Each week, at the Radiance Rising Circle, after we finish chanting (singing) and meditating, I say, “Remembering that anytime we do spiritual practices, we create healing energies that we can then send out with our conscious intention, let’s take a moment now to send out these healing energies that we just created with the sound vibrations… sending them out anywhere they are needed for healing and for peace.”

How do spiritual practices create healing energies? My sense is that it is an alchemical process. All true healing comes from deep inside, from that innermost Self that is One with the entire Universe. So when we are willing to go inside and honestly watch ourselves, our innermost Self takes note of that quality of willingness in our hearts and minds, and that creates a healing energy. The release of that healing energy not only begins to heal us, it also ripples out and heals others.

Practically speaking, even when – or possibly especially when – we are witnessing anger or fears and anxieties, this alchemical process spontaneously occurs. This is why it is particularly important to sit in meditation practice each day, even when we feel like we don’t have the time or energy for it. As Amma says, “Meditation is as precious as gold.”

Cheers to us all sitting in meditation each day! Together we are raising the vibration of the human species and helping to heal our sacred planet Earth and all her creatures.

May all beings everywhere know Peace.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

See my new video: Yogini-Bliss on YouTube

Photo of Radiance Rising Circle with Tejaswini Shankara by Asa Cates.

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Dear Diary, I have something picked out for what I’m going to be when I grow up. “TEACHER”

I wrote that proclamation in my diary in 1978, the year this school photo was taken of me. I was 8 years old. My beloved spiritual teacher, David La Chapelle (who is “Basil” in my books, and who left his physical body in July, 2009), talked about how we can look back to the inclinations we had when we were about 7-10 years old for clues as to our destiny and purpose.

In another diary, I wrote the following on February 17^th, 1980 (10 years old): Dear Diary, My hopes to be an author are growing thicker in my brain. I think I have a chance!!! If there were magic, I would make me queen of books (for me to read and write), but there isn’t magic!!!

I don’t remember where I got such a silly idea – that there isn’t magic – and that part makes me a little sad, for the ten-year-old inside me who didn’t believe in magic, but the exciting part of that diary entry is how I clearly stated my intention to be an author. And, one of my three intentions for 2011 is Magic!!!! (See my earlier blog article: Yogini Tejaswini’s Intentions for 2011)

So, this illustrates what my dear teacher David said about how we know something – at 7-10 years old – about the seeds of our destiny. I knew then what I have re-learned now: that I am meant to be writing and teaching. Each year that knowing gets deeper.

Thank you for joining me on this sacred journey to the Light.

May all beings everywhere know that they are interconnected sparks of the One Light.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

P.S. Please support the manifestation of my destiny by making a donation here today: Yogini-Bliss Store ~ Donate Button

Photo of Teja’s schoolgirl photo and diary by Teja Shankara.

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This morning as I opened my eyes at the end of my sitting meditation, a tender little voice next to me sang, “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Dear Mama’s Website, happy birthday to you!” It was my younger son sweetly acknowledging this big day. He knew that I was planning to decorate my website in pink today. What a wonderful way to begin my day!

Thank you, dear reader, for being a part of this yogini-bliss journey with me. This past year I published over 100 articles here on the Teja Blog. I really, really love writing the articles, and I am grateful for the letters of appreciation I’ve received from so many of you. I am so happy when something I say touches a chord in you. Please send me any burning questions or issues that you would like for me to write articles about.

It is my intention to help raise the vibration of the human species. I am saying “Yes! Yogini!” to myself, which means, “Yes, go out cheerleading for spiritual practices that help people unite with the inner Light!”

May this year 2011 be filled with magical happenings and incredible heart openings for us all. May all beings take steps (like daily spiritual practices) that lead to the blissful experience of Self-Love.

Kritajuutaa! ~ So much Gratitude!

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

P.S. Please consider making a birthday contribution to this website… there is a Donate button on the Store… please click here: Yogini-bliss Store

Photo of yogini-bliss birthday celebration by Teja Shankara.

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Two teams are at play, and I am a cheerleader for the team who does spiritual practices. Who are those two teams? One is the team of the Higher Mind and the other is the team of the lower mind.

The Higher Mind team dives deeply into regular, daily spiritual practices, while the lower mind team runs away from regular, daily spiritual practices. The Higher Mind team is conscious, alert, and awake… the lower mind team is unconscious, dull, and asleep.

