Africa Trip 2011

Hello,

Well we just returned from Africa last week and I wanted to fill you in on our amazing experience. We were fortunate to team up with Meriwether Foundation and visit their orphanage in South Africa (while also crossing over into Zimbabwe and Botswana). The kids were amazing and inspiring as always. Every time I go out to Africa I am reminded of how we are all different yet really all the same. I'm reminded of how we all desire a life of happiness, freedom, peace, and health. I look at the children in the orphanage, some of whom are orphans or vulnerable children who struggle with poverty or even HIV/AIDS, and I am inspired by their strength and by their ability to find happiness from within. I truly believe and have seen with my own eyes that happiness is not really something that we get from our relationships, the car we drive, the house we live in, the job we think that defines us, but rather happiness is something we tune into from within. It's an amazing experience to just be out there with the children and to be exposed to their daily reality and be able to play with them and inspire hope, showing them that we care about their well being. It was so fun to just play with them, to see them smile, to hold hands together, and to just witness their strength and bliss from within.

Nicky from WMO2H playing with the kids!

Since starting With My Own Two Hands Foundation it has been a year filled with lots of lessons, inspiration, and also challenges. But when we were with with the children, I am reminded of how all the time, energy, and effort has all paid off because I know that we were able to make a difference, both by helping their project, but also just by being there with them. I am so fortunate to be able to participate and run this foundation, as I find this the most rewarding "job." I really have found my passion in being able to try and inspire people to make a difference in the lives of those in need, remembering that we are all connected...all one!

It was an eye opening experience reminding us to be grateful for the abundance that surrounds us. We are looking forward to this upcoming year and expanding and reaching out to projects in need of our support. We want to thank all of our supporters. We also want to thank Meriwether Foundation for a great trip and being a part of their orphanage. We were ALL able to make a difference for these beautiful children in Africa.

Light and Love,

Lindsey Pluimer

Upcoming Special Yoga Event! Saturday July 16th 12pm

Come join us for this special event Saturday, July 16th 12pm to help raise money and awareness for With My Own Two Hands Foundation.  All proceeds will go to helping orphans in Africa effected by AIDS and poverty. Join us for a special blindfolded yoga class led by Lindsey Pluimer (founder of With My Own Two Hands Foundation) and then an amazing performance by the beautiful Erika Burkhalter and David Danon. They will showcase their “Trust” acro-yoga performance with us! Erika and David (both senior teachers at Yoga Works) teach and perform at various yoga festivals and conferences and are amazing! Don’t miss out!

Event to take place at Beyond Hot Yoga (31271 Niguel Road, Laguna Niguel 92677)

Ticket Price: $25 (please purchase before so we know how many blindfolds to purchase)

-All tickets are tax deductible and can be purchased online at

 https://www.wepay.com/tickets/specialyogaclass  (or cash or check at Beyond Hot Yoga)

Lindsey (our founder) Reporting from Austin, Texas

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to check in from Austin, Texas and share a little of what I have learned from Seane Corn's yoga teacher training. Well to begin with, Seane Corn is an amazing yogini, some might call her a "yogalebrity." I took one of her trainings in Costa Mesa and fell in love with her authenticity, inspiration, and love for yoga. Seane is also one of the co-founders of Off The Mat And Into the World Foundation. With My Own Two Hands Foundation is now an affiliate partner with them and we are so excited to be working with them in the future. OTM done amazing work in the yoga community and have raised over $2 million dollars for various projects around the world.

Well, Seane has impacted the way I teach in so many different ways. She constantly reminds me of the interconnection of yoga and the way we live our lives. She specifically spoke today on the magic of yoga and how our practice can be used a manifestation of our truth and spirit within and can ultimately become an offering or universal prayer for peace. I have learned that I as a teacher need to become a mirror...to reflect the spirit and truth within each of my student's back to them so they recognize their own infinite truths within. I had learned so many technical things and sequences to apply to my classes, but on a deeper level I have been reminded of the power of my job. I have been given a platform to use the power yoga as a path to return home to our innate truth within. I'm so blessed to be given this opportunity to teach yoga and connect that to social activism. I believe that teaching yoga and running a nonprofit go hand-in-hand. As a teacher, I believe I need to encourage my students to take their yoga off the mat and into the world around them, whether that means how they speak to their partners, or how they treat their kids, or even how they engage in their local or global communities. I think to myself...what a FREAKIN' AWESOME JOB!

