Picture Yourself In A Boat On A River

George Harrison had been curious about Indian Spirituality since he first saw a sitar on the set of The Beatles film, Help! in 1965. During a dinner party at their dentist’s house, George and John Lennon discovered their coffee had been dosed with LSD. Harrison explained, “In the back of my consciousness. It was like somebody was whispering to me ‘Yogis of the Himalayas.”

Ravi Shankar and George Harrison practicing sitar on the banks of Dal Lake in Sringara, Kashmir .

A year later a friend introduced  Harrison to Indian music virtuoso, Ravi Shankar. They lived together on a houseboat in Kashmir so the moptop could immerse himself in the instrument and the philosophies that surround it. He read Rajas Yoga by Swami Vivekananda and Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda,  practiced Hatha Yoga and pranayama (yogic breathing).

Krsna Consciousness Comes West

Shyamasundar das was born Sam Speerstra in Oregon, USA. The son of a farmer, this Fullbright Scholar lived in Switzerland for a year. He recalls, “I went there to ski basically. But meeting all of the young people at this school, I suddenly realized Wow, there’s a lot of us out there looking for the truth. And Rock Scully was one of those. He was a rare soul.”

Rock Scully (L) and Sam Speerstra (R) roommates at a ski college in Switzerland 1960s

The duo moved to San Francisco, where Sam became an enterprising drug dealer. He imported hashish from Tangiers, gave Owsley’s “Purple Haze” to a then unknown guitarist named Jimi Hendrix, and hung with Grace Slick during the “White Rabbit” era. But he and his friends were seeking “the real thing” – a teacher, a guide, a guru. They found him in AC Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupad.

Beat Poet Allen Ginsburg Accompanies “The Swami” to San Francisco – SFO January 17, 1967. Sam third from left.

Beware Of Darkness

Harrison and then-wife Pattie Boyd were visiting her sister in America. George later recounted, “I was really afraid because I could see all of these spotty youths and they were still under the current of Beatlemania, from a kind of twisted angle..and trying to give me drugs, I’d say ‘no thanks I don’t want’, we were walking quicker and quicker.”

George Harrison and Pattie Boyd in Golden Gate Park

The ominous crowd aggressively followed the couple through the park and into a getaway car.  George continued, “Got on the jet, and as it took off the plane went into a [engine] stall [and started to plummet]. And the whole dashboard lit up saying ‘UNSAFE’ right across.…so at that point I stopped taking it actually, the dreaded lysergic, that’s where I really went for the meditation.”

Mantra-Rock-Dance 

Sam and a childhood friend scraped together a few hundred bucks to rent a storefront turned temple space in the heart of The Haight at 518 Frederick Street. Rock was living at 710 Ashbury Street with a new band he was managing, The Grateful Dead. They requested “The Dead” perform a benefit concert to raise money for The Swami to come to San Francisco. Guitarist Jerry Garcia agreed, “Sure why not? Sounds groovy man.” Hundreds attended the revolutionary Mantra-Rock-Dance event. AC Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabupad addressed the crowd,

“This chant comes from India. It will lead us to the spiritual world…
The mantra is not only for Indians. Hare Krishna chanting is for all people…
The words of this chanting are ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”

Mantra-Rock-Dance Poster Avalon Ballroom 1967

The next morning the temple program was packed and the West Coast movement had begun.

Shyamasundar das reflects, “No, we didn’t think that it would be historical. The dance and all that achieved so much fame later, but at the time this whole scene was starting up, the groundswell was happening, and we all just kind of jumped into it together.”

Within You, Without You

Some of the Beatles, wives, and friends attended a Transcendental Meditation (TM) program with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at a Hilton Hotel in Wales. The “fifth Beatle” business mastermind, Brian Epstein stayed behind. The newspaper headlines read, “EPSTEIN (the Beatle-Making Prince of Pop) DIES AT 32.”  While committing to their inward lives, the person responsible for their outward identities left this world. (I read the news today, oh boy…).

The Beatles, their wives, Mike Love of the Beach Boys, Donovan, Mia and Prudence Farrow with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Reeling from this seismic shift, the group famously traveled to  Rishikesh for an extended two-month TM retreat. The Maharishi advised them, “You are a powerful force, If you hold on to Brian it will stop his soul from going to its next evolution. You know you have to grieve for him and love him. Now you send him on his way.” These experiences became Beatles’ songs including, “Across the Universe,” “Sexy Sadie,” “Dear Prudence” and much of the White Album.

Every Town + Village

Sam and his girlfriend Melanie were married, initiated by the Swami, and given the spiritual names Shyamasundar das and Malati devi dasi. These 20-somethings gave up drugs (and drug running), alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, meat and “free love.” They immersed themselves in the ardent study of ancient wisdom and action; received personal instruction on holy texts like the Bhagavadad Gita, devotional call and response singing known as “kirtan,” the art of cooking blessed food called “prasadam,” the act of selfless service referred to as “seva” and much more.

Prabuphpad, Shyamasundar das and Friends, early days

“Well, we had seen a lot of people who had presented themselves as big gurus, but they weren’t that convincing to us yet,” Shyamasundar das explained. “But seeing, Prabhupad, we knew immediately that this was a bonafide, genuine article. He was a transcendental personality. He exceeded everything we could imagine. It was a magic time, a magic experience.”

Shyamasundar das became Prabhupad’s personal secretary working intimately with the Swami on correspondence, transcriptions, recordings, outreach, special projects, and even carving the first Jagannath (sacred statue) in the West.

The first Ratha Yatra Festival in America. Shyamasundar das behind the wheel.

Together with childhood friends recently renamed Mukunda das, Janaki devi dasi, Gurudas, Yamuna devi dasi, this group became religious and cultural pioneers ushering in a new era of spirituality. They sufficiently spread the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra into music, movies, stage plays and nervous newspaper men in America.

Then they packed it up to do it all over again.

Chant + Be Happy

The outer pressure of Beatles-life was becoming unbearable. So the lads considered buying a private island where they could breathe. En route to their real estate trip, George picked up “The Happening” — a 33 1/3 album of Swami Prabhupad chanting The Hare Krsna Maha Mantra. He later said, “We sang it for days, John and I, with ukulele banjos, sailing through the Greek Islands chanting Hare Krishna.”

Beatles In Greece

George continued, “Like six hours we sang, because we couldn’t stop once we got going. As soon as we stopped, it was like the lights went out. It went on to the point where our jaws were aching, singing the mantra over and over and over and over and over. We felt exalted; it was a very happy time for us.”

If I Needed Someone

In September of ’68 Shyamasundar das convinced the crew to move from their tight community of sunny San Francisco to a big, drafty warehouse in London. These OG devotees were on a mission to spread the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, but it wasn’t coming together as quickly as it did in California. And now he had a family to support too. Shyamasundar das and Malati’s daughter was the first child born into the Hare Krishna movement, Baby Saraswati. On a December afternoon the phone rang. It was Rock Scully, who was in town and headed to a Christmas Party at Apple Corp.

Malati, Baby Saraswati, Swami Prabhupad, devotees and Shyamasundar das ( R) waiting in an airport.

I’ve Been Waiting To Meet You

Shyamasundar das had butterflies in his stomach as he made his way through the mob outside 3 Saville Row. A broad-shouldered bobby in a black suit yelled, “Stop!” He tried to explain, he was invited, that his friends were inside, but the unconvinced guard asserted, “Run along now laddy.” Their exchange was interrupted by the sound of teenage girls screaming, and a white Rolls Royce pulling up.  It’s then that Yoko Ono saw Shyamasundar das in the crowd and said, “You must be one of George’s friends come in.”

The room was filled with the so-called beautiful and important people, all anxiously awaiting an appearance by The Beatles. The fab four were having a heated meeting with new management behind a set of closed doors. Shyamsundar das took a seat in a far-off corner, away from the unruly energy of the Hells Angels, who had just dismembered and devoured a turkey before it could get to the buffet table. One by one John, Paul, and Ringo poked their heads out and rushed to the exit.

Beatles

“George, he peered out there, he started to leave, but he saw me and he just SHOT through all of these people. He sat down right beside me and said, ‘‘Hare Krishna! Where have you been? I’ve been waiting to meet you.” Shyamsundar das grins, “And it was like seeing my brother that I hadn’t seen in a long time.”

They talked of the sitar, Ravi Shankar,  Vivekananda, psychedelics, the plane plummeting, The Happening Record, The San Francisco Temple, The Mantra-Rock-Dance concert but mostly they spoke of Swami Prabhupad, Krishna, and the search for God, Santana Dharma. Jealous and confused party-goers gawked over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. As the discourse continued George said, “Shayam-sunda, you know, I feel like I’ve always known you somehow, maybe from a life before, like maybe we were brothers or something.” He scribbled his address on a napkin and left.

Whisper Words of Wisdom

Tensions were mounting at Twickenham Studios. With documentary cameras rolling, The Beatles were battling their way through ten plus takes of George’s Song “I-Me-Mine” based on the Gita passage 2:71;

“They are forever free who renounce all selfish desires
and break away from the ego-cage of
‘I,’ ‘me,’ ‘mine’.”

Harrison’s bandmates seemed unable to really hear him, so he asked Shyamsundar das to explain. “All right, what’s it all about then?” John Lennon asked. Among other things, Shyamasundar das said, “So now all of you, you four guys, you’ve taken these very highly elevated births through so many previous austerities and pious acts. Krishna says, ‘Yad yad acarati sresthas tad tad evetaro janah’‘ Whatever action a great man performs, common men will follow.’  So now each of you has this golden chance to find the perfection of life and then lead everyone else up the path to self-realization.”

John Lennon, Shyamasundar das and Paul McCartney at the Let It Be Sesssions at Twickenham Studios

He continued, “Krishna consciousness doesn’t say, ‘Give up your life, your occupation.’ No. You can be a doctor, a mother, a bum, a Beatle—but be a doctor for Krishna, be a rock star for Krishna, dedicate everything to Krishna.”

After this exchange, George wrote, “Hear Me Lord.”

“Forgive me Lord, please / Those years when I ignored you
Forgive them Lord / Those that feel they can’t afford you.
Help me Lord, please / To rise above this dealing
Help me Lord, please / To love you with more feeling.”

Four days later he left The Beatles.

Here Comes The Sun

In late February of that long, cold, lonely winter, the Krishna crew piled into Shyamsundar das’s rusted out pick-up truck and drove to George and Pattie’s house. Malati placed hand-made flower garlands over their hosts’ necks, and cooked Prasadam in the kitchen. Mukunda noticed a harmonium in the corner. George asked, “Shall, we have a kirtan then?”

George and Pattie sharing Kirtan and offering Prasadam

As the instruments were being shuffled around, Harrison started to pluck out a few chords on the guitar and said shyly, “This is a little song I’ve been working on do you want to hear it?” Then sang,  “Something in the way she moves, attracts me like no other lover, something in the way she shows me, I don’t want to leave her now, you know I believe and how…” Shyamsundar das, remembers “We were awestruck, of course, trans­ported beyond space and time We didn’t know if we should look at him or close our eyes.  When it was over, he said, ‘Do you think it’ll sell?” We all laughed, Then George said, “It’s about Krishna, but I can’t say that, can I?”

So moved by this song, the group began a soft and slow version of “Hare Krishna” with Yamuna leading on vocals. Over the following hours it revved up into a fully ecstatic devotional expression, with booming mridanga drums, kartals clanking, and baby Saraswati bopping along in their laps all the while. After the final blissful chords George shouted out, “That’s it! We’ve got to make a record! The Radha Krishna Temple—I can see it now, the first Sanskrit song in the Top Ten!” That evening a smile returned to George’s face, it had been years since he felt this way.

John Lennon, Shyamadundar das, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, George Harrison and Pattie Boyd talking Santana Dharma

As the guests were leaving Janaki turned around, saying “I forgot to give you this” and handed George an embroidered bead bag, with a japa-mala inside. She thought it may help him keep his mind (and heart) on God.

A few months later, Harrison called Shyamsundar das from a villa in Sardinia, and sang some lyrics,

“Little darling / It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter
Little darling / It feels like years since it’s been here
Little darling / The smiles returning to their faces
Little darling / Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun /And I say, it’s all right .”

Shyamasundar das remembers, “I was speechless. I loved it. He asked if I thought people would like it. Then he said, ‘You know it’s about Krishna coming into my life but I’ve got to disguise it a bit.”

Prayer To The Spiritual Masters

John, Paul, George, and Ringo decided they could work it out, and finish what they had started. Harrison called Shyamasundar das saying, “I’m over here at Abbey Road studios. We’re making our Beatles album here, but John’s got into a car crash and he’s going to be late, so we’ve got a few hours free in the studio can you all come over right away? Let’s make a record together. Hare Krishna!”

Paul McCartney was perched in control booth. Mukunda sat at the piano. Yamuna, Gurudas, Janaki and friends got situated behind mics, adjusted their instruments and attempted to sync into rhythm.

Shyamasundar das retells, “George, fresh from his holiday in Sardinia, shifted from harmonium to guitar and back, then settled behind his psychedelic sit-down harmonium…there were only eight tracks in those days, so we had to get it right early on…one take, two takes… into the third take we know this is the one. The maha-mantra leapt off our instruments and tongues and grew and gained momentum and weight and spiritual depth as it whirled in a three-minute, thirty-second package to the end: Bongggg! as Malati hit the gong.”

As abruptly as they came, George and Paul rushed off to work on their Beatles album, and the devotees went back home, wondering if anything would come of it.

Hare Krishna Mantra Single

Apple released the Radha-Krishna Temple’s “Maha Mantra” as a single. It sold 70,000 copies in one day, and though it didn’t hit the Top Ten, it played before Dylan took the stage at the Isle of Wight Festival and during half-time of a Manchester United football (soccer) match. The rowdy stadium crowds were able to sound out the syllables, “Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Rama, Rama Rama…”

The following year the “Radha-Krishna Temple” returned to the studio to make a full-length album. The infamous George Martin co-produced, while some of Harrison’s best friends added their talents, including Cream guitarist, Eric Clapton bassist Klaus Voorman, and Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. Wanting to emulate that Sergeant Pepper’s / Hey Jude full-string sound, Martin booked the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

George Harrison, Shyamasundar Das, Malati, Baby Saraswati and the Radha Krishna Temple in the studio

The album offered obeisances to AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the 16th century saint Sri Krsna Chaitanya Maha Prabhu, the Hindu God Krishna, his beloved consort Radha, and their many pastimes from texts like the Bhagavad Gita, The Brahma Samhita, the Srimad Bhagavatam and more.

Decades later George said joyfully, “It was to be of service…but it was the greatest fun of all, really, to see Krishnas on Top of the Pops.”

