A friend once told me that I am a “magician in the kitchen.” Yesterday I definitely felt the correctness of that label. There is an alchemy to my kitchen creations, which begins with the following rituals: first I light a candle and a stick of incense, then I turn on some chanting music and sing while waving the incense all around my cottage. I continue singing as I turn on the flame beneath the pot of beans, and begin chopping the vegetables.

Last night I was cooking and singing along with my current favorite chant artist, Girish, when my dear friend Thomas walked by. I invited him in to join me for the vegan feast I had created, which we enjoyed while listening to Girish’s “Reveal” CD. www.girishmusic.com.

When we sing while cooking, the positive sound vibrations go into the food, which makes the food not only taste better, but it also transforms the food into being a carrier of high vibrations. Thus, chanting while cooking brings healing to our inner beings, to the environment, and to our physical bodies.

I am very committed to raising my vibration and helping to raise the vibration of the human species. Chanting Sanskrit mantras from my heart raises my vibration and then that ripples out to others. When our vibrations go up, we then care more about what we put into our bodies. Organic, vegan foods are better for our bodies and they are better for the environment.

Here is the menu for the vegan dinner I prepared last night: quinoa cooked with Himalayan Krystal Salt, beets boiled and then sprinkled with the same salt, a curried mung bean dal cooked with lots of fresh ginger, and a savory vegetable sauté. For the sauté, first I put an onion in a few tablespoons of grapeseed oil, then added soy sauce and the following vegetables, as I chopped them, in this order: turnip, rutabega, carrot, garlic cloves, portabella mushroom, green kale, and fresh basil leaves. I served the meal with more fresh basil on top.

I absolutely love cooking, especially when I am singing at the same time. Singing and cooking with an open heart takes me to a state of inner Bliss. As I watch myself expanding, I feel incredible gratitude: for the food, for the music, and for the ever-expanding spiritual practice of cultivating the witness. The more I consciously witness myself, the greater the expansions become.

As I enjoy healthy vegan cuisine, I also remember that nearly 1 billion people are starving on this planet right now. I feel intense grief about that, so I am limiting the amount of food that I eat at each meal, to help myself remember all those starving people. I also donate money to Amma, as she is working tirelessly to feed the poor and suffering. www.amma.org.

May all beings everywhere know Peace and Happiness.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of yogini cooking vegan dinner by Thomas Stekkinger.