Namaste
“Namaste means that my soul acknowledges yours -not just your light, your wisdom, your goodness, but also your darkness, your suffering, your imperfections. It is a recognition and acceptance of the inexplicable divine absurdity, the miraculous woven into the ordinary, light and darkness intimately entwined in magical, messy humanity. It means that I honour all that you are with all that I am. So, Namaste, my fellow travelers. I'm so glad we're on this trek through the universe together.”
These words by L.R. Knost signify the true meaning of Namaste, the ultimate acceptance and understanding of another’s soul. Just as Namaste is much more than a greeting, Chai Ghai is much more than a tea company. We are company that works with its community members to give back to those in need. This holiday season was all about giving for us. Focusing on seva, we were able to give back to four causes that are special to us. We also added a new vendor to our team in Vancouver. A number of our customers gave the gift of social change and Indian culture with our Christmas Gift sets, as we are completely sold out of them. We even joined forces with the Daily Hive this month to give away an iPad and some Christmas gift sets, which expanded our social presence considerably. We have so much to be grateful for, but none is more important than our Chai Ghai family. Namaste to all of you. We wish you the happiest of holidays and the warmth that only a cup of chai and family can provide.
SEVA
Seva, which means selfless service in Hindi, is a fundamental seam that holds Chai Ghai together. Seva has been dear to Chai Ghai since its inception. In the month of December we worked to raise funds for The Foundry, an organization that provides a safe place, food, classes and medical attention to at risk youth across British Columbia. This was the second fund raising effort of the year for The Foundry initiated by Chai Ghai, and we were very happy with the $5,000 that we raised for them. We also raised money and donated proceeds to Sawa World, an organization dedicated to helping empower the impoverished youth in third world countries by teaching them skills that can generate income. We have also done fundraising for them earlier this year, and during this second round of fund raising we raised $3000 as well as donated proceeds from this month’s Chai Ghai revenue. We hold both of these organizations dear to our hearts and souls and it was pleasure to be able to help raise money for these incredible instruments of social change.
Foundry - Where Wellness Takes Shape - (foundrybc.ca)
Sawa World | Solutions from Within
This winter has been especially cold in Vancouver. The many women who seek shelter on the streets of Vancouver have weighed on our thoughts and lived in our prayers this month. We took action and were able to raise funds to purchase 60 brand new fleece blankets for the Downtown Women’s Eastside Shelter in Vancouver. Keeping these women warm this winter is an honour and a responsibility we embrace dearly. We look forward to continuing our work with the Downtown Women’s Eastside Shelter in 2022, as they seek to expand their housing facilities. Thank you to the many volunteers there who provide this warm, safe place, may your light continue to shine bright.
Welcome - Downtown Eastside Women's Centre (dewc.ca)
Finally, winter hit the Fraser Valley of B.C. especially hard with flooding that left thousands without homes during the holidays and billions of dollars in damage. This unimaginable circumstance stroked our heart strings with grief. We were able to donate 20 pouches filled with Chai to the BC Floods Christmas Hamper Program, to warm the lives of a few of the many victims of these floods. Thank you to South Delta local, Ciara Heuser, who volunteered her time and energy to help us package these during our busiest time of the year. Your Seva didn’t go unnoticed. As we plan to continue to support the many families affected by the floods, we embrace our social responsibility to help those in our community.
Welcome to the Chai Ghai Family
We are pleased to announce the newest member of the Chai Ghai family, Bigsby the Bakehouse, located in the heart of Vancouver, on Mackenzie street. They currently sell our Om Chai, Mindfully Green, and Green Aura Matcha vibes. If you are in Vancouver, and are craving our delicious chais, green teas, or matchas head on over to Bigsby the Bakehouse to satisfy that craving. They are also home to the best baked goods in Vancouver. We highly suggest the country loaf and the cinnamon buns as they pair with a cup a chai incredibly well. Welcome Bigsby and Namaste!
Boxing Day Flash Sale
As many of you know, Canada is renowned for its Boxing Day mega sales that take place the day after Christmas, December 26th. Chai Ghai, being a Canadian company, is taking part in the festive tradition this year. We are offering 50% off all orders on all items for December 26th and 27th. Yes, you heard that right. There has never been a better time to order some of our delicious chais and teas. We only do this once a year, so make sure to head online to our website www.chaighai.com to check this out. All Lower Mainland, B.C. deliveries are free, and standard shipping rates apply to all customers outside of the Lower Mainland. Please allow for a few extra days in shipping as we anticipate this to be a very busy few days, and we have been advised by Canada Post that there are delays due to the holiday season and covid.
Namaste
Warm the hearts of your family and guests with our not so secret chai nog latte this holiday season. The recipe is detailed in our previous Chai Guide. The Secret Ghai Family Chai Nog Latte Recipe Revealed – Chai Ghai The season of giving is upon us, and we encourage you all to practise seva in your own way this year. The universe is a tightly interwoven ball of cosmic energy. We are grateful to be able to provide our positive vibes to that cosmic energy. We at Chai Ghai wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Namaste; we appreciate all the support in 2021!
