Karma Kitchen, Berkeley, CA

Berkeley, CA... infused with legendary innovation, inspiration, and intuition. On the move yet again, I found myself staying in Berkeley for a few days checking out the scene and practicing yoga. Every Sunday something magical happens below the the Berkeley Yoga Kula on Shattuck St. Karma Kitchen! Volunteers run an entire kitchen and serve incredibly delicious indian food... free to the community! A mock bill arrives after the delicious food is devoured and it reads, " $0.00 Your meal was a gift from someone who came before you. We hope you will pay-it-forward however you wish."


The idea is pay it forward. You may volunteer, donate lemmons from your tree, smile at a kid, leave a cash donation, or nothing at all. You should see this place! It bubbles with laughter, smiles, excitement, and awesome conversation. Most likely you will sit with strangers (new friends) at a large table in awe of your current situation while diving into yummy dhaal, palak paneer, mango lasse, chai, knaan, and peach pie!

The day I stumbled apon Karma Kitchen, I totally needed a dose of inspiration. When I left I had made friends with an awesome yogi, UC Berkeley academic advisor, a man whose wife had just beat cancer and had just celebrated an 'I'm not dead yet' party, and a floater of a man with a smorgasborge of knowledge on astrology. We all felt the buzz of good deeds walking out the door. With full tummys and giant smiles we said our goodbyes and I was yet again reminded of the power of paying it forward.