Today it is raining here in sunny California, and so I thought I would write a few words.
tears can wash away the dust
from traversing life's weary road
just as the rain cleanses and
washes the dust from the earth
where it is carried to the ocean to be
recycled and reused
to form mountains in some distant millenium
Rain keeps things moving
preventing stagnation and drought
just as tears can move us through grief and anger
and onto something new and beautiful in our lives
All things are fleeting in this world
yet bonds of love
remain
forever
etched into the soul
playing a melody
of union and separation
that
like an elastic band
stretch
and
grow our love
What if....
You were held in the arms of God,
lovingly cared for
all you basic needs were provided.
There was no worry or strain.
People, circumstances, tools, knowledge,
appeared in your life just as you needed them.
Along with unlimited opportunities to serve others, serve God, and reciprocate the generosity that was shown to you.
The reality is....
This is a fact.
We just haven't opened our arms and our hearts to embrace it.
We don't have the faith that when we are falling there will be support.
Are you looking for a quick, easy, healthy ekadasi snack?
Here is a suggestion.
Grind to a powder in a blender or seed grinder,
1/2 c sesame seeds
1/2 c black sesame seeds
1/2 c hemp seeds
Mix all the seeds together along with 1T of honey.
Form into balls.
If you only have regular sesame seeds you can just use that along with the honey.
Black sesame seeds are a Chinese tonic for the kidneys.
Hemp seeds are high in protein and EFAs.
Here are some pictures of our recently installed solar panels. Now we just need some sun!
I am not I
I am this one
walking beside me whom I do not see,
whom at times I manage to visit, and whom at other times I forget,
who remains calm and silent while I talk
and forgives gently when I hate,
who walks where I am not,
who will remain standing when I die.
Juan Ramon Jimenez
Back in the late 70s before meeting the devotees I had adopted a vegan diet out of ethical considerations. It just seemed like the right thing to do if one was serious about the treatment of animals. I had also recently spent some time working on a farm where I was appalled at what I saw. In London I lived with several families of vegans and worked in their vegan cafe. The food was great! It was inspired by its own type of bhakti.
This is part of an e-mail sent to me from Precision Herbs about some of the changes that the Bush Administration are trying to push through in their final days. This piece about GMOs is just one small part of a large ugly picture.
Make no mistake - as the days of the Bush Administration draw to a close, Industry shills inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are preparing to ram through regulations (which acquire the force of law once finalized) which weaken protection for human and environmental health to a degree which leaves the observer nearly speechless.
Chestnut Watercress Sauce/gravy
Here is a recipe for a good holiday gravy, if you want to try something different.
15 chestnuts
handful of watercress
1T coconut oil
2 cups water
1T tahini
1/4 c nutritional yeast
1T Braggs
1t salt
1 sprig of parsley
Boil the chestnuts for 15-20 minutes. While still hot cut in half and remove the inner meal. Put the chestnuts and all remaining ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Heat the sauce gently until thick.
Our first solar panel arrived yesterday. It is quite impressive, although its not on the roof yet. The Sanyo is supposed to be the smallest and most efficent panel on the market to date. We will be having 14 panels altogether. Not quite enough to power our whole house though. Still it is a small contribution to global well-being, thanks to my Mother.
Away, away, from men and towns,
To the wild wood and the downs-
To the silent wilderness
Where the soul need not repress its music
Percy Shelley
Yoga
flowing
bending
stretching
relaxing
into
being
Our life
flowing
bending
stretching
relaxing
into
being
Creativity
flowing
bending
stretching
relaxing
into
who
we
are
This was the last harvest of our lotus flowers,( about 6 weeks ago). Thought you might enjoy the picture.
Last weekend Padmavati had one of her paintings in a very prestigious art show in Columbus, hosted by the Ohio Watercolor Society. Each year they give an award to one high school student and one college student. She received a check along with a gift certificate for art supplies. It was exciting and inspiring to see the varied selection of art work and to hear the judge's comments about each piece.
Today I harvested the last of Gran's pears. They are the most delicious pears that we have ever had. Soft, ripe and juicy. The question is whether we can eat them fast enough before they spoil, or should I make jam. Pear and ginger jam is really good. Last week I made quince jam with some quinces that Madhava Ghosh gave to us. It turned out quite good, however I have run out of jars and it is hard to buy more canning jars at this time of year. Next year we will have to plan ahead and buy extra jars for the whole season.
