On this day before Valentine's day, I am feeling inspired by the incredible evening I had last night at the JCC in Manhattan. I was thrilled to attend an evening with Sharon Salzberg entitled, "How Meditation Changes the Lives of Inner City Youth." Sharon was joined by the three founders of the Holistic Life Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to nurturing the wellness of children and adults in underserved communities. Andres Gonzalez, and brothers Atman and Ali Smith, the co-founders of the program, spoke about their journey to bring yoga, mindfulness and meditation to the inner city youth of Baltimore. Many of these children live in a world of crime, drugs, poverty and violence. These incredible men have changed the lives of so many young people by sharing their love, showing them respect and by teaching them tools to cultivate compassion, empathy and resilience. So, on this day before Valentine's Day, a holiday filled with flowers, chocolates and romance, I am deeply reminded of the incredible power of love --- how it feels, how healing it can be and how important it is to share it freely with others. Happy Valentine's Day to all and may your day be filled with lots of love!!!Share the Love
On this day before Valentine's day, I am feeling inspired by the incredible evening I had last night at the JCC in Manhattan. I was thrilled to attend an evening with Sharon Salzberg entitled, "How Meditation Changes the Lives of Inner City Youth." Sharon was joined by the three founders of the Holistic Life Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to nurturing the wellness of children and adults in underserved communities. Andres Gonzalez, and brothers Atman and Ali Smith, the co-founders of the program, spoke about their journey to bring yoga, mindfulness and meditation to the inner city youth of Baltimore. Many of these children live in a world of crime, drugs, poverty and violence. These incredible men have changed the lives of so many young people by sharing their love, showing them respect and by teaching them tools to cultivate compassion, empathy and resilience. So, on this day before Valentine's Day, a holiday filled with flowers, chocolates and romance, I am deeply reminded of the incredible power of love --- how it feels, how healing it can be and how important it is to share it freely with others. Happy Valentine's Day to all and may your day be filled with lots of love!!!