Instant Karma

John was recording the“Instant Karma”  when super-producer Phil Spector said to Harrison, “You should consider doing your own record.” Spector later recounted, “I went to George’s Friar park which he had just purchased, he said ‘I have a few ditties for you to hear.’ It was endless! He had literally hundreds of songs and each one better than the rest! He had all of this emotion built up… I don’t think he had played them to anybody…”

Phil Spector and George Harrison “All Things Must Pass” Sessions

They were songs like, “All Things Must Pass” a deep track about the Tao, inspired by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, overlooked for both the Abbey Road and Let It Be Records. “Wah Wah” a dissonant track mimicking  inner-Beatle conflict written the night George left the band, “What is life?” pondering the make-up / break up state of the Beatles and a post-Beatle era.“Isn’t it a pity” a ballad reflective of  the pending dissolution of his marriage and complications of a close friendship, “Beware of Darkness” a cautionary tale about letting yourself be pulled into the mundane parts of life, “Hear Me Lord” a longing for Krishna, and “Awaiting On You All” – an upbeat anthem about japa, long-rumored to be inspired in-part by the bead-bag Janaki gave him.

“By chanting the names of the Lord and you’ll be free
Yes, the Lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see”

Spector and Harrison co-produced, enlisting friends and musical family in the collaborative (if perfectionistic) six-month odyssey. And though the EMI/Apple production team took meticulous session notes, it was near impossible to clarify who exactly played on the multiple takes and tracks – many were not credited. Derek and the Dominos guitarist Bobby Whitlock has said, “[George} included everyone on everything, he did because there was enough for all.”

All Things Must Pass Masters

The musicians included; Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton; Allen White and Dave Mason of Yes, keyboard/organ players Billy Preston, Gary Brooker and Gary Wright, members of the band Bad Finger, a pre-genesis Phil Collins, Bob Dylan co-wrote a song, and George covered on of his. Alan White wrote the orchestral arrangements, John Lennon and Bee Gee, Barry Gibbs are said to have played on two tracks. In the liner notes, Beatles roadie Mal Evans was credited with “tea and sympathy,” while the heart of Apple Records Chris O’Dell was known for providing the same.

It seemed to be a masterpiece in the making, but they couldn’t agree on a single.

My Sweet Lord

Amidst all the upheaval and artistic expression, George purchased Friar Park, a 100 + room 18th Century Castle, left to the Catholic Church in desperate disrepair. With 35+ acres of  lawns, gardens and underground grottos to care for he asked Shyamsundar das and the crew to move in with him. Three couples (with four young children between them) took residence in one of the wings of the estate. They engaged in construction, renovation, and landscaping projects, built a Krishna Temple on the ground floor, cooked prasadam, chanted kirtan, and kept a devotional mood.

Friar Park Vintage Postcard

Because it was the largest and warmest room of the massive mansion, the 1,000+ ft Victorian kitchen became the hub of the home, “Everyone more or less lived in the kitchen.” Shyamasundar remarks,” it had beautiful wood work covered with brown or green paint. So the idea was to scrape it off and paint it white.” What started off as an ordinary morning, would effect the material and spiritual worlds for years to come.

Shyasundar das remembers,

“It was foggy, and kind of dismal, but the sun was coming out.
I got up early, had some porridge, and I was up on the ladder,
scraping paint when the guys came in,
they were all pumped up from something
they had been playing in the studio all night.

Billy [Preston] went over to the electric organ and started playing
gospel riffs [he sings] ddaaaa daaaa daaaa daaa daaa daaaaa.

Klaus [Voorman] plugged in his bass, George grabbed his guitar.

They all start singing
‘Myyyy Sssswweeettt Looooorrrddd,
Mmmmyyy Ssswweettt Looorrrddd’.
When they were doing the ‘Hallejulah’
I yelled out, ‘Haaarreee Krrriisshhnaaa,
Haaarreeee Krrrriissshnnaaa.”’
They all turned to look up.
Pretty soon we’re all dancing around and singing on the top of our lungs.

‘This one is gonna be on the album’ George says.”

George Harrison All Things Must Pass Photoshoot Outtake

It soon became a favorite around the studio, and with Spector, who knew it should be the single,  but the corporate music machine and Harrison himself had concerns.  Phil later said,

“I picked ‘My Sweet Lord’ of all of the songs,
because I told him that’s the hit, and everybody fought me on that
‘cause they said it had religious overtones in it, and I just said,
‘It didn’t matter — it’s the most, commercial, song.

George was even nervous about it,
because the Hare Krishna in it,
and was the public ready for it?
I said it didn’t matter it’s a hit record.”

My Sweet Lord Lyrics handwritten by George Harrison

Years later Harrison remarked,

“I thought a lot about whether to do ‘My Sweet Lord or not.
Having written it, I thought it’s really committing myself to something.
There’s gonna be a lot of people who are gonna really hate me,
because people fear the unknown, ya see.
It’s sort of an instinct in people.

The point was, I was sticking my neck out on the chopping block.
But at the same time I thought,
‘Well nobody is saying it.
I wish somebody else was doing it,
ya know cause everything should be represented in a way.
Because if everybody’s just going [mimicks pop music] be bop baby, then yea ok…”

By Chanting The Names Of The Lord, You’ll Be Free

My Sweet Lord became, the #1 single worldwide. It sold 5 million copies initially, and another 10 million copies in subsequent years. It was awarded song of the year, single of the year,
and world’s single of the year by inner-industry publications.

All Things Must Pass Album Cover

All Things Must Pass was the #1 album on the UK charts for 8 weeks. It topped the Billboard chart for 7 weeks, sold more than 7 million copies and aas certified platinum 7 times over.

That’s The Way God Planned It

In an analogue era, Shyamsundar das hadn’t heard the good news about the song, or the record. He had been traveling the world with Prabuhuapd and found himself in New York City in the Summer of ’71. He learned George was nearby at the Plaza Hotel.

“Shayamsundar! Hare Krishna! Hey, what a great surprise. It’s really good to see you!” George remarked, before sharing about his charity initiative, The Concert for Bangladesh. George had wanted to have a kirtan as part of the show but no one else thinks it’s a good idea. “That’s Alright, George” Shyamasundar das said, “You’ll be singing My Sweet Lord and that’s got the mantra. What you’re doing is the highest form of service to Krishna: spreading His name to millions of people. Krishna will help you, you’ll see. The concert will be perfect.”

Phil Spector co-produced with an all-star line up: Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Ringo on drums. Klaus Voorman, Jim Keltner, Billy Preston, Soul singer and piano player Leon Russell, part of Joe Cocker’s back-up singers including, “Miss Brown Sugar”, Claudia Lennear.

The concert began with Ravi Shankar, the esteemed Ali Akbar Khan and Alla Rahka playing classical Indian music. Then George  pointed down at Shyamasundar das  in the front row, and said quietly, “Hare Krishna.”

The Concert For Bangladesh

The band broke into an electrified version of Wah-Wah. They sang “Beware of Darkness,” “Awaiting On You All” and a ten minute version of “My Sweet Lord.”

Shyamasundar das stared was in awe as everyone in the audience knew, and sang along to every word…

My Sweet Lord / Oh My Lord
My, my Lord (Hallelujah)
Mm, mm, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
My, my, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
Oh, oh my sweet Lord (Krishna Krishna)
Ooh, ooh, ooh (Hare Hare)
Now, I really want to see you (Hare Rama)
Really want to be with you (Hare Rama)
Really want to see you, Lord (Ah, ah)
But it takes so long, my Lord (Ah, ah, hallelujah)
Mm, my Lord (Hallelujah)
My, my, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
My sweet Lord (Hare Krishna)
My sweet Lord (Krishna Krishna)
My lord (Hare Hare)
Mm, mm (Gurur Brahma)
Mm, mm (Gurur Vishnu)
Mm, mm (Gurur Devo)
Mm, mm (Maheshwarah)
My sweet Lord (Guru Sakshata)
My sweet Lord (Parabrahma)
My, my, my Lord (Tasmayi Shree)
My, my, my, my Lord (Guruve namah)

He recalls, “My heart swelled with bliss at Prabhupada’s achievement, as George, Dylan, Ringo and Eric led 40,000 people singing ‘My Sweet Lord, Oh My Lord, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna…’–from that tiny moment in George’s kitchen when the song was born, to Krishna’s Name rattling the rafters at Madison Square Garden!”

Claudia Lennear later emoted, “That show was just something that was cosmic. If you were there to experience it will be something you will take to the grave.”

Inner Light

In the following 40 years George Harrison toured, remarried, had a son, recorded albums with friends, produced movies, went on pilgrimages to India, gardened in Friar Park and chanted to Krishna all the while.

‘My Sweet Lord’ remains in heavy rotation in radio,  has 587 million Spotify streams to date and is consistently ranked as one of the greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine and other noteworthy lists.

“Something” became known as one of the greatest love songs of all times.

“Here Comes The Sun” remains the #1 streamed Beatle Song even today.

“Beware of Darkness” was re-popularized during the global pandemic after appearing in the TV Show Ted Lasso.

“All Things Must Pass” is considered  the most successful solo album of any former Beatle, consistently ranked in “Greatest Album of All Times” lists.  It is often credited as the first ‘Triple Album” by a single artist.  It was nominated for album of the year, and later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The 30th anniversary re-issue  received six-platinum certifications.

The Concert for Bangladesh would become known as a pioneering event and the first mega-concert for charity raising an initial $243,000. The album sold over 5 million copies globally, and charted internationally. It won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1973.

“Hari’s Son’s” as George is sometimes called, left this world in 2012.  Shyamasundar das reflects,

“There’s no doubt in my mind, looking back, that George and the other Beatles,
but especially George, were highly-developed yogis in their past lives,
born into this incredible opportunity to finish the job and get out of this material plane…

I still have dinner with Ringo and Barbara from time to time,
when I’m in LA—and Paul sometimes pops by the London Krishna temple
from his office just around the corner in Soho Square.

George. George and I were together right to the end of his life
—and we still visit in my dreams,
and sometimes,
I swear,
I hear him whispering,
“Hare Krishna, Shyamasundar…”

George Harrison and Shyamasundar das

Chasing Rhinos With Swami

To hear more of this first hand account of Shyamsundar das’ autobiographical trilogy, Chasing Rhinos with Swami is available on his website  ChasingRhinos.com and on Amazon here.

Follow Shyamasundar das on IG here.

Learn more about the first London Krisha Temple here.

Listen To My Sweet Lord here.

Photos Credits + Thanks

Photos are courtesy of Shyamasundar das, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) and public domain. For sources, citations and permissions, please reach out to AmyVDewhurst@SenseAndColor.co #HareKrsna

The post My Sweet Lord: George Harrison and Shyamasundar das appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Venice West  has been hosting Local’s Night for LA performers for some time.  Last month, I watched Asa Anderson play a set to a packed house and I was blown away by his song “Help Me Breathe.”  This song is an hypnotic meditation on returning to source, on surrendering.

The lyrical phrasing has a lived-in warmth and elegance with tactile details.   What stood out most is the emotional through-line of breath as both literal and metaphorical anchor.  I loved the vulnerability of the line “So lover please be like a tree and help me breathe.”

Stylistically the track made me feel as if I was snorkeling through a crystal clear ocean.  Etherial and calming, its strength is its subtlety: the way desire is suggested rather than declared, the way growth is framed as something slow and organic, like roots finding their way through soil.

“Help me Breathe” becomes a refrain that doubles as a plea for calm, connection, and presence in a world that is constantly accelerating.  In a musical landscape often obsessed with urgency and immediacy, “Help Me Breathe”  dares to linger, and left a deep impression on me. This is a song that doesn’t just ask to be heard; it asks to be felt, one rhyme and inspiring respiration at a time.

Listen to “Help Me Breathe” and learn more about Asa Anderson.

The post Musician Asa Anderson’s Song “Help Me Breathe” Shares a Call to Connection appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

An Expert Nutritionist Discusses the Keto Diet

Nutritionist and Keto Expert L.J. Amaral MS, RD, CSO, specializes in teaching people about nutrition during cancer treatment, for survivorship, and for cancer prevention. She is currently a co-investigator on a phase one clinical trial for ketogenic diets and people newly diagnosed with glioblastomas, a type of brain tumor. She works at the outpatient Cancer Center of Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. We had the opportunity to discuss what you need to know about the keto diet with L.J.

Registered Dietician and therapeutic diet expert L.J. Amaral

Why are we hearing so much about the keto diet these days?

The keto diet has gained immense popularity due to a number of similar diets being popularized at the same time, specifically ones like the paleo diet.

Additionally, our country has a disproportionate amount of people who struggle with being overweight/obese and/or dealing with type 2 diabetes.

A lot of researchers have been trying to find ways to help address this epidemic, and more people are using low carb diets to treat these populations. People are seeing real results with low carb in a quicker amount of time than other diets. Most people who follow a well-planned keto diet can see weight loss within their first week, and/or their glucose/sugars almost normalize, which is very encouraging and implores people to continue with the lifestyle change.

What really makes a keto diet keto?

Ironically, there are a lot of different versions of Keto! According to the Charlie Foundation, which is one of the best and most reliable resources for ketogenic diets, there are several versions of the diet.

There’s a classic ketogenic diet, which is considered a very high fat diet, upwards of 80-90% of calories coming from fat. This ensures the body reaches a state of ketosis.

There are also versions of the diet that are more lenient with protein and fats, but still limits carbs, called the modified Atkins diet.

There’s one version that allows for a little more carbohydrate intake, but the diet is supplemented with MCT, or medium-chain triglyceride, oil to ensure they stay in ketosis.

The most important part is to ensure you reduce and avoid all refined carbohydrates (white flour products) and sugars, to ideally reach a state of ketosis, during which your blood glucose is low and your blood ketones are high. This allows the body to use ketones instead of sugar as a fuel source.

Some people have specific goals for their glucose and ketone values depending on their disease or what type of ketogenic diet they choose to follow.

Being keto is different from just eating a lot of meat, right?

Yes!!! It’s quite the opposite. I do not recommend anyone to just eat meat and call it keto. Cutting out all but one food group is dangerous and unbalanced.

Can you be vegetarian or vegan and follow a keto diet?

You can, but it poses extra challenges. I personally have not counseled anyone on a vegan keto diet, but I’m sure it could be done with a lot of planning, supplementation and likely eating a lot of the same foods.

We’ve heard that a keto diet can have positive medical or health benefits. What are some of the documented situations where this is the case?

There are randomized controlled studies that show how ketogenic diets help people with anticonvulsant resistant epilepsy or seizures that do not respond to medications, especially in children.

It has shown quite positive results for those with type 2 diabetes and normalizing blood glucose and helping to reverse insulin resistance. Some people are even able to get off their glucose-lowering medications or insulin with the right planning and exercise.

It is being studied in cancer, especially brain tumors, and showing some positive effects in mice and preclinical studies in reducing tumor burden.

Research is also being done to show if the ketogenic diet has any positive effects on those with Alzheimer’s and/or Parkinson’s diseases and cognition.

A few researchers across the country are also looking at the ketogenic diet and mental health like PTSD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

There are plenty of anecdotal stories out there where people have felt the difference in using a ketogenic diet such as decreased inflammation, increased mood, better sleep, increased cognition, and weight loss to name a few benefits.

