Happy New Year! Ma often tells us how Guruji loved sweets. One of his favorites was doodhi halva, which we are featuring as this month’s recipe. Sweets are also a big part of the celebration of Diwali, the Indian New Year. Diwali marks the victorious return of Lord Rama to his kingdom of Ayodhya after
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With Navratri just around the corner, take some time to plan meals for your anusthan. Eating light and easy-to-digest foods during any intense practices helps maintain the subtle energy. With that in mind, see the recipes and list of recommended fasting foods below, which are recommended by Ma to support a successful anusthan. You can
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Rama and Laksmana bound by Indrajit’s serpent arrows (detail); www.metmuseum.org Looking for inspiration? Tulsidas’s Ramayan is always recommended reading on this path, but particularly during Navratri, which is coming up in October. Shri Anandi Ma often suggests that we read the Ramayana as part of Navratri practices. This epic story of the life of Shri Rama is
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              Over 100 years ago, Dhyanyogi walked barefoot across India seeking enlightenment. Without money or possessions, he braved hunger, the extremes of desert heat to Himalayan snows, and came face-to-face with tigers and deadly cobras. But for those of us living ordinary lives in the 21st century, the greatest obstacles on the spiritual
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Ahhh summertime -  ripe with farm fresh veggies, hot, humid days and warm nights that call for something easy and cool to make for dinner. Too hot to cook? How about planning your meal around Corn and Black Bean Salsa? This recipe comes to us courtesy of Toni D’Angelo, who cooks up many of the
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Jicama Salad with Lime and Cilantro Dressing Looking for something fresh and cool for summer? Try this vinegar-free salad dressing with jicama, baby greens, and mango. It makes a  light and satisfying side dish prefect for a summer meal. Jicama, also known as Mexican turnip, is a Mexican vine that has a large edible tuberous root.
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Looking to keep cool and comfortable? Here are some quick tips from The Ayurveda Institute  for summer well-being. Eat a pitta-pacifying diet Go to bed by 11pm and get up early Do regular yoga, meditation, and pranayama Keep cool by applying sandalwood or khus oil to the body Wear a hat when outdoors and use
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Last summer, Anandi Ma offered shaktipat and VP 1 in Prague. Four young people—Vital (age 16), Hubert (Satyam) (age 10½), Meera (age 10), and Krystof (Amar)—received shaktipat and took the VP 1 teachings. Here are their experiences: Amar Question: What was your favorite part of the retreat or shaktipat? Meera: I liked completely everything.  During
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Chai – that warm cardamom-scented sweet goodness with a kick of caffeine- is the traditional tea of India, and a favorite of DYC retreat goers. In the past, some have been put off from making it at home thinking it requires hard to find ingredients and mystical powers. Not so. If you don’t have an
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by Dr. Vasant Lad Editors note: Part One of this series is available here. Astrological Time A person’s life has different planetary periods, called dashas. These are governed by one or other of the astrological planets. For instance, when a person passes through a Saturn period, it can be a very difficult time. In the
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