[Music] just days after Christmas home with my
just days after Christmas home with my
just days after Christmas home with my family and ambulance takes me to the
family and ambulance takes me to the
family and ambulance takes me to the hospital I ended up being fine or was I
hospital I ended up being fine or was I
hospital I ended up being fine or was I I asked myself from the outside looking
I asked myself from the outside looking
I asked myself from the outside looking in everything seemed good I was the
in everything seemed good I was the
in everything seemed good I was the mother of two amazing boys had a
mother of two amazing boys had a
mother of two amazing boys had a terrific successful husband a big house
terrific successful husband a big house
terrific successful husband a big house I threw great dinner parties volunteered
I threw great dinner parties volunteered
I threw great dinner parties volunteered at school practiced yoga meditation and
at school practiced yoga meditation and
at school practiced yoga meditation and being generous was a high priority in my
being generous was a high priority in my
being generous was a high priority in my heart simply put I wore my mask well my
heart simply put I wore my mask well my
heart simply put I wore my mask well my version of generosity was coming at a
version of generosity was coming at a
version of generosity was coming at a price giving meant getting and yes it
price giving meant getting and yes it
price giving meant getting and yes it and truly meanness are you familiar with
and truly meanness are you familiar with
and truly meanness are you familiar with that kind the conditional kind the one
that kind the conditional kind the one
that kind the conditional kind the one you say it and you instantly feel it in
you say it and you instantly feel it in
you say it and you instantly feel it in your stomach you feel a sense of dread
your stomach you feel a sense of dread
your stomach you feel a sense of dread but you just smile and continue my
but you just smile and continue my
but you just smile and continue my version of generosity had the currency
version of generosity had the currency
version of generosity had the currency of righteousness resentment and
of righteousness resentment and
of righteousness resentment and victimhood and in many ways it felt more
victimhood and in many ways it felt more
victimhood and in many ways it felt more like a competition of who was gonna do
like a competition of who was gonna do
like a competition of who was gonna do more for each other there was a sense of
more for each other there was a sense of
more for each other there was a sense of emptiness and exhaustion that panic
emptiness and exhaustion that panic
emptiness and exhaustion that panic attack woke me up my way of being and
attack woke me up my way of being and
attack woke me up my way of being and giving wasn’t sustainable and it wasn’t
giving wasn’t sustainable and it wasn’t
giving wasn’t sustainable and it wasn’t until my forties that I discovered that
until my forties that I discovered that
until my forties that I discovered that generosity isn’t just about giving it’s
generosity isn’t just about giving it’s
generosity isn’t just about giving it’s also about receiving and when we are
also about receiving and when we are
also about receiving and when we are courageous with our generosity we feel
courageous with our generosity we feel
courageous with our generosity we feel alive and connected Anthony taught me
alive and connected Anthony taught me
alive and connected Anthony taught me about generosity that’s bigger I mean
about generosity that’s bigger I mean
about generosity that’s bigger I mean the kind of generosity that generates
the kind of generosity that generates
the kind of generosity that generates deep connection and ask you to be bigger
deep connection and ask you to be bigger
deep connection and ask you to be bigger than you even know yourself to be
than you even know yourself to be
than you even know yourself to be he lives in Nairobi Kenya and I said yes
he lives in Nairobi Kenya and I said yes
he lives in Nairobi Kenya and I said yes to a program that links brand-new yoga
to a program that links brand-new yoga
to a program that links brand-new yoga teachers from Kenya with mentor
teachers from Kenya with mentor
teachers from Kenya with mentor from around the world I experienced just
from around the world I experienced just
from around the world I experienced just differently this time I was out of my
differently this time I was out of my
differently this time I was out of my comfort zone I felt excited scared and I
comfort zone I felt excited scared and I
comfort zone I felt excited scared and I began asking new questions like Who am I
began asking new questions like Who am I
began asking new questions like Who am I to be mentoring a yoga teacher in Kenya
to be mentoring a yoga teacher in Kenya
to be mentoring a yoga teacher in Kenya what do I have to offer were so
what do I have to offer were so
what do I have to offer were so different I came up with a mantra during
different I came up with a mantra during
different I came up with a mantra during that time whenever fear paralyzed me or
that time whenever fear paralyzed me or
that time whenever fear paralyzed me or I doubt myself it’s not about me
I doubt myself it’s not about me
I doubt myself it’s not about me it’s bigger saying it was my way of
it’s bigger saying it was my way of
it’s bigger saying it was my way of getting myself out of the way and
getting myself out of the way and
getting myself out of the way and serving a higher intention each month
serving a higher intention each month
serving a higher intention each month Anthony and I connected for one hour on
Anthony and I connected for one hour on
Anthony and I connected for one hour on skype my job as his mentor was to
skype my job as his mentor was to
skype my job as his mentor was to develop and deepen his journey as a yoga
develop and deepen his journey as a yoga
develop and deepen his journey as a yoga teacher
teacher
teacher he was 19 at the time he had just come
he was 19 at the time he had just come
he was 19 at the time he had just come off the streets from stealing and
off the streets from stealing and
off the streets from stealing and dealing drugs he had lost his father to
dealing drugs he had lost his father to
dealing drugs he had lost his father to alcoholism and his mother to AIDS I
alcoholism and his mother to AIDS I