Is the keto diet an all-or-nothing sort of scenario? Can a person follow this part of the time?

I think it depends on what they are following the diet for and what type of ketogenic diet they are following. If you want to occasionally modify your refined carbohydrate and added sugar intake—that’s great! I don’t recommend yo-yo dieting though, and do not recommend doing a classic ketogenic diet part-time.

Is this meant to be a long-term lifestyle or something to facilitate shifts, or a little of both?

It really depends on people’s goals. If someone has diabetes, then a low carb diet could be a lifestyle adaptation to continue to control your blood glucose and insulin and lead a long and healthy life!

For someone who wants to experience weight loss, they can use it as a tool to reduce their body weight. And then they can transition to a plant-based diet, or something more tenable.

The most important thing is to consider if this is a sustainable option. So if you’re struggling to follow the diet for a short amount of time, I would not recommend it long term.

If I’m thinking about following a keto diet, where should I begin?

Start to think of your goals. Why are you doing this? What is your motivation? You are going to need to come back to this constantly in order to continue.

Next, I would get rid of all temptation in your house that you can. This includes pasta, rice, crackers, cookies, sugars of all kinds, corn-based products, et cetera. Start to decrease your intake of these foods as well.

Are there some trusted resources for following a keto diet?

A few I recommend include: The Charlie Foundation. KetoNutrition.Org, and Max Love Foundation.

What are some things a person needs to know to stay healthy and on track on a keto diet?

Ideally, work with a dietitian/nutritionist who can guide you and keep you accountable! I would also download a food tracking app like Cronometer or Eat This Much and record your foods so you understand the ratios and amounts of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins) you are eating daily. Always focus on healthy fats like olives, olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, and fatty fish. And do not forget to hydrate!! If you can find someone to do it with you, you’ll have more success.

Keto for Beginners

Check out LJ’s instructions on Keto for Beginners.

The post The Keto Diet: What you Need to Know appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

CBD photo courtesy of Charlotte’s Web

The Basics of CBD Oil and the Cannabinoids

In recent years, there is an entirely new supplement section that has taken over shelf space in groceries and health food stories. CBD is the latest and some say the greatest addition to the marketplace. Product lines have sprouted up. These include everything from lines selected and branded by medical professionals, multi-level marketing companies, supplement innovators, and product activists seeking to raise the profile of the plant to benefit both farmers and the general public.

While it seems like CBD exploded onto the scene just yesterday, the medicinal benefits of the various phytochemicals of the hemp plant have a long history. The current popularity of CBD for anything and everything can be attributed to a number of factors converging at this point in time. From the perspective of modern biomedical research, one of the factors at play is the identification of the body’s endocannabinoid system in the early 1990s. Another is the growing activism supporting legislature allowing the American farmer to legally grow hemp, including the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalizes the growing of non-psychoactive hemp on US soil.

In addition, we’re seeing a rapidly growing body of research studies published in peer-reviewed journals documenting the medicinal benefits of the phytochemicals found in the hemp plant. State-specific legalization of medical and recreational marijuana use has also contributed to an expansion of the conversations surrounding the different aspects of just what exactly is found in these different strains of what’s become a famous plant species. The economic factors, legal issues, scientific and medical research are all at play in the proliferation of CBD.

Okay—so what is CBD?

CBD is a Cannabinoid. What’s important to note is that there are a lot of cannabinoids. In plants. And even in the human body. First let’s start with Cannabis. This plant genus Cannabis has a number of different species. The most famous are Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa. They’re native to Central Asia and India where they have a long history of use including as food, fiber, medicine, and a psychoactive.

That slang name – ganja – is the Sanskrit word for the plant. Hemp is a member of the Cannabis sativa plant while marijuana can be either Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica. A trained eye can distinguish the differences between the plants in a line-up, but what really makes them unique is, you guessed it, THC.

How THC Factors into the Discussion

The full name of THC is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. (It’s why we most often see it abbreviated as THC.) THC is what gives marijuana its psychoactive effects. THC is what gets you high and it is what makes marijuana, well, marijuana.

The body’s receptors that are docking sites for THC were discovered in 1988. This led to the search for the similar chemical compound produced by the human body itself that fits the same receptors.

In 1992, that endocannabinoid was discovered, and fittingly named “anandamide.” We may recognize within that name, the Sanskrit word for bliss, ananda. Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine) is a fatty acid neurotransmitter.

What are the Endocannabinoids

To put the prefix “endo” in front of the word cannabinoid means that it is made inside the body. The naming of the first endocannabinoid with a bit of bliss was not accidental. After all, these molecules can affect our state of mind, but they also affect multiple physiological pathways and states of body. They’re active regulators for everything from the immune system and our inflammatory responses to sensations of pain, our ability to fall asleep, and a number of other systems. In general, the endocannabinoid system is involved in many of the big-picture, internal communications structures within the body.

Psychiatrist Hyla Cass MD (cassmd.com) says that the endocannabinoid system is involved in establishing and maintaining health, homeostasis, and balance throughout the body/brain. She goes on to explain that this system is important for facilitating communication between different cell types and is involved in the immune, neurological, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems. THC is merely one type of cannabinoid made by plants. But it’s not the only one.

That brings us to the CBD that we see on the labels of all of those products. And it brings us to one of the mastermind molecules that influences our endocannabinoid sytems. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid. That means that it is made by plants. The hemp plant. The cannabinoids is the name of a group of chemicals. It’s important to point out that we have different receptors in the body for these chemicals. And they have slightly different effects. Some promote sleep, some don’t, and so on.

CBD is Not THC

Unlike THC, the classes of other CBD/phytocannabinoids are not psychoactive. You can buy them without a prescription. They’re not subject to the laws surrounding recreational marijuana use. And the different CBDs actually have the opposite effect of THC when it comes to psychoactive effects. This is where that distinction of marijuana vs hemp becomes significant.

And in fact, over the counter CBD products sold on shelves must have less than .3% THC. What’s also significant is that many CBD-rich products are labeled hemp oil, or full spectrum hemp oil. This is because what we call CBD or full spectrum hemp oil actually derives its potent effects from a variety of different active cannabinoids that work together synergistically.

The medicinal effects are also influenced by some of the other phytochemicals, such as pharmacologically active terpenes. Terpenes are another group of organic compounds, which are found in many essential oils and provide the familiar aromas we associate with not only cannabis but other foods, herbs, and plants.

Health Benefits of CBD

Now, literally thousands of research studies investigating the array of health benefits of CBD oils have been published. And while people may be treating themselves with CBD, some medical professionals like Dr Cass are actively using CBD in their practice. Dr Cass even sells her proprietary brand. She says, “They’re master modulators that help make neurotransmitters work better, provide a brain boost, address hard-to-treat issues, can be helpful in working with healing trauma, and are powerful in helping us to relax and protect us from overload.” They’re known to have a wide range of anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and anxiety- and stress-reducing effects. And these are only a few of the documented benefits that continue to be collected.

How to Take CBD

While Dr Cass says that at low doses, CBD is generally safe with not many contraindications, it is important to note that each one of us possesses our own individual biochemistry. This means if you choose to use CBD in your life, it is important to start with small doses and titrate up slowly as you pay attention to your personal response. When it comes to the dosage on the body, many tinctures will identify the dosage in the whole bottle. So each dropper-full is a titrated amount of that dosage. These days, you can find CBD in dropper bottles, capsules, sprays, lotions and salves, transdermal patches, vape delivery systems, in pharmaceuticals, infused in foods and drinks, and formulated for pets.

Reading Labels and Selecting A Brand

Joel Stanley, Co-Founder of CBD market innovator Charlotte’s Web (cwhemp.com) offers the following advice when looking to purchase CBD. “I recommend a little research to find the right brand for you. First, find brands that are working for others and have an established track record. Second, ask a few simple questions of the companies: Does the company control the source supply from the farm to the final product? Does the company use third-party testing to ensure their product is free from the possible contaminants that can come from poor manufacturing and agricultural practices? Do they supply customers with batch records?”

“Verifying the answers to these questions is even more important for CBD because hemp is a bioremediator, or soil cleaner,” Stanley continues. “That’s great for some purposes and why it’s been grown at Chernobyl. This is why testing the soil before planting must become a common practice in this industry. Third-party testing of final product for metals, pesticides, solvents, and microbiologicals is an absolute must!”

Massage, Skin Care, and CBD

The active compounds of CBD are oil-soluble. Theypass through the lipid layers of our cell membranes, including our skin. CBD is being used in a number of skin-care lines since it has both nourishing and anti-inflammatory effects. When used for massage, the cannabinoids can enhance muscle and full-body relaxation and restoration. Vanessa Marquez, CEO and Founder of CBD Care Garden (cbdcaregarden.com), has developed a wellness and beauty skincare line designed to deliver a premium massage and self-care experience. Glen Ivy Hot Springs (glenivy.com) is one of the California spas to launch this healing enhancement to their massage services.

CBD: Here to Stay?

CBD has quickly gained a reputation in the wellness industry. It is infused in a variety of food and drinks and it is even being suggested for use by anxious dogs. Statistics reveal that hemp-based CBD industry sales reached $190 million in 2017. These days, millions of people are using CBD regularly. A number of brands are offering CBD products in a variety of forms, including cannabis oil concentrate. But just remember that even though CBD may seem to be everywhere, a person’s reaction to any natural substance is unique. Be conscientious with your choices as you learn to tap into your own inner bliss.

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Goddess Garden Team and Family loves the beach so they produce and advocate for reef safe sunscreen.

Working for Reef Safe Sun Protection for People and the Planet

In the long days of summer (as well as year-round), we want to enjoy the benefits of our time in the sun while protecting our skin from excess exposure. According to expert dermatologist Raja Sivamani, MD MS AP, “Sun protection used to be about avoiding a sunburn. But, we have come a long way from then and have become more sophisticated with our science and our approach. Good sun protection means you reduce or eliminate overexposure to ultraviolet type A, ultraviolet type B, and high energy blue light.”

Reef-Safe Sunscreens

While sun protection is important, so is protecting our sensitive coral reefs; the delicate ecology of coral reefs can be affected by some of the chemicals in conventional sunscreens. Two of the ingredients that have been identified as being the most problematic are oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Kate Solomon is the founder and CEO of Babo Botanicals. She’s one of a group of skincare companies who are committed to making products that are healthy for both people and the planet. She says, ”Millions of people visit beaches each year and it has been proven that chemicals in sunscreens can destroy reefs, as well as be an endocrine disruptor in humans. I founded Babo Botanicals so people would have environmental and healthy choices.”

Kate is in good company. Goddess Garden Founder and One Planet Brands CEO Nova Covington is another entrepreneur on a mission. “My daughter’s allergies to the chemicals in common skincare products inspired the start of our company [Goddess Garden]. But these chemicals are also impacting coral reefs. A single drop of oxybenzone, a common chemical sunscreen, can kill the coral reefs in an area the size of 6.5 Olympic-sized pools. Because every bottle of natural mineral sunscreen used is one less bottle of chemical sunscreen in the environment, we focused on making clean, reef-safe options easily accessible to everyone.”

Advocacy for Reef Safe Sunscreens

Companies are taking leadership roles to develop reef-safe sunscreen formulations by providing labeling and engaging in advocacy and education. In 2018, the state of Hawaii banned the sale of reef-destroying chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate; a ban which went into effect in 2021.

Ingredients to Avoid

So when it comes to choosing reef-safe options , just say no to oxybenzone and octinoxate. Some of the other chemicals to avoid include: avobenzone, avobenzine, ethylhexl, methoxycinnamate, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene.

What is reef and skin-safe?

Zinc oxide and titanium oxide are reef-safe mineral-based sunscreens. Choose non-nano, mineral-based options for body, face, and lips. Be an informed consumer and take good care of your skin.

The post Why Choose Reef Safe Sunscreens appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

In a world where we are so often silenced and disconnected from our true essence, there exists a path back home — a path paved with the alchemy of voice and the medicine of movement. This fusion of sound and dance is not only healing but transformative, inviting you to embody your truth and reconnect with your soul’s deepest longing.

Music as Medicine: The Power of Voice Alchemy
You don’t need to be a professional singer to experience the magic of your own voice. By tuning into the song of the heart, you open a portal to raw, honest self-expression. As internationally acclaimed musician and vocal alchemist Nessi Gomes shares:

“When we sing from a place of vulnerability, it’s like we’re offering a prayer. We reveal parts of ourselves we’ve kept hidden, and in that process, something deeply transformative happens.” — Nessi Gomes

Your voice becomes a tool not just for communication, but for liberation. Each sound carries an intention that can heal old wounds, release stuck emotions, and help you step fully into who you are meant to be.

Movement as Medicine: Somatic Dance & Conscious Expression
Through somatic movement therapy and conscious dance, the body becomes an instrument of awakening. Movement unblocks stagnant energy and helps you chart a path to a life of exuberance, purpose, and soulful connection. Parashakti Skye, founder of Dance of Liberation®, guides participants into a state of deep embodiment where movement transcends steps or choreography — it becomes a spiritual act.

“When we’re really in alignment with what it is that we deeply desire, then we can voice it and dance it.” — Parashakti Skye

No prior experience with singing or dancing is necessary. By creating a ceremonial space that welcomes all, these practices invite fearless expression and help cultivate peace, vitality, joy, and confidence.

Ancient Roots of Sound & Movement as Healing
Cultures around the world have long recognized the power of sound and movement to heal and transform. Indigenous traditions on every continent have used drumming, chanting, and ecstatic dance in rituals designed to realign body, mind, and spirit.

In West African cultures, rhythmic drumming and dance are integral to community healing ceremonies. In Native American traditions, songs, rattles, and dance are used to restore harmony between individuals and the natural world. Ancient Greek physicians, such as Pythagoras, spoke of “musical medicine” as a tool to rebalance the soul. Meanwhile, in Eastern spiritual practices like Qigong or Sufi whirling, movement combined with breath and sound serves as a pathway to transcendence and deep peace.

These timeless practices remind us that sound and movement are not merely art forms but profound medicines that have guided humanity toward wholeness for millennia. Today, by reclaiming these traditions, we open doors to healing that modern life often leaves closed.

Experience the Fusion for Yourself
This September 7–12, 2025, you have the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in this profound fusion of music and movement at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. World-renowned musician Nessi Gomes and transformational healer Parashakti Skye are joining forces to offer a retreat where you can:

* Reclaim your voice and awaken your heart’s song
* Liberate your body through the Dance of Liberation®
* Embody your truth in a safe, sacred, and supportive environment

Whether you are an artist, healer, seeker, or simply curious, this retreat is designed to help you reconnect with your essence and chart your own path toward a more joyful, purposeful, and aligned life.

Join us — your journey begins here.
** Space is limited. ** Click here to reserve your spot today.

