Photo by Ashley Marie - CC license

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 is some recent news from the playground of my life ~

~ Lately I am delighting in synchronicities. It is a funny thing that once we notice one synchronicity, many more begin to sprout! The first synchronicity, in my recent series, occurred at the Grand Opening of the Goddess Temple of Ashland. There was a set of Goddess cards on the welcome table, and I casually picked one, and it was of Minerva, the Roman Goddess of creativity, wisdom, commerce, war, magic, and music. She is the one who helps artisans who create from the mind! And, amazingly, she wears an owl headdress and a chest plate with snakes… I say amazingly because my self-chosen totems for 2011 are owl, snake, and horse!

~ The next synchronicity was even stronger. One evening, I was sitting on my red couch, asking the Universe if I should continue writing blogs and Facebook posts, and right at the exact time I was asking that, a woman sent me a message saying that she has been following my blogs and life for months, and she asked to begin The Teja Challenge the very next morning! To learn more about this challenge, please read this blog article: “The Teja Challenge: For Healing, Light, Peace, & Love”.  I was so amazed at that validation for the work I am doing, and I thanked Amma again and again for giving me such a huge and clear “Yes!” answer.

~ I am really loving my job as manager of my brother’s outdoor gear shoppe. I love meeting all the people, and I’m even selling some copies of Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living. I put a note next to the books saying, “This pocket book is the perfect size to take on a bike ride or hike”! ~ One very positive aspect of working there is that I am finding a better balance in my life… balance between: work and rest; home and world; computer and sadhana (spiritual practices); and also between alone time and people time.

~ On April 10^th, my youngest brother and his wife had their first baby, who is my first niece. Little Zoe was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I am super excited to be Auntie Teja! (And my boys are thrilled to finally have a cousin!) 

~ A few weeks ago I got my harmonium out again, after not playing it for over a month. It was such a sweet reunion, and I really enjoyed warming up my voice again, in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti, the auspicious holy day of celebrating the birth of the Hindu monkey god.

~ Yesterday was Hanuman Jayanti, and last night I led a special Radiance Rising Circle. It was so wonderful to be in circle again, sharing spiritual practices with some beloved souls who had become like family to me. We chanted to Hanuman, Rama and Sita; sat in silent meditation; read from the Ramayana; and enjoyed an inspiring discussion while eating fig cookies.

~ As Spring is finally blossoming in Ashland, I am feeling super grateful for all the magical synchronicites… And I am filled with Gratitude that the Universe has instructed me to keep writing, because I really enjoy writing the articles for this Teja Blog. (Recent article titles include: “An Energy Exercise for Protection”, and “Cultivating the Witness 101: Managing Anger”. I also really love posting on my two Facebook pages. Please join me there on the page called Teja Shankara Books. Here is the link for a note I recently wrote for that page: "A Note Inspired by a Note" ~ On Facebook lately I’ve been posting many quotes from Sri Neem Karoli Baba-ji. Here is a quote from him (from The Divine Reality by Ravi Prakash Pande “Rajida”):

“We meet only those people with whom our meeting is predestined. Duration of association with each person is also preordained. One should not grieve if one is separated or if the association does not last long.”

(Easier said than done, I say!)

~ May all of our playgrounds be filled with joyous synchronicities that inspire us to believe in Magic.

May all beings everywhere experience the warmth of the inner Radiance.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja in bike shoppe by her brother Greg. Photo of Teja Happy on Hanuman Jayanti by Teja Shankara.