Friday, March 30, 2012

Photos of India Jan/Feb 2012



Gauru Vani kirtan
Shiva
 Attempting side crow in a dress
 Fatima showered by flower petals - Mumbai
Flower festival
                                                                                       
 Radhanath Swami - his temple in Mumbai
 Mumbai taxi 
Ropes
Udupi Kaustubha and Gitapriya


Krishna Festival

photo by Fatima
Lakshmi the elephant - India loves their elephants

Mataji

Market Spices - Udupi

Overnight train ride - jai ma!
The party car! Lisa, Val et moi
Post Ayurveda treatment
Stairway to heaven

Heaven - Varkala


Robert and me photo by Sybel

Vrindavan garden Dhanudhara Swami, me photo by Fatima

Fatima, me, Sybel learning the harmonium photo by Lauren

Sri Rhada

Swamijii

Sybel

photo by Fati

Dhanudhara Swami photo by Michael

Radha-Kundha

Gitapriya

3 Gopis
Kirtan Varkala

Ayurveda shiro dhara oil

Burd

Rickshaw driver Vrindavan

Temple interior

Temple

Vrindavan

Sandipanimuni School Boy

Sandipani Muni School prayer


Gopali

Daniel
Mataji and baby

Aniella

Fati and Amanda

Raghunath

Jo and Kenny

Baba



Vrindavan caught meditating

Altar

Calf on Govradan Hill


Getting mendi

Chai
With help from the boys, Aniella recovers her glasses from the monkeys photo by Lisa B


Govradan Hill pilgrimage photo by Lisa B

Banke Bihari Lassis



Baba photo by Raghu


Thursday, March 29, 2012

Inspiration

Om Mani Padme Hum
 A young man in his early 30's came to yoga last night. In the beginning of class he told me he hadn't been on a yoga mat in three years, and hadn't done anything very physical in a year. He was game for anything in class and he did keep up though it was pretty challenging for him. I encouraged child's pose when he looked a bit shaky. After class he was so happy to have come, so grateful and said he felt great and class was great and thanked me. He also told me last year he was diagnosed with leukemia and had been through chemotherapy and that's why he was weak. My heart melts for his bravery in coming to class, his smile, his ability to find the play in asana and to quote Dan, "I'm not in a hurry." We all can benefit from his wisdom.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Day 29 Without Food. Show Up For Tibet!

Day 27 Without Food ~ article written on Elephant Journal

His Eminence 11th Shingza Rinpoche Tenzin Choekyi Gyaltsen on Day 27 of fast. Photo courtesy of Tsewang Rangze


SUPPORT THE SANGHA. SHOW UP FOR TIBET. STAND and SIT IN SOLIDARITY.

Today is Day 29 of fast.

We are calling all within the NY/NJ Dharma community to put their practice and right effort in full effect!

Join us for the NY/NJ SANGHA STAND & SIT IN SOLIDARITY WITH TIBET Mindfulness March this Wednesday March 21st, 2012.

We will begin at the Chinese Consulate on W 42nd st and 12th ave at 4:30PM

at 5:00 PM we will then walk down down 42nd st to 2nd Avenue until we reach the United Nations on 43rd st where 3 of our Tibetan brothers have been on a hunger strike for he last month, hoping to appeal to the United Nations regarding the mounting crisis in Tibet.

From there we will walk down 2nd ave until we reach 8th st and enter WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK on the 5th avenue entrance.

Please, come and formally recognize the suffering that Tibet and our NY Tibetan community is experiencing. We beg of you to forget any political stances you may have and recognize the impact the Tibetan culture has had on us as a Dharma community. This also goes beyond the Dharma, this is a human rights issue. Tibet is burning, our Sangha is burning. Display that you understand suffering is apparent and something needs to be done.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Vanilla Cake Mix Smoothie from Thai Coconut

Tools and Ingredients:
One Thai young coconut
Really sturdy large knife
Regular hammer
Good aim
Focus
Breathe
Protective eye wear wouldn't be a bad idea
1 frozen banana
dash of cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla
pinch of sea salt

This can be very dangerous so pay attention!
Those are swim goggles. They may not pass eye protection wear standards for other than coconut water.

Opening The Coconut
First go around the crown of the coconut with the knife prying away the outer layer of the coconut.

Cover the top of the coconut with the plastic it was wrapped in. This helps with coconut water spraying out.

Place the pointed end of your knife an inch or so from the center of the coconut and whack the end of your knife with the hammer until it goes through the hard shell. The knife should go into the coconut a couple of inches then pry open that section. Pull your knife out carefully and whack open another section. Usually 2 or 3 times will be enough.

Pull off the "lid" that you have now opened.

Vanilla Cake Mix Smoothie 
Pour coconut water into a blender. Taste it to make sure it isn't "off". Just like spoiled milk, coconut water can be "off". You will know it. Kind of tastes spiked and sour, not semi sweet and like what you imagine good coconut water to taste like.


Next scrape out the "meat" of the coconut with a sturdy tablespoon. There are many different textures of meat. Sometimes it can be really slimy and thin and sometimes pretty hard and thick. Most of the time I use all of the meat. Really depends on the texture.

Add in frozen banana and spices. Blend on high.

Drink up and say "mmmmmm"