Sattvic Movie Saturday: The Story of India, Part 5

"In this landmark six-part series for PBS and the BBC, Michael Wood embarked on a dazzling and exciting journey through today’s India, seeking in the present for clues to her past, and in the past for clues to her future.

The world’s largest democracy and a rising economic giant, India is now as well known across the globe for its mastery of computer technology as it is for its many-armed gods and its famous spiritual traditions. But India is also the world’s most ancient surviving civilization, with unbroken continuity back into prehistory.

Like other great civilizations – Greece or Egypt, for example – over the millennia it has enjoyed not just one but several brilliant golden ages in art and culture. Its great thinkers and religious leaders have permanently changed the face of the globe. But while the glories of Rome, Egypt, and Greece, have all been the subject of TV portraits, as yet there has been no television story of India on our screens.

This series sets out for the first time to do that: to show a world audience the wonders of India; the incredible richness and diversity of its peoples, cultures and landscapes; and the intense drama of its past, including some of the most momentous, exciting and moving events in world history." - Source:  Top Documentary Films, The Story of India

The Story of India, Part Five: 

The Meeting of Two Oceans. The fifth episode of the story of India takes us to the time of the Renaissance in Europe, when India was the richest, most populous civilization in the world.

Kali's Kitchen is One Year Old!

I can hardly believe Kali's Kitchen is a year old already!

Thank you to all of you for reading, and for your beautiful comments and feedback!

There's lots of good stuff to come, so please keep visiting.  And let me know what you'd like to see in the coming year.

Namaste!

Edmonton Chariot Festival 2012

Sattvic Movie Saturday: The Story of India, Part 4

Some time ago I posted parts one and two in this series.  For some reason, Part Three is unavailable, so today we're moving straight to the "Golden Age" in Part Four of The Story of India.

"In this landmark six-part series for PBS and the BBC, Michael Wood embarked on a dazzling and exciting journey through today’s India, seeking in the present for clues to her past, and in the past for clues to her future." - Source:  Top Documentary Films, The Story of India

The Story of India, Part Four: 

Click here to watch: Ages of Gold. Episode Four is the story of India in the Middle Ages. At the time of the fall of the Roman Empire in the West, and the European Dark Ages, India had a series of great flowerings of culture, both in the north and the south.

Sugar Beet Salad

Warm weather and refreshing salads go together like... um... beets and mint!  Lol!

What you need:

• 1 large sugar beet
• 1 large handful of mint
• 1 small handful of sunflower seeds
• 1 small handful of dried cranberries
• Pickled carrots

What to do:

1. Wash and trim the beet and mint.
2. Grate the raw beet.
3. Chop the mint.
4. Cut the pickled carrots into slivers.
5. Add the sunflower seeds and cranberries.
6. Mix together and serve!

Sattvic Movie Saturday: I Am

A post-injury quest to communicate what is wrong in the world and what we can do about it led Tom Shadyac, director of Ace Ventura, The Nutty Professor, and Bruce Almighty to discover instead, what is right in the world.

Click here to watch "I Am" full screen on YouTube. 

This film is beautiful, funny, touching, and surprising.  It encourages us to shift our worldview away from competition, consumption and "survival of the fittest", to compassion and co-operation as the basis of human nature. 

Get your popcorn, and enjoy! 

Random Acts of Karma Yoga

Maybe you've already heard about this, but I thought I'd share with you it anyway. 

When a young man in the States named Aaron Collins passed away three weeks ago, he left his family with a mission to change the life of someone he didn't even know. 

He asked them to go for pizza and leave the waiter or waitress a HUGE tip. 

Although he didn't leave them the money, they quickly raised it through a website called http://aaroncollins.org/ and made good on his request. 

You can watch the video here.

I bring this to your attention because in my eyes, it is a beautiful story of Karma Yoga. 

Their gift did not depend on the level of service they received.  It didn't require any payback.  Aaron will never know, as it is put in the Bhagavad Gita, the "fruits of his actions".

His story inspires us to be generous and kind in our own ways and to create a life and legacy of Love.

Be in Peace, Aaron. 

May your Soul find bliss, and your family find comfort in their memories of you and the new ones you are creating together in the lives and hearts you are championing from Beyond.

Intermediate Hatha Yoga

For the very first time, Intermediate Hatha Yoga classes continue all through the summer at Yoga for Today in Sherwood Park, Alberta, on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings!

Sunday Mornings:  Untangle "knots" and stimulate the flow of prana with intervals of asana and vinyasa.  Balance the chakras as you strengthen and relax.

Wednesday Evenings:  Practice relaxation, meditation, and seated asanas while learning basic Sanskrit, the Yoga Sutras and the eight limbs of yoga.

Hatha yoga is so much more than just asanas! 

These classes are an opportunity to explore some of the highlights of the Hatha Yoga path.

All yogis and yoginis are welcome!

These classes will not be "too hard" if you can say "yes" to most of the following:

• You have some experience in Yoga already. 
• You're familiar with the basic postures.
• You enjoy trying new modifications, variations and less common poses.
• You remember to breathe deeply.  (Don't worry, I'll still remind you!)
• You honor the wisdom and signals of your own body.  If it hurts, you don't do it!
• You feel the benefits of yoga and are eager for more.
• You accept that yoga or "union" is both a goal and a practice.
• You recognize that every body, every pose and every day are different. 
• You listen to your body and adapt the intensity of your practice accordingly.
• You allow others to practice according to their own needs and preferences.
• You appreciate the diversity and variety of yoga styles and techniques.
• You desire health, happiness and peace of mind.
• You want to develop physical and mental flexibility, strength and endurance.
• You are open to pranayama, meditation, mantras, mudras, stories and songs!

See you soon!

Sweet Lime Soda

Summer is here and the hot weather is making me thirsty.

I can't get enough Sweet Lime Sodas! 

 

When travelling in India, lime sodas were my very favorite thirst quencher. 

They were also the first culinary souvenir I recreated for family and friends back home. 

They come in sweet and salty varieties, but the sweet one is most likely to appeal to our western lemonade palates.

 

What you need: 

 

• 1 Tbsp. lime juice or the juice of half a small lime.
• 1-2 Tbsp. raw sugar or simple syrup to taste.
• Club soda or sparkling water.

What to do:

 

1) In a glass mix lime juice and sugar or syrup until dissolved. 
2) Top up with club soda or sparkling water. 

 

Trust me - mix the ingredients in this order!  If you add sugar to the club soda you get something more like a science experiment!  Woosh!! 

Well, you don't really have to trust me... lol! 

After all, in yoga shraddha is all about personal experience, so you're welcome to try it for yourself!

 

Optional - You can add ice, a slice of lime or some mint leaves if you like. 

You can also experiment with flavored sparkling waters.

I made the one on the left with mint sparkling water and presto - Easy Virgin Mojito! 

Yum!