Aware of itself through the daily practice of Cultivating the Witness, the Higher Mind team is tuned in to Higher Guidance, and that allows it to manifest intentions for the Highest Good. By contrast, the lower mind team avoids looking at itself, and it allows escapist addictions and external desires to guide its behaviors, choices, and strategies. Thus, the lower mind team reacts selfishly from an ego-centered state, while the Higher Mind team responds compassionately from an expanded awareness of the Oneness of All.

In short, the players on the Higher Mind team are team players because they are willing to look within. Each day they take the time to go inside and find the Peace and Bliss within. This inner experience is warm and inviting, creating a Radiance rising within them, and motivating them to sit in meditation each morning and each evening.

The players on the lower mind team wear grey-grey jerseys that bring to mind muddy water going down stagnant puddles… Not a big fan of the color grey, I’ve chosen to be a cheerleader for the Higher Mind team, whose players wear gold-yellow jerseys that remind me of bright sunlight and fire sparks, like what my name Tejaswini means. When Amma (the hugging saint from India who is my beloved Guru) gave me that name, I bet she saw a vision of me with golden yellow pom poms, yelling “Go Light, Go!”

In Sanskrit, the ancient spiritual language of India, there is a beautiful word “Lila” (pronounced Lee-luh) that means the Divine Play. Essentially it signifies that every human interaction can be seen as God sporting with God. Therefore, in this Play or Lila between the Higher Mind team and the lower mind team, all the players and all of their actions are part of the Oneness. So there is no judgment in this play. Rather, there is only Love. It is just that the Higher Mind team makes choices that lead more quickly to the healing energies of Self-Love… So that is why I am a cheerleader for the team that does regular, daily spiritual practices.

May all beings everywhere find the Radiance rising within them.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Radiance Rising Book Cover Designed by Gaelyn Miriam Larrick.

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As I sit down to write today, I am breathing in deep Gratitude for this clean workspace. At this time yesterday, my computer desk was not so clean. In fact, it was disgustingly dirty, dusty, and disorganized. A couple of days ago, something in me snapped, and I knew that it was time to clear out the clutter. Suddenly an inner knowing arose that said, “You need to clean your house because all this mess is blocking Prosperity from flowing into your life!”

For good measure, I even put a “Prosperity” Feng Shui Symbol on my computer. It is a label from TheSpiritOfWater.com, and the blessing card reads, “In truth, prosperity is the faith and evidence that everything needed in life will be provided.” Ah so… Faith!

I am really quite a newbie at “manifesting intentions” – I just began learning about such concepts about 1½ years ago – and now I am at the stage of taking a close look at the ways I unconsciously sabotage my intentions.

And what about you? Are you aware of what blocks you might need to clear so that your deepest dreams can manifest?

May all beings tune in deeply to the Highest Light.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

See me live at: YouTube ~ 16Tejaswini

Photo of Teja’s clean desk by Teja Shankara.

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Recently my dear sister Natalie Savelieva Wakefield taught me a wonderful new spiritual practice: Giving Gratitude in Advance. Today I did some writing exercises to help me clarify my goals. After listing my top four goals, I became inspired to write them out as the following “Gratitude in Advance”:

I am so thankful that it was so easy to receive donations to my Light Worker vision… those donations gave me enough time to promote the books, and I am so thankful that it was so easy to sell one million copies of Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living in 2011, and now I am speaking and leading Radiance Rising Circles in a variety of settings, and I am so grateful to be doing this work that I love so much! And, I am super grateful that now so many more people are reading the Teja Blog articles and benefiting from them – I love writing these articles, and it is so wonderful to know that they touch chords in so many people… I am filled with Gratitude that I get to work as a cheerleader for spiritual practices that spread so much Light!

And so it is.

And you, what are you grateful for in advance?

May all beings everywhere be soothed by the warmth of Divine Radiance rising within them.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

See me live by clicking here: YouTube

Book cover designed by Gaelyn Miriam Larrick.

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Photo by Ashley Marie - CC license

In 2010 the theme of this newsletter was Cultivating the Witness. For 2011, the theme is committing to regular, daily spiritual practices. On this playground of life, we get to choose how we spend our time: we can choose to run around doing things that lower our vibrations, OR we can choose to commit to regular, daily spiritual practices that raise our vibrations. Each small change that we make within ourselves then ripples out and benefits all of Creation. This year I intend to help raise the vibration of the human species, through my work as a cheerleader for spiritual practices.

Here’s some recent news from the playground of my life ~

~ On December 19^th, at the Winter Solstice Gala (fundraising event for the Goddess Temple of Ashland that will open on March 19^th, 2011), I transmitted Lalla’s poetry and led a short Om Namah Shivaya chant. I am so excited to share the video with you – it is so much more than just a video, since it is a transmission of a bright Light from Medieval Kashmir. I hope you enjoy the experience: Teja Transmits Lalla Poetry.

