The Tejaswini Playground Press

Photo by Ashley Marie - CC license

We create our realities with our thoughts. Cultivating the witness, that part of our minds that objectively watches everything we are, allows us to clearly see all of our thoughts. Through the power of watching our thoughts, we gradually change the way we perceive the world. We shift from viewing the world as a serious court of justice to seeing this universe as a joyous playground. Like gleeful children, we get to play and celebrate during this lifetime we’ve been given. On the playground we enjoy ourselves fully, even if sometimes we scrape our knees or get our hearts broken! No matter what pains we go through, we can’t let the heartbreaks keep us from opening up and having a good time on the playground.

Here is a bit of news from the fun I’m having on the Tejaswini Playground ~

~ Last summer was a time of deep grief (I lost a couple of loved ones, including my beloved spiritual teacher, Basil), but during that dark night of the soul, a lot of creative ideas and visions stirred within me. Those visions are now coming to fruition. After all the hard work that went into the creation of my website (thanks to Gaelyn and Bram Larrick, and myself), I was filled with incredible excitement when www.yogini-bliss.com went live. What a joy it is to see that outward reflection of all the inner work I’ve done these past six years.

~ On November 16^th, while I was down south hugging my Guru Ammachi, the Jackson County Judge stamped my name change final. I am now legally Tejaswini Rachel Ann Shankara. With this name change, I dropped the last names of my parents and of my former husband, and took the last name Shankara, which is a name of Lord Shiva that means “Giver of Happiness and Peace.” The Hindu deity Shiva represents the Pure Consciousness and Bliss within and without all beings. With the last name Shankara, I endeavor to remember that my first husband is always Shiva, and the connections that I have with earthly men are secondary to this primary connection with Shiva. (This is similar to the way some Christian nuns consider themselves to be brides of Jesus, although, even as I consider myself a bride of Shiva, I have not taken the vow of celibacy. Maybe someday?!) Taking this new name has felt a bit disorienting at times, as I am feeling my way into the new vibration that this name carries, but gradually that initial disorientation is fading and I am settling into being Teja Shankara.

~ January 29^th I celebrated my 40^th birthday, and it was one of my best birthdays ever. I went down to Mt. Shasta City for a few days and really enjoyed going snow-shoeing with a dear girlfriend who is very much like a sister to me. I don’t usually enjoy winter sports because I’m not that good at them and I don’t like to be cold, but I really loved snow-shoeing! It was so much fun that I intend to go more often. On this joyous playground of life, it is so good to keep doing new things and discovering what things we really have fun doing. After a couple of invigorating hours in the snow on Mt. Shasta, we soaked in a hot tub under the stars. Breathing in the sacredness of that place, I set the intention to spend more time near Mt. Shasta, so I can take in more of the healing medicines from that sacred mountain.

~ Lately I have really been enjoying the creative writing that I am getting to do for the Teja Blog on my website, www.yogini-bliss.com. When you get the chance, check it out. It’s almost turning into an on-line book! Here are a few of the blog post titles: “Getting Grounded in Times of Rapid Change,” “Manifesting Intentions from a State of Knowingness,” and “Expansion Through Spiritual Practices that Warm the Heart.” On the Teja Blog, if you sign up as a user, then you can post comments and you will receive notification emails.

~ A few days before Valentine’s Day, my sons and I made a hilarious 18 second video, which I am sorry to say I cannot post on my YouTube channel (because I cannot get permission from my youngest son). In the video, my son asked me what “valentine” meant and I read him the definition from the dictionary and then I made some sarcastic comments. I laughed so hard every time I watched that video. It was such good medicine for me to make fun of my aching heart. I was going through some heartbreak and I was really not looking forward to Valentine’s Day at all. In fact, I wished I could fast-forward time and make it February 15^th already. Well, since time is moving fast and we are all evolving faster than usual, by Valentine’s morning I was feeling quite happy to be alone. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole day. I cooked myself a really delicious Indian meal, with a nourishing red lentil dal (similar to the red lentil dal recipe in my cookbook, Love Soups: A Vegetarian Soup Cookbook Inspired by the Soup Devas), and a slightly spicy dish of curried potatoes, onions, and cauliflower.  After dinner I dressed up fun, with sparkles and a bindi on my third eye, and I went out dancing at a wonderful kirtan/dance fusion event put on by Prema Mayi and her son Krishnadeva. My solo Valentine’s Day turned out to be quite fun and fulfilling.

~ My new book, Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living, will be going to the printer very soon. I am so excited to get this book out into the world. Written from my perspective as a Raja Yogini, it describes basic spiritual practices that anyone – of any faith – could apply to their own spiritual path. This easy-to-read pocket book will make a great gift for your friends and family. Pre-orders are now discounted on the yogini-bliss.com store.

~ In November I began training as a Reiki practitioner. Reiki, pronounced “Ray-key,” is a gentle, hands-on energy healing system. Lately I have started giving more direct healing sessions, and I am really enjoying that. I also continue to send distance Reiki healings to Haiti and to friends in other countries. I will be writing more about my experiences with Reiki in future newsletters and on the Teja Blog.

~ Late November I began offering weekly Radiance Rising Circles, which are Gandhi-style gatherings to spark the inner Light. Each circle has been very sweet. I am so grateful to the beings who come and share their hearts. After New Year’s we began a mini-study of the chakras, focusing on one chakra each week. As a part of that study, I began bringing my harmonium to the circles so that we could tone the mantras associated with the chakras. This was a bit of a stretch for me since I am just a beginner at playing harmonium and singing, but I am really glad that I did it because it was so much fun! I really look forward to these Monday evening gatherings. Sometimes I even cry a little before going to the circles, because my heart is overflowing with gratitude that I get to serve in that way now.

~ One of my favorite spiritual teachings at the moment comes from Deepak Chopra’s book, The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore. He quotes a famous Indian teacher (who he does not name) saying: “The measure of enlightenment is how comfortable you feel with your own contradictions.”

Three Cheers for all the joys (and sorrows) that pass through us as we play on this playground of life! May you enjoy the playground of your life.

May all beings everywhere know Peace and Happiness.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini