Dear Svaroopis,

I want to thank those of you who donated both funds and time to our Support Equals Release fundraising campaign.  In a few weeks we have raised over $16,000 to support many important functions in our Svaroopa^® Vidya Ashram.  I want to share with you my experience with this campaign, and the way that this theme is blossoming within our community.

We talk about support and release in so many ways, but I watched it grow so beautifully in the sense of community supporting community. We had two phone-a-thon events with sevites reaching out to members of our community. Each phone-a-thon lasted 3 hours, and there was a Board Member “cheerleader” online with the sevites (in a chatroom) offering support.

I had the opportunity to be a cheerleader and watched as these wonderful and dedicated Svaroopis reached out to other Svaroopis, both offering support as well as asking for support. The reports we got back were so amazing! While the purpose was to raise funds in a different and fun way, the result was a deepening and strengthening of our yoga community, our kula.

Do not be disappointed if you did not get a call, as there are many more of you than there were hours and sevites, but it is our plan to continue this tradition of yogis reaching out to yogis.  Who else but another Svaroopi understands the path you are on and can bring you back to your Self in a phone call? Some of you are in locales where there are only a few Svaroopis or maybe you are the lone wolf. No matter! You have a community, a spiritual family, a virtual GeoCenter! And getting back to your Self can be just a phone call to another Svaroopi away, or a visit to the website to listen to a free recording of one of Swamiji’s satsangs, or attending a class or enrolling for a program.

One of our Ashram’s primary sources of financial support is donations. Our purpose is to open you to your Self, through Swamiji’s teachings, our programs and online services.  Your donations are so vital, as well as your enrollments in the wonderful program offerings. But one of the most important things is community. Support from the community, to the community, equals release.

In gratitude and in service,
Amala Lynn Cattafi
SVA Board President