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 collard greens in walnut oil and tossed them with some leftover tempeh and red bell pepper. Then I drizzled organic flax oil over the raw mizuna and arugula.

In addition to simple, tasty greens that are full of iron, calcium, and many other vitamins and minerals, I continue to sit daily in a silent meditation practice that balances my chakras (energy centers in the subtle body) and keeps me centered in my heart. In my pocket book, Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living, I describe meditation (and other spiritual practices) in an easy-to-read way that appeals to many people.

Currently, my favorite daily practice is one that I’m calling my “time out of time”, which I enjoy after my morning meditation. For my time-out-of-time practice, I light candles on my coffee table, then sit on the couch with a cup of hot tea. I begin by reading aloud my current vows (which I wrote on January 1^st), and then offering my tea to Neem Karoli Baba. After that, I sip the tea whilst reading spiritual teachings. Recently I have been reading books by Ram Dass. To read the book reviews, please click on the titles: Be Here Now, Be Love Now, and Still Here.

The past few mornings, since I am in between books, I’ve been reading the Vegetarian/Vegan Starter Kit (magazine) published by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and I will write a blog article with quotes from that publication once I digest it a little more. As a vegan yogini, when I read about the ill treatment of factory farm animals, I am filled with such a deep sorrow that I feel sick to my stomach and my heart aches. Thus, I feel very inspired to do my part to help raise awareness about this issue. In short, the animals and fish are suffering very much because of the dietary choices made by the human species. And, the choice to no longer eat animal products, but to instead eat a plant-based (vegan) diet, not only reduces the suffering of the animals, but it increases the good health of the humans and dramatically reduces the global greenhouse emissions. So, going vegan is a win-win-win situation: the creatures win, the humans win, and the planet wins!

More on this topic soon.

May all beings, including the cows, pigs, chickens, and turkeys, be free to live happy lives.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja’s vegan dinner by Teja Shankara.

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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 in this round of seven calendar boxes (a.k.a. “days”).

The week prior, whilst diving ever deeper into my spiritual practice of Cultivating the Witness, I had been noticing a familiar flavor of depression passing briefly through my system. I acknowledged it by saying to myself, ‘You were so excited about the New Year, fresh with possibilities, and now you’re feeling disappointed because your little mind is impatient and thinks nothing has happened.’ Of course then I coached myself into feeling better by recognizing all the blessings in my life and by cultivating gratitude for all the good that is most definitely happening.

So then this week, I witnessed myself indulging in some petty pleasure-pain pendulum sorrows, which culminated yesterday in a full-blown feeling sorry for myself state. Not knowing what else to do, I did what I often do in such a state: lit candles, burned incense around my temple cottage whilst chanting the Hanuman Chalisa (along with Krishna Das’ CD “Flow of Grace”), and began preparing a meal. Once I begin cooking in my kitchen, some kind of magic happens and regardless of my initial state, I am usually transformed by the process of conscious cooking whilst chanting the Names of God.

As I washed the vegetables, I suddenly became inspired to watch a film that had been on my to-watch list for a while, so once my food was ready, I selected the movie on Netflix and sat down to eat and watch… And that’s when the real Bliss hit! The meal tasted so amazing: tempeh sautéed in toasted sesame oil, soy sauce and spices; sunchokes and carrots roasted in olive oil and Himalayan krystal salt; and a very large handful of fresh cilantro. The film, Fierce Grace, about Ram Dass’ life since his stroke, was incredibly well done and oh, so inspiring. 

Currently I am reading Ram Dass’ book Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying, and it was sweet to see how that book fit into the overall process of his experiences before and after the stroke. Reading that book and now seeing that film has me once again inspired to look into doing hospice caregiving work with the dying. And amazingly, since everything in our lives is connected and leading us forward on our paths, my 97-year-old Grandma, who is close to dying and who has hospice care in her midwest home, called me on Skype video about ten minutes after I began watching Fierce Grace! Talk about Amazing Grace… Wow.

So I may think that I’m just a simple little nobody yogini in a cold (and windy!) town, but even a simple little alone evening can turn into the most potent and powerful Grace. I can still see my Grandma’s face saying into the computer screen, “You look as cute as ever!”

Big Gratitude!

May all beings everywhere experience Amazing Gratitude and Delightful Grace.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photos of Teja’s simple vegan yogini evening taken by Teja Shankara.

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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 cups cereals (O’s and chex-like bites)
4 cups thin pretzels

Combine the above in a large mixing bowl. Then, in a pan on the stove, mix and melt the following ingredients: 

1 cup Earth Balance vegan spread (butter substitute)
¼ cup vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1 Tablespoon coconut palm sugar 

Mix the sauce into the bowl with the nuts, cereals, and pretzels. Spread onto cookie sheets. Do not oil the pans. Bake on low heat, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until browned and crunchy. My Mom’s recipe called for baking this mix at 250 degrees, but I’ve found that temperature was not hot enough for my old oven, and now it’s too hot for my new oven. Depending on your particular oven, you might need to bake this at 225 or at 275 degrees. In any case, stir every 10-15 minutes, and keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!

Bright Happy Holidays to all!

May all beings be free of suffering and the root causes of suffering. May all beings be happy, healthy, and harmonious with the Beauty of Life.

Om Shanti (Peace), 

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja’s Vegan Party Mix by Teja Shankara. Photo of Teja with sons on Christmas morning by Teja Shankara.

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Some people think a vegan diet means no fun, but this vegan yogini is here to say that there are so many delicious vegan taste sensations! One of my favorite little joys in life is creating fun new vegan snacks. A few days ago, I delighted in the following taste sensation, and I hope that you will enjoy it too!

Teja’s Crackle & Pop Vegan Snack

coconut oil
cinnamon
mild curry powder
Himalayan krystal salt
golden raisins
pumpkin seeds
pecans
coconut palm sugar

Adjust the amounts to your personal liking. Heat coconut oil in skillet with the spices and salt. Add raisins for a few minutes, then add seeds and nuts. After a few more minutes, sprinkle with sugar. Sauté, stirring frequently, until a few minutes after you hear the first seed pop.  Be sure to stay with this snack, to avoid burning it…

Whilst taking the photo of this snack, it was crackling and popping! I felt as if the food was talking with me, and I felt Deep Gratitude for that moment in time. 

May all beings find delight in the small joys of life.

Om Shanti (Peace), 

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja’s Crackle & Pop Vegan Snack taken by Teja Shankara.

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If you read my last blog article, then you know that my first attempt at this recipe was “a fail.” Well, I am happy to report that when I prepared “Teja’s Turkey-Free Thanksgiving Vegan Delight” again on Thanksgiving Day, it tasted quite delightful! Although I was feeling a tad bit sad that I wasn’t sitting near Amma at her California ashram, I made the very best of the day. I dressed up in Indian clothes that I had purchased in Amma’s store, placed a sparkling bindi on my third eye, and chanted the Gayatri Mantra many times for all the turkeys who were killed for Thanksgiving.

I have always loved Thanksgiving, and I find that being a vegan is no reason to stop celebrating the abundance of the harvest season. After all, there are plenty of ways to create a festive vegan meal. (For the full menu that I created, see “A Vegan Yogini’s Thanksgiving Menu: Turkey-Free!”)

I was filled with Infinite Gratitude as I prepared this vegan stuffing recipe, which of course I did not stuff into a dead bird! My boys really enjoyed this stuffing, topped with cranberry sauce (from a can but organic!)…

Teja’s Turkey-Free Thanksgiving Vegan Delight

Before cooking, I lit candles, burned some of Amma’s fragrant Rose-Sandalwood incense, and turned on a CD of Amma’s Bhajans (devotional songs). Then I placed 3 Tablespoons of walnut oil into a large skillet, turned the burner on medium-high heat, and added the following ingredients, in this order, as I chopped or measured them:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped
15 crimini mushrooms, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped (a very full ½ cup)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
½ Tablespoon dried sage
½ teaspoon Himalayan krystal salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ cups pecans
1 ½ cups walnuts

Sauté all of the above ingredients on low heat for a while longer, while tearing the bread. In a large mixing bowl, place 6 full cups of your favorite loaf of bread, torn into small pieces. Currently, my boys and I are really enjoying a specialty artisan bread from the Village Baker in Ashland – it is a hearty loaf called “Basil Garlic -n- Onion”. Add 1 cup of applesauce, ½ cup of vegetable broth, and the sauté to the bowl of bread. Stir gently, being careful to not totally break the bread down into mush!

Place 1 Tablespoon of walnut oil in a pan (I used a 9 ½ x 13 glass pan), and spread the stuffing evenly in the pan, pressing down on the top slightly. Bake at 385 degrees for 40 minutes. I covered it for the first 20 minutes, and then uncovered it for the remaining 20 minutes. Serve with cranberry sauce for a wonderful taste sensation!

Breathing in Gratitude. Breathing out Gratitude.