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Chanting brings me into the space of love within, which to me is my guru.
-Neem Karoli Baba

Mantra Artists Deva Premal and Miten Gather Community and Share Devotion

“In the space of no-mind, truth descends like light.” – Osho

A flock of seekers gathers in front of the Wilshire Ebell Theatre as the sun sets on Miracle Mile in Los Angeles. It’s a reunion of smiles. Silver-topped yogis arrived early to reconnect to people they hadn’t seen since before Covid. Old friends, teachers, and students, among them community icons including Shiva Rea and Donna De Lory, are here.

Younger devotees rolled in as the lights fell. The members of the ongoing worldwide sangha who had been chanting and connecting digitally came to share voices in real time with other humans.

Deva Premal and Miten (DPM) touched down in L.A. to bring the light and seal the North American leg of their 2025 tour before heading to north to Canada and then on to Europe. The perpetually transcontinental travelers returned in time to establish some peace, where the ashes from recent wildfires have settled into a cloud of fear and anger that has spilled into the streets.

Always welcomed, anticipated, and appreciated, DMP are part of a tribal order, a sort of Western mantra singer dynasty who opened the portal and carried the light to so many over the decades; Jai Uttal, Krishna Das, and Snatam Kaur are their contemporaries.

Deva Premal and Miten are here to transform song into meditation. “When voices are raised in harmony magic happens. The power of mantra is a door that leads us into a space of inner peace and meditation.”

“Any opportunity to be in person with mantra artists is a transformative, spiritual, rejuvenating experience,” LA Yoga Magazine Editorial Director Felicia Tomasko says; the flow of musicians touring and connecting with people in person was interrupted during the pandemic. “It feels like we’re still in the midst of a transition into a new future.” To set things off in a positive direction, they gifted 150 tickets to people who were negatively affected by the LA fires.

Deva Premal and Miten’s stated purpose is, “To create gatherings where fellow travelers can congregate and bathe in the scared and powerful energy contained within a mantra practice. Our vision is firmly based on the foundation and joy of meditation.”

This is the mantra artists’ first return to the US since 2019. They played Canada and Mexico in 2023, but not the U.S. Manager Hannah Green (Prabhu Music) says the audiences have been more welcoming than ever. “It really has been a phenomenal tour – reconnecting with friends. We stopped touring in March, 2020, due to travel restrictions and resumed European touring as soon as we could, which was in September 2022. During that window, (from March 2020 – September 2022), they continued to host in person groups in Costa Rica.”

Chant and Be Happy
-Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

L.A. YUGA

“Los Angeles continues to be a spiritual hub for the modern era and seekers who have been following Deva for decades will always come together in song and mantra vibrations that will reverberate long after the show,” Tomasko imparts.

In L.A., this part of Turtle Island some call Mexico, all devotional paths meet. Yogananda, Vivekananda, Prabhupada, Osho, Yogi Bhajan and Thích Nhat Hanh are all part of the sacred landscape. In this post-Covid, post-George Floyd city, humble by nature, still roiling, the gathering at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre feels like cosmic triage.

Disciplic succession is the path, Mantra is the teacher, DPM are stealthy sanyasis, creatures of the duty-free realms, micro-napping in business-class lounges at international airports, practicing pranayama in recycled air while seemingly effortlessly navigating this Kali Yuga.

Chanting is half the battle
-Paramahansa Yogananda

ABOUT MANTRA

Deva and Miten are also teachers and they have refined their skills over the years. It goes with the territory and is part of a larger energetic exchange.

From their website —
Thousands of years ago the Rishis of ancient India began receiving what can only be described as healings sounds during their meditations. So began a scientific investigation into sound and its effect on the mind and body. Sacred Sanskrit is the sound equivalent of the manifestation itself.

We use language to define our world. In almost every language, words describe our experience. What makes Sanskrit so unique, so universal, and so transformational, is that it is based on the energy of sound rather than its descriptive qualities.

A mantra that is central for Deva Premal and Miten is the Gayatri, a Sanskrit mantra that Deva’s father famously chanted to her in the womb.

GAYATRI MANTRA

Am Om bhur bhuvaha svaha Tat savitur varenyam Bhargo devasya dhimahi Dhiyo yonah prachodayat

Praise to the source of all things. It is due to you that we attain true happiness on the planes of Earth, astral, causal. It is due to your transcendent nature that you are worthy of being worshipped and adored. Ignite us with your all-pervading light.

With intentional catholicity, they offer the Mangala Charan Mantra Aad Guray Nameh calling upon the universal energy to surround us with a field of white protective light and transform the theatre into a church of all religions.

AAD GURAY NAMEH

(Dakshina) Aad guray nameh Jugaad guray nameh Sat guray nameh A Siri guru de——vay nameh.

I bow to the Primal Guru, I bow to the Guru woven through time I bow to the True Guru, the identity of the self. I bow to the Great Guru whose great glory will always be. Guru: that which brings us from darkness (GU) to light (RU). (Snatam Kaur Khalsa)

MANTRA AND SONG AS CEREMONY

The evening at the Wilshire Ebell is a ceremony, the mantras are offerings, the theatre a shrine and the audience a circle where everyone joins in the chants. Each Sanskrit mantra projected on a screen behind them onstage is an invitation to practice. Some new mantras, and many familiar to people here tonight.

The band is a tightly configured set up; Deva and Lady Phyl (Joby’s daughter) on keyboards and vocals, Miten on guitar and vocals and Joby on bass, strings, percussion, and vocals. The sound is a seamless, unbroken. The words are white light passing through a prism, contacting the Divine through mantra, returning us to our true nature; to love, light, and compassion.

Chanting brings me into the space of love within, which to me is my guru. -Neem Karoli Baba

It’s a practical magic that travels well, which is good as the four are currently touring across 11 countries with some 18 concerts. It’s also a big undertaking, but each destination stop along the path has a community to whom they are essential.

THE INEVITABLE BLOSSOMING OF THE HEART

Joby Baker has been collaborating with Deva and Miten for decades. He toured with them in 2019 and produced and plays and sings on Deva’s new release, The Inevitable Blossoming of the Heart. (The album released June 6, 2025)

DPM’s 2019 tour supported Miten’s release, Temple at Midnight. This time it’s Deva’s, The Inevitable Blossoming of the Heart, “a heart-opening journey of mantra, transformation, and divine connection that honors collaborations with soul friends across the globe.”

The second half of the evening brought Deva Premal front and center on stage. “She taught the entire audience a new language, but one we already knew, one of gratitude. ‘Afepakian’ means thank you in Maleku, the language of an indigenous community in Costa Rica, where they have been living and teaching for years,” Felicia Tomasko recounts, “She invited the audience to join in on sharing the vibratory qualities of gratitude. And she shared with exquisite grace, that the spirituality of mantra can be found in so many languages.”

This release, like her others, is part of an existing body of work which is an elemental part of the western mantra soundscape. Inevitable Blossoming of the Heart is a warm embrace. Sparse and spacious, organic and intimate, all parts humbly, sinuously conspiring to open the portal. Strings, percussion, bass, vocals delicately threaded to affect a heart opening.

“The 2025 audience welcomed them with open hearts and open voices in a melodic tribute to the power of the spirit.” Tomasko says. “Deva Premal, Miten, Joby, Lady Phil offered their gift to the world: Song. And their latest launch, The Inevitable Blossoming of the Heart, a welcome and timely addition to our collective playlist.”

“Darkness is not to be fought with – a lamp has to be lighted. In the presence of light, there is no darkness.”
-Osho

THE END

The Dwapara Yuga ended when Krishna returned to his eternal abode in Vaikuntha. Now 5,126 years into the Kali Yuga, with only 428, 287 years to go and Kalki, Vishnu’s final Avatar, is nowhere in sight, but Deva and Miten to bring the light and the essential heart of their guru and that’s more than a lot.

DPM have been holding the light, carrying it from here to there and then back again. Farther along on their path, deeper in the disciplic succession their chanting is more nuanced, more connected, more willing and available… or is it just us here in this American town?

Repeating the Om continually is the only true worship. It is not a word, it is God Himself
-Swami Vivekananda

Deva, Miten. Joby, Lady Phyl and the crew are in Europe by now leaving a trail of light in their wake. And though the city is under siege, Los Angeles knows how to come together, like they came together at the Wilshire Ebel. Deva Premal and Miten will be back.

The post The Inevitable Blossoming of the Heart: Deva Premal and Miten light up L.A. appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Food Trends and International Flavors at the Summer Fancy Food Show

Ecuador: Flavors of Home and A Survey of Chocolate

Paccari

Muze

Pepadorada

The Sensory Culinary Experience of Italy

My favorite time: ora di pranzo, also known as lunchtime, was a delight.

Fratelli Profili

Ventiventi

Cantina Caorsa

Mario Rivetti

Spain Showcases their Extensive Gastronomic Culture to Life

Extra Virgin Olive Oils Sampled:

Food is a Celebration

The post Confessions of a Serial Sampler at the Fancy Food Show appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Stacy Peralta is a legendary skateboarder, an industry-defining entrepreneur, and an exalted film director who has been shaping surf and skate culture for over 50 years.

From his home on the Central Coast, Stacy explains, “The universe creates itself by working through us — all of us. Getting in touch with what you love, is getting in touch with what’s right for the world. When we don’t use it, it goes to someone else. The universe doesn’t wait around.”

Locals Only  

Venice born and Santa Monica raised, Stacy and his friends surfed most mornings. They mounted newly invented urethane wheels to pieces of wood, ideating, and innovating modern-day skateboards. “We didn’t know skateboarding was going to be popular one day, but we loved doing it,” he asserts. The crew conquered backyard pools and rode asphalt waves down Bay Street to the Zephyr Shop where owners Jeff Ho and Skip Engblom formed the infamous Zephyr Skateboard Team.

Early Bert-Turn Source; Stacy Peralta Ig. Original Photo by C. R. Stecyk III.

While allies like Jay Adams and Tony Alva electrified the burgeoning 70s vert-skate scene, Stacy stood out for his style, aesthetic, and work ethic. “I realized, ‘Wow I’m very lucky, and this could be a doorway to the world, so I took it very seriously’,” he shares. Big sponsors swooped in, filled his pockets and flew him around the planet. Peralta’s skills went prime time on the hit show Charlie’s Angels, and much later as a technical consultant on the cult-classic film Gleaming the Cube.

Two Voices

By the late 70s the teenager was ranked #1 by Skateboarder Magazine. There were demos and merch, appearances, autographs, and arrests. “I had done everything I wanted to do and more” he discloses. “And so the question I asked myself was, ‘Do you still love doing this?’ and the answer was, ‘No.’ I also asked myself, ‘Can you continue doing this?’ The answer was, ‘Yes I can, but I don’t love it’.”  

Instead of being sponsored, Peralta wanted to be the sponsor. “I hadn’t gone to college, so my brain was telling me, ‘You have no right to start a business,’.” he confesses. “But my heart was telling me, ‘That’s what you need to do.’ And so, I learned at a very young age, that there’s two different voices in me, one my heart, which speaks very quietly and very abstractly, and one my brain, which never shuts up.”

 At the top of his game, the pathfinder shocked the sports world when he listened to that quiet voice within and quit.

Future Primitive

The 19-year-old partnered with product designer George Powell to co-found Powell Peralta Skateboards. They had a strong start but by 1982, the sport’s popularity waned. Skateparks shut down and pro-skaters were out of work. “We barely stayed in business,” Stacy admits. Then he noticed something intriguing. As kids were leaving skateparks, they were practicing vertical skateboard tricks off curbs, onto benches, against mailboxes, and the like. “The more I watched, the more I thought that is the most democratized form of skateboarding,” Stacy observed. “We had to pivot to save the sport, and figure out what the sport wanted to be.” Powell-Peralta over-invested their financial and energetic capital into the evolution.  “People thought we were crazy” he chuckles.  

In the tradition of the Zephyr Shop, the born leader curated a team of unrelenting underdogs to rep the brand. With creative collaborator Craig Steyck, Peralta produced and directed the first-ever skateboard video, The Bones Brigade Video Show. The coveted VHS tape not only introduced street skating to next-gen groms, but showcased up and comers like Rodney Mullen, Lance Mountain, and a teenaged Tony Hawk. Stacy looks back, “We made the first video thinking we’ll probably sell 300. We sold I think 30,000. It was unbelievable. They became manifestos.”

Tony Guerrero Cracks Open the Consciousness of 80s Kids in Future Primitive.

Over the next 15 years, Powell, Peralta, and co learned about cash flow, product strategy, manufacturing, team management, and much more. Their evocative approach to advertising was groundbreaking, award-winning, and a lot of fun. “George was the only adult in the room, so we didn’t have anybody above us, telling us that we couldn’t do things.” Stacy smiles. He and Craig lit cars on fire, painted faces, succeeded, failed and tried again. They were OG content creators in the time of random-access viewing. From the brink of bankruptcy, Powell-Peralta revenues rose to upwards of $30 million dollars annually.  Christmas 1990 was projected to be their most profitable quarter yet. Stacy once again listened to the abstract whispers of his heart, and at the height of their success, left.

Dogdays In A Dogtown

The consummate seeker did the Hollywood hustle as a screenwriting student, spec script writer, shorts producer, commercial shooter, and television director for nine years. Amidst doubt and disappointment Peralta had to dig deep and ask himself what unique thing he had to offer.  “There is a loneliness that comes with following your heart,” Stacy notes. “But when you start feeling lonely, more insecure and uncertain, and you’re not sure what that next step is, it gives you the strength to keep moving forward.” When a good friend saw a rough cut of his passion project, she insisted he submit it to a career-making (or breaking) film festival. He resisted. She persisted. He surrendered.

Dogtown and the Z-Boys premiered at Sundance in January, 2001. The biographical love letter to his hometown, the guys he grew up with, and the culture they created won the Audience Award. And for his feature film directorial debut, Stacy Peralta won the best documentary director award. 

The movie played in select theaters across the country before being released on DVD. Yet a fourth generation was transfixed and transformed by the pioneers who preceded popular events like the X-Games and street skating in the Olympics. Throughout the process Peralta accepted, “You don’t have to understand what that thing is, you don’t even have to like it. Your job is to do it. And that’s something we don’t realize. We come at things wanting to know the outcome, you can’t know it.”

Over the following two decades Stacy made a career as a commercial, television, and documentary director. His films Riding Giants, Bones Brigade: An Autobiography and The Yin and Yang of Gerry Lopez became instant classics, positioning him as one of the preeminent surf and skateboarding filmmakers of our time.

Radical Transitions 

From fan letters of the 70s to the ask-me-anything Reddits of today, infinite aspiring-everythings and top of their game, what-nowers  have reached out to Stacy for insight and advice. He found a proper venue for this mentoring with Modern Elder Academy (MEA). A wisdom school dedicated to helping people reimagine and repurpose themselves during  one of the most overlooked  transitions….midlife. At a recent MEA event, Stacy shared, “Sometimes we have to carve out our own path and this requires doing things on a daily basis that helps put us in touch with ourselves and our purpose.  To do this is going against the current, it requires taking a proactive stance in our life but the payoff is remarkable because you become more alive and you are more in touch with yourself and what you have to offer.” 

