Groove for Good and Inspirational Bracelet Giveaway

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Buddha Groove was one of the first sponsors on tinybuddha.com, and a natural fit given the company’s mission and message—to share wisdom through inspiring Buddhist art and artifacts, including statues, home accents, and more.

A family-owned business based in New York, Buddha Groove offers products made by skilled artisans from Indonesia, China, Tibet, Nepal, and the United States, to name a few places.

Recently, the company launched a new initiative that I’m happy to share with you today: Groove for Good.

Groove for Good is a social initiative created to positively affect humanitarian causes within the United States.

Offering a special line of uplifting American-made items, Buddha Groove donates a portion of all sales to organizations vetted by the company’s online community.

Each product has its own donation amount, ranging from $5−$10.

You can get involved by nominating a nonprofit on the Buddha Groove Facebook page or through this form; browsing the selection of products; and following project updates and donation figures on the blog.

To celebrate the project launch, Buddha Groove has donated three inspirational bracelets to Tiny Buddha readers, each displaying the message “Live in the moment.”

To enter to win, leave a comment on this blog sharing the most inspirational message you’ve ever seen or received. You can enter until midnight PST on Friday, November 30^th.

Update: The winners for this giveaway have already been chosen. Subscribe to Tiny Buddha for free daily or weekly emails and to learn about future giveaways!

Comments

93 responses to “Groove for Good and Inspirational Bracelet Giveaway”

November 26, 2012

Aimee Llewellyn

I loved the post regarding living in the moment so this would be a perfect reminder.
November 26, 2012

Lloyd

Years ago, when I was at a youth retreat & I was leading a group of adults in the same way the youth were being led for the weekend. (It had never been done before.) At the end of the weekend, we did an exercise that was tradition-we wrote short notes to one another to read on the journey home. One of the sponsors in my workshop was this beautiful African man, John. His note to me read “You were born to be a leader. You will surely be one.” I’ve carried his words in my heart my entire life. With those simple words, he made me feel seen in a way that really matters. It was one of the most meaningful and powerful experiences of my life and helped to shape the person I’ve become.
November 26, 2012

Kristina M Schnabel

A quote from Paulo Coelho:

Love can consign us to hell or to paradise, but it always takes us somewhere.

It reminds us to be open to love no matter what.
November 26, 2012

Julie Miller

One of the most inspiring moments I have seen was when I was traveling in Thailand. I was staying with a family in the slums, and spent my days playing games with the local children. Despite their destitute state, these children were buying me snow cones from the local vendor, sharing their toys and offering me food. I was overwhelmed by their deep desire to connect, to share, and to bring joy to someone they had just met. I think of this trip as a reminder that we are all apart of the human family, and that love can be spread across language barriers with a few simple actions or smiles. In a world full of greed and selfishness, this reminds me that goodness is left in the world and each of us can be a part of it.
November 26, 2012

Jenni H

“Be Free Where You Are” by Thich Nhat Hanh is so full of inspiration. It is the book that I revisit and continue to draw inspiration from.
November 26, 2012

Kathleen

“Learn to live in the moment like dogs do and you will find balance in yourself and with nature” – Cesar Millan

I have been living in my past memories for such a long time that I almost forgotten that only by living in moment, I can start to change my life and myself. I am right now working to have a calm and assertive personality in order to achieve inner balance.
November 26, 2012

Sarah

The best inspirational quote I have ever seen is “I am enough”. It is something that I remind myself of constantly because we all seem to beat ourselves up if we fall short of some perceived expectation. It is important to remember that whatever you need to be or do, you are enough to be or do it.
November 26, 2012

Michelle

Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” ~Buddha
and of course, from my dad, “Happiness is always a choice you can make”.
November 26, 2012

Nichole

As a life long dog lover who is now involved in dog rescue, I tend to lean towards our 4 legged friends for inspiration.