~ One night in August, 2010, I dreamt that something intense was going to happen on October 10^th and that there was going to be a “Christmas Day Catastrophe.” Well, on October 10^th, my 96-year-old Grandma fell down and her hip injury resulted in a very intense time for my family… So, on Christmas Day, I was watching for some “catastrophe” to occur, but didn’t notice anything. On the contrary, my boys and I had one of our most fun Christmas Days ever. We were all so happy all day long. That evening, while they watched a movie, I was doing the dishes from our amazingly delicious vegan dinner, when the phone rang. It was my former husband calling to say that he had just found out that his father had died that afternoon. Stunned, I hung up the phone and prepared myself to tell the boys that their Grandfather had died that day. It was a very sad ending to such a joyous day, and then over the next few weeks a friend of mine died and I also ended the unrequited love lila. Thanks to all my daily spiritual practices, I was able to allow all that grief to pass through me, while keeping my thoughts positive.

~ Through that experience of maintaining my center within the swirl of sorrowful emotions, I got the Cosmic Joke on a much deeper level, and so much inspiration continued to flow into my being. So I wrote a lot of articles for this Teja Blog. Here are a few recent titles: “A Bhakti-filled time in San Rafael”; “Sitting in the Lap of Santa-ji”; “Encouragement Received in Amma’s Wonderland”; “Bowing before the altar to Santa-ji”; “Yogini Sets Computer Curfew”; “Stargazing on New Year’s Eve”; “Yogini Tejaswini’s Intentions for 2011”; “Yogini Tejaswini’s Vegan Winter Stew for You”; and “A Yogini “Poll” on Facebook”.

~ As I look ahead to publishing many more articles in 2011, I ask you, my readers, to please send me any burning questions or issues that you’d like to read about on the Teja Blog. You can send them through the Contact page on this website.

~ I now have a Facebook button on this website, which allows you to easily join the Teja Shankara Books page on Facebook. On that page, I post quotes from my books, photos from my life, and uplifting quotes and links by others. You are welcome to post inspirations on that page, and you can read reviews of my books there under the “Notes” tab.

~ The weekly Radiance Rising Circles continue to be an absolute joy. I am grateful, grateful, grateful for the sweet feeling of family that arises in those circles.

~ Lately I am channeling Reiki healing energy in a variety of ways. The Teja Challenge: For Healing, Light, Peace, & Love is one way that I am sending Reiki energies. In this challenge, I send Reiki daily for three months in exchange for people committing to give up addictions and do daily spiritual practices. Please read this challenge and help me spread the word about it: The Teja Challenge: For Healing, Light, Peace, & Love. Beyond The Teja Challenge, I am sending Reiki healing energies each day to U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and to all the beings in all the worlds. I also visualize our sacred planet Earth filled with golden healing Light.

I’ll end this newsletter with a quote from Sri Ramakrishna, saint of India,1836-1886:

“A single glance from the Goddess transmits enough spiritual illumination to teach for an entire lifetime.”

May great sparks of Light ignite within you in 2011. May you enjoy the playground of your life.

May all beings be filled with Light.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Click here to see Teja Live on YouTube

Photo of Teja leading chant by Howie Morningstar. Photos of holiday cheer and candle lights by Teja Shankara.

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One of my mantras for 2011 is “Yes! Yogini!” Those two words remind me to be fully myself and to keep walking forward, one step at a time. The power of language is such that when I just think or say those two words, I feel empowered. Think about that for a moment.

Words carry incredible power. I am remembering the saying, “Be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it.” Sometimes we pray for something but then when we get it, we realize that we didn’t really want that, or we didn’t want it to come in that way.

I keep sensing that 2011 is about many, many people realizing the power of intention. In order to manifest intentions that are truly for our highest good, we need to go inside and dive deeply into the mystical sea of our inner being. This deepsea diving is a process that requires commitment, dedication, and discipline. No more excuses; it is time to commit to regular spiritual practices that take us deeper and deeper into our True Selves.

This year I envision myself spreading the Light in a much bigger way. I am saying “Yes! Yogini! Get out those yellow-gold pom poms and go cheerleading for spiritual practices!” To support this Lightworker vision, please order my pocket book Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living for yourself… and for all your friends and family, too! I deeply appreciate your support.

