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A desperate mother who traveled from Nepal to Mumbai, India to find her teenage daughter who was trafficked into an Indian brothel.She says, "Until I find my daughter or die, I am not leaving here without her."
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A self-portrait by a 15 year old trafficking victim sold into a brothel and subjected to unspeakable cruelty.Her dream is to become a social worker an to help "those trapped in evil."
We are steadily making progress with our current fundraising total at $6780. It would be wonderful to make it to $7000 by the end of the month-meaning just $220 to stay on track. Because of your generosity and caring spirit, so many mothers like the one above will have a better chance to find their daughters through Off the Mat Into the World's partner programs and make it back home alive. And so many little girls like the one "kara" who's drawing is above, will have a chance at life- to heal and fulfill their dreams through shelters and rehabilitation treatment that your donation will fund. No donation is ever too small! Will you help?
 
    Ok, so I am fresh from the hospital and raring to go! One of our cats, Boo Boo, bit me a little harder than I think she meant to, and put me in the hospital with a bacterial infection. Apparently, cat bites are notoriously way worse than dog bites and often lead to hospital stays of IV antibiotic treatments. So I was sprung from the new Capital Health Hospital in Hopewell, which by the way is like staying at an updated hotel of sorts, pumped full of medicine, and catching up on my work. I happen to be so excited to work (after laying in bed for 3 days!).
    I will be updating the new totals of my fundraising efforts this weekend sometime, so check back soon...
    In the meantime, I wanted to tell you about the event coming up at Four Winds Yoga, on Sat, June 23, 9:45- Noon: Seva Solstice Celebration Practice! I have specially designed this program for us, that will celebrate the summer solstice and make the connection between the Sun and Earth and our own body/mind-complex rhythms and cycles. It is not your typical sun salutation thing, but a comprehensive yogic practice that highlights the aspects of Four Winds Yoga that are: breathe, awaken, transform and share. As we bring our bodies in sync with the Universal Life Force, we experience a growing easefulness in living and a greater ability to share that energy with the Universe. It is a sacred circle, and as I've said in earlier posts, the more we become a straw and less of a container, the more Prana or Universal Life Force can flow through us for the benefit of all. So it this excites you, intrigues you, delights you or makes you want more, please join me on Sat, June 23.
    You can sign up here at Seva Solstice Celebration Practice. Get Bright! Shine like the Beautiful Light that You Are! Shine On! See you there!
 
    I just found out yesterday that I have been chosen as a Global Mala Mentor for the 2012 Global Mala NJ in Asbury Park, Sat 23! I will be teaching a section of sun salutation practice on the boardwalk that will raise money for 6 charities, along with 9 other selected teachers. The BEST NEWS is that they have also selected MY Global Seva Challenge fundraising efforts, through Off the Mat, Into the World as ONE OF THE CHARITIES to benefit from the event! Many thanks to Bridget Riepl and Reggie Flimlin, who are organizing the event for giving me this opportunity to get the word out and raise money to help victims of sex trafficking.
    There will be over 30 studios around Nj supporting this event and it will simulcast to Newark Stadium. Cory booker and Ed Johnson, mayors of Newark and Asbury Park respectively, will officiate a Pause for Peace, throughout NJ and recognize this as the largest yoga gathering contributing to 6 charities that foster the values of LOHAS (lifestyle of health and sustainability). The event will launch at 8am and culminate around noon with vendors on the boardwalk and live music. Stay tuned for more info and how you can participante.
    Students at the studio have already been talking about taking a carpool van down to the event. I will keep you posted on this should you want to save gas and ride together!
My deepest gratitude to the Divine Mystery!
May all beings be happy and free!
 
    Tonight's community yoga class at Four Winds Yoga was so sweet. So many women coming out to support other women- it's wonderful! I am mindful of the deep power of yoga to transform on so many levels. We get a class for a low fee and have an opportunity practice supporting our hearts and bodies with breath. We also get a chance to feel empowered that our donation is making a positive impact on the lives of children and women in India. When we reach out in this way, we feel a little more at peace somehow, a little stronger. We are all related. In yoga it is understood as a matrix or a web. We are each strands of the web. When we vibrate positively, we also vibrate positively all the other strands that we are connected to. It may be invisible to us on some level. But I do know one thing, we can feel our own hearts soften and heal as we reach out to others who need our help. When I get to India, I promise to bring you back first-hand evidence of how our collective efforts have an incredibly positive impact on our sisters and our children in "our web". It would be my honor. Until then, feel the opening in your own heart as you reach into the hearts and lives of others.
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    Please help end sex trafficking and make a tax deductible donation. Remember to list my name " Jill Gutowski" as the participant you are donating in the name of. Thank you so much!

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    Jill Gutowski has been a practitioner of hatha yoga, meditation and holistic healing for over 18 years.  She teaches in the Princeton, NJ area.

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