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your
dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and
true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such
devotion. -Unknown”
November 26, 2012

Jeet

Lori, it is hard to pick just one – in fact, one only needs to read two poems of Tagore to realize why it is so hard – but here is one at random:
“I dive down into the depth of the ocean of forms, hoping to gain the perfect pearl of the formless.
No more sailing from harbour to harbour with this my weather-beaten boat.
The days are long passed when my sport was to be tossed on waves.
And now I am eager to die into the deathless.
Into the audience hall by the fathomless abyss,
where swells up the music of toneless strings, I shall take this harp of my life.
I shall tune it to the notes of forever, and when it has sobbed out its last utterance,
lay down my silent harp at the feet of the silent.” ~ Tagore
November 26, 2012

Chriseda Crow

“You, yourself, as much as anybody else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” ~Buddha
This quote has meant so much to me and others with whom I have shared it.
November 26, 2012

Beth Gallagher

So hard to choose, but I will always cherish this one from Winnie the Pooh. It was read at the start of a 3K race that my young daughter ran, and was just what I needed as I was in the process of losing a dear friend to cancer.

“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together.. there is something you must always remember. you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. but the most important thing is, even if we’re apart.. i’ll always be with you.”
November 26, 2012

Beth Gallagher

For some reason, my comment did not stay. Here it is again:

I was in the process of losing a dear friend to cancer, when this quote was read at the start of a 3K race my little daughter was running. It was perfect at that moment and continues to be treasured.

“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together.. there is something you must always remember. you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. but the most important thing is, even if we’re apart.. i’ll always be with you.” ~ Winnie The Pooh
November 26, 2012

Julie T

“When
you awaken love and laughter in your life, your mind lets go of fear
and anxiety and your happy spirit becomes the healing balm that
transforms every aspect of your human experience.”

-Unknown
November 26, 2012

StinaBalls

“In the silence of not knowing, is when you find out who you truly are.” A woman I call my Yoda said this to me when I was just a wee teenager and I swear it changed my whole life. It continues to change my life each and every day.
November 26, 2012

Liz

be here now
November 26, 2012

Ellie

Be love.
November 26, 2012

Carrie

I’m notorious for beating up on myself when it comes to just about anything, and something I heard in a yoga class recently struck me as particularly poignant. The instructor was talking about recognizing our thoughts and feelings as we tried to hold some difficult poses and to question whether or not those thoughts were serving us well. And then she said something to the extent of, “You know what happens when you lose your balance here and your fingers touch the ground, right?” No one answered, probably because we were all struggling to do it “correctly” and not to look foolish in front of each other. She said, “Your fingers touch the ground. So what?” And we all burst out laughing. It was such a small statement, but it was exactly what I needed to hear that stressful day, and it reminded me that mistakes are not the end of the world. We can’t succeed at anything unless we try, and if we fall, we pick ourselves up and try again.
November 26, 2012

Christina

“You cant chose what you go through or who your parents are in life. You can only chose how you will react to it.” Whenever I think the mistakes I have made in the past or my relationships with people, all I can do is remember to live a happy life and realize that I cannot go back and change it all i can do is move forward and use that as a lesson in life or as a reason to be miserable for a day
November 26, 2012

CAKE

The first time the concept of “live in the moment” hit me also became the most powerful message I’ve received. It was when I was recommended to read the book, “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior” by Dan Millman. A conversation between the main two characters constantly goes through my head: “Where are you? ….HERE . What time is it? … NOW.”

I use this mantra any time my mind is starting to wonder while working or when problems in my life take me away from living in the moment and being in the here and now. To this day, I read the book at least once a year and have bought multiple copies to lend to friends who could benefit from this powerful message.
November 26, 2012

Rachel

I recently read this and took the time to post it in several “reminder spots” in my life:

“The reason we want to go on and on is because we live in an impoverished present” – Alan Watts

It’s been an excellent reminder to stop and take a moment to appreciate the now.
November 26, 2012

Rebecca

“What other people think of you is none of your business”. ~Dr. Wayne Dyer
November 26, 2012

Casey

“Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” 😉 That reminds me that what I am is enough, that I am perfect just as I am and it’s better to be an original version of myself than a second rate copy of someone else!
November 26, 2012

marilyn

“if you don’t change direction, you may end up where you are headed” speaks to me at times and helps me to be aware
November 26, 2012