May we use our practice as a way to show up on our mats and connect to our body, mind, and spirit, but may we also show up in our lives and make a difference WITH OUR OWN TWO HANDS!

Light and Love to All! Namaste!

Lindsey Pluimer

Mother's Day/ Helicopter Drop

What better way to appreciate your mother this Mother's Day than to make a donation in her name! Give the gift of inspiration, empowerment, and love to kids in Africa by donating in honor of your mother! We will use the funds to directly support our projects in Africa that benefit kids who have been effected by HIV/AIDS. We seek to build orphanages, provide food and medication, educate, and provide love to kids in need! Let's honor our mother's this Sunday but sending our love outward to those in need of love, support, and inspiration!

Only 10 more days till our Helicopter Drop Fundraiser! Participate in our cause by purchasing golf balls for our upcoming event ($10 each). The ball that lands in or closest to the hole will win the grand prize of $1,000! All proceeds go toward our cause in Africa. All funds will be put into use this summer when we take a team out to South Africa. Help us raise funds for our cause by buying your golf balls today and come join us on Sunday May 15th at 4pm to witness the actual helicopter drop. Lululemon Athletica will also be putting on a trunk show and we will be having a silent auction with many great items! Don't miss out! 

Join us in our cause in activating our local communities to help our global brothers and sisters in need of shelter, food, medication, and love. May we remember that we are all one...we all seek to live a life of happiness and freedom. Let us be the change we wish to see in the world (Gandhi) and get involved in helping others live a life full of happiness and freedom!

HELICOPTER DROP FUNDRAISER!

Help us help kids in Africa in need of shelter, food, and education. Come participate in our helicopter drop fundraiser!! We are selling golf balls for $10 each with the chance to win the grand prize of $1,000! Each golf ball goes a long way and will help bring hope to those who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. We are excited to announce that we will be serving complimentary drinks, appetizers, and will be having a silent auction with many great items!! Rumors have it that lululemon may be putting on a trunk show as well ;)

Come out and join on us Sunday, May 15th at 4pm to see if you purchased the winning ball! Whether or not you can make the event we will be contacting the person with the winning ball! All donations are tax deductible. We accept checks (made out to With My Own Two Hands Foundation), cash, or you can purchase golf ball on our website at http://www.withmyown2hands.org/#!donate

Help us bring HOPE to kids in need of inspiration! Let us all be the change we wish to see in the world (as Gandhi said)!! Buy your golf balls today!!

WMO2H

Shine On!

"To be a star you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don't worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest."

I believe this quote can really relate to a lot of us trying to unveil our own inner light within ourselves, filled with truth and love. One of the reasons I teach yoga is because I love how we can connect to our most inner selves while on our mats. Our journey on our mats becomes this sacred space for us to be vulnerable, to be open to grace, and guides us toward our inner light within. Although whenever there is light, there is always darkness, but isn't that how everything in life is? There are always opposites in life; sun and the moon, black and white, good and the bad, happiness and sadness, love and pain etc.  For us to really grow in life we must learn from the darkness and allow our inner light within to shine through. 

I believe once we can really tune into our inner light/spirit we can begin to realize that this light exists within all beings everywhere. We can begin to recognize that we share this infinite breath filled with life and love. We all desire a life free of suffering and a life full of love and peace. Ultimately, we all are one. We are all connected. We are all divine beings. 

As Nelson Mandela said, "Who are we not to shine?" 

Be a star, be yourself, be a beacon of inspiration and hope!

Shine on!

Lindsey :)

EVENT UPDATE!!! HELICOPTER DROP FUNDRAISER!

Hello everyone!

We are announcing our latest event....a HELICOPTER DROP!! So basically how it works is we are selling golf balls for $10 each and each person who buys a golf ball will be assigned a golf ball number (we send everyone a confirmation email). The more balls...the greater chance you have at winning the grand prize! So then, the ball that lands in or closest to the hole (being dropped from the helicopter) wins the GRAND PRIZE of $1,000! You can come out and join us for the helicopter drop on May 15th at 4pm at Talega Golf Course in San Clemente. We will be serving complimentary drinks, appetizers, and will be having a silent auction as well with many fun prizes! All the proceeds will go to help our cause in building orphanages in Africa! We will be taking a trip out in July and we are hoping to make this event a huge success for the kids! All donations are tax deductible!

So buy your golf balls today!! You can even buy your golf balls online: CLICK HERE

You can also contact us for more information at lindsey@withmyown2hands.org

And spread the word!!

Thanks for your support!

WMO2H Team :)