alcoholism and his mother to AIDS I remember our first call we just spent
remember our first call we just spent
remember our first call we just spent most of our time trying to understand
most of our time trying to understand
most of our time trying to understand one another his English was rough and my
one another his English was rough and my
one another his English was rough and my Swahili was non-existent and vulnerably
Swahili was non-existent and vulnerably
Swahili was non-existent and vulnerably we instantly connected we knew from that
we instantly connected we knew from that
we instantly connected we knew from that first call that our relationship was
first call that our relationship was
first call that our relationship was about serving something bigger than each
about serving something bigger than each
about serving something bigger than each of us it was a bringing unity and peace
of us it was a bringing unity and peace
of us it was a bringing unity and peace and freedom to our communities through
and freedom to our communities through
and freedom to our communities through yoga Anthony showed up on each call
yoga Anthony showed up on each call
yoga Anthony showed up on each call hungry to receive my mentoring and I
hungry to receive my mentoring and I
hungry to receive my mentoring and I gave him everything that I could for my
gave him everything that I could for my
gave him everything that I could for my heart his receptivity lit up my
heart his receptivity lit up my
heart his receptivity lit up my generosity and I often left the calls
generosity and I often left the calls
generosity and I often left the calls thinking whose mentoring who here I
thinking whose mentoring who here I
thinking whose mentoring who here I realized that when we allow ourselves to
realized that when we allow ourselves to
realized that when we allow ourselves to receive from our giving the supply that
receive from our giving the supply that
receive from our giving the supply that we have to give is limitless we feel
we have to give is limitless we feel
we have to give is limitless we feel alive and we discover a deeper sense
alive and we discover a deeper sense
alive and we discover a deeper sense into our true nature as human beings
Anthony was unstoppable his courage and
Anthony was unstoppable his courage and his commitment to not letting fear stop
his commitment to not letting fear stop
his commitment to not letting fear stop him anywhere in his life transformed me
him anywhere in his life transformed me
him anywhere in his life transformed me his courage gave me courage his
his courage gave me courage his
his courage gave me courage his commitment to giving to his communities
commitment to giving to his communities
commitment to giving to his communities through yoga encouraged me to do the
through yoga encouraged me to do the
through yoga encouraged me to do the same generosity is so powerful it has a
same generosity is so powerful it has a
same generosity is so powerful it has a way of rippling out and inspiring more
way of rippling out and inspiring more
way of rippling out and inspiring more generosity so later that year I said yes
generosity so later that year I said yes
generosity so later that year I said yes to going to Kenya for my first service
to going to Kenya for my first service
to going to Kenya for my first service trip my friends and family questioned my
trip my friends and family questioned my
trip my friends and family questioned my decision why in the world would I go to
decision why in the world would I go to
decision why in the world would I go to Kenya they thought it was dangerous
Kenya they thought it was dangerous
Kenya they thought it was dangerous I had two kids I leave them with my
I had two kids I leave them with my
I had two kids I leave them with my husband for two weeks they were just 5
husband for two weeks they were just 5
husband for two weeks they were just 5 in 8 I questioned my decision and still
in 8 I questioned my decision and still
in 8 I questioned my decision and still the mantra it’s not about me it is
the mantra it’s not about me it is
the mantra it’s not about me it is bigger my yes continued until my husband
bigger my yes continued until my husband
bigger my yes continued until my husband and my boys were driving me to the
and my boys were driving me to the
and my boys were driving me to the airport and my husband received a call
airport and my husband received a call
airport and my husband received a call that his father had just lost his battle
that his father had just lost his battle
that his father had just lost his battle to cancer immediately we turned around
to cancer immediately we turned around
to cancer immediately we turned around the car went home and I said I’m
the car went home and I said I’m
the car went home and I said I’m canceling the trip after 24 hours of
canceling the trip after 24 hours of
canceling the trip after 24 hours of Tears pain and lots of conversation with
Tears pain and lots of conversation with
Tears pain and lots of conversation with him and his family whose only words were
him and his family whose only words were
him and his family whose only words were you have to go or we’ve got this I
received and I went to Kenya I’ll say
received and I went to Kenya I’ll say that it stretched me well beyond my
that it stretched me well beyond my
that it stretched me well beyond my comfort zone to receive their generosity
comfort zone to receive their generosity
comfort zone to receive their generosity but I did it and as they stepped on that
but I did it and as they stepped on that
but I did it and as they stepped on that plane I knew that my husband wouldn’t
plane I knew that my husband wouldn’t
plane I knew that my husband wouldn’t have it any differently
have it any differently
have it any differently it was incredibly generous for him to
it was incredibly generous for him to
it was incredibly generous for him to support me so receiving generosity can
support me so receiving generosity can
support me so receiving generosity can be challenging for many of us yet giving
be challenging for many of us yet giving
be challenging for many of us yet giving and feeding or two sides of the same
and feeding or two sides of the same
and feeding or two sides of the same hand once in Kenya I saw firsthand how
hand once in Kenya I saw firsthand how
hand once in Kenya I saw firsthand how maybe my axe of general
maybe my axe of general
maybe my axe of general prosody the mentorship the time put in