Stacy Peralta’s 5 Things I Do Every Day 

1. I meditate every single day.

I try to do at least an hour and when I’m really good, I do 2 hours and it makes a gigantic difference in my life. The effects of meditation; it centers me, it calms my brain and gives me a better a chance at hearing those quiet voices that are the true voices I’m looking for. Whenever  you are in the middle of a true athletic moment and you the person dissolves and you’re just going with the action, the thing you experience at that moment is intense stillness. How is it possible that I could experience stillness when I’m riding a board going incredibly fast…?  I believe based on everything I’ve studied, that that is our essence. Another reason why I meditate to give me a fighting chance to get back to that place.”

2. I exercise every day.

I don’t want to do it. People think because I’m a former pro-athlete, that somehow it’s easy for me, it’s not [he laughs]. I never wake up wanting to do it, but to live the life I want to live I have to do it. When I’m done I feel amazing all throughout the day. It takes about 40 minutes. I could burn about 40 minutes, doing social media in a heartbeat and get nothing from it. When I do this, I’m getting something from it.”

3. I do something creative every day.  

Thanks to a friend traveling though town, Stacy recently began artistic an pursuit, he had wanted to try for over 40 years.  Peralta explains, “He unlocked me. And when he left, I went out and bought a paint set and it was as if a dam broke. One of the things that I am continuing to relearn as an adult is putting myself in situations where I don’t know if I can do it.”

Peralta Paints at Home. Copyright / courtesy of Dana Shaw and Colin Norman.

4. I learn something new everyday.

That can also be a combination of the creative or the physical thing I do. For instance, I’ve taken up a new form of surfing, called hydrofoil. It is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. Took me two and half years to get me where I am right now. So every time I go out, I’m learning something new about it. And if I don’t get to surf, then I’ll paint something that requires me to do something that I’m a little scared to do.”

5. I read non-fiction everyday.

I’m a heavy non-fiction book reader, because I want to understand myself, and the  world, and how people become who they are. No one ever asks me what I’m reading; I wish they would!  [he laughs]. I just finished a book, it was so amazingly beautiful that I’m in my third pass through it, it’s called “John and Paul; a Love Story in Songs” by Ian Leslie. It’s about the relationship between the two Beatles, and how they communicate with one another through the creative process. The author pulls it off so brilliantly, I can’t stop reading this book.”

Other recommended reading includes;

Quantum – Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate about the Nature of Reality by Manjit Kumar, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer, Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake, Material World  by Ed Conway,  A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko, Picasso’s war by Hugh Eakin, and Endurance by Alfred Lansing.

Against The Current 

Stacy clarifies, “I’m not a freak about things though, I don’t wake up and drink raw eggs and orange juice. I’m very disciplined, but I’m loose with my discipline, because I have to live with myself, and make my life enjoyable. There’s a very famous saying and it says this, ‘We don’t decide our futures, what we get to decide are our habits. And our habits are what decide our future.’ It’s about asking, ”What life do I want to live, and then saying ‘This is what it’s going to take to do this.”

He pauses thoughtfully and continues, “One of my goals is to live with the heart of a teenager and the wisdom of an adult.” 

Join Stacy Peralta and Teddi Dean at  MEA’s Radical Transitions Retreat; The Courage to Reinvent Yourself in Baja. 

More info on the retreat can be found here. 

Follow Stacy + all he is up to on his IG here. 

The only beach break where being a kook is encouraged. Stacy teaches surfing at MEA.

Author’s Note-
Thank you to Kari Cardinale and Teddi Dean at Modern Elder Academy – learn more here. 
And to Dana Shaw and  Colin Norman. Check out their work here, here and here…!

The post Stacy Peralta; The Heart of a Teenager, The Wisdom of an Adult appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Reset Your Habits with a New Year, New You Cleanse

Cleansing is a practice that we can integrate into our lives to reassess and reevaluate our relationships with our habits….including our food. According to Avona L’Carttier, who manages the OG cleansing products line Arise & Shine, “A cleanse is a great way to start fresh and to integrate resolutions to live a healthier lifestyle. Some find changing several habits at once works for them. Also, after one has completed a cleanse and is feeling light, bright and energetic there is inner drive to maintain feeling great by eating better.” This may seem challenging, but it is possible to detox with ease.

Any time of the year, anything we can do to feel bright and ignite our inner drive to feel great are meaningful practices.

1. First, Set Your Intention

Connect with yourself to discover your why. Evaluate and investigate your habits and practices. And then set the intention to create and maintain a healthy schedule for yourself during the duration of the cleanse. “Setting the intention to maintain the schedule of a cleanse is a commitment in and of itself,” says Avona.

2. Prepare Effectively to Detox with Ease

Do your research. See if you are ready. Talk to your healthcare practitioner. Choose a cleanse. Arise & Shine offers a guide to the process of cleansing. Gather your supplies. Plan your schedule. Set yourself up for juicing with ease. Be kind to yourself throughout the process.

3. Plan Time for Practice

“Yoga while on a cleanse is a wonderful experience,” according to Avona. During a cleanse, be gentle with yourself. Try a restorative practice and give yourself ample time to rest. Try practices that encourage rejuvenation, such as Yoga Nidra. Meditate and reflect. “In general, cleansing is a good time to rest and tune into your body and spirit in other ways,” says Avona.

4. Go Organic

Avona suggests that people consider incorporating more organic foods into their lives during any cleansing experience. Food activist Zen Honeycutt says, “It’s one of the things I most wish that people who are trying to eat healthy should know. It cannot just be vegan, it cannot just be vegetarian, it cannot just be gluten-free and be healthy, it must also be organic.”

5. Hydrate for Health

We hear about the importance of hydration. This includes minerals and electrolytes. Avona says, “It is essential to ensure that the body has sufficient electrolytes.” Some key electrolytes include (but are not limited to): sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, and phosphorus. Electrolytes are essential for everything from muscle contraction to nerve conduction, allowing us to think clearly, move gracefully, and breathe easily. One way to take in electrolytes, especially during a cleanse, is by making an Alkalizing Vegetable Mineral Broth.

6. Consider Food Swaps for Post-Cleanse Success

Whether we’re talking New Year’s Resolutions or cleansing support, Avona gives the following advice, “Eat as close to the garden as possible and choose minimally processed foods.” After all, “There are heavily processed foods labeled organic that while they may contain all organically grown ingredients they are not necessarily healthy or digestible.” In the quick tips for success on Arise & Shine, whether during the cleanse or while integrating life-long healthy habits, Avona suggests making your own salad dressings and dips.

7. Cleaning as a Practice for Life.

Really doing a cleanse is something that is more than simply a day of juicing. Consider what you would like to receive from the cleanse, how you want to use the practice to jump-start our maintenance routine of a lifestyle of healthy living. You can also try to detox with ease by detoxing your life and taking the space to become more mindful of your thoughts, words, and actions.

However you decide to cleanse, for the New Year and beyond, be intentional and compassionate with yourself throughout the process.

The post 7 Steps to Detox with Ease appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Delicious Detox Recipes

The owners of Your Super offer their suggestions for a food-based delicious detox.

Michael: Growing up as an athlete, and playing tennis at the professional level, I felt invincible! That changed when I was diagnosed with cancer at age 24. While recovering and trying to rebuild my immune system, I learned how important it is to fuel your body with a whole food diet.

My Your Super co-founder Kristel, would share her homemade mixes of superfood powders. While taking them, I felt more energized, happier, and increasingly more aware. The more I researched, the more shocked I became to learn of my athletic diet’s effect on the body, and how these nutrient-rich superfoods had been used by indigenous cultures for thousands of years. Why didn’t more people know about this? I made it my personal mission to educate and inspire people to fuel their body with the best natural whole foods. Good nutrition and information should be available for everybody!

Kristel: I knew how to mix up superfoods for Michael, because I had done it with my mom and aunt who are orthomolecular nutritionists. My Mom had been through cancer years prior. I thought, “Well if my mom had it, and Michael had it, I better do everything I can not to get it.” I became a vegan, using these superfoods as the most nutrient-dense part of my diet. This change in lifestyle helped to relieve my eczema (a lifelong struggle) and decrease inflammation in my body. I was inspired to become a certified health coach, studying with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Both: Since starting this program for our family, friends, clients and customers three years ago we have heard SO many success stories and hope to hear the same from you!

Fresh Start Breakfast

While making mixes for Michael’s detox, I knew it was important to use power-plants like organic wheatgrass, barley grass, moringa, and baobob fruit, spirulina, and chlorella which contain important micronutrients such as vitamins A, C, B1-7, B9, B12, E, K, calcium, potassium and iron. All of these greens additionally contain chlorophyll, which cleans the blood and draws materials out of your body, like heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides and environmental toxins. These foods increase oxygen content in your body and promote digestive health.

When becoming vegan, both Michael and I wanted to take in the cleanest available ingredients. We came to love a mix of organic pea protein, hemp protein, moringa, spirulina, and alfalfa. This plant protein mix contains 62% protein, 20 essential amino acids, chlorophyll, vitamins A, B9, B12, C, and iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. The superfood blends have the perfect combination of macro- and micronutrients, which aid in detoxification and digestion, support repair of the body tissue and the nervous system, and protect cells from oxidative stress.

These blends are now available as Your Super’s Super Green + Skinny Protein

For a delicious morning smoothie (part of the detox program) you may want to try one of these recipes.

Detox Morning Smoothie

1 tsp Super Green
1 TBSP Skinny Protein
Big handful of spinach
1/4 cucumber
2 mangoes
1 orange
1 cup water

*Mix in blender and enjoy!

Detox Morning Smoothie

1 tsp Super Green
1 TBSP Skinny Protein
1 big handful kale
1 mango
1/2 avocado
1 orange
1/2 lemon
1 cup water

*Mix in blender and enjoy!

Detox Morning Smoothie

1 tsp Super Green
1 TBSP Skinny Protein
1 big handful spinach
1/4 cucumber
2 celery stalks
1 (frozen) banana
1 apple
1/2 lime

*Mix in blender and enjoy!

Fresh Start Detox Lunch

We recommend a solid plant-based lunch loaded with nutrient-dense vegetables, healthy fats, and plant protein.
Here are some of our favorite fresh start detox recipes.

Lunch 1

Your favorite salad / lettuce mix
1 avocado
1/4 cucumber
1 cup cooked green peas
1 TBSP pumpkin seeds
1 tsp Super Green

Lunch 2

Your favorite salad/lettuce mix
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 avocado
1/4 cucumber
Handful of walnuts
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Super Green

Lunch 3

Your favorite salad/lettuce mix
1/2 cup brown rice
1 avocado
1 shredded carrot
1 cup steamed broccoli
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Super Green

Fresh Start Detox Dinner

For the last meal of the day, we recommend a smoothie utilizing our Forever Beautiful Mix. This antioxidant- and phytonutrient-boosting mix contains organic acai berries, maqui berries, acerola cherries, maca root, blueberries and chia seeds.

Additional ingredients such as vitamins A, B3, B6, C, and E, and minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc will support removing toxins from the body during your detox. Your skin, hair, and nails will love the extra natural vitamins and minerals! Here are some delicious smoothie varieties:

Dinner Smoothie 1

1 tbsp ForeverBeautiful
1 beet
1 cup mixed berries
1 banana
1 cup coconut water

Dinner Smoothie 2

1 tbsp ForeverBeautiful
1 cup blueberries
2 (frozen) bananas
A handful of cashews
1 cup water
A pinch of vanilla

Mix together in blender and enjoy!

Dinner Smoothie 3

1 tbsp Forever Beautiful
1 cup cherries
2 (frozen) bananas
1 orange
1/4 cucumber
1 cup water

Mix together in blender and enjoy!
We recommend you continue this detox for 5 days.

For our #FreshStart Guide and Detox programand learn more at Your Super Fresh Start Guide and Detox program.

The post Fresh Start Detox by Your Super Foods appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Jai Uttal’s majestic musical setting for the ancient Hindu prayer, the Hanuman Chalisa, is a tour-de-force of devotional musical artistry. The 16-minute composition moves dynamically through myriad moods, bringing to vivid life the epic story of the shape-shifting Hindu monkey deity Hanuman—avatar of Shiva and embodiment of universal love (bhakti) and service (seva) to one’s fellow beings.

Hanuman Chalisa for World Peace

The Hanuman Chalisa text was composed by the 16th century Indian poet and saint Tulsidas. He adapted earlier Sanskrit sources to sing Hanuman’s praises in the vernacular Awadhi language—the language of his people and time period. The Hanuman Chalisa is a life-affirming prayer for all times and places.
“Now, in this time of global crisis,” says Jai, “I offer you my version, entitled Hanuman Chalisa for World Peace.”

Jai Uttal first learned the Chalisa at the feet of his gurus, Neem Karoli Baba and Sri Siddhi Ma in India, in the 1970s. It has been a part of his daily, personal spiritual practice ever since. He decided to share the Chalisa with a wider audience when theater director David Kersnar approached Jai about turning it into an opera for the stage. Early GarageBand demos—Couch Potato Productions as Jai calls them—soon blossomed into a gloriously rich studio recording with longtime Jai Uttal collaborators, the Pagan Love Orchestra and producer Ben Leinbach.

Exclusive Opportunity to Listen to the Hanuman Chalisa with Jai Uttal

Divine Love and Musical Storytelling in the Hanuman Chalisa

The result is a work of multi-hued, many-faceted splendor. A wistful doha, or invocation to the gurus, gives way to jubilantly melodic verses—40 in all—punctuated by resplendent recurrences of the root mantra “Jay Sita Ram, Jay Sita Ram, Jay Jay Hanuman.” The music moves with the story—through major and minor modes, deeply-rooted grooves and moments of floating timelessly in space. A stirring sense of pageantry informs Peter Apfelbaum’s triumphant horn arrangements. Backing vocalists Sandy and Natalie Cressman and Prajna Vieira evoke the feminine energy of Sita, the divine heroine of the saga. Their voices lend an angelic glow to the music.

And throughout, the voice of Jai Uttal—imbued with a lifetime of devotional chanting—guides us deep into the Hanuman Chalisa’s many subtle shades of Divine Love.

“I wanted to make a musical arrangement that expresses the dynamic and brilliantly shining personality of Hanuman,” says Jai, “and something that also reflects the many facets of my long musical, human and spiritual journey.”

With its joyful, uplifting artistry, the Hanuman Chalisa for World Peace is a balm for our troubled times.

Save and Share the Hanuman Chalisa for World Peace

https://ffm.to/hanuman-chalisa

The post Jai Uttal Shares the Hanuman Chalisa appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Get ready to roll out your yoga mat and kick start those Chakras, because Bhakti Fest is back for its13th edition, and it’s set to be more magical than ever.

