After sending out a monthly e-newsletter (The Tejaswini Playground Press) for nearly two years, in October I just suddenly did not write the newsletter. Then in November it happened again that I just didn’t do it. So I began to ask myself “To Newsletter, or Not To Newsletter?”, and as I’ve listened to my inner guidance, I’ve ‘heard’ to let it go for a while and see what happens next! Thus, I will be taking a break from The Tejaswini Playground Press...

May all beings everywhere know Deep Healing, within and without.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of playground by Ashley Marie - CC License

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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. (This paragraph is repeated each month for emphasis, since this is the theme for the 2011 newsletters.)

Here is some recent news from the playground of my life ~

~ Well, life continues to be crazy and full, as ever. Recently a dear friend wrote to me in an email, “When will this life settle down?” I have to laugh as I ask myself that same question when I am running around to soccer games and school meetings and pilgrimages to Mt. Shasta! (I’ve written a few blog articles about my recent time on Mt. Shasta, and I plan to write more about that memorable adventure. For now, see “A Vegan Yogini’s Radiant Shiva Bliss on Mt. Shasta!” and “Barefoot Vegan Yogini Praying for Divine Grace on Mt. Shasta”) ~ If you can relate to asking the question “When will life settle down?” please take a moment to email me (teja@yogini-bliss.com) and tell me about your experience with that question. The first three people to reply will receive a free e-copy of my pocket book, Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living. Your reply can be brief or long – just write whatever comes to you in the moment!

~ Amidst the colorful chaos, daily spiritual practices help keep me grounded in my Happy Teja Self. Recently I have been both receiving and giving Reiki healing sessions, as well as deepening into the process of sending distance Reiki during my morning meditations. And, I’ve been reading my Reiki teacher, William Bagley’s book — again! This is at least the third or fourth (or maybe the fifth?) time I’ve read his Reiki Study Guide… and this time I’m absorbing the information on a much deeper level. Here is a section that is quite potent for me:

“Part of advanced teaching is to see that we create our own reality. The ego world is real in the sense that we have created it. But it is unreal in how it sees itself. If we create our own reality, we cannot really be a victim of anything. We choose what experiences we go through. The paradox of the ego world is that people use their power to feel powerless. We can create any reality we want, including a reality where we are victims of an outside world where we cannot create our reality. Because the bottom line is that we create our reality, then any reality we create where we do not see ourselves as the creative agent must be an illusion…. We will sometimes find illusions which feel temporarily safe, but these illusions are fragile. They will be shattered by life simply changing. The natural flow of cause and effect undoes illusions. People are meant to outgrow all illusions and return to reality. Reiki heals by radiating love from a source beyond all illusions.”

~ The Reiki healing energies help me to stay on track in aligning with my purpose. Sometimes I question the process of manifesting intentions (see my blog article, “Manifesting Intentions”: a workable process in this decade?”), but recently my faith in this Magical Universe has been restored! (See “Barefoot Vegan Yogini’s Intentions are Manifesting!”)

~ Lately I have really been enjoying making guacamole in my vegan yogini kitchen. One day I wrote down the recipe, and I’ll share it with you here:

Teja’s Colorful Vegan Guacamole

4 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
1 medium red bell (sweet) pepper, chopped finely
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped finely, without seeds (or with seeds if you like it hot!)
juice (and some of the pulp) of 1 lemon
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (use half of stems)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon Himalayan krystal salt (or sea salt)

Combine all in a bowl as shown in first photo here, then mash all ingredients with a fork… then stir well, and serve. Serving suggestion shown in second photo is of guacamole served on top of cooked quinoa (for instructions on cooking quinoa, please see “Vegan Pinto-Quinoa Loaf”), with little tomatoes and pea sprouts on the side.

This is a fancy version of guacamole. Often I make a simpler version that is equally tasty, which is just avocado, lemon juice and pulp, salt, and pepper. So if you don’t have much time, you can still enjoy a tasty guacamole!

Please let me know how you like this recipe…

~ Whatever reality you are creating for yourself in this present moment, and regardless of how crazy it may be, I wish you inner peace amidst the chaos. May you take some time to ground yourself and cultivate happiness during this brief time on the playground of life.

May all beings have food, clothing, shelter, and peaceful sleep. May we all live together in Peace. Happy International Day of Peace tomorrow. (“International Peace Day this Wednesday”) Please join in the one-minute of silent prayer for peace at 12:00 noon in your local time zone, anywhere you are on this sacred planet earth.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photos of Teja’s Guacamole by Teja Shankara.

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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. (This paragraph is repeated each month for emphasis, since this is the theme for the 2011 newsletters.)

Here is some recent news from the playground of my life ~

~ Over the past month, I have begun to experience the joy of de-cluttering my living space. Please read my blog articles about this: “Humor & Gratitude with Clearing Out Clutter!” and “Barefoot Vegan Yogini is Moving Out Clutter!” 

~ This summer continues to be very full and richly abundant in many ways. In the midst of it all, I strengthened my Gratitude muscle by reading and reviewing Café Gratitude’s recipe book ~ “Teja’s Review of I Am Grateful: Recipes & Lifestyle of Café Gratitude, by Terces Engelhart with Orchid”

~ What does the word “fun” mean to you now, in this phase of your life? That is a question I’ve been pondering lately. I think you might enjoy the blog article I wrote about that: “What the word “fun” means now to this vegan yogini…”  I would love to hear your comments on this topic, so please send me an email when you get a free moment: teja@yogini-bliss.com

~ One of the funnest parts of my summer was taking my boys, ages 11 and 14, home to visit family in the Midwest. We met my new niece Zoe, and we spent time with my nearly 97-year-old Grandma. My parents took us to a city zoo, where we rented a swan paddleboat on a green lake. Soon I will publish a blog article about my experience with the birds at that zoo. On our last day of the visit, my brother and his family took us to the Cincinnati Whole Foods Market, which was fun for my sons who have been watching a rather fun video called “Whole Foods Parking Lot”  

~ The day after returning to Ashland, I gave Reiki healing sessions in the Healing Sanctuary at the Peace Village Festival. It was so wonderful for me to spend that time immersed in the Loving Energy that is Reiki, but then I spent some time at the festival, and my system became overwhelmed by all of the ganja (marijuana) energies and entities that were swirling all around me. Feeling exhausted and headachey from those energies, I took refuge in the Goddess Temple. Even though I had been one of the founding members of the Goddess Temple of Ashland, due to the craziness of my life lately, I had not been in the temple since the opening day on March 19^th, 2011. It was such an amazing homecoming for me: I lay down on the carpet for a long time, and I felt so incredibly held by the Mother. It felt as though the Divine Mother’s nurturing energies were cradling me in sweet embrace, soothing all the distressed energies I had unfortunately taken in from the ganja vibrations of the festival.

~ Recently I purchased a massage table, and I will be offering Reiki healing sessions in people’s homes under my new business name, Radiance Rising Reiki. Please stay tuned for more information on this! 

~ Yesterday my dear friend Jill and I traveled down to Mt. Shasta for a wonderful Amma Satsang under the trees on the mountain. Before the bhajans (devotional songs) began, we hiked up to a gorgeous spring. On that hike, I felt as though my barefeet were receiving energies and information from the stones and soil and waters. So much fun!

~ On this great playground of life, I wish you much fun on your journey.

May all beings everywhere know the Deep Joy that arises from having some good healthy fun!

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja, Zak, and Gabe in the Peace Swan taken by Teja’s Mom; photo of view from Shasta spring taken by Teja Shankara.

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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. (This paragraph is repeated each month for emphasis, since this is the theme for the 2011 newsletters.)

Here is some recent news from the playground of my life ~

~ In keeping with my goal to visit Mt. Shasta at least 1-2 times per month, at the end of June my dear friend Jill and I drove down to attend the Shasta Amma Satsang. We arrived early to have some exploration time, during which we drove up the mountain as far as the road is cleared… and I delighted to take a few barefoot steps in the snow! Then we filled our water bottles at the Headwaters of the Sacramento River, and settled in for the satsang, which rekindled the Amma sparks in my heart… and I met a shining woman who gave me a great affirmation to say when I am wishing I could move to a different locale: “I am multidimensional.” For more details about this delightful Shasta pilgrimage, please read my blog article “An Amma Devotee’s Pilgrimage by Sacred Mt. Shasta”

~ This year the Americana Holiday of the Fourth of July offered me a big surprise: a very deep connection with my inner Happiness. I joyfully watched as even more Fiery Teja returned to my being that day. I wasn’t expecting to have such a fun day alone, and I wrote a really great blog article about my experience: “Teja’s Independent Independence Day!”