prosody the mentorship the time put in
prosody the mentorship the time put in at 6:00 a.m. for our skypes was flowing
at 6:00 a.m. for our skypes was flowing
at 6:00 a.m. for our skypes was flowing all the way out into Kenya
all the way out into Kenya
all the way out into Kenya Anthony’s powerful yoga teaching was
Anthony’s powerful yoga teaching was
Anthony’s powerful yoga teaching was transforming his students and I get to
transforming his students and I get to
transforming his students and I get to be one of them while I was there we went
be one of them while I was there we went
be one of them while I was there we went on to build a school that serves over
on to build a school that serves over
on to build a school that serves over 200 Masai children each year I attended
200 Masai children each year I attended
200 Masai children each year I attended and I taught yoga classes and I saw the
and I taught yoga classes and I saw the
and I taught yoga classes and I saw the real impact that yoga was having on
real impact that yoga was having on
real impact that yoga was having on communities
communities
communities I made friendships I met Anthony but
I made friendships I met Anthony but
I made friendships I met Anthony but there was more than that that trip broke
there was more than that that trip broke
there was more than that that trip broke my heart wide open there were
my heart wide open there were
my heart wide open there were heartbreaking moments witnessing the
heartbreaking moments witnessing the
heartbreaking moments witnessing the hunger the poverty and in what many
hunger the poverty and in what many
hunger the poverty and in what many circumstances seemed like hopelessness
circumstances seemed like hopelessness
circumstances seemed like hopelessness and there were also moments laser joy
and there were also moments laser joy
and there were also moments laser joy love and connection that I had never
love and connection that I had never
love and connection that I had never experienced before and yet it felt like
experienced before and yet it felt like
experienced before and yet it felt like a homecoming I realized that when we
a homecoming I realized that when we
a homecoming I realized that when we come together with generosity that’s
come together with generosity that’s
come together with generosity that’s bigger that serves a higher intention we
bigger that serves a higher intention we
bigger that serves a higher intention we effortlessly drop our masks drop our
effortlessly drop our masks drop our
effortlessly drop our masks drop our armor and we deeply connect with one
armor and we deeply connect with one
armor and we deeply connect with one another in that we see that we are more
another in that we see that we are more
another in that we see that we are more alike than different we are connected so
alike than different we are connected so
alike than different we are connected so we can express generosity in many ways
we can express generosity in many ways
we can express generosity in many ways generosity that lasts keeps giving no
generosity that lasts keeps giving no
generosity that lasts keeps giving no strings attached I believe it’s
strings attached I believe it’s
strings attached I believe it’s important that we ask ourselves what
important that we ask ourselves what
important that we ask ourselves what gets in the way of our giving and are
gets in the way of our giving and are
gets in the way of our giving and are receiving what stops us stories like I’m
receiving what stops us stories like I’m
receiving what stops us stories like I’m not deserving I’m not good enough I
not deserving I’m not good enough I
not deserving I’m not good enough I don’t have the time I’m too busy what I
don’t have the time I’m too busy what I
don’t have the time I’m too busy what I have to offer I’m too scared I don’t
have to offer I’m too scared I don’t
have to offer I’m too scared I don’t have enough money it can be really
have enough money it can be really
have enough money it can be really simple we can give someone our full
simple we can give someone our full
simple we can give someone our full attention so when I was growing up my
attention so when I was growing up my
attention so when I was growing up my grandmother was so generous I used to
grandmother was so generous I used to
grandmother was so generous I used to call her
call her
call her few times a week and I would very
few times a week and I would very
few times a week and I would very ungracefully sing you light up my life
ungracefully sing you light up my life
ungracefully sing you light up my life she would listen to me for hours and of
she would listen to me for hours and of
she would listen to me for hours and of all the gifts that she gave me growing
all the gifts that she gave me growing
all the gifts that she gave me growing up that was the best one that last in my
up that was the best one that last in my
up that was the best one that last in my heart to this day giving someone our
heart to this day giving someone our
heart to this day giving someone our full attention is big no more than ever
full attention is big no more than ever
full attention is big no more than ever so be brave in the way that you extend
so be brave in the way that you extend
so be brave in the way that you extend generosity say yes to giving and
generosity say yes to giving and
generosity say yes to giving and receiving that’s out of your comfort
receiving that’s out of your comfort
receiving that’s out of your comfort zone be big remember it’s not about you
zone be big remember it’s not about you
zone be big remember it’s not about you it’s bigger be generous in the way that
it’s bigger be generous in the way that
it’s bigger be generous in the way that you share yourself authentically with
you share yourself authentically with
you share yourself authentically with others and you will see that we’re more
others and you will see that we’re more
others and you will see that we’re more alike than different be unconditional in
alike than different be unconditional in
alike than different be unconditional in your giving and above all allow yourself
your giving and above all allow yourself
your giving and above all allow yourself to receive from your giving and from
to receive from your giving and from
to receive from your giving and from others thank you
others thank you
others thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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