Blog entries

Purifying in the Fire of Change

Teja — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:15:59 +0100

In my last blog article, I delightfully announced that I was ready to offer Radiance Rising Circles again… But, as it turns out, it is not the right time for it. I was really inspired and excited about offering the circles again, but then I realized that I need to focus my time and energy on my boys, my work, and my health.

With this decision, I feel as though IRead More...

Radiance Rising Circles Beginning Again!

Teja — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:51:53 +0100

After taking over a year's break, I am once again inspired to offer the weekly Radiance Rising Circles, beginning this Saturday, April 21st, 2012. This time around, the circles will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Center, corner of 4th & C Streets in Ashland, on Saturdays 10:30am - 12noon. As before, the circles will be free of charge and open to everyone each weeRead More...

Highlights from Introduction to Tulasidasa’s Ramacharitamanasa

Teja — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:23:54 +0100

Last Friday, in anticipation of beginning to read Tulasidasa’s Shri Ramacharitamanasa (The Holy Lake of the Acts of Rama), I cleaned my living room and bought myself flowers! The next morning I began reading the introduction, written by Ram Chandra Prasad, Professor of English, Patna University, Patna, India. Each morning this week, I spent my “time-out-of-time&rRead More...

A Seriously Yummy Vegan Breakfast

Teja — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:03:28 +0100

My breakfast this morning was so seriously yummy that I just had to grab the camera and photograph it for this blog. It may not look that fabulous, but the taste sensation sure was amazing! I simply heated leftover wild rice and leftover sweet potatoes in a pan with coconut oil and some delightfully nourishing pieces of Medjool dates. With each bite, I was filledRead More...

A Taste of Gandhi-ji’s Book of Prayers

Teja — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:53:15 +0100

In a recent blog article (“Amazing Gratitude for Amazing Manifestation!”), I shared that I was re-reading Gandhi-ji’s Book of Prayers while waiting to order the Tulsidas Ramayana. Well, after finishing Gandhi-ji’s Book of Prayers, each morning I just kept reading it, even though the Tulsidas Ramayana had already arrived in the mail. For some reason, iRead More...

Teja’s Top Three Priorities for March

Teja — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:31:18 +0100

At the end of January, 2012, my teenage son and I were talking about how fast the first month had gone by, and I said, “If February goes this fast, we are all going to start getting dizzy.” So then, at the end of February, my son said, “I’m getting dizzy!” And now, I can hardly believe it is already the tenth day of March, and I am only just now gettinRead More...

Tejaswini’s ShivaRatri Tale

Teja — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:43:10 +0100

Ten days after Maha ShivaRatri, I am finally finding a few moments to write about my wild party of One… This year, since I didn’t have the energy to organize another all-night chanting event for ShivaRatri, I decided to have a quiet little chanting hour by myself. “Decided” is the key word here. I have to laugh every time I think I have a plan, becausRead More...

Keep it Moving!

Teja — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:32:13 +0100

“Keep it Moving” is the theme of Lena Stevens’ February 2012 Forecast. I especially liked the part about keeping our thoughts and emotions moving so they don’t get stuck. She writes, “Allow yourself to feel, and then to feel differently, and yet again to feel something else.” (To read the rest of Lena’s forecast, please click on the title aboRead More...

Amazing Gratitude for Amazing Manifestation!

Teja — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:47:01 +0100

In my last blog article, “A Vegan Yogini’s Time-Out-of-Time Spiritual Practice”, I mentioned that I was in between books, so I was reading a publication about veganism. Well, after I finished reading that upsetting magazine, I wasn’t sure what to read next. In cultivating the witness, I observed a touch of the usual disoriented feeling that I tend to get inRead More...

A Vegan Yogini’s Time-Out-of-Time Spiritual Practice

Teja — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:03:20 +0100

People often ask me how I am so grounded and vibrant on a vegan diet. The answer is simply that I prepare healthy foods and I focus on spiritual practices that keep me centered. I choose vegan foods that are grounding such as beans, whole grains, roots, and dark green leafy vegetables, like the collard, arugula, and mizuna greens in this photo. For that meal, I sautéd the colRead More...

Teja’s Review of Still Here by Ram Dass

Teja — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:14:07 +0100

A few years ago, my boys came home from a morning walk and handed me a book that they’d found in a free pile. At that time I didn’t see how a book on aging and dying applied to my life, so I said thanks and put the book on the shelf. Well, recently I read and reviewed two books by Ram Dass: Be Here Now and Be Love Now (click on the book titles to read those reviews), and aRead More...

A simple vegan yogini’s evening of Grace

Teja — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:19:41 +0100

Each week I pick an angel card, and occasionally I know instantly why I picked that particular card, but more often I discover the reason as the week goes along. That was certainly the case this past week when I turned over the Grace card. All week, I felt a sweetness when I looked at the card on my kitchen table, but it was not until last night that I understood its significance for me iRead More...

Teja’s Latest Spiritual Practice: Checking the Job Listings on Craig’s List

Teja — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:52:53 +0100

This is my fifth month of checking the job listings on Craig’s List, and I am sighing this morning as I acknowledge how that little annoying ritual has become one of my daily spiritual practices. I use it as an opportunity to tune in to all of the other people who are also looking for work during these tough economic times. With incredible Gratitude for the half-timeRead More...

Calling on Ganesha and Learning from Amma

Teja — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:03:02 +0100

New Year’s is an auspicious time to call upon Sri Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu god who is the Remover of all obstacles. Last January, at the Radiance Rising Circles, we chanted to Ganesha the first five weeks of the year! This year, in absence of the weekly circles, I have been chanting to Ganesha whilst doing household chores. Yesterday I found this cosmRead More...

Teja’s Review of Be Love Now by Ram Dass

Teja — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:13:00 +0100

I snapped this photo of myself on New Year’s Eve, after returning from my true home, the Amma Satsang. It was the perfect way for this yogini to end the year: chanting the Names of God and meditating with a loving sangha (spiritual community). Just the day before I had finished reading Ram Dass’ book, Be Love Now, so I was already feeling quite full of loving sRead More...

New Year’s Musings from Teja in Grokland!

Teja — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:18:40 +0100

Each year on January 1st, I spend some time writing in my new desk calendar and picking an angel card for the year. Spiritual practices like these help keep me grounded and focused here on the earthly plane… As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, for 2011 I picked Release, and the year was indeed filled with much painful release work. So on the evening of December 31st, 20Read More...

Letting ShivaRatri Go Too…

Teja — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:48:07 +0100

Ahh, the last day of the year. As I wrote in a previous blog (“Spiritual Purification through Releasing Impurities”), I picked the angel card Release for the Year 2011, and it has been quite a challenging year filled with much emotional release! This final month I focused on consciously releasing as much as possible, so I can begin the New Year free from all blockages Read More...

Teja’s Vegan Party Mix

Teja — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:09:11 +0100

One of my favorite winter holiday memories is of crunching on handfuls of my Mom’s homemade party mix, so each December I make a batch of it to enjoy with my boys … here’s my vegan version of the recipe:

Teja’s Vegan Party Mix

4 cups nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, cashews)
8 cupsRead More...

Michael Meade: An Angel Shining Healing Light on Veterans

Teja — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:54:11 +0100

There is a living angel walking in our midst. Meet Michael Meade: author, mythologist, and storyteller extraordinaire. Gratefully, I have been blessed to experience his great work a number of times, in Ashland and also at the Beloved Festival (2009). Last week, I watched his latest video, “Voices of Veterans: A Welcome Home Ceremony”, and I was moved to tears… noRead More...

A Western Yogini’s Understanding of “Depersonalization Disorder”

Teja — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:34:02 +0100

Do you ever feel strange, like you are simultaneously here and not really here? It is difficult to explain the experience in words, but it is something I have noticed since I was in high school. Back then I felt completely scared and freaked out by the sensation, so I went to the priest and told him about it. He gave me chocolate candies and soothing words, which comforted me, but theRead More...