I got a phone call today from a sweet Hindu monk I love to talk to, “Swami Ji” Yogananda of Prabhuji’s Gifts. She updated me on some things they have going on at the spiritual center (the Vimukti Yoga Mission) in upstate New York, and while I listened I shopped around a bit on their website.
By the end of our phone call I had this in my shopping basket and now it’s on the way – should be shipped out maybe Tuesday, be here in a few days!
There is a lot of coolness about Prabhuji’s Gifts. For one thing, the incense smells sooooo good. I mean, awesome good. It’s made from all natural ingredients. It’s really rich and a little goes a long way. When I’ve burned it in my house, I usually do just half a stick for a large room and it hangs around (but not in a bad way) for hours.
But this company goes beyond just offering a high quality natural product. They’ve recently been certified by Green America and go to extra trouble to offset their carbon footprint from shipping.
One of the best things is that they run the Ramakrishnananda Food Rescue Program, where they go to various food retailers in New York, picking up food that is still good but approaching the sell-by date. They pick it up and deliver it to food kitchens and other organizations that specialize in feeding the hungry in New York.
They also have food programs in the Dominican Republic and in Columbia, and work with other spiritual centers in those areas to tutor children and help bring literacy to the citizens there.
Another neat program they have is the Project Relaxation for War Veterans, which enables returning soldiers to stay at the ashram for a week and receive counselling for and comfort from their wartime experiences. One wouldn’t think that a monastery would want anything to do with war, but it’s so awesome that they have this for our vets.
So we’re really happy to be able to share, just a little, in this by carrying their products. I have been a fan of the incense and oils since I first saw them at the New Age Trade Show a few years ago, and all the time we’ve had this store open I’ve hoped to have a big enough chunk of money to get a display from them. Swami Ji called me at a very opportune time today, and although now I have oh, maybe $6 left in my account we are officially part of something bigger than ourselves.
I hope that a lot of you reading this will support their work by buying their incense (and support us by buying it here! LOL). If it goes over well, we’ll be able to expand the display. I have delusions of eventually being able to afford this one…
…but it’s a couple grand and we just aren’t really there yet. But maybe this time next year?
