything in return.
So this month I encourage you to prioritise generosity…and like all practices of yoga, you don’t need to take my word for it…try it out yourself and notice how you feel when you give to others. So far, I have definitely experienced a great amount of joy, connection, abundance and gratitude. I would love to hear the ways you choose to be generous so please do comment below or send me a message if you would like to share your experience. We can all be inspired be each other and create a ripple effect of love, generosity and kindness in our community.
Please come along and practise in the park this month!
Tuesdays 6-7pm
Thursdays 10-11am
Maumbury Rings, Dorchester
Lots of love,
Jeni xxx
Even
after
all this time
The Sun never says to the Earth,
“You owe me.”
Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the whole sky.
- Hafiz