AIDS LifeCycle Supporter - The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

32

 

Folsom Street Fair - 2006

Yesterday, as I walked through the streets of San Francisco, I was pleased to see "Karma Yoga" in action.  While I witnessed the
largest, sexiest and hottest kink fundraiser in the world.  Amongst the whips & chains and wildest fetish gear, I found an organization that has continually performed "acts of kindness" and  has continued to serve not only the San Francisco Community but communities worldwide.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence -  San Francisco Order was founded in 1979, the mission of the Sisters —
to promulgate universal joy, expiate stigmatic guilt and serve the
community — spread far and wide. Orders can be found across the United
States and in several countries around the world.

Although the San Francisco Order is often referred to as the "Mother
House", the Sisters have no central seat of power and no single ruling
body. Each Order is an autonomous, unique group with its own Habits,
culture and rules. Just as the San Francisco Order is a reflection of
the culture that surrounds it, so too is each Order a reflection of its
own environment.

Check out the pics

Soon after I put down the camera, I met two teenage individuals (sitting on a trash can). 
Their mission: "to make sure that all recyclable items from the Folsom Steet Fair went into their correct receptacle" . .

How wonderful is that!?!

Conclusion:

It doesn't matter what you are wearing.
It doesn't matter what your age, creed, sexual orientation, economic status, or location.
It doesn't matter what "you think."
It only matters what "you do."

Wishing the best of all possible worlds,
Iyengar Yoga Teacher,
AIDS LifeCycle Cyclist,
Sponsor Tony for AIDS Lifecycle 2007
tony

P.s. Now go resend that invitation to Harpo Productions & Oprah Winfrey AND Don't forget about the Tour De Castro

Beneficiaries 

Each year FSE returns all proceeds (including gate donations
and beverage sales) from the Folsom Street Fair
^SM, Up Your Alley Fair
and Magnitude to qualified local charities.

The board of directors of Folsom Street Events has selected
the following San Francisco based 501(c)(3) community support
organizations to be grant recepients of
the 2006 fair season.

 

• AIDS/HIV/Hep C Nightline



• Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center



• Bay Area Young Positives



• ECS - Shelters, Housing, Social Services



• Frameline



• Immune Enhancement Project



• Lesbian Health Research Center



• Magnet



• San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus



• Tenderloin Health



• The Family Link



• The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence



• Visual Aid

• 
    See Beneficiary Announcement Press Release for More Details

AIDS LifeCycle - 2005

AIDS LifeCycle - 2006

Karma Yoga - Happy Birthday Rev. Cecil Williams

Last night, while drinking a Fat Tire Beer, a reliable source informed me that the CEO & Minister of Glide's National and International Ministries, Rev. Cecil Williams will turn 77 on Friday, 22 September, 2006.





"Cecil Williams was born in San Angelo, TX in 1929, the same year that Methodist philanthropist Lizzie Glide broke ground for the construction of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church in San Francisco, CA. Born the fifth of six children, Cecil was raised in the segregated South. Buses, drinking fountains, theaters, trains, rest rooms and every other shared public facility were labeled "men," "women," and "colored." Williams grew up feeling like an outsider - rejected, and unacceptable.

However, this damaging message was mitigated by the nurturing love of Williams' immediate community. His mother, a strong black woman who commanded respect, told her son again and again, "You are going to be somebody." As a boy, Williams was nicknamed "Rev" - short for "reverend" - the highest praise and heaviest pressure that a family could place on a son. In his community, he was somebody; simultaneously, the white community said that he and everyone he cared for was nobody. This dichotomy was too much for young Williams to take. At the age of ten, he was diagnosed with a nervous breakdown. For several months, he felt depressed and engulfed in blackness. Williams finally lifted the fog of pain and rejection after a dream he had: a young white boy and an old white man were at the foot of his bed. They wanted him to accept his station in life and go along with the system. Young Williams resisted, and reversed their control over him.

He woke up the next morning feeling like a new person, vowing never to accept anyone else's definition of his being. Back in church, he felt a certain relief, but Williams imagined himself a minister before hundreds of people of all colors, ages, and descriptions. Williams held on to this vision through college, then seminary.

Today, his church is San Francisco's largest social service provider. Glide feeds 3500 people a day. It sponsors computer training for adults, runs programs for HIV and Domestic Violence, and treats substance abusers. More than 17,000 people volunteer in its programs."
- - People of Faith - Cecil Williams





"In his 37 years as Pastor of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, Reverend Cecil Williams has created a church that practices diversity, spirituality, and compassion. As a minister, community leader, author, lecturer, and spokesperson for the poor and marginalized, he is respected and recognized as a national leader on the forefront of social change. His vision for a truly inclusive church has attracted a 10,000 member congregation, an extended family, who reflect the diversity of the world- all races, ages, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations and religions. What brings this community of people together is the common search for acceptance, spiritual growth, and social justice. Cecil's spirituality demands action through good works, as staff and thousands of volunteers feed over 1 million meals a year to the hungry, and offer the hope of recovery and healing in the lives of the city's most marginalized. His tireless work over the last 37 years has made Glide one of the most active, dynamic churches in the world, receiving national and international acclaim. Reverend Williams is married to Janice Mirikitani. He has a son, daughter, and 2 grandchildren."
- Glide Memorial Church - Rev. Cecil Williams





My reliable source also informed me that this Sunday's Celebration will be in honor of Reverend Cecil Williams. And perhaps, maybe if were lucky, Maya Angelou will be present. I'll see ya on Sunday.

Happy Birthday, Cecil Williams.

Wishing the best of all possible worlds,

Iyengar Yoga teacher,
tony

Ps.
A message from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Yoga for Kids - Om for Kids Yogathon 2006

“Living on the streets will break you down mentally if you’re not strong enough,” says Ali, a CHC resident. “It’s hard to even find a place to rest your head without any worries."

Ali’s parents passed away when he was younger. As a result, he never had a stable living situation. He lived where he could when he could. For awhile he stayed with his grandfather, then his girlfriend, and then with any friend that would have him. But soon he found that he had used up all of his options. It wasn’t long until Ali was living on the streets.

“It’s kind of hard being on the streets. You always have to worry about where your belongings are going to go. Drugs are always being thrown your way. It’s really easy to find an excuse to use them,” he says.

It was while on the streets that Ali first encountered the Covenant House California Outreach van. “I was hanging out in Berkley a lot and the van used to always come through to give out food, hygiene kits, and water. They told me if I needed a place to stay I should check out CHC. I was skeptical at first, but I called the number and they immediately offered me a bed.”

Along with giving Ali shelter, CHC also offered him assistance with GED classes, counseling and job hunting. He says that his experiences at CHC have been good ones. “It was exciting when I first came here, just to know everything is going to be cool; just to know that you have a place to rest your head. Your basic immediate needs are being met which allows you to focus on bigger things like getting a stable life.”

And Ali says he’s a better person as a result. “I’d probably be in jail if not for CHC. You lean towards doing desperate things if you’re homeless. It’s the only option you have. CHC kept that from happening.”



Saturday, September 23rd, 2006
10am -- Registration
10:30am-noon -- Sun Salutations
noon-12:30pm -- Kirtan
12:30pm -- Food booths opens

Om for Kids Yogathon 2006 is a big Yoga fest. This year's Om for Kids features you and hundreds of other yoga-loving folks who come together to perform 108 Sun Salutations in unison! It's a glorious event--all to raise awareness and much-needed funds for homeless and at-risk youth served by Covenant House California.

Wishing the best of all possible worlds,
Iyengar Yoga teacher,
10th Year, AIDS LifeCycle Cyclist,
tony eason