At the ShivaRatri all-night chanting event, a dear sister whispered in my ear, “You are the healthiest vegan I know – the other vegans I know aren’t so healthy – what are you doing?!” I told her a few things amidst the Shiva chanting, but there was more that I wanted to say, and I thought my answers might be helpful to others as well, so I will write them here today.    

According to some Mayan Calendar sources, today, March 9^th, 2011, is the day that time will speed up by twenty times. If that is true, then this blog article will be desperately needed by many people, because the number one thing that I do to stay healthy as a vegan is focusing on keeping myself grounded. Of course I eat healthy, organic foods, but my primary focus is on selecting the foods that will keep me grounded at any given moment.

I cook a lot of beans and grains, such as: garbanzo beans, black beans, lentils (green and red), mung beans, brown rice, wild rice, millet, quinoa, and oats. I include the following “toppings” on at least one meal each day: organic flax oil, Himalayan krystal salt, and nutritional yeast. For breakfast, I mash a banana and mix it with the following “toppings”: Vitamineral Green powder (1 Tablespoon), raw cacao nibs, cinnamon and ginger (powders), and raw cashews. I also take vitamins C, D, and a multi-vitamin each day. And, of course, I eat organic nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. If you have any specific questions about my diet, please post them in the comments section below this article. (Before posting questions, please read my previous blog “Why Eat Vegan” from 9-9-10.)

Beyond the foods I eat, I do regular, daily spiritual practices that keep me grounded. Some people say that spiritual practices make them feel more spacey. If that is the case for you, try focusing your attention more on the root chakra (Muladhara), the energy center at the base of your spine. Please read the blog article I posted on 9-24-10, “Grounded at the Root” for more information on grounding spiritual energies. You might also like to read my pocket book, Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living, available in print and e-book versions on this website store.

If time is truly speeding up today, then it is more important than ever to slow down internally. We each can make such a difference in visioning a healthy earth into being – by eating organic vegan foods, by taking the time to go inside and ground ourselves each day, and by helping others to do the same. If you know in your heart that eating vegan is the right thing to do for this sacred earth and her beloved creatures, then you will have the full support of the Universe to be as healthy as I am while eating a vegan diet.

May all beings be free to live and enjoy healthy lives. May all the creatures be loved and protected by the humans. May we all understand the interconnectedness of everything, everything, everything… Cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, humans: ALL ONE!

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

See me live talking about my soup cookbook here: Yogini-Bliss on YouTube

Photo of sunlit creek in Lithia Park by Teja Shankara.