Imagine… You, under thousands of stars, surrounded by the ineffable beauty of Joshua Tree, soaking up a weekend full of soul-stirring music, transformative yoga sessions, and enough good vibes to keep you floating all year long. If you know, you know: it’s not just a festival, it’s a pilgrimage into the heart of Love.

The heart of you.

The Heartbeat of Bhakti Fest

Bhakti Fest has long been a mecca for spiritual seekers, musicians, yogis and those on a path of devotion. At the heart of this festival, where community and spirituality intertwine, is music, especially Grammy nominated musician Krishna Das, a longtime Bhakti headliner known for his deeply moving Kirtan performances.

Kirtan has its roots in India and is essentially a call-and-response ‘singing’ of mantras, sacred sounds that often include the names of gods and goddesses.The word “kirtan” comes from a Sanskrit root that means “to call, recite, praise, or glorify” and is a way to connect with God, the divine, source, Universe, or whatever you want to call it.

Over the years, Krishna Das has drawn thousands into a shared space of love, devotion, and community and if Bhakti Fest is the epicenter, then Kirtan is the steady, rhythmic heartbeat that fuels coherence.

But Krishna Das’s journey to becoming the world’s most famous Kirtan singer wasn’t exactly written in the stars—it was more like a cosmic re-route to destiny.

From Rock and Roll Dreams to Spiritual Awakening

Before Krishna Das was leading mass Kirtans, he was just another young guy with rock star dreams. He was even on the cusp of joining a band that would become the legendary Blue Oyster Cult. But fate—maybe karma—had other plans.

A chance meeting with spiritual teacher Ram Dass began a whole new trajectory of his life. One moment in Ram Dass’s presence, Krishna Das knew he longed for something bigger and deeper than fame, something that would take him far beyond the flashing lights of the stage and into the depths of his own soul. His own heart.

This encounter later led him to India, where he met Neem Karoli Baba, affectionately known as Maharaj-ji. Maharaj-ji had a deep love for chanting, because chanting is a way to connect more deeply with the divine and your own heart.

Maharaj-ji, who would become his guru and the foundation of his spiritual path, didn’t just alter the course of Krishna Das’s life; he was a catalyst for his whole new purpose. His dharma.

Kirtan: More Than Just a Jam Session

At first glance, Kirtan might look like a group sing-along, but don’t let the simplicity fool you. Kirtan is a spiritual practice, a form of meditation where repetition is key. Krishna Das advises against the common misconception that the spiritual path is about getting something you don’t have. “It’s about uncovering what’s already there. It’s about peeling back the layers of the ego, not by doing something new, but by uncovering what’s always been there—Love. We’re gradually bringing our hearts out into the sun of love.”

There is much research being done today on the power of sound for healing, but for Krishna Das it’s not about the science or the mechanics behind it; it’s about the spiritual essence of the practice. “Chanting, singing, and simply BEING in the moment with the music—these are the things that bring us closer to the divine, to each other, and to our own hearts.”

Chant Like No One is Listening

As the desert sky fills with music, Krishna Das’s harmonium and the voices of hundreds chanting along, something magical starts to happen. You’re not just listening to music and singing along; you transcend and become part of something bigger—a collective heartbeat; the pulse of the universe.

A Spiritual Playground for All

Kirtan not your thing? Bhakti Fest is a curator of sacred sound, hosting non-stop conscious music and chants across various musical genres, including blues, rock, pop, gospel, traditional, and hip-hop.

Bhakti Fest isn’t just for the seasoned spiritual seeker. Whether you’re a devoted yogi, a curious newbie, or just someone who likes their music with a side of Yoga, there’s something here for you. And it’s all happening in one of the most mystical places on Earth—Joshua Tree, California. The festival takes place at the Joshua Lake & Campground on September 27-29, 2024.

Got little ones? No worries. Bhakti Fest is a family-friendly, drug-free event with a vibrant Kidsland where the youngest attendees can find their own inner peace. Plus, there are discounts for seniors, veterans, locals, and students, so you can bring the whole crew.

Camping Under the Milky Way

Nothing evokes “spiritual awakening” quite like sleeping and dreaming under a blanket of stars in the high desert. Especially during summer months when the Milky Way is most visible. So, whether you’re pitching a tent, parking an RV, or settling into ‘van life,’ you’ll be doing it with the kind of serenity you can only find in the desert.

Of course, if roughing it isn’t your thing, there are plenty of local hotels, Airbnbs, and vacation homes nearby. But wherever you stay, just remember: no alcohol, no cigarettes, and definitely no drugs. Bhakti Fest is all about getting high on life—and maybe some cosmic desert vibes.

“The Greatest Conscious Party EVER!”

Always featuring a world-class lineup of musicians and yoga instructors, conscious vendors, workshops, and artisans, attendees describe the festival as “being immersed in the greatest conscious party you have ever experienced!”

So, whether you’re coming for the Kirtan, the yoga, the workshops, or just the experience of being in a place where love and devotion fill the air, Bhakti Fest is the place to be. And who knows? You might just find what you’ve been searching for has been inside you all along: Love.

From sunrise yoga sessions to late-night sound baths Bhakti is designed to nourish your body, mind, and soul. So, pack your bags, grab your mat, and get ready to celebrate 13 years of Bhakti Fest. See you there, Krishna Das and fellow Yogis! Namaste. Buy tickets to Bhakti Fest and learn more here!

©Rossana Jeran 8.21.24 for LA Yoga Magazine.

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Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, known affectionately known as “Amma,” is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian. Throughout her life, she has embraced more than 40 million people worldwide, sometimes sitting nearly 24 hours to do so. Amma’s humanitarian organization, Embracing the World, is an NGO with consultative status with the United Nations’ Economic Social Council, providing compassionate service to those in need around the world. Amma’s life is the embodiment of love, compassion and selflessness.

She recently returned to the United States for the first time since 2019. Public programs will be held in the LA Area this week.

Amma Appears in Kerala, India

During 1952’s monsoon season in Kerala, Southern India, a young lady named Damayanti had a series of auspicious dreams about the Hindu deities Krishna and Kali. In the dreams they had piercing black eyes and blue skin. In the last dream, she saw herself giving birth to baby Krishna, who then suckled at her breast. The next day, Damayanti realized she was pregnant. It was an uncomfortable pregnancy, and her husband, Sugunandan, feared the worst. However, the birth itself was quick and painless. The family doctor worried about the child, for she had not cried during birth and rarely made any sounds. Moreover, her skin was blueish. But in the end, the child, with piercing black eyes, was fine. They named her “Sudhamani,” which is Sanskrit for “ambrosial jewel.”

Young Sudhami c. MAM

Sudhamani could stand, walk, and sing long before developmental standards. She worshipped cows and cried in devotion for Krishna, humming his hymns and reciting his name. Her family was disturbed, having never taught her such things. Sometimes her brothers and sisters would find her in the coastal backwaters in a meditative state, lost to the world. Amma’s family were convinced the strange Sudhamani would bring shame to their family. She was severely punished for her odd behavior.

Amma In Ecstacy c. MAM

At nine, they stopped her schooling in order for her to cook, clean and care for her younger brothers and sisters. As part of her chores, she would walk to more than 30 homes a day, asking the inhabitants for vegetable scraps to feed to the family cows.

The young girl couldn’t understand why the ocean provided the same opportunities of abundance to every fisherman in and yet the circumstances in each home were so far-ranging. In one thatched-roof hut, a family would be well-provided for—healthy, happy and grateful—while next door a similar family would be hungry and hopeless. Next door to them, could be an elder, riddled with illness, with no one to provide care.

Sudhamani Contemplates c. MAM

So upset by this disparity, Sudhamani considered throwing herself into fire out of protest. As she contemplated these conditions, she heard an answer from within: “It is because of the individuals’ past actions that they suffer.” But she was not satisfied with this answer. She pondered further and said, “If a person falls into a ditch, isn’t it my responsibility to help them out? So, if these people are meant to suffer because of their previous actions, isn’t it my duty to also help them?” 

Show Us A Miracle

One day, Sudhamani and her little brother Satish were gathering grass for their cows when they walked past an open courtyard gate. The Big Sis stood perfectly still as she heard people reading the Srimad Bhagavatam (the stories of Krishna). When a bhajan (devotional song) began, she dropped her bundle of grass and charged past the gate. Her body vibrated out of control, as her posture and expression and way of moving began to assimilate those associated with Krishna’s. So shocked by what they were seeing, some of the attendees ran into town to tell the neighbors. Naysayers yelled out, “If you really are Krishna show us a miracle!” Sudhamani said, “You have the real gem inside you. Why do you want to see an imitation?” They ganged up, “Prove to us that you have manifested Krishna. Show us a miracle!” 

Young Sudhamani/Amma in Krishna Bhavana c. MAM

News spread through the series of Southern Indian fishing villages, and after some convincing, Sudhamani agreed to attend the next reading of the Srimad Bhagavatam. This time, Sudhamani asked a well-known skeptic to empty a copper pot and fill it with fresh spring water. She prayed over it before instructing the skeptic to stick his fingers in the water. They came out covered in yogurt. Again, she had him dip his digits into the copper pot. This time they came out covered in panchamritam—one of Krishna’s favorite puddings! The crowd murmured in wonder as the thousand were served from a quart-size container.

Amma’s mother, Damayanti, who had previously been a strong disciplinarian with her daughter—regularly scolding her and even beating her—later said of the evening, “Changing water into pudding couldn’t be done by an ordinary person. After that, I saw her as God.” 

News of Sudhamani spread, and seekers started to come.

Amritapuri Early Days c. MAM

Soon the backyard banyan tree wasn’t big enough for the followers so Amma’s father donated the family cowshed to be used as a temple. Sudhamani would welcome worshippers with a warm hug. People started calling her “Amma” because of her motherly manner, and in return Amma would whisper into their ears, “My darling, darling daughter” or “My darling, darling son.”

Embracing The World

People from around the planet came for Amma’s embrace. By 1987 the demand for her darshan-embrace was so high that, at the request of devotees in America, a world tour was arranged. At first it was in private homes and small church halls. Now, there’s a line outside New York City’s Javits Center practically all the way down to the Lincoln Tunnel. Longtime devotees, sincere seekers, and first-timers have ranging experiences from the karmic and profound, to the understated and subtle. There are extreme stories, like Dattan the Lepper—whose wounds, sores, and puss Amma sucked until his symptoms subsided. And then there’s this particular curmudgeonly gent of name and fame in Los Angeles who swears, “Nothing happens when I hug her,” yet year after year he keeps coming back. Something that always sticks out, is the worn-out widow who was contemplating suicide when someone handed her an Amma flier. The Hilton Hotel hosting Amma was on her way home, so she checked it out as a final stop here on Earth. The worn-out widow sobbed uncontrollably in Amma’s lap until it seemed like something inside her seemed to crack. Seven years later, she has the most radiant smile, while doing endless seva (selfless service) at Amma’s public programs.

Amma’s Children c. MAM

 Awaken Children

For three decades Amma toured endlessly through London, Paris, Barcelona, Munich, Milan, Tokyo, Toronto, Nairobi, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, all throughout India, and in the United States: Seattle, San Ramon, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, New York City and other cities. In each of these cities there are free programs that consist of discourse, bhajans [devotional songs], a prayer for world peace, and the blessing of darshan [Amma’s embrace]. Amma often leads the massive halls in an English bhajan called “Everyone in the World”

Everyone in the world should sleep without fear,
at least for one night, sleep without fear…
Everyone in the world should eat ‘til they’re full,
at least for one day, eat ‘til they’re full…
Everyone in the world there should be one day when here is no violence,
no one is injured, no one is hurt…

All people young and old should serve the poor and needy,
at least for one day, serve selflessly…

This is my dream, this is my prayer,
love is the answer,
love is the way.

Amma doesn’t just wish and pray for compassion and change, she leads by example.

 In a book written by one of her most senior disciples, Swami Krishnamrita Prana, Opening to Grace, a woman recalls, “Every day my father sharpened a butcher’s knife and kept it ready to kill my mother. Not one night did we sleep without fear. My sister and I shivered in fear if we ever saw our father’s shadow. Each day we would pray, “May night never come.” The father murdered the mother, whose body was returned home from the morgue in the middle of the night. The woman continues, “I drew the sheet back and saw my mother covered in stitches, totally unrecognizable. I don’t know what happened after that, When I regained consciousness people were sitting around me, fanning.”

Embracing The World, And The Next Generation c. MAM

The girls were brought to Amma’s orphanage where she held them close and encouraged their studies. Since many in the hostel had come from challenging circumstances the camaraderie became like that of a family they’d never known. Children learned of comfort and kinship. The girl got good grades, and graduated with honors, when Amma asked her to enroll in the Bachelor’s of Business and Management School of Amrita University. She graduated, worked for a few years, completed her Master’s degree and was offered a job at Amrita University. The girl (now a woman) is responsible for the sustainable development of some of the 101 villages adopted by Amma’s ashram. Eight weeks into the job, she met her future husband. He had a similar sad background and the two have found so much healing in one another. She says, “Thanks to Amma’s care and love, the family we will create together will be much happier than the ones we were raised in.

Love Is The Answer, Love Is The Way: Amritapuri Ashram

From the humble family hut where Amma’s darshan began, a booming metropolis has sprung. The original cowshed remains next to the Kali Temple, but the rest of the area is almost unrecognizable. Aside from the rooms for the monastic disciples, Amma’s Amritapuri Ashram includes apartments for householder devotees residents, hostels for students, and guest quarters for visitors. Temples and worship halls, clerical offices, classrooms and places to get food. Approximately 3,500 residents in total.

Amritapuri Ashram Kali Temple c. MAM

Across the river is the Amritapuri campus of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham NAAC (an autonomous accreditation agency under the Indian government’s University Grants Commission) has granted Amrita an A++ grade, the highest it can offer. Amrita has consistently found a place among the top 10 universities in India. It has nine campuses in total, multidisciplinary teaching and research institution with a student base of approximately 24,000+.

In nearby Kochi is the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Amrita Hospital), a state-of-the-art teaching hospital that serves has provided completely free treatment to more than 5 million patients—more than $105 million in charitable medical care since 1998. And in 2022, a second such hospital was built near Delhi in northern India.

Rainbow Over Amritapuri + Kerala Backwaters c. MAM

Embracing the World: Love as Service Work

In his 2013 New York Times piece, Jake Halpern explains: “In 2003, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, then the president of India, was so impressed with Amma’s charitable work that he donated almost his entire annual salary to her organization. His enthusiasm may stem from the simple fact that Amma appears to do what politicians cannot. Mr. Chandy, the chief minister of Kerala, told me rather dejectedly, “The government has so many limitations, but Amma gives an order and next day the work will start.”

Amma’s umbrella charity “Embracing The World” have a diverse steams of focus including education, health care, gender equality & women’s empowerment, environmental protection, disaster relief, research, food, water & shelter. Her practical philanthropy helps to enrich each aspect of someone’s life. Examples include the following.