Tra

I am, i will, i continue to be…
November 26, 2012

mj

Happiness is a choice.
November 26, 2012

Zan

You are in charge of your own happiness! I use it everyday!
November 26, 2012

Tati

Love this little

When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but do not quit.
Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-
It’s when things go wrong that you must not quit

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow– You may
succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than, It seems to a
faint and faltering man, Often the struggler has given up, When he might
have captured the victor’s cup, And he learned too late when the night
slipped down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure
turned inside out– The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, And you
never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit– It’s when things seem
worst that you must not quit.

– Author Unknown
November 26, 2012

Cindy

Here is mine: A friend once told me “you can’t get over something until you get through it”.
November 26, 2012

Diane Planiden

“She discovered she was the hero she was waiting for”
November 26, 2012

Deb

I am quoting Derek Rydall from memory, so may not be exact word-for-word:
“More than I want to change anything in my external world, I WANT TO AWAKEN to my True Self, to my divinity.”
That is it for me. <3
November 26, 2012

DitteRose

You can’t save your life for later.
-my mom i think
November 26, 2012

Maddie Brennan

It’s so hard to choose just one! One of my favorites is “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” –Buddha
November 26, 2012

Libby

Carve your hurts in the sand and your benefits in stone.
November 27, 2012

Alana

This image: http://www.brainpickings.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/mairaokay.png

“Not everything will be okay, but some things will.”

Maira Kalman

love.
November 27, 2012

Chloe Boey

They laugh at me because I’m different; I laugh at them because they’re all the same
November 27, 2012

Dianne

I often remind myself of onr of my own spirit given quotes: ‘It is my belief that every soul has excellence in their DNA.’ Dfrye 2012 be blessed and know how much you are a miracle!
November 27, 2012

NinaC

If you did your best that is enough. My dad told me this when I was in 7th grade and 1 point away from failing math. Earlier in life, 3rd grade, I was grounded for getting a C so I was very worried with this math grade. It seemed like the first time my father was compassionate and non-punishing and I still remember the great relief I felt from knowing I had done my best and I just needed to stop worrying about it now.
November 27, 2012

Gina

My (now) husband and I were boarding a train for a long-awaited vacation into the mountains. Just as we sat down and were turning off our cell phones, his rang. It was his sergeant advising that he was just given deployment orders, and there would be a meeting in several days to discuss details. My heart sank, and fought tears the entire 14 hour ride. Reading works by Rumi, I came across “This moment is all there is.” Although I have always been a “live in this moment” person, it rung more true then than ever. Those last several days spent together in the mountains meant more than ever.
November 27, 2012

zennjenn

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt
November 27, 2012

Krissy

I was stuck in a very emotionally damaging two year relationship. I felt trapped- I had struggled for so long to make my relationship work. I was pulling the weight of two people. I was heartbroken because the love that I was giving was not being returned. One night I was having dinner with a friend and she turned to me and said:

“Never let someone make you believe that you don’t deserve better.”

She spun my entire life around with that one statement. She gave me the power to see my own self worth and realize that I was hurting both myself and my boyfriend by fighting for our relationship. She gave me the strength to move on and make myself truly happy. I will NEVER forget this quote.
November 27, 2012

Leslie

Thank you for the inspiring article! I look forward to my Tiny Buddha email every day. 🙂
November 27, 2012

Amy Trinh

“It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success.” -Havelock Ellis
November 27, 2012

Amy

I have read SO many inspirational things since discovering this website. It has been extremely helpful to me. One of my favorites at the moment is: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” It gives me hope and reminds me that even small steps are progress toward an overwhelming goal.
November 27, 2012

Christianfk

“sleeping together is not the same as dreaming together. find someone that has the same vision for the future as you”👫🙌
November 27, 2012

rrpichardo

“Control is never achieved when sought after directly. It is the surprising consequence of letting go.” ~James Arthur Ray
November 27, 2012

Krista Farrell

My mom always told me, “Things aren’t always as they appear” I now use that as a reminder every day to not be quick to judge or get frustrated. Always see the best in people.
November 27, 2012

Guest

The most inspirational message I’ve ever received was a quote from Anais Nin:

“I must be a mermaid… I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living.”

