A couple of nights ago I watched Oprah’s Lifeclass Webcast, “You Become What You Believe” (you can view the video on the Webcasts section of Oprah’s Lifeclass website), and I was greatly inspired by all that Oprah and Cheryl Richardson said during that webcast. Cheryl Richardson, Co-Author with Louise Hay of You Can Create An Exceptional Life, coached several people, including Oprah, on how to change their thoughts, using affirmations, mirrors, and more. I highly recommend watching this light and humorous show.

Here are a few of Cheryl’s affirmations that struck deep chords in me ~

~ “Abundance flows into my life in surprising and magical ways every day.”

~ “I love receiving.”

~ “People love to pay me for my art.” (I would say “People love to pay me for my healing, creative services.”)

And my favorite: “Every time I turn around, I get a check in the mail.”

Cheryl also talked about the important spiritual principle of “acting as if” while you are taking actions. She said that affirmations plus actions equals miracles. I very much appreciated the practical advice she gave to several people: “Get a job, so you aren’t desperate for people to financially support your creative expression, then continue following your passion while working to pay the bills.” To that Oprah nodded in agreement and pointed out that there is a timing to everything. 

One other thing that really “got” me was when Cheryl said that as she gets older, she thinks that we are all healers and artists. That was an especially relaxing thing for me to hear, because it helped me realize that if we are all healers and artists, then my growing understanding that I am a healer and an artist doesn’t mean that I need to do anything in particular in any rushing order!

So the next morning, when I was sitting in silent meditation, I ‘heard’ the following affirmation that I am now saying and emanating to the world: “I am always at the right place at the right time.” And, as Cheryl said, “Every time I turn around, I get a check in the mail.” I can hardly keep up with all these trips to the bank!

Cheers to all of us re-training our minds to think positive, inspiring thoughts! And kudos to Oprah for all the amazing work she is doing on this planet. I have deep Gratitude for all the ways she manifests her intention to help wake people up.

May all beings everywhere have food, clothing, shelter, and peaceful sleep each day.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja’s son's rose petal & mud Om mandala taken by Teja Shankara.

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Happy Birthday to Gandhi-ji, who was born 142 years ago today! I’m celebrating his life as I head off to a soccer game with my parents who are visiting this week… Life is crazy-busy-full right now, which is why I’ve been away from the Teja Blog.

If you have any questions (see “New Teja Blog Feature: Ask Teja!”), please email them to me: teja@yogini-bliss.com

Let’s all follow Gandhi-ji’s advice and strive to be the change we wish to see in the world!

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Mahatma Gandhi sourced from TopNews.in

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In my blog article, “Happy Yogini in Warm ShivaRatri Field”, I shared how I found a silver snake ring that I knew I would wear until my gold snake ring arrived… I had ordered a gold cobra snake ring to wear on my wedding finger, as a reminder that I, Teja Shankara, intend to be married to Lord Shiva Shankara!

When I got to Amma’s ashram in June, I showed my new wedding ring to a friend, and he said, “Ahhh… Mrs. Shankara!” Then I ran into another friend from Mt. Shasta, and we joked that my husband was off meditating in the Himalayas, and as we parted, she said, “You married well!”

Then, the day after Kate and I experienced our very long hugs with Amma (“Amma filled me with a sense of Okayness!”), I went up to Amma for my most amazing darshan ever! As I advanced up the darshan line, I decided to show Amma my snake ring. After making that decision, I became very nervous: I was shaking and feeling like I might throw up… But I thought about my intention to be married to Lord Shiva first (no matter what is happening with earthguy lilas), and somehow I mustered up the courage… So when it was my turn, I told Gita, Amma’s attendant, that I wanted to show Amma my ring… Amma hugged me first, and as she started to say “My daughter, my daughter, my daughter” into my ear, I spontaneously began saying “Om Namah Shivaya” quite loudly into her chest, and as I did that, she switched to saying “Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma” into my ear… and then, as I came out of the hug, I showed her my ring, and she smiled so Big – a huge sparkling-like-diamonds-shimmering smile – and she kissed the gold cobra snake ring on my wedding ring finger! 

After that darshan, I did danda pranam (full-body prostration on the floor), and cried with Infinite Gratitude! I felt so in love with everyone and everything, and I knew that everything is allright in all the worlds.

May all beings experience Infinite Gratitude and Love!

Om Namah Shivaya ~ I bow to my Beloved Husband, Shiva Shankara, who is Pure Consciousness and Bliss! 

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photos of Teja’s wedding ring and of Teja Sun-Blessed in Amma’s Field taken by Teja Shankara.

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Recently my dear sister Natalie Savelieva Wakefield taught me a wonderful new spiritual practice: Giving Gratitude in Advance. Today I did some writing exercises to help me clarify my goals. After listing my top four goals, I became inspired to write them out as the following “Gratitude in Advance”:

I am so thankful that it was so easy to receive donations to my Light Worker vision… those donations gave me enough time to promote the books, and I am so thankful that it was so easy to sell one million copies of Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living in 2011, and now I am speaking and leading Radiance Rising Circles in a variety of settings, and I am so grateful to be doing this work that I love so much! And, I am super grateful that now so many more people are reading the Teja Blog articles and benefiting from them – I love writing these articles, and it is so wonderful to know that they touch chords in so many people… I am filled with Gratitude that I get to work as a cheerleader for spiritual practices that spread so much Light!

And so it is.

And you, what are you grateful for in advance?

May all beings everywhere be soothed by the warmth of Divine Radiance rising within them.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

See me live by clicking here: YouTube

Book cover designed by Gaelyn Miriam Larrick.

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On New Year’s Day, I was feeling a bit distraught about the unrequited love lila, so I posted the following question on my Facebook Wall:

“… taking a poll: if a man and a woman are really close friends, and one of them is totally in love with the other, but that other isn’t in love back, should the one who is in love just keep trying to learn unconditional love through the situation, even though it’s causing them pain, OR should they just completely let the person go? I guess what I’m asking is, can a man and a woman hang out as true friends when the feelings aren’t the same between them?”

I expected that “poll” would get a few replies, but I didn’t anticipate that it would receive 72 comments (including some of my own)! My heart was so full, reading all those comments with so many valuable perspectives. And, my mind swirled around for a bit, noting the confusion over what “in love” means and what “projection” means.

After contemplating it all for a while, this is the conclusion I came to: It doesn’t matter how I label it… whether I am “in love” or in “projection”, either way what matters is that I understand that it is ALL the Divine Mother’s Play. What matters is that I find Acceptance of what IS (and what isn’t). What matters is that I cultivate the willingness to march forward, saying “Yes! Yogini!” and being OPEN to Magic!

All those different viewpoints helped open my mind to a Bigger View. I am very grateful to all of my friends who offered comments on that “poll” as it really helped me to take the next necessary steps on my healing journey to Self-Love.

To read the 72 comments, go to my Facebook Wall: “Tejaswini Rachel Ann Shankara”… and while you are on Facebook, please go to my “Teja Shankara Books” page and hit the “Like” button at the top. Thank you for your support!

May all beings everywhere know Peace and Happiness.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja (with color boosted to 8!) by Teja Shankara.

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On New Year’s Day 2003, I began a ritual of picking an angel card for the year. That first year, I picked Release, and that was the year that my former husband and I took off our wedding rings on our eight-year wedding anniversary. Now, eight years later, on this New Year’s Day 2011, I again picked Release. (Angel cards, by Kathy Tyler and Joy Drake, Narada Productions, Inc., Milwaukee, WI, 1981.)

Before picking the angel card this year, I put on some Arabian Sandalwood scent, took a little kava kava tincture, ate part of a Lulu’s Raw Love Bar (handcrafted raw chocolate with vanilla bean), lit candles on my altar, and waved some incense around the cottage. Then I bowed on the floor crying to Amma and Neem Karoli Baba in gratitude for the intensity and gifts and lessons and blessings and Healing in 2010. (“Healing” was the angel card that I had picked for 2010.)

Through those healing tears, I offered all of myself – my personality, ego, mind, heart, body, soul, connections, & lilas – to my Gurus, and I asked that they see the purity of intention in my heart: that my deepest intention is to be used by the Universe for spreading Light and I am asking to be financially supported in my work. I thanked them for the blessing of the unrequited love lila, because even though I can’t understand it yet with my little mind, some higher part of my mind does understand that it is all perfect and a blessing. So then, from that crying surrendered state, I asked for angel guidance for 2011 and picked Release.

I could not have picked a more perfect card! Yes, I am ready to release rules, release ideas, release boxes, release plans, release strategies, and release blocks to Shiva Union, such as romantic lilas with earthguys… Rather than continuing to try and grow through painful situations that drain my life force energies, I release those karmic connections, sending them out to be dissolved into Healing Light in the Universe.

Merging with my intentions for 2011 (as stated in previous blog articles this week): Shiva ~ Power ~ Magic, I say “YES! Yogini! Release what no longer serves you and march forward boldly in your own being!” May each of my roles – mother, author, circle facilitator, Reiki practitioner, vegan cook, and many more – spontaneously flow out of Shiva~Power~Magic.

May all beings everywhere experience some Magic this New Year 2011.

May all beings have food, clothing, shelter, peaceful sleep, and spiritual upliftment each day.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo by Hubble Space Telescope.

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In a recent blog article ("Freedom from Addictions to Television and to Anxieties"), I wrote about the importance of each of us working to lessen our personal anxieties because we are all connected in one continuous web of energy and vibration. We each affect everyone else. As the Collective Anxiety rises all around us, we can each do our small part to lessen the Collective Anxiety by first lessening our personal anxieties. As Gandhi-ji said, we first have to BE the change that we wish to see in the world.

While Mahatma Gandhi is best known for his non-violent political struggle that led India to gain independence from the British, he was also extremely committed to doing his own personal inner work. He valued meditation and other spiritual practices so highly that each day he led morning and evening interfaith prayer services. It was the calm inner strength that he gained through incredible self-discipline that enabled him to be so powerful in his work in the world.  We too can gain the same inner strength that he gained, if only we will sit still and go within. This is a challenging time in which to sit still, but we each have that inherent ability within us.

Meditation is an inherent physiological ability that we can learn and practice. Once we commit to a daily meditation practice, that commitment sets into motion a whole range of changes within us. Our inner being really wants our attention, so when we make the conscious decision to turn our attention inward, all of the deepest parts of ourselves jump up with excitement, saying "yes, look at us!" In our busy, modern world, our attention is so divided and so scattered outward in millions of little directions, and this contributes significantly to our anxiety levels. When, like Gandhi-ji, we commit to turning inward for a little time each day, we begin to calm ourselves from the inside out.

During meditation and during our daily lives, we can practice cultivating the witness, that part of ourselves that objectively watches everything that we are. To learn more about cultivating the witness and other spiritual practices, check out my new pocketbook, Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living. (This book is at the printer now. Pre-orders are discounted on this website store through April 10th.)

As I said in the last blog about freeing ourselves from anxieties, two ways to lessen our anxiety levels are through affirmations and inspirations. I say positive affirmations out loud when I go out on my walks. Regular exercise is super important for reducing anxieties, and saying affirmations out loud while moving the body helps to re-pattern the brain. I can personally attest that this works, because I had been saying affirmations to build strength (on all levels - physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual) for the past couple of years, and just a few weeks ago I noticed that I don't need to say those particular affirmations anymore because all parts of my being now know that I am strong. 

In addition to saying affirmations, it is essential that we regularly find things that inspire us. Recently I explored a website that really inspired me (www.projectrestoration.com). I became a member and had to choose the two "clans" that I resonated with. I was really drawn to the Butterfly (lovers of life who celebrate) and the Wolf (rogues who awaken), but in the end I chose the Lion (artists who create and harmonize) as my secondary and the Raven (healers who heal) as my primary clan. That decision-making process allowed me to hone in on a vision of who I am now. As I delve deeper into the Reiki healing path, I am inspired to channel more and more healing energy through me, as my service to others.

Reiki, pronounced "Ray-key," is a gentle energy healing system that can be offered directly (hands-on, with clothing on), and also remotely through visualization and intention. In addition to giving Reiki healing sessions locally, I also send Reiki energy to Haiti (and other places that need healing), and to friends in other countries.

Recently I was talking on the phone with a dear girlfriend, and we were scheduling a time when I could give a Reiki healing session to her and to her nine-year-old daughter. While we were talking, suddenly about 25-30 crows landed on the street in front of my cottage. I wondered if the crows were somehow connected with the Reiki session we were planning, so  later in meditation I tuned in, and received guidance to purchase a little stuffed crow to give her daughter. The following week when we met, I gave them each a Reiki healing, and then I gave them each the level one attunement, a ritual that enables the receiver to channel the healing energies to heal themselves and others. I gave the stuffed bird to her daughter and told her that it would be her "Reiki crow," that she could use as her assistant when giving Reiki healing energy to others. She really liked that, and I was pleased to hear later that both mother and daughter are really enjoying the Reiki energy. I will be writing more about this ancient healing art in future blogs. As with all energy healing systems, when you receive the Reiki healing energy with openness, the energy relaxes your system.

Anything that relaxes our systems helps to free us from our unconscious addiction to anxious energies. Taking the time to be still each day helps us to identify the anxious energies. Once we witness the presence of anxieties, then we need to take actions to reduce them. When I witnessed the anxious energies passing through me last week, I patiently tried one thing after the next until they finally relaxed. I can't say for sure what caused the transformation, but after going for an invigorating walk in the pouring rain and hail with a close friend, I suddenly felt the anxious state pop, and I watched as I shifted back into a vibration of Trust. After watching the swirling anxieties that had been upsetting my body-mind for several days, I felt so much gratitude to be back in the calm, blissful state!

Now that I am once again centered in yogini bliss purpose, I intend to focus on sending healing energies out to reduce the Collective Anxiety. I am grateful for the inspiration to identify myself with the energy of the Raven Clan. After linking with Raven, I looked up Raven in a book called Medicine Cards: The Discovery of Power Through the Ways of Animals, by Jamie Sams & David Carson. (Bear & Company, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1988), and I was delighted to read that Raven is the guardian of distance healing! How perfect.

Everything is happening in perfection. When we take the time to go within and get to know our inner beings, then we understand our innate perfection, and this understanding calms us so that instead of contributing to the Collective Anxiety, we send out healing energies that help lessen the Collective Anxiety. Let's all commit to doing this inner work, so we can be the change that we wish to see in the world.

With so much gratitude in my heart for the example that Gandhi-ji set for us...

May all beings everywhere know Peace and Happiness.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini


Raven photo by Larry Page, CC license

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