Earthquake in Gujarat

When the 2001 earthquake that struck Gujarat claimed 20,000 lives, Amma immediately dispensed disaster-relief teams and psychological support. Her volunteers constructed a total of 1,200 earthquake-proof houses, community centers, schools, temples, and even a church and a mosque. When the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami hit Kerala, villagers from Gujarat travelled to Kerala to return Amma’s kindness. They joined Amma’s teams who were offering food, housing, medical and counseling services to those effected. Children who survived the tsunami were give art classes to draw about their experiences, and swimming lessons to overcome their fear of water, which they had seen wash away their homes and loved ones. Together, Amma, her sevites built more than 6,000 new homes for victims to start their new lives.

Support for Farmers and Families

Crop failure and debt has caused hundred of thousands of farmers to commit suicide since 1997. With no hope for future generations, often entire families end their lives together. Amma’s charities have provided advanced farming, and environmental education to adults, while more than 100,000 children have received school scholarships and stipends. More recently a homestead garden project was launched. Seeds were distributed to upwards of 5,000 families who now sustain themselves.

Embracing The World Participants

Self-Relience, Education & Employment

Amma’s Amrita SREE program (Self-Reliance, Education & Employment) has provided 300,000+ women with vocational education, assistance in creating sustainable business plan, access to micro-credit loans and micro-savings accounts from government-regulated banks.

And much, much  more…(For a full list click here ). 

Mangala Arati c. MAM

Amma Amma Taye: Staying up All Night With Amma

Meanwhile, in America, the final night of Amma’s programs in each city—called Devi Bhava—Amma stays up all night until about 9 or 10:00 a.m. the next morning, embracing one and all, giving mantras, performing weddings, baby’s first feedings and other auspicious acts.

The standard scene is as follows: You arrive at the location and get a darshan token. Your darshan token is sort of like a deli-counter number, signifying when you’re up for your embrace. While extremely organized, no two experiences are the same. On the rare occurrence someone will arrive to no line, immediately receive a token and be whisked to the front of the hall for their hug.

Offering flowers and receiving hugs

The Experience with Amma

Most will wait for a some hours, receive their token, enjoy the program and enchantment, receive their hug and happily return home. Others will wait and wait and wait. Receive a token. Accidentally lose it in the bathroom. Walk to the parking lot defeated. Only to bump into the long-lost loved one they’d always hoped to reconnect with, an elder needing assistance who drops the most prescient pearl of wisdom, the stranger with the ideal job opportunity, or similar. They return to the hall to see their token is being called, find it on the floor, receive Amma’s darshan, feel like every cell of their body has been recharged, and return to their daily lives, a more authentic version of themselves.

And yet another group may travel, work and serve Amma never asking for a hug, knowing that to be in her presence is the blessing itself. The lilas [divine plays] are infinite, intricate and specific to each soul. As the tour staff says, “Amma knows you’re here!”

Giselle Receives An Embrace From Amma c. MAM

In the time between receiving a darshan token and being held in the arms of the Amma, there can be the aforementioned programs as well plenty of space to wonder and discover. Rooms, halls, and floors are filled with a carnival of activity. There is music, mediation, videos of Amma’s extensive humanitarian work. Service opportunities and sacred shopping to financially support it.

Available for purchase—with all proceeds going to Amma’s charitable mission—are Indian meals and snacks, coffee, sweet, snacks and chai. Books, audio, traditional India saris, Western T-shirts and sweatshirts, bath and body products (including aromatherapy oils), home, temple and worship items, Ayurvedic herbs, personalized chiropractic care and massage, radiance healing, astrological readings and much much more.

Engaging with the sevites who pour their heart into these products and projects is as educational as it is inspiring. They are quick with an Amma anecdote that speaks directly to your current (unmentioned) circumstance. Seeing many of the same faces year after year brings its own form of comfort — joyful and familiar. Deep and transformative.

My Religion Is Love

At the heart of Amma’s life and teachings is her message of universal oneness. It is rooted in that fundamental concept of Indian spirituality, that Amma embraces and dedicates her life to uplifting one and all. 

As Amma says, “My religion is love.”

Amma’s Embrace c. MAM

See Amma on Tour *Now*

July 13-16, 2024
Hyatt Regency Irvine
17900 Jamboree Road
Irvine, CA 92614

For more info click here.

July 19-22 Albuquerque, NM
July 25-29 Washington, DC
July 31-August 2 Boston, MA
August 5-7 New York, NY
August 9-11 Chicago, IL

For more information on the tour click here.

For more information about Amma go to Amma.org

Author’s Note; All photos are copyright of Mata Amritanandamayi Math and Amritapuri.org.

The post Free Hugs; Amma Returns To America appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

DisclosureFest and Mass Meditation Initiative: A mindful yoga, music, healing arts and vegan festival

So-Cal yogis: Save the Date and get your Early Bird tickets by Friday, May 17! Disclosure Festival and Mass Meditation Initiative takes place 45 minutes north of LA, at Castaic Lake on Summer Solstice Weekend – Friday, June 21 – Sunday, June 23, 2024. This year, LA Yoga camps on site and will report back to you our favorite experiences. We are beyond excited to check out the cacao ceremonies, drum circles, interactive tea house and three packed music stages as well as incredible yoga classes including acro yoga, kundalini, hatha and Naam.

Celebrate Summer Solstice 2024 with a community dedicated towards heart expansion, conscious movement, yoga, uplifting music, inspiring speakers and mind/body/spirit workshops.

MOST exciting and endearing to our hearts, however, is the Mass Meditation Initiative which takes place at 2:22 PM Friday, June 21 and Saturday June 22. This year invites us to focus our attention during the Mass Meditation on the healing power of water as a collective vessel to shift and raise our individual vibration and the vibration of the planet. Previous large group gatherings that focus on mass meditation enacted lasting scientific and measurable changes on both the micro level — such as reducing crime rates in a city, and on the macro-level — such as reducing war deaths across the world. The synergistic effect of gathering with conscious intent in a community that believes that peace and healing is possible is beyond exciting and we can’t wait to be a part of this incredibly special community.

Musicians and Workshops

Musicians this year include Rising Appalachia, Deya Dova, Porangui, Mike Love, Shaman’s Dream, and Sonic Devas. Marques Wyatt, DJ Dan, Doc Martin, and more. Read more about the music lineup and individual musicians.

Eight workshop tents offer transformative sessions with speakers including Bashar, Billy Carson, 19Keys, Jimmy Church, Julia Cannon, Brad Olsen, Zat Baraka, Laura Eisenhower, Michael Tellinger, and more. Read more about workshops and workshop leaders.

Family Friendly Yoga Festival on the Solstice Weekend

Mass Meditation Initiative is a family-friendly event and offers a dedicated children’s space with yoga, meditation, tribal body painting, singing with movement, sacred geometry drawing, vegan plant-based superfoods, and more.

Join US and let’s meet up at Disclosure Fest! See you there!
Early bird tickets available through May 17th!

The post DisclosureFest and Mass Meditation Initiative appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

It was an unassuming Tuesday Night in December.

A 70-something at the will call window shrieks, “Oh darlin’ I had ta try, my girlfriends and I used ta see ‘em at the armory down the road for 50 cents.”

A hipster at the merch table loads up on holiday gifts. “Flight was delayed in Charlotte. Thought I’d have to drive down. Why? Because Duane Betts is an insane guitar and I wasn’t going to miss this.”

Wild And Precious Life Album Cover

And three generations in the VIP lounge exemplify Southern Hospitality. “Big Jim saw The Brothers open up for Three Dog Night in the 60s, Young Jim played in a band with Duane in high school, and this is little Jimmy’s first concert. Say hi to the nice lady Jimmy. We want him to know that this music, this is home. It will be here for him long after we’re gone.”

Duane Betts steps up to the mic with a mischievous smile and says, “It’s good to be back in my hometown of Sarasota, Florida. You may know this one.”

From the back of the theater someone screams, “We know them all….!”

He can’t help but laugh, as he starts to sing, “Walk along the river, sweet lullaby…”

Everyone in the audience sings along, “You’re my blue sky you’re my sunny day, Lord you know it makes me high when you turn your love my way. Turn yooour loooove myyyy waaaay…”

Back Where It All Begins

“When I was really young, like five, my dad had a little guitar and he put it in my hands,” Betts explains, “The shapes of the chords and the stretching of the fingers and all of that just seemed too difficult, and really like something I didn’t want to do.”

In elementary school Duane declared himself a drummer and had garage bands throughout junior high. During rehearsals he remembers, “I started picking up the guitar. I noticed things coming to me more easily. I was learning by ear, I recognized the intervals, I knew the chord changes. So, then it just kind of developed from there.”

Bless your Heart; Duane and Dickey Betts in the early 1980s

Betts was 11 when the Allman Brothers reunited for their 20th anniversary tour. Duane went out on the road for a few weeks with his dad, Allman Brothers founding member Dickey Betts. The now forty-something lights up, “I fell in love with it. I love the music. I love the travel. I love the new venues, I love the sound of the sound check, the smell of the grass and walking around the venue before anybody’s there.”

On a subsequent tour “the kid” became a paid crew member, working as an assistant guitar tech. “I was learning a lot from being around everyone, and just hearing that music every night.” Duane remarks, “Warren [Haynes] wrote out a list of a bunch of records to go buy. I made 500 bucks a week and I would spend all of it at Tower Records on CDs.”

The immersive musical education included classic albums like, Blues Power  by Albert King, Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane, BB King Live at The Regal and more. Duane remembers, “I got really into listening to records and playing along with them. Everything from those blues and jazz records to all the cool contemporary music coming out of Seattle like Nirvana.”

One Way Out

“Well, the kind of tradition is, I mean, they like to get you out on stage to put you into the fire as soon as possible” Duane explains, “I kind of resisted it, I was kind of freaked out about it, I kind of put it off. In fact, I forgot my guitar at the hotel on purpose the first time I was supposed to sit in.”

The band were on a highway outside of Denver, when Dickey asked Duane, “You brought your guitar, right? You’re going to play with us tonight, right?” Duane responded, “Oh man, I forgot my guitar.” Duane retells,  “And he goes ‘Oh well, that’s okay, we have plenty of guitars’ and I go, ‘Oh yes, that’s right’ [defeated]. ‘I was thinking maybe I’ll get out of it if I don’t bring my guitar.”

Sketches of American Music; Duane Betts Sits On Stage Allman Brothers Tour 1989

Betts’ reluctant debut was met with continued mentorship. He reflects, “Like anything, anytime you’re nervous, and you do it and you don’t completely f*ck up, it’s an amazing feeling. And then I played a few nights later and I broke a string, and I was like beside myself. But that was a little bump in the road, it was pretty smooth after that.”

A year later Duane was thrown into a bigger fire at Woodstock ’94. The sixteen-year-old was pulled on stage to play on “The Same Thing” and “Soulshine.” The mud-soaked audience in Saugerties, NY, and everyone watching on MTV knew they would be seeing more of the emerging artist.

Wheels Turning

By age 19, Duane Betts was a professional touring musician.  He had a successful run with LA bands WhiteStarr and BackBone69. They cut records for Atlantic, opened for Kid Rock, and were part of reality TV’s infancy. Betts played on Letterman, and at festivals including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and Coachella. For more than a decade he was musical director of Great Southern and later toured with the Indy rock band Dawes.

BackBone69 in The Bu Early Aughts – Public Domain

He got tangled up.

He got clean.

He made space for a vibrant new chapter of his life.

Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do

Lisa Hadley is a fashion designer who travels the world creating outerwear for mass brands, and bespoke pieces for private clientele. A friend bought her an astrology reading she put off for months, then one day on a whim she decided to book it.  The astrologer looked at Hadley’s birth chart and asserted, “You need to be with someone who is like a rockstar. A powerful guy who can handle your presence.”

The next day Lisa was picking up a few last-minute items for a dinner party she was hosting when, as Duane recalls, “We were grocery shopping. My friend started talking to her. He’s more out front, where I’m more shy. He asked for her number.” Lisa and her friend agreed to meet up with Duane and his friend. The two had a lot in common, hit it off and as Duane jokes, “Then I took her home one night and we watched Cops and that was it.”  She shakes her head smiling.

Lisa Hadley + Duane Betts Wedding via LH SM c. Kaelan Barowsky

On their most recent wedding anniversary Betts posted to Instagram, “I feel so blessed to have found you at just the right time.”  Lisa confirms lovingly, “He did.”

Her friends still joke, “We didn’t think the astrologer meant an aaaacctttuuuaaal rock star.”

Waiting On A Song

For 25 years New Yorkers marked the start of Spring by the Allman Brothers residency at the Beacon Theater. In this tradition a big party was thrown at Madison Square Garden to commemorate their 50th Anniversary (a year late). “The Brothers” played the hits. Their rendition of “No One to Run With” was said to be a religious experience for all who attended. A few days later stay-at-home orders swept the country. Duane, Lisa and their goldendoodle Willie settled into her adopted hometown.

For someone who has lived on tour busses for three decades it was a major change of pace. “Being in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, was a really great thing that summer.  There’s just so much open space, there’s not a lot of people” Betts explains. “I really never had time before to get up every morning and have my coffee at the coffee table and pick up an acoustic. During that time, I wrote a bunch of songs.”

Keep On Growing; L to R; Susan Tedeschi, Duane Betts, Derek Trucks

A long pandemic year later Duane and Lisa were at a birthday party in the Florida Keys when the tough-loving singer Susan Tedeschi urged, “Duane you need to do your own record. You should come do it in our studio.” Guitarist Derek Trucks jumped right in, “If you do that record, I’ll play on it.” Duane walked outside stunned, saying, “I don’t know what just happened.” His wise wife responded,” That’s a door that just opened for you.”

Tell Me What It Is You Plan To Do

In Tedeschi-Trucks’ Swamp Raga Recording Studio Duane Betts did some of his bravest work. His musical partner, guitarist Johnny Stachela states, “It was the perfect recording environment. We would roll in around 10am and just dive right into the creative process. We had so much fun. Every morning I would take a walk on the dock in the backyard to go check out a family of gators.”

They enlisted support from long-time collaborators and friends like bassist Berry Duane Oakley and keyboardist John Ginty. Stachela continues, “For the recording process we tracked the band live to capture the energy of the performance. Recording that way to analog tape is a lot like taking a photograph. It’s a snapshot in time.”

Swamp Raga Bhavana – Duane Betts’ Own Voice

Before the release Duane took a minute to talk about the experience, “You know it’s exciting. I mean I’ve made records with the Allman Betts Band, and had an EP, but I felt like it was time to do something in my own voice. On my own shoulders. I’m proud of what we did, and I hope people like it.”

Duane Betts’ debut record, Wild and Precious Life was nicely reviewed by judicious music critics and agro Redditors alike. Songwriters and sentimentalists took to tracks like “Waiting on A Song” and “Forrest Lane,” while rock fans revered the guitar riffs in “Stare at the Sun” (with Derek Trucks) and “Cold Dark World” (with Marcus King). Artist and underdogs trended towards the foreboding, “Saints to Sinners”, while the yogis and ex-pats dug, “Sacred Ground” and “Under The Bali Moon.”

