OVERWHELMING ABUNDANCE

From Yoga Journal, December 2009.
In 2006 Cami Walker was suffering from recently diagnosed multiple sclerosis when her spiritual teacher challenged her to give a gift every day for 29 days. The gifts could be anything- a pretty shell to a child building a sandcastle, money to a person on the street , a word of cheer to a friend-as long as they were given with consciousness and intention. This experience of reaching out to others, which Walker chronicles in her book 29 GIFTS, HOW A MONTH OF GIVING CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE, resulted in what she describes as a fundamental shift in her mindset, imbuing her with a deep sense of freedom and joy that affected her experience of her illness.
"It turned my life around completely," she says. "I now see I am a small part of a much greater whole, rather than the self contained, deserted island I felt like before. She also says "Yoga teaches us that we are not here to live in a vacuum. We are here to be of service to each other and have a common experience." -Charity Ferreira

When I discovered this book and Cami Walker on the internet, I decided to commit myself to the task of "29 days of giving" and see what that experience was like. It meant going beyond ways I normally give and being very mindful in that. I will let you know what I learn. In the meantime if you are interested go to 29gifts.org to see what it is all about and maybe take up the challenge.