May all beings everywhere have adequate food, clothing, shelter, and peaceful sleep each day. And may all beings realize that One Bright Energy connects everyone and everything… including the majestic bird beings who grace this sacred planet earth with their beauty.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja with Delightful Stuffing by Teja’s son Gabe. Photo of Teja with sons (Gabe and Zak) taken by Teja Shankara.

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Yesterday morning, when I awoke at 4:00am to take my brother and his wife and baby to the airport, my bleeding cycle began, and it was raining. My adorable six-month-old niece thought that the dark car ride was pretty funny – she smiled and even laughed at me the whole way! When I returned home, I was filled with such a deep love, and I felt in synch with the Flow of the Universe.

By mid-afternoon, the rain turned to snow, and my mind shifted into some hormonally-induced negativities. In Amma’s little book Immortal Light: Divine Mother Ammachi’s Advice to Householders, she says, “Some women experience more negative thoughts during their monthly periods. It is all the more necessary to chant the mantra during that time.” Knowing this, I did a lot of chanting, especially as I took out the ingredients to begin creating my new recipe, “Teja’s Turkey-Free Thanksgiving Vegan Delight.”

Well, that recipe did not turn out so delightful. As my teenage son would say, I was “emo” and the recipe was “a fail.” Our emotional state, when cooking, really does affect the food we create. I even wrote about just that in the helpful hints section of the vegetarian soup cookbook I published! (Love Soups: A Vegetarian Soup Cookbook Inspired by the Soup Devas) Unfortunately, even with lots of mantra chanting, I was not able to maintain a calm, balanced state of mind for preparing that new recipe. I will try it again on Thanksgiving, and if it turns out delightful then I will share it here.

The funny part, which did not seem so funny last night, was that the reason why the recipe failed was like a metaphor for all the watery flowing that was going on yesterday, with the raining and snowing and bleeding and copious tears falling. The recipe failed because I put way too much vegetable broth and then stirred it way too long into the bread, so that the bread broke down into mush and then baked itself back into gooey dough. Uggh! Time to light the Fire in my yogini heart and balance out all that water!

May all beings know Dynamic Acceptance of What IS.

Om Shanti (Peace), 

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of wet day by Teja Shankara.

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In this photo I’m wearing my new beaded eyeglasses necklace that my sweet friend Jill and I made together a few weeks ago. As a highly creative person, I find it necessary to continually engage in artistic expressions. This week I’m focused on creating a vegan Thanksgiving menu, and I’m absolutely filled with Gratitude for the abundance of good, organic foods in my life. Here’s what I’ve got planned ~

~ Curried onion and red lentil dahl. For this hearty, thick soup, I plan to include several different kinds of onions. I’m particularly hoping to find the small pearl onions to plop whole into the pot!

~ Quinoa cooked with parsnips.

~ A raw salad with greens and lots of colorful vegetables.

~ A baked pie pumpkin with cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup drizzled on top.

~ Cranberry sauce. (Canned, but organic!)

~ And finally, a new dish that I am making tonight for the first time, and then I will post the recipe here on the Teja Blog. It’s called “Teja’s Turkey-Free Thanksgiving Vegan Delight” and it’s a “stuffing” that is NOT for stuffing into dead birds! With celery, onions, garlic, mushrooms, pecans, walnuts, your favorite bread, and more, this recipe will be sure to delight all your senses!

May all beings, including the U.S. turkeys, be free to live in harmony.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja wearing new beaded eyeglasses necklace taken by Teja Shankara.

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When I googled “Turkey animal medicine” I was disappointed to read that the Turkey represents the spirit of giving and sacrificing, since it gives everything away so that others may live. Hmmm… That symbolism is quite questionable to my way of vegan thinking. I seriously doubt that all those turkeys really want to be killed so that human beings can feast on their dead bodies. Whilst allowing myself to grieve for the suffering that millions of turkeys will endure this month (in the U.S.), I’m also intending to spend some time chanting (singing) for the turkeys on Thanksgiving Day.

In my last blog article, “A Plea for Everyone in the U.S. to Consider Going Vegetarian/Vegan this Thanksgiving!” I pointed out that the meat industry contributes to about 18% of global green house emissions. With that being the case, even if people simply reduce the amount of meat they consume, that reduction will help the environment. For many people, it is difficult to give up animal products all at once, primarily because the body-mind is attached to (and also addicted to) the animal products. Thus, I am simply asking that people begin by reducing the amount of animal products that they ingest.