This quote resonated with me because I’m in a transitional period in my life when taking risks to explore my potential is crucial.

But this quote really hit home with me when my dearest friend left everything, his home, his family and friends, his money and possessions, to walk a pilgrimage in Spain to Santiago de Compostela. He did this to discover himself, to reinvent himself, and he was incredibly brave to leave everything behind. This is when I saw this quote in action. And his drive and passion has been a blessing and an inspiration in my life.
November 27, 2012

Edith

“Winter always turns to spring.” ~Nichiren … This always reminds me that no matter how bad things get, they will always get better.
November 27, 2012

Michelle

“Be gentle with yourself.”
November 27, 2012

Martin

Neil DeGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist, always inspires me with his opinion on the most astounding fact:
“The most astounding fact is the knowledge that the atoms that comprise life on Earth the atoms that make up the human body are traceable to the crucibles that cooked light elements into heavy elements in their core under extreme temperatures and pressures. These stars, the high mass ones among them went unstable in their later years they collapsed and then exploded scattering their enriched guts across the galaxy guts made of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and all the fundamental ingredients of life itself. These ingredients become part of gas cloud that condense, collapse, form the next generation of solar systems stars with orbiting planets, and those planets now have the ingredients for life itself. So that when I look up at the night sky and I know that yes, we are part of this universe, we are in this universe, but perhaps more important than both of those facts is that the Universe is in us.”
November 27, 2012

Victor

“If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place.” ~ Lao Tzu
November 27, 2012

Jen

“This too will pass.”
November 27, 2012

Nicole

The most inspirational quote for me is “This Too Shall Pass.” For when I am sad, or going through a rough time, this quote will lift my spirits and remind me that although it may seem bad now, it will not be like that forever. Likewise, when life is great and I am filled with joy, this quote grounds me and reminds me to appreciate the moment for what it is, because it will also pass.
November 27, 2012

Rebekah

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, ourwhole life would change”. -Buddha
November 27, 2012

Forest

“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” – Lao Tzu
November 27, 2012

Katie

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
November 27, 2012

Jeannie

In what concerns you much, do not think that you have companions; know that you are alone in the world. -henry david thoreau
November 27, 2012

Jessi C.

Be the change you wish to see in the world. -Ghandi
November 27, 2012

Melissa

“Every second is a chance to turn your life around. “
November 27, 2012

annifive

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” —Margaret Mead
November 27, 2012

Lori Weitzel

“Everything is okay in the end, if it’s not ok, then it’s not the end.”
November 27, 2012

Forest

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose is to give it away” – Joy J. Golliver
November 27, 2012

Mecta

My great-grandmother, who lived to be 104 years young, used to say, “Don’t borrow trouble.” This is applicable to nearly ever facet of life.

(She also said a daily nap was the secret to a good marriage.)
November 27, 2012

Rebecca

“You are not sent anything you can’t handle. ”

Said to me at a time when I had already lost a couple of elderly relatives I was close to and was watching my brother in law die in a very traumatic way after a motorbike accident.
November 27, 2012

Erica

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” I continuously remind myself of this when I am faced with dealing with less-than-pleasant people!
November 27, 2012

kcc

i am overwhelmed by the good words i read here and in your readers’ comments. i would say each one has given me something….. the words i tell myself these days are not so eloquent, but i can hold onto them easily: live my hopes and not my fears; and lead with your heart, not your ego. thank you for all the beautiful inspiration.
November 27, 2012

Steph

“What you do today matters because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.” ~ Unknown
November 27, 2012

AC

I’d say just about everything I’ve heard on Tara Brach dot com. Very inspiring!
November 27, 2012

Christy

“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” -Buddha
November 27, 2012

Kylin

Over the past couple years I have been faced with quite a few struggles, as I am sure many of us have. For a while I have been saying “my Practice is the one thing I have been able to rely on…” but it wasn’t until I ended a long-distance, long-term relationship that was going nowhere, began the process of applying to graduate schools, and really started digging deep during meditation and yoga that I realized what I had really been telling myself – something that, until I had this revelation, I could not hear my fellow practitioners, teachers, and friends telling me. The love, the light, the self-assuredness, the strength, the voice that could tell me which way was right for me… it was within my heart-space the entire time. It is easy to say “Oh yes, of course!” when someone tells you to follow your gut, your intuition, your heart, etc. But it is another to take the time to listen.
In essence: Be true to yourself. Not the ego-driven self. But your highest self!
No one else is going to live this life for you, so you might as well make it the one that you deserve.
November 27, 2012

Hendri

Making a big life change is pretty scary. But, know what’s even scarier? Regret.
November 27, 2012

Sue

“Always and forever.” These words were given to my by our beautiful 17 year old daughter one day when we were chatting on the way to the mall to do Christmas shopping in 2003. Two weeks later she was killed by a speeding red light runner.
November 28, 2012

Alex

“I vow to let go of all worries and anxiety in order to be light and free.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

This vow is, as is Thay, the epitome of living the moment.
November 28, 2012

Diana Hu

Yes, you can.
November 28, 2012

Jim

The poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling. I read it anytime I need to man-up.
November 28, 2012

Gillian

“If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future life, look at your present actions” Padmasambhava
November 28, 2012

Angie Continisio

“What can you do to prmote world peace? Go home and love your family”. Mother Teresa
November 28, 2012

Dustin

What inspires me is knowing that we are all extensions of ourselves and our Source. We are all collaborating one idea!
November 28, 2012

Sarah Cross

I don’t know if this would be considered inspirational, but it has proved very valuable, ‘When people tell you who they are, believe them.’ I also use as a mantra, ‘I am a divine reflection of the consciousness of God’.
November 28, 2012

Jennifer dash

Let go of your attachment to being right,
and suddenly your mind is more open.
You’re able to benefit from the unique
viewpoints of others, without being crippled
by your own judgment.
November 28, 2012

Lindsay

“In a gentle way you can shake the world” (Gandhi)
November 28, 2012

Shilo

This quote helps give me a lot of perspective on my lived experience.” We
are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a
human experience.-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
November 28, 2012

Melinda Balasa

“I wish you enough”

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
November 28, 2012

Sarah Weaver

Breath in, Breath out. 🙂
November 29, 2012

Marybeth

One of the best messages I have ever received was from a graduate school classmate, who saw me seeking the attention and approval of one of my professors. She said to me, “Validate yourself, Marybeth. Learn to validate yourself.”.
November 29, 2012

Amy

The quote which I most live by is “Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere.” This quote always reminds me to be proactive and just get out there and do what needs to be done, and stop worrying about the ‘what ifs’ in life.
November 30, 2012

Rachel

“I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways…If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself & make a change.” MJ was talking to each & every one of us & this constantly inspires me to be the change I want to see in others & in the world. It always starts with self.
November 30, 2012

Bea Sylvia

“There’s more to life than making it faster” – Mahatma Gandhi
November 30, 2012

Catherine Woolven

Everything will be alright in the end. And if it’s not alright, then it’s not the end.
December 1, 2012

loving_what_is

I just finished reading Brene Brown’s book “Daring Greatly,” and I have to say it is the most inspiring thing I’ve ever read. The title is taken from a passage in Theodore Roosevelt’s speech “Citizen in a Republic”:

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how
the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could
have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually
in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and
again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming,
but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who
spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows,
in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the
worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

This book inspired me to get into the arena, regardless of the outcome. I’d rather fight and lose than spend my entire life, scared, on the outside looking in.
December 2, 2012

T

(H)ave (O)nly (P)ositive (E)xperiences – Rev Run
December 2, 2012

Valerie

“The only constant is change.” This helps me accept so many difficult situations.