May all beings everywhere know Peace and Happiness.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of “Y” card (given to me on my 40^th birthday last year by my dear sister Britt; designed by PaPaYa! Creative Abandon), taken by Teja Shankara.

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This is the third time I’ve presented The Teja Challenge. As the old saying goes, “The third time is the charm!” And so it is.

All addictions stem from a lack of self-love. Once you really, truly begin to love yourself, you then experience your whole being, including your physical body, as a temple for your soul. When you really love yourself, you will no longer choose to engage in addictions that are harmful to your body, mind, heart, and soul, such as: tobacco, alcohol, ganja (also called pot/weed/marijuana) and other drugs, as well as any other addictive substance or activity like spending too much time on the television or computer, overeating, obsessive worrying, futuristic fantasizing, and so on.

Regular, daily spiritual practices help develop self-love. It is my intention to assist many people in making a commitment to healing themselves from the inside-out. Once inner healing begins, the essential Radiant Light rises within, and the heart catches on fire with a desire to love self and others more and more deeply. This Radiance rising spontaneously creates Peace within the system, and then that Peace ripples out to benefit others.

Self-Love is about healing yourself so that you can be a Light for others. To commit to this healing journey, please consider taking The Teja Challenge: For Healing, Light, Peace & Love. Here are the terms of this challenge ~

~ You will agree to give up tobacco, alcohol, ganja, and other drugs (and any other addictive substances and/or behaviors), for 3 months, during which time you will read my pocket book, Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living (copy included in this challenge), and you will commit to doing daily spiritual practices, with the minimum requirement being a twenty-minute silent meditation each day.

~ You will agree that after you complete the 3-month challenge, you will post a comment, sharing your experience, here at the end of this blog article. Once you post the comment, you will be gifted with one book of your choice – either The Rita Lila: A Western Yogini’s Journey to Bliss or Love Soups: A Vegetarian Soup Cookbook Inspired by the Soup Devas.

~ I will agree to send you Reiki healing energies by distance each day, and I will be available for guidance on spiritual practices, by email, as needed. (For people who need an intensive amount of email support, an extra financial donation may be necessary.)

~ For this healing process, a sliding scale love-money donation is requested: between $44-88 per month, so for the 3 months, between $132-$264 total. To take The Teja Challenge: For Healing, Light, Peace, & Love, please go to the Store on this website, and pay by using the “Donate” button. (10% of every sale and donation on this website goes to Amma’s charitable organizations. www.amma.org)

~ After you make the donation, please send me a message through the Contact page on this site, letting me know that you are agreeing to take The Teja Challenge. Please include your email address and whether you would like your copy of Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living in the print or e-book version. (If you’d like the print version, please also include your mailing address.) I will then reply with an email containing the Terms of Agreement and a request for you to email me a recent photo of yourself.

If you have addictions that are blocking your experience of self-love, consider taking The Teja Challenge: For Healing, Light, Peace, & Love.

May all beings know Peace and Happiness.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of candle lights by Teja Shankara. Photo of Teja by her son Gabe.

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On New Year’s Day, I was feeling a bit distraught about the unrequited love lila, so I posted the following question on my Facebook Wall:

“… taking a poll: if a man and a woman are really close friends, and one of them is totally in love with the other, but that other isn’t in love back, should the one who is in love just keep trying to learn unconditional love through the situation, even though it’s causing them pain, OR should they just completely let the person go? I guess what I’m asking is, can a man and a woman hang out as true friends when the feelings aren’t the same between them?”

I expected that “poll” would get a few replies, but I didn’t anticipate that it would receive 72 comments (including some of my own)! My heart was so full, reading all those comments with so many valuable perspectives. And, my mind swirled around for a bit, noting the confusion over what “in love” means and what “projection” means.

After contemplating it all for a while, this is the conclusion I came to: It doesn’t matter how I label it… whether I am “in love” or in “projection”, either way what matters is that I understand that it is ALL the Divine Mother’s Play. What matters is that I find Acceptance of what IS (and what isn’t). What matters is that I cultivate the willingness to march forward, saying “Yes! Yogini!” and being OPEN to Magic!

All those different viewpoints helped open my mind to a Bigger View. I am very grateful to all of my friends who offered comments on that “poll” as it really helped me to take the next necessary steps on my healing journey to Self-Love.

To read the 72 comments, go to my Facebook Wall: “Tejaswini Rachel Ann Shankara”… and while you are on Facebook, please go to my “Teja Shankara Books” page and hit the “Like” button at the top. Thank you for your support!

May all beings everywhere know Peace and Happiness.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja (with color boosted to 8!) by Teja Shankara.

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