Tent to Trend: Milk Crate Decor

This post is dedicated to my ashram friends, whose tent decor features the practical (but till now not-so-stylish) milk crate!

Ah, we know them well!  Snatched up in any color, but most coveted in yellow, they are our altars, bookshelves, tables, chairs, wardrobes, laundry baskets, and more!  That is, if we can get our hands on them!

They also act as storage bins in the garden shed and the boutique, hold firewood for homas and pujas, carry supplies for painting decks and other karma yoga jobs, and even hold - wait for it - milk!

This photo was in the February 2012 issue of Elle Canada... who knew we were so ahead of the trend?!?  LOL!

Om Mandala Painting

Beautiful inspiration for our Likhita Japa!

Om...

"The benefits of Mantra-writing or Likhita Japa cannot be adequately described. Besides bringing about purity of heart and concentration of mind, mantra-writing gives you control of Asana, control of Indriyas, particularly the sight and the tongue, and fills you with the power of endurance. You attain peace of mind quickly. By prolonged and constant practice the inherent power of the Mantra (Mantra-Sakti) will be awakened, which will fill your very existence with the Divinity of the Mantra."

- Swami Sivananda, an excerpt from the book, Japa Yoga.

Mahasivaratri Bahamas 2012

My Teachers and friends in the Sivananda Ashram, Bahamas!

I love you and miss you dearly!  May Lord Shiva bless you!!!

Congratulations Level Two Graduates!

Shiva and Ganesha

Thanks and praises to last night's graduates of Meditation and Yoga Philosophy, Level Two at Yoga for Today!

I feel so blessed to have spent so many wonderful Wednesday evenings with you! 

I am in awe of the joyful effort and dedication with which you have pursued these beautiful but challenging teachings in Sanskrit, and in particular, on Kriya Yoga as explained by Patanjali Maharishi in the first few sutras of the Sadhana Pada.

May your learning be fruitful, may your enthusiasm never wane, may you reach enlightenment in this lifetime!

Jai!!!

New Kali's Kitchen Puzzles!

I've been getting great feedback from the Yoga Sutra Word Search Puzzles I posted, so here are some new ones for you:

Kali's Kitchen Word Search Puzzle

Kali's Kitchen Word Scramble

and

Kali's Kitchen Crossword Puzzle

The words in the Word Search are the same terms used in the Word Scramble and the Crossword Puzzle.

Again, they're posted for public use on Armored Penguin so you can play and share them for the next two months.  Have fun!