Why not begin with this Thanksgiving Day? There are so many delicious ways to go vegetarian or vegan on this U.S. holiday! For example, here is the vegan menu that I prepared for Thanksgiving, 2009:

~ Teriyaki tempeh: tempeh marinated in toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, agave syrup, and orange zest… then cooked in a skillet on medium heat.

~ Stuffed squash: baked winter squash stuffed with a sauté of extra virgin olive oil, onions, garlic, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, dried cranberries, Himalayan krystal salt, oregano, and sage. 

~ Festive rice: brown rice and wild rice cooked together, then tossed with coconut oil, dried mint, cumin powder, dried figs, and shredded coconut.

~ Raw salad: arugula, oranges, raw ginger root, raw turmeric root, carrots, and fresh lemon juice.

~ Cooked beets.

~ Curried onion soup.

~ Cranberry sauce (out of a can, but organic!)

~ Almost raw pumpkin pie, recipe adapted from “Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe” by The Raw Foods Witch. (Her recipe calls for raw pumpkin, but I used cooked pumpkin.)

In my soup cookbook, Love Soups: A Vegetarian Soup Cookbook Inspired by the Soup Devas, the soups are arranged by season, and a few of the Fall and Winter Soups would grace the Thanksgiving table in a lovely way… I’m thinking of Butternut Squash Soup, Coconut Spiced Yam Soup, and Harvest Moon Soup. You can read the Harvest Moon Soup recipe on the “Book Excerpts” page of this website.

Currently I am planning my vegan Thanksgiving menu for this year, so I will soon share details here on the Teja Blog. One thing that has already occurred to me is that I don’t want to make any more “stuffing” ~ no more “stuffing” bread into dead birds for this vegan yogini! Instead, I plan to create something called “Teja’s Turkey-Free Thanksgiving Vegan Delight”.

May all meat-eating human beings consider reducing their consumption of animal products.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of Teja’s Vegan Thanksgiving (2009) by Teja Shankara. Love Soups book cover designed by Gaelyn Larrick.

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Well, I just have to write a blog on this magical date of 11-11-11… And, I’m writing it about the simply amazing breakfast I enjoyed early this morning. Often the small joys in life are the most profound. As I ate that bowl full of warm food-medicine, I speculated that one day I will live in a vegan community in a warm climate, and I will prepare incredibly delicious foods in a healing café that many people will visit, from all over the world… but, back to this now moment! Here I am, a simple vegan yogini in a cold town, blissing out with Deep Abundant Gratitude for the fabulous vegan breakfast I enjoyed today. With the recipes below, you too can soon delight in this vegan creation! And, please stay tuned for the details of the Voices for Vegetarianism Campaign which will soon be revealed on this blog!

As always, please buy organic food whenever possible.
It is healthier for our bodies and healthier for our sacred planet earth.

Teja’s Amazing Apple Breakfast Sensation
1 cup Teja’s Savory Applesauce (recipe below)
¼ cup walnuts
1 corn tortilla

Pour the applesauce and walnuts into a skillet. Stir, then move to one side of the pan. Place the corn tortilla next to the sauce. Heat, turning the tortilla over once. Then, using the stirring spoon, gently break the tortilla into several small pieces. Serve in your favorite breakfast bowl. Breathe deeply, and cultivate Deep Gratitude for the healing you are receiving through this simple vegan food.

Teja’s Savory Applesauce
1 ½ Tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
1 small-medium yellow onion, chopped finely
¼ teaspoon mild curry powder
¼ teaspoon Himalayan krystal salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
5 apples with peels – 2 big and 3 small (suggest Fuji or similar variety) – cored and chopped
5 cups water
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
2 Tablespoons coconut palm sugar (low glycemic index!)

While I was preparing this applesauce for the first time, my older son came home from school. He took one look at the cutting board full of apples, and asked, “What’s for dinner, apples?” I chuckled as I continued making the applesauce. First, sauté the onion in the coconut oil with the curry, krystal salt, and garlic powder, for 10-15 minutes on medium-high heat. Next, add the water, chopped apples, cinnamon, and coconut sugar. Bring to boil, then simmer covered until all is soft. Pour into a glass bowl and mash with a potato masher. Enjoy!

Happy 11-11-11 to one and all… And remember to watch for the upcoming Voices for Vegetarianism Campaign! You won’t want to miss this dynamic new way to help reduce global green house emissions.

May all beings live in harmony, free of suffering. This includes the turkeys, so may many of the human beings in the United States consider a vegetarian Thanksgiving this year. More blogs to follow on ways to go vegetarian or vegan for Thanksgiving. 

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of apples (given to Teja by Amma) 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 ~

~ 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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