~ My older son turned 14 on July 7^th, and I am feeling super grateful for the special time that he and I shared that morning over cups of soy chai at a local coffee shop. Our family then gathered for a birthday lunch. I served the fixings for TLT’s (tempeh, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches), along with BBQ chips, vegan chocolate cake, and several flavors of Coconut Bliss non-dairy, vegan frozen delight. My little niece Lily (born May 21^st) also graced the party with her sweet presence, and then she took a three-hour nap at my cottage! All in all, this has been a summer filled with wonderful family connections, and I am feeling very blessed by that.

~ On the July Full Moon, I took one of my brothers and one of my sons with me up to Mt. Ashland to enjoy the sunset and the full moon rising. Although quite cold, we had a fabulous time hiking around and sipping hot cocoa. While sitting on some tall rocks and gazing at the full moon, I said we should speak our intentions to the moon. My son immediately said that he’d like to find a billion dollars, to which I quickly responded, “Oh, that’s similar to my intention!” It’s not so much the money that I’m desiring, as it is the freedom that the money would give me to travel… to both give & take retreats. The retreat that I am most interested in attending is December 7^th-12^th on Maui, Hawaii… it will be led by Ram Dass, Krishna Das, and Sharon Salzberg. So I spoke my intention to the Full Moon, saying that my ideal plan would be to visit Amma in Castro Valley over Thanksgiving, and then to fly to Maui for that retreat, and then for my boys to join me on Maui for a Christmas vacation. I added that I am willing to surrender those plans if they aren’t meant to be, but I really would like for them to be!

~ Last weekend I drove to Mt. Shasta by myself and enjoyed a magical time hiking barefoot and chanting in an enchanted forest. Then I attended an evening of Amma bhajans (devotional songs) that filled me with incredible Bliss. Please read the blog I wrote about my hike that day: “Happy Teja Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa on Barefoot Hike at Red Fir Flat (on Sacred Mt. Shasta)” and please view the 21-second video I took of myself chanting Om Namah Shivaya while hiking barefoot, with bells on my ankles: Yogini-Bliss on YouTube.

~ Although this has been one of the busiest, craziest summers of my life, somehow I have found the time to continue writing regular articles for the Teja Blog. This month I have already published 16 blog articles, and most of those articles are about the transformational time I spent with Amma in June. Also, last week I posted a book review of Krishna Das’ spiritual classic, Chants of a Lifetime: Searching for a Heart of Gold, and they posted the link for my review on Krishna Das’ website! You can see that link and follow it to read my review here: http://www.krishnadas.com/press_cuttings.cfm

~ This week I am happy to introduce a new feature here on the Teja Blog… it’s called “Ask Teja”… if you have any questions you can email them to me (teja@yogini-bliss.com) and I will do my best to answer them! For more information about this, please see "New Teja Blog Feature: Ask Teja!"

~ And finally, if you haven’t already experienced the Stay Strong video, I highly recommend it! With many of my favorite chant artists in one video, I cry every time I see it! Here’s the link: Stay Strong

~ On this great playground of life, “let’s all come together and take care of each other… stay strong and keep your faith alive!”

May all beings everywhere know the Strength of Deep Inner Happiness.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja filling water bottles at the Headwaters taken by Jill Rothman; photo of Teja and sons on the birthday taken by the boys’ papa; photo of Teja with sunset on Mt. Ashland taken by Teja’s son Gabe.

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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 ~

~ The biggest highlight of the past month was my transformational pilgrimage to see my Guru, Ammachi, down in Castro Valley, California. Ever since that most fabulous trip, I have been resting in a state of Gratitude. I am so grateful for the Happiness; for the internal Transformation; and for the incredible Fullness of my life now. I feel like Amma gave me back my connection to my Self. I have already written two blogs about my time with Amma (“Grief Transformed into Joy in Amma’s Field” and “Amma’s Transformation Continues: Teja is Blissing on the Sweetness After Grief”), and soon I will write more blog articles with Amma’s teachings and my reflections.

~ Since returning home ten days ago, I have really been loving my life, because it feels so full and so fun. I love my job as the barefoot bike shoppe girl; I love my boys; and I love my whole family! My first niece, Zoe Leila, was born on April 10^th in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then my second niece, Lillian Rose, was born in Ashland, Oregon on May 21^st. One day, while meditating close to Amma, I thought, “Now I have two sons and two nieces” and I felt so satisfied by the fullness of our sprouting family! 

~ This past week was especially full because my parents visited, which meant that in addition to working a lot of hours (to make up for lost time from my trip south), we enjoyed a lot of family time… which, blissfully for me, included a lot of time holding little Lily! I am so utterly thrilled to be Auntie Teja! I am absolutely in love with that little being. Each evening, while holding her, and delighting in how she loves to look out the windows, I softly sang “Om Namah Shivaya” and felt a deep sense of contentment that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

~ This winter and spring, due to much sadness over losing my best friend (the earthguy who I was in love with but couldn’t be with), I felt as though I was drowning in the murky waters of grief… but after that time with Amma, I have gotten my spark back, and I am feeling like Fiery Teja once again. One morning last week, while walking in Lithia Park with my parents, I stared in awe at the fullness of the flowing Ashland Creek, and later I reflected that I want to simultaneously be Fiery Teja AND Flowing Teja! Amma often talks about how Love flows like a river… So now I am visualizing myself as a bundle of firecrackers sparking on a raft that is flowing down a rushing river!

~ With so much Gratitude for the Fullness of Life, I wish you a Most Happy Time on the playground of planet earth.

May all beings everywhere know the Fullness of Happiness and the Bliss that arises from a Grateful Heart.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Zak, Mama Teja, and Gabe taken by Teja’s Mom; photo of Ashland Creek taken by Teja Shankara.

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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 ~

~ The simple daily events of this past month have brought me into a state of Deep Listening and Deeper Devotion. For the past two years I have been chanting the Hanuman Chalisa (a prayer of 40 verses in praise of the Hindu monkey god, written in Hindi by the saint Tulsidas) along with a CD by Krishna Das called “Flow of Grace”. Usually I just chant it once each day, but lately I’ve been chanting it many times daily, to the point where I lose track of how many times. This is a very healthy addiction for me! As I write in my pocket book, Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living, our minds are easily habituated and they really like to hold onto something, so if we give our minds spiritual practices to hold onto, they will naturally begin to cling to those practices. I am certainly witnessing the truth of that, as I watch myself turn on the Hanuman Chalisa for the tenth time of the day!

~ I love the way the Universe sends just the right book to read at just the right moment. Currently I am reading Krishna Das’ book Chants of a Lifetime: Searching for a Heart of Gold. I am deeply laughing and crying as I read, because I feel so much resonance with his experiences, and because I also feel such deep devotion to Neem Karoli Baba, the Guru of Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, Ram Dass, and this yogini. Although I did not meet Neem Karoli Baba in the form this lifetime, he has visited me strongly in dreams and meditations, and I know that he is my Guru. I love what Krishna Das writes in the first chapter:

“Chanting brings me into the space of love within, which to me is my guru, Neem Karoli Baba…. I’m not trying to sell him to you. There is no group to join; we already joined it. It’s called “the human race.” Maharaj-ji, who was beyond any sectarian beliefs, said over and over again that we’re all part of one family and that the same blood runs through our veins. / “Guru” is a hard concept for most Westerners to grasp, but very simply, the guru is whoever or whatever removes the darkness from our being.”

~ Several weeks ago, a small not-so-cute bunion pain developed in my left foot. Each day the pain increased, making it difficult to sleep at night and also making it impossible to put on any shoes. Not realizing that this was a great blessing in disguise, I asked my brother if I could go barefoot to work. “Sure,” he shrugged. As the days went by, I began to enjoy my new reality as the barefoot bike shoppe girl, and I wrote a few blog articles about going barefoot. (“Barefoot Yogini Bliss” and “Jai Krishan’s Reasons for Walking Barefoot”) 

~ Lately my boys have been so busy with all of their activities and friends, that I feel as though I hardly see them, even during the times that they are at my house. On Mother’s Day weekend, my older son went with a friend on a trip to California, and my younger son was at Papa’s house… But they both called to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day, and my younger son even stopped by to gift me with a red rose! I felt so blessed and appreciated!