Of course, Angelenos embraced “Evergreen,” an ode to Betts’ mother Paulette Howell, loved locally for lighting up LA with her radiant smile. Betts explains, “That’s an emotional one. She brings so much joy to everyone’s life including ours.”

Evergreen Early Days; Duane  Betts + Paulette circa 1976

Universally admired is “Colors Fade.” Johnny Stachela recalls, “We were staying at Dickey’s house and I picked up his old Gibson acoustic and wrote the guitar melody and chord structure. It happened so fast and I knew it was special. I brought the song to the guys with a few lyrics and Stoll [Vaughn] finished it. Duane wrote the bridge. It just has a timeless quality to it.”

Betts remarks, “We wanted to have a kind of Gram [Parsons] and Emmylou [Harris] kind of vibe on ‘Colors Fade’, so we asked my good friend Nicki Bluhm, who has an amazing voice, and is just a great talent and a great person. We were very happy that she obliged.”

Circles In The Stars

A month or so later, Duane experienced an initiation. On the iconic stage where Johnny Cash, met his wife June Carter, singer Maggie Rose spoke to the crowd, “I am very honored to get to sing on this stage often, but I don’t usually get to bring a friend of mine out, but this man has become a friend and a brother, music runs through his veins, please welcome Mr. Duane Betts.”

Betts sang new fan favorite, “Circles in the Stars.” He shares, “The idea is that when you’re with somebody, and it doesn’t really matter where you’re at or what you’re doing, you’re in the perfect place. It’s about being with somebody that you love and you love spending time with.”

It’s Better Than Gold; Duane + Johnny on The Opry Stage – Public Domain

He continues, “I wrote it for my wife, so it was really special for me to be able to play it for her on the Grand Old Opry Stage.”

Will The Circle Be Unbroken

“I mean, he’s family. We’re tied together by something much greater,” Betts states. “Through the music, through our fathers.”

Duane wasn’t the only kid on that 1990 Allman Brothers reunion tour. A teenage Devon Allman was on the road too. His dad Gregg Allman, was a founding member of the band known for singing the blues behind his Hammond b-3 organ.

Gregg joined the angels in 2017.  Devon admits, “After six months of grieving I realized I was denying myself of the power of healing through music and invited a bunch of friends to a comeback show.” When he found out the Fillmore West’s only available date was Gregg’s birthday, he knew it was meant to be.

People Can You Hear It, The Song Is In The Air; Devon Allman + Duane Betts

Allman asked Betts and his band to open the show. Devon reflects, “I think we were always intrigued to see if we would have organic chemistry together. Chemistry can’t be faked. Luckily we had it in spades with songwriting , singing together, etc …”

They did a couple of shows, and then they did a couple of tours, and soon the Allman Betts Band was born. Over time it evolved into an annual event called, The Allman Betts Family Revival. A Last-Waltz-esque offering inviting old friends, new family and raw talent to perform.

Winter at the Van Wezel

Now middle-age these bandleaders are throwing youngsters into their own fire. Devon smirks, “We are all on borrowed time. This isn’t our world. It’s our kids.  It is my responsibility to open the door for those that are next.  Rock and Roll needs it. It needs the young and the old, the male and female, the black and the white. Diversity and perpetuating the vibe is essential to its growth and longevity.”

On that unassuming Tuesday in December, everyone needed it.

Seven Turns On The Highway, Seven Rivers To Cross

It’s set break in Sarasota, Florida.

A regular at the White Buffalo holds the hand of her daughter who skips back from the bathroom lisping, “You’re my Blue Sky, you’re my sunny day.”

A tie-dyed troublemaker in the front row looks stage right and shouts, “We know you’re back there Dickey.” His cohort twirls a lammy yelping, “Happy 80th ‘Ole Boy, c’mon out.” They cackle like a couple of cartoon crows.

Yes, this is a hometown crowd for sure.

Seven Turns – Allman Betts Family Revival – 12.12.23 c. AVD

Duane Betts steps up to the mic and says, “This is a song of my father’s. It’s a Navajo legend, lesson kind of thing.” He closes his eyes, strums out a few chords and sings from the heart, “Seven turns on the highway, Seven rivers to cross, sometimes, you feel like you could fly away, sometimes, you get lost…”

The beloved ballad is a Navajo philosophy shared by Stewart Etsitty, a roadman of the Native American Church and Betts Family friend for some 30+ years. He taught that we have seven big turns in our lifetime. Seven major choices that define the quality of our incarnation, and how we get to the next.

Stewart joined the spirit side in 2000, but Wind River Indian Reservation Tribal Chairman Hon. Harvey Spoonmaker shares, “That’s our cycle of life. We’re always lookin’ seven generations ahead. We have ceremonies for the people who looked out for us, our grandparents, our parents, our aunts and uncles. They instilled in us our identity, who we are.”

All Our Relations; Duane’s Grandfather

He continues, “Through storytelling, through song, and through prayer we prepare the next generation for life. For their life. For what is expected of them as they get older. Because, they’ll also have their responsibilities. They’ll have to pass on some of these legacies too.”

Duane strums, “Seven turns on the highway, seven rivers to cross, sometimes we that we could fall away sometimes we get a lost…”

A millennial golf pro wearing a Patek Philippe puts his arms around a Publix Cashier who had to trade three shifts to be here this night. Her tired eyes sparkle as she sings, “Sometimes in the darkest night, you see the crossroads sign…”

A teenage couple in love and on too many mushrooms clutch each other, “Somebody’s calling your name, somebody’s waiting for you…”

Two out of the three Jims fight back tears, “Love is all that remains the same, that’s what it’s all comin to…”

A widower on a first date lets himself sob, “How in the world could you ever know, we’d ever meet again?”

Old college roommates savoring the rare night out sway, “Seven turns on the highway, seven rivers to cross, sometimes you feel like you could fly away, sometimes you get lost…”

“Happy Birthday To You…” Dickey Betts’ 80th. Allman Betts Family Revival – Van Wezel Theater – Sarasota, Florida 12.12.23 c. AVD

As the song comes to a close Dickey Betts walks onto the stage.

The Ramblin’ Man himself, Cameron Crowe’s muse for Almost Famous, in-part how Jimmy Carter got elected president.

Duane’s dad who met his mom at a Muddy Waters double-bill and named him after one of the greatest slide guitar players of all time.

Everyone in the Van Wezel Theater erupts into a round of “Happy Birthday to you.” Dickey Betts settles into a seat on the side of the stage — his wife Donna, daughter-in-law Lisa, daughters and family at his side.

The Road Goes On Forever

Duane, Devon, Johnny Stachela, John Ginty and the ensemble that makes up the Allman Betts Family Revival tear into a transcendent version of “Jessica.” The song for which thousands of babies, dogs, boats and bongs have been have been named.

The Allman Betts Family Revival play “Jessica” at the Van Wezel Theater in Sarasota Florida 12.12.23 c. AVD

Backstage there are cake and candles, hugs and high-fives. But the busses are packed and they gotta get going. Jacksonville tomorrow and Nashville two nights after that. The road goes on forever they say.

Out front the woman from the will call window squeezes my arm, “I told ya he would be here.”

The next morning the hipster with the merch texted,  “That’s why I would’ve driven down.”

A few weeks later an email comes in from Duane, “That was a magical night. Not only to celebrate dad’s 80th but to have him there on the sidelines was very, very special. I don’t think I will forget that night for the rest of my life.”

Neither will we.

Duane + Dickey Betts. White Buffalo Saloon 2017. c. Heather Nigra

“Love is all that remains the same,
that’s what it’s all coming’ to…”

Dickey Betts
(December 12, 1943-April 18, 2024)

To Learn more about Duane Betts check out Duane Betts.com
Buy Wild and Precious life on Vinyl at RoyalPotatoFamily.com
Stream on Spotify.
Learn more about Duane and Lisa Betts’ HorseshoeMusicFestival.com
IG at @DuaneBetts

Author’s Notes & Thanks 

Sincerest thanks to everyone who contributed to this piece including; Muffy Lavens and Nicole Hancock at the Van Wezel Theater, Lisa Hadley-Betts, Emily Ginsberg/Big Hassle Media, Devon Allman, Johnny Stachela, Chris Brush /Smoking Monkey Photo,  Kevin Calabro/ Royal Potato Family, Francine Bartlett, Hon. Harvey Spoonmaker,  Nick + Vernoy Paolini.

Cover photo by Heather Nigro /Moxxiiphoto,

The post Duane Betts; Seven Rivers To Cross appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Cultivate the Superpower of Empathy with Dr Judith Orloff

The Genius of Empathy is the book that we all need right now. Buy it today. Read it. Practice the techniques and excercises shared in these pages. Tell your friends.

Whether or not we identify ourselves as an empath, or see ourselves as empathic, Dr Judith Orloff says that “empathy is the key to our survival.” She says that the genius of empathy “gives you a wiser, more loving inner resource to guide you and let you view difficulties with more empathic, discerning eyes.”

Dr Judith Orloff says that, “Empathy itself is a healing act.”

Just how do we utilize this healing energy, this healing act? Throughout The Genius of Empathy, Dr Orloff has included a number of practical and accessible tools for cultivating your own inner empath.

The Genius of Empathy: Healing Yourself, Soothing Your Nervous System

In Part 1, Dr Orloff offers a set of teachings focused on “Healing Yourself, Soothing Your Nervous System.” In a world that feels more overstimulating and uncertain by the day, having healthy solutions for self-soothing is life-changing.

Some of the essential topics she covers include identifying the Four Styles of Empathy and a discussion of Misconceptions of Empathy. She also tells us how we can all implement what she calls the practice of the sacred pause. This involves taking a beat, a pause, a moment, to reflect before speaking or taking action.

One of my favorite practical suggestions is the Four Healing Steps to Practice Self-Empathy.

These instructions can be used as a daily practice; as she says, “The following four steps demonstrate how to bring self-empathy into your daily life. It will help you reprogram unproductive thoughts, elevate your self-talk, and awaken the healing energy of the heart.”

Speak to Yourself with Kindness is the first of these four steps. I found this to be a reminder of the importance of self-empathy, self-practice, and connecting within. If we paid attention to our thoughts and self-talk, we might see where we would benefit from more kindness in a moment-by-moment practice.

Dr Judith Orloff Speaks to LA YOGA about The Genius of Empathy

The Four Healing Steps to Practice Self-Empathy are:

• Speak to Yourself with Kindness.
• Connect to Your Heart.
• Make a General Empathic Statement to Yourself.
• Make a Specific Empathic Statement to Yourself.

We can all learn, as Dr Orloff says, to use these tools to “learn to comfort yourself and be your own best friend.” In one of the chapters, we learn to “Cultivate Self-Empathy: Restoring Yourself with Kindness.”

The Genius of Empathy: Healing Your Relationships

As we learn to become our own best friend, we can apply these teachings to how we relate to those around us. Part 2 is focused on “Healing Your Relationships.”

Here are tools for holding space for others through empathic listening, suggestions for healthy giving, and practicing empathy with family, friends, and coworkers.

The Genius of Empathy: Healing the World

In Part 3, Dr Orloff shares how we can utilize these practices for “Healing the World.” Since we live interconnected lives, sharing energy with our global community, practices that help us become better leaders, release resentments, and care for each other are essential for our survival. In this section, Dr Orloff offers real-world examples that feature practical strategies to address stressful work situations, being a new paradigm leader who can create a happy and even playful environment in the workplace, and managing people’s mistakes.

Her discussion of forgiveness is compassionate and empathic even on the page.

“What is forgiveness? It’s an emotional cleasing and self-healing process where you compassionately release smaller and larger resentments to clear unwanted negativity.”

She applies discernment here as well, reminding us that “Forgiveness means different things in different situations.” It’s a reminder that throughout the book and her work, Dr Orloff emphasizes the essential lesson of discernment, of learning, practicing, and using skills for empathy. When we can use the skills, we can tap into and fully live the healing potential of the practices.

“How can I come from my heart, not just my head?” This book offers a loving map to guide us all on the daily journey to loving ourselves through everything (as Dr Orloff says) by living in the space of the heart, with kindness, boundaries, and most importantly, with skill.

Order a copy of The Genius of Empathy.

The post Why We Need to Read The Genius of Empathy appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Premium Drinks without the Kick are Becoming Increasingly Popular

Wellness, convenience, and premiumization are the critical factors that cause consumers to increasingly purchase non-alcoholic products. According to the 2023 Nielsen IQ Report, sales of non-alcoholic beverages reached $510 million —a notable rise of $121.2 million, which equates to a robust 31.2% growth from the previous year, marking the most significant dollar growth seen in half a decade. Drizly’s BevA Insights Team echoes this sentiment, reporting a 76% spike in sales of non-alcoholic beers and wines on their platform in January 2023 alone, compared to last year. This is  a staggering 152% increase from January 2021, predominantly fueled by members of the Gen Z and Millennial demographics, who are leading the charge towards mindful drinking.

Marcos Salazar, Founder of Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association

Brewing the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association

We had the pleasure of meeting Marcos Salazar at the final edition of Natural Products Expo East in Philadelphia, and we were intrigued to learn more about his latest endeavor, ANBA (Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association). As a multifaceted social entrepreneur, career coach, community advocate, and business mentor, Marcos is dedicated to fostering significant change and guiding individuals toward making a profound impact. His journey began in hospitality, where his passion for service and crafting memorable experiences took root. These values have driven his career and are fundamental to his current venture to revolutionize the beverage industry, work environments, and business practices.

Today, Marcos operates at the nexus of social influence and consumer patterns, gaining distinctive perspectives on the evolving dynamics of work, commerce, and the non-alcoholic arena.

As the first organization dedicated to adult non-alcoholic beverages, what inspired you to create the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association in 2021?

In 2019, I started a company called For All Drinks. It was to be an event company in New York City to host non-alcoholic parties and speakeasy karaoke’s. Then COVID hit, so I decided to transition For All Drinks into a media company. I launched the first podcast on non-alcoholic beverages, did many virtual events with all the major brands, and organized giveaways and other marketing initiatives.

Through that process, I was able to familiarize myself with the founders of the leading non-alcoholic beverage companies, and I started to see that there were a lot of other challenges aside from reaching customers, whether they were government or regulatory challenges.

That was really where the idea of the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association emerged from. I built a nonprofit business plan with my nonprofit background and then sent it to several brands I previously worked with. As a community builder, I knew I could bring everybody together to form the association. I worked with three to four people to build the infrastructure, then recruited an eleven-person board to start the association.

There was a lot of organic growth and exciting innovation, but there needed to be a central resource that could advocate for members and support the category’s growth.

Are there specific codes of ethics brands need to adhere to become a member of ANBA?

Yes, for brands to be accepted, they must sign off on a few things. One is to be respectful, just in general, as a company, to all customers and stakeholders. The second is to be mindful and collaborative with other members; everybody is competing for shelