So, this is the follow up to the email sent out to you (it is below). Again, the want and immediacy that exists to help, when engaging with organizations which work to stop human abuses, has dwindled. The mind has traveled and has become awash in many trivial things. There is of course a balance that must be struck in one's life.
The question that arises for me becomes: How do we find the balance when the abused so mightily outweigh the privileged? I know this experience of balance must come for each of us, and it is important for me to create a greater continual awareness of those citizens of this world which suffer greatly against any effort they may make.
This website was created to act as the facilitator for the charitable, altruistic organizations we want to see donated to. As posted in the email below, each month we choose a charitable organization and put it forth to the group. In order to put it forth, there must be the necessary information provided so we may all be educated on the organization and it's usefulness in this world.
Our encouragement of one another, continuous contemplation and financial donations will empower us and lives around the world.
I would like it if all of us feel safe enough to discuss and explore dynamic questions that may arise, even if they are difficult or may seemingly hurt someones feelings. We are all kind, and thoughtful, as well as generous listeners; as long as we remember that each one of us has the very best in mind for the world and one another's fellow person, there nned be no shrinking from any question or discussion as it is all towards the greatest development of ourselves and the world.
That all said, may we live in rememberance and gratitude of the ample gifts we have and with that, help shape the world into the heaven it is born to be!
With love,
Dhruva
PS
What are you thoughts on this?
We do not need to use this site. I thought it would be best to see if this site could work with us and then potentially, as we refine this idea it can be put out to a number of more people to eventually inspire thousands who may not be giving, to create their own pocket of change. www.pocketofchange.org
The best option I can think of right now is you send the information for the charity to Dhruva7@gmail.com and then I will paste it right into a new post.
PPS
You may sign up for updates from the post by pressing the "Follow button
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Copy of Email:
February 9, 2009
Recently I have been able to help with a benefit event for the Somaly Mam Foundation (www.Somaly.org). Being a part of this process has had me contemplating the priorities in my life. It has been (and continues to be) a catalyst to examine a number of my understandings. One of these is the nature of giving.
As I spent more time with the goal of the Somaly Mam Foundation and the reality that millons of young children and young women are horifficaly forced into, questions about the way in which I live were brought forth. I live in a circumstance which is not from my doing. I took no action as 'Dhruva' in this life to be afforded the geographic places I grew up in, the family I was born to, the way that I look, the society and culture that surrounded me. Presently, there is material abundance all around me. I have an excess of the necessities. There is a sturdy, and in comparison to the majority of the world, huge roof over my head within which I am extremely comfortable. My drawers are stuffed with clothing, there is ample food in the pantry, there is money in bank accounts, there is often copius amounts of delicious foods to eat and I do not suffer any means of transportation. I live in a safe neighborhood and in my life I do not feel threatened, as there is nothing around that would purposefully cause me great personal harm (physically etc). There is so much opportunity and wonderful privelage in my life.. as a matter of fact, it is overflowing. These thoughts lead me to a short and poignant conversation Luke and I had the other evening about the norms of comfort within our (western) society. We have all been raised with (not necessarily by our parents, teachers etc.. but by society at large..notions of the American Dream) the notion that the more we have the better. The more money, the more clothes, the more accessories, the better phone, the larger house, the bigger car, the softer the couch, the more time to luxuriate the better. There is a strong ideal that is shared with us that we must 'look out for number one' and in the pursuit and achievement of our own financial success we will feel a great contentment and joy. We are also not encouraged to think about "How can I give today?"
I am confident in saying that what most importantly shapes and beckons joy, that reveals meaning within our wonderful selves is the understandings/experiences we have and that we may experience the reason for our being/the greatest love while remaining in place. The relationships we have with our friends, lovers, family members etc ideally refines and supports the greatest of these understandings and experiences (ex. when I am with you and you share your love with me, in return, that love will be encouraged within me. I then share back. My understanding is that Love is our reason for being and when you share that with me and naturally my heart responds, I get to have the divine experience of the heart.. and it is your gracious company that has helped me to share in that feeling). Thus our happiness is determined by the company we keep with ourselves and then with the company we keep outside ourselves. When the company outside meets in joyful accordance with the company inside.. you have real friendship and joy is experienced. Inside you are keeping your own good comapny and your friendships are an exterior reminder of your great good self! Money neither buys happiness or is the root of all evil.. it's all about us my dear brothers!!
So, upon this reflection that my desire for comfort is out of wack with what is actually needed for comfort and seeing the almost unbearable existence of about one-third of the world's population who also had no choice over the geographic place they grew up in, the family they were born to, the way that they look, the society and culture that surrounds them, a deep sadness filled my chest. These people have little physical well being and in many cases their physical well-being is intentionally gouged, twisted, burned and pissed on (literally). How can I be living here with so much excess, while there are so many in need?
I know that when something like this strikes the heart, the want to do something about it, to change it.. is immediate. The emotions are involved, the empathic heart reaches out and yearns to share love and goodness and ways to help create a systematic change for these people.. or at least a reprieve from the pain that they feel. I want to help.. what can I do?! Tell me.. I'll do it!.... Eventually though, as time passes, like with a number of things in life that need to be changed, I forget them.. or there priority goes to the back-back-back burner of my mind. I lose that immediate focus that shows me the importance of helping to create change now. A month from now the millions of children being sold into abusive sex slavery in SE Asia will still be having their vaginas sewn back together after being torturously made to work for sex. The genocidal hacking of bodies and pillaging of villages and raping of women will still be happening in Darfur. The millons of children in India who cannot see due to growing up in heavily toxic environments and who will not eat for days because of lack of money.. who won't get to go to school..they will still be there. There is so much in need of change... and I will forget.
This brought me to a number of questions, 'why do we forget?', 'HOW can this be happening?!' , 'what can I do that would be most beneficial at this time?'.. 'with limited financial resources and so many causes to support.. who should I give to?'
You all were in my mind as these thoughts flashed in the mind. You sharpen my understandings and deepen my experience of life.. your hearts are all HUGE and they are balanced by a sharp and articulate reason. You make decisions that are good for you and for those who are around you. I put this before you to ask for your insight, and to challenge you. I challenge each of us to look at our understandings of comfort and to ask ourselves how much do we actually need/want? I challenge each of us to evaluate how much luxury we afford ourselves? I think about last night when I went out with some buddies here. I had a good time and I do not regret it. While there I spent $20 dollars... not much.. though the thoughts have been floating through my head... That was frivolous fun, fun which I have had in such copious amounts throughout my life, is it really doing anything for me anymore? I have gone out in excess over the last 2 years and have spent frivolously...Hundreds of dollars in an evening... money which if my metality were a little different I may have said to myself "spend half that and give the other half to the PRASAD project/the Somaly Mam Foundation/Cancer Society".
(These are not rhetorical questions) Why is it that it is so easy for us to spend in excess when it comes to frivolous desire and so hard to find money to give to something that will bring about profound, truthful change? Why, when people are asked to donate mid-week 'times are rough' and when it comes to the weekend they're drunk at the bar with a $70 dollar tab? Can you make any refinements to your lifestyle that would enable you to help create more long lasting, seriously effective and positive change throughout the world?
In India they can give farmers who have lost eyesight, restorative eye surgery for a small monthly contribution. A one time donation of $15 dollars gives mothers the ability to join in a micro loan process which affords them money to buy goods to make baskets, clothing etc to create income.
How much luxury do we really need my Kings of Men? (You truly are kings amongst men to me)
It is one of our greatest flaws that ... WE FORGET. We lose urgency and get caught up in the menial tasks of day to day existence. Let's help each other r e m e m b e r.
I know that in giving without a want for return we gain over and over again in our intrinsic experience of our own existence ... and in receiving with open arms and love.. we are actually granting a blessed gift to that person who is giving.
To help bring about constant change to this world with so much need while maintaining spiritual, financial and psychological balance in our lives I propose this: We each choose a purpose to which we would like to offer financial support. Each month we each give a pre-decided amount (this amount is personally decided, based upon whatever the individual believes he can give per month, consistently. The intention here is to give with constancy. Constancy creates rememberance and enlivens our understandings each time we give.. as opposed to giving one large donation and letting the cause slip to the back of our minds) of money into a collected pool of our donations. Each month that collected pool goes to the chosen cause.
I imagine that you may already be supporting a cause or a number of causes financially. I know that we all have varying life responsabilties with varying financial obligations and that being the case, I return to the reflection: Can you make any refinements to your lifestyle that would enable you to help create more long-lasting, effective and positive change throughout the world? A person can become a monthly contributer to Somaly Mam Foundation for 2 dollars/month. Also, by giving a percentage of the money you make each month towards a significant cause such as those mentioned above, the work you are doing in your daily life is also supporting ridding sexual human trafficking from the earth etc. Your work at the office, your contract negotiations, your daily grind, your teachiing, your acting, your computing and crunching of numbers, your inspiring and due diligence in the office or in the theatre, at the rugby pitch, at the movie set, is going towards finding a cure for cancer or offering cataract surgery for Mexican children. You're work takes on new meaning.
I feel empowered by the idea of our collective hearts and minds joining in this effort. This month I propose we all make donations to the Somaly Mam Foundation. (www.somaly.org) Somaly Mam is recognized world wide as a leader in human rights activism and has been helping to rid SE Asia of human sex trafficking for years. This is the benefit that I have been working on and come February 17th yours truly will be the host for a large benefit night of entertainment and food. A young friend of mine has been soul searching and found this organization to volunteer for. She is 23 and needs to raise 6,000 dollars by February 17th. Then, at the end of February she is going to Cambodia to ride through the country on a bicycle to raise awareness about, and help rid Cambodia of human sex trafficking. To find out more about Ranny and to donate, here is the link: http://www.somaly.org/futures0
Gentlemen, I write this with Love and a want for truth of action. I somewhat anxiously await your insights and replies... which do not need to be lengthy at all. Are you willing to participate in this venture together? Once per month the chosen member of this group puts forth their cause, the information for it and as a collective we become informed and help uplift humanity in this very tangible and meaningful way.
Thank you again for all that you bring to my life and to this world.
I love you.
Your Friend and confidant,
Dhruva