~ This winter and spring I have been grieving the loss of a best friend, an earthguy who I’ve been in love with for quite some time… we can’t be together, and the grief of that takes me to the depths of sorrow… and recently I understood that I needed to do something to help move the process forward… so I made a photo collage and photo book of our times together, and I cried a lot, and it was really, really good for me to acknowledge WHY I am so sad – it’s because we had a very sweet, very special connection… and I needed to really honor the depth of Beauty and Love in our connection… and although I am still grieving, ever since making those photo creations of us, I have felt a bigger release and more permission to allow Happiness in my life again. I feel as though the Universe is conspiring to make me Happy Teja again… it feels as though life is in constant, joyous, FORWARD motion!

~ On that note, lately I have been deeply listening to my heartsong and I have discerned that I need to consolidate all of my creative energies into one on-line offering. So yesterday I decided to take a break from Facebook for a while and just focus all of my creative juices into making this Teja Blog more and more fun and amazing! 

~ I do feel some grief at letting go of the Facebook Playground, and so I see that it is a good practice for me to let go anyway. Yesterday I read Krishna Das’ chapter (in Chants of a Lifetime) called “The Fruit of Attachment is Tears” and that struck such a deep chord in me. My heart is singing to surrender into a much deeper process of letting go of attachments and learning to cry tears of Joy for God, rather than crying tears of sorrow over lost attachments!

~ As Summer approaches here in Ashland, I intend to spend more time outside and less time on the computer. I intend to spend much time working and playing – barefoot – in my own neighborhood. And I intend (by the end of the summer) to once again offer weekly Radiance Rising Circles, this time here in my own neighborhood. And, I will continue to publish regular blog articles about my experiences as a barefoot bike shoppe girl, a vegan yogini soccer mama of two fabulous boys, a Reiki practitioner, a spiritual practices cheerleader, and a brahmacharini wannabe who straddles two worlds!

~ As I prepare to go on my next pilgrimage to see my beloved Guru Ammachi (in California in June), I am filled with Gratitude for Deeper Devotion and Deep Listening. I am falling back into my deepest Self, again and again, with these words of Krishna Das echoing inside my mind: “Every saint who has ever lived has told us to look inside.”

~ May each of your playgrounds be filled with Depth and Happiness.

May all beings everywhere know the Joy of Deep Listening.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photos of Pink Blossom Delight and Teja’s barefeet in spring blossoms by Teja Shankara. Photo of Teja grounding at the tree by Teja’s son Zak.

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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.

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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 ~

~ This past month I have been really busy working as the manager at my brother’s outdoor gear shoppe. During my first week of working there, I watched all the balls I had in the air, and quickly realized that I needed to simplify my weekly routine and take some time to re-group… So I decided to stop leading the Radiance Rising Circles (for now). It was a difficult, teary decision, and at our last circle (for now) there were 16 of us! You can read about that circle in the blog article, “Letting Go of the Radiance Rising Circles (for now)”

~ The ShivaRatri all-night chanting event was incredibly wonderful. Please read the blog article that I wrote about it: “Happy Yogini in Warm ShivaRatri Field”  A highlight from that article is something I shared in the opening circle at the event: “These are amazing times we are living in. Yesterday one of my Facebook friends in India wrote to say that he hasn’t chanted on ShivaRatri the past 3 or 4 years, but this year he planned to chant because he was inspired by my postings about ShivaRatri. How amazing is that? Little American yogini inspiring a guy in INDIA to chant on ShivaRatri!”

~ Due to my busier work schedule and my parents visiting last week, I haven’t had as much time for my regular, spiritual practices. I continue to consciously cultivate the Witness, and what I have witnessed is the importance of doing daily practices, no matter how small or modified they may become during busy times of stress or hardship. The Universe notices the intention in our hearts, so if we are willing to keep disciplined no matter what, the Universe appreciates that quality of willingness in our hearts. Practically speaking, this means that even when I’m super busy, I still sit down every single morning and every single evening, and even if it’s only for ten minutes, it has good effects.

~ I also have noticed that I have less time for writing, but I still have to make time for cooking, so many of my blog articles are now vegan recipes for you to enjoy, such as: “Vegan Loaf You’ll Love”, “Vegan Pinto-Quinoa Loaf”,  “Vegan Yogini is Grounded and Healthy!” , “Teja’s Tangy Mushroom Soup and More!” , and “Vegan Yogini’s Aduki Bean Dinner”.

~ Last weekend, I participated in the Grand Opening of the Goddess Temple of Ashland, of which I was one of the 19 Founding Members. The community rituals and prayers were really beautiful and I was filled with such love. I was especially touched by the blessing offered by Agnes Baker Pilgrim (Grandma Aggie), a Takelma Indian Elder, Confederated Tribes of Siletz, who is the leader of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. She began her blessing by sharing that she is the oldest living member of the tribe that lived on this land (now Southern Oregon) for 22,000 years! When she said that, I felt the power of that much time – I felt it in my body very strongly. Her prayer was so potent that while she was speaking I felt the Presence of the Great Spirit filling the room.

~ May we all get to experience the Presence on the playgrounds of our lives.

May all beings everywhere have food, clothing, shelter, pure water, peaceful sleep, and hearts filled with Love.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja at the Grand Opening of the Goddess Temple of Ashland by Debbie. In the photo, I am showing off the snake ring that I found a few days after ShivaRatri!

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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 ~

~ On January 24^th, I joyfully celebrated the one-year birthday of my website! Happy Birthday yogini-bliss.com ~ here’s wishing you many more sweet journeys around the Sun!

~ Recently I created a fundraising campaign for myself on a really cool site called IndieGoGo. On February 3^rd I posted a blog article (“Yes! Yogini! Help Teja Promote her Books, Blogs, and Circles”) in which I explained a bit about the campaign. Most importantly, I talked about how it’s not really about “me” – rather, it’s about the work that comes through me that is benefiting others. Please read and share this campaign: Yes! Yogini! Help Teja Promote her Books, Blogs, and Circles  ~ if you use the “Share” buttons on the campaign page itself, that will really help, because any activity generated on that page will increase my chances of being featured on their home page. Thanks so much for taking a few minutes to help me with this!

~ As I shared in the blog article (“Yes! Yogini! Help Teja Promote her Books, Blogs, and Circles”), I created this campaign because I believe so strongly in the work I am doing. For the past 7 years, I have been working very hard and serving others in very valuable ways. Very little of that work has been financially compensated, and so I followed my bliss all the way down to my last dollars, and so now I am opening to receive new financial support. While I patiently watch to see how this Magical Universe is going to support my Light Worker visions, I am now working as the manager in my brother’s outdoor gear shoppe. It is a fun, stimulating, and challenging job, and I am super grateful for it. (And, it is impressive to my boys – and to their friends – that I work in the “coolest” shoppe in town!)

~ A few weeks ago I made a video of myself talking about my soup cookbook, Love Soups: A Vegetarian Soup Cookbook Inspired by the Soup Devas. In this short video I explain that even though I’ve shifted to a vegan diet, I believe this cookbook still has value, because many people need some transition time between becoming vegetarian and becoming vegan. Please view this video here: Love Soups Video.

~ One of my favorite spiritual practices is cooking organic vegan foods with love. Last week I hit the jackpot one night with a dinner that both boys really loved. I posted the recipes in a Teja Blog article (“Vegan Yogini Prepares A Thumb’s Up Dinner for her Sons”). Other recent blog article titles include: “Giving Gratitude in Advance”; “Goodbye Dust; Hello Prosperity!”; “Spiritual Practices Cheerleader: Two Teams At Play”; “Dear Diary: A Look at the Seeds of Destiny”; “Spiritual Practices Create Healing Energies through Alchemy”; “Cultivating the Witness: A Look Within at the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine”; and “Spiritual Practices Book Receives Positive Reviews”.

~ This week I am busy preparing for an upcoming ShivaRatri event that I am organizing as a fundraiser for the Goddess Temple of Ashland. The Goddess Temple’s grand opening day will be March 19^th, 2011. The ShivaRatri all-night chanting event will be Wednesday, March 2^nd, 9pm. Please go to this link for more information and to see the gorgeous flyer that my beloved soul sister (Gaelyn Miriam Larrick) designed: ShivaRatri in Ashland. Shiva art (on the flyer) by Mia O'Dougherty.

~ I’ll end this month’s e-newsletter with a wonderful quote from Dr. Mikao Usui, the beautiful being who rediscovered Reiki healing in the late 1800s:

“Just for today… I will not worry. I will not be angry. I will do my work honestly. I will give thanks for my blessings. I will be kind to my neighbors and all living things.”

~ And, my sweet sister Natalie Savelieva Wakefield’s adaptation of the above quote:

“Just for today… I will trust.”

May you trust on the playground of your life.

May all beings know the inner Radiance that nourishes and sustains all life!

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photos of yogini-bliss birthday and boys with polenta breakfast by Teja Shankara. Photo of Teja by Teja’s son Gabe.

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Photo by Ashley Marie - CC license

In 2010 the theme of this newsletter was Cultivating the Witness. For 2011, the theme is committing to regular, daily spiritual practices. 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’s some recent news from the playground of my life ~

~ On December 19^th, at the Winter Solstice Gala (fundraising event for the Goddess Temple of Ashland that will open on March 19^th, 2011), I transmitted Lalla’s poetry and led a short Om Namah Shivaya chant. I am so excited to share the video with you – it is so much more than just a video, since it is a transmission of a bright Light from Medieval Kashmir. I hope you enjoy the experience: Teja Transmits Lalla Poetry.

~ One night in August, 2010, I dreamt that something intense was going to happen on October 10^th and that there was going to be a “Christmas Day Catastrophe.” Well, on October 10^th, my 96-year-old Grandma fell down and her hip injury resulted in a very intense time for my family… So, on Christmas Day, I was watching for some “catastrophe” to occur, but didn’t notice anything. On the contrary, my boys and I had one of our most fun Christmas Days ever. We were all so happy all day long. That evening, while they watched a movie, I was doing the dishes from our amazingly delicious vegan dinner, when the phone rang. It was my former husband calling to say that he had just found out that his father had died that afternoon. Stunned, I hung up the phone and prepared myself to tell the boys that their Grandfather had died that day. It was a very sad ending to such a joyous day, and then over the next few weeks a friend of mine died and I also ended the unrequited love lila. Thanks to all my daily spiritual practices, I was able to allow all that grief to pass through me, while keeping my thoughts positive.

~ Through that experience of maintaining my center within the swirl of sorrowful emotions, I got the Cosmic Joke on a much deeper level, and so much inspiration continued to flow into my being. So I wrote a lot of articles for this Teja Blog. Here are a few recent titles: “A Bhakti-filled time in San Rafael”; “Sitting in the Lap of Santa-ji”; “Encouragement Received in Amma’s Wonderland”; “Bowing before the altar to Santa-ji”; “Yogini Sets Computer Curfew”; “Stargazing on New Year’s Eve”; “Yogini Tejaswini’s Intentions for 2011”; “Yogini Tejaswini’s Vegan Winter Stew for You”; and “A Yogini “Poll” on Facebook”.

~ As I look ahead to publishing many more articles in 2011, I ask you, my readers, to please send me any burning questions or issues that you’d like to read about on the Teja Blog. You can send them through the Contact page on this website.

~ I now have a Facebook button on this website, which allows you to easily join the Teja Shankara Books page on Facebook. On that page, I post quotes from my books, photos from my life, and uplifting quotes and links by others. You are welcome to post inspirations on that page, and you can read reviews of my books there under the “Notes” tab.

~ The weekly Radiance Rising Circles continue to be an absolute joy. I am grateful, grateful, grateful for the sweet feeling of family that arises in those circles.

~ Lately I am channeling Reiki healing energy in a variety of ways. The Teja Challenge: For Healing, Light, Peace, & Love is one way that I am sending Reiki energies. In this challenge, I send Reiki daily for three months in exchange for people committing to give up addictions and do daily spiritual practices. Please read this challenge and help me spread the word about it: The Teja Challenge: For Healing, Light, Peace, & Love. Beyond The Teja Challenge, I am sending Reiki healing energies each day to U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and to all the beings in all the worlds. I also visualize our sacred planet Earth filled with golden healing Light.

I’ll end this newsletter with a quote from Sri Ramakrishna, saint of India,1836-1886:

“A single glance from the Goddess transmits enough spiritual illumination to teach for an entire lifetime.”

May great sparks of Light ignite within you in 2011. May you enjoy the playground of your life.

May all beings be filled with Light.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Click here to see Teja Live on YouTube

Photo of Teja leading chant by Howie Morningstar. Photos of holiday cheer and candle lights by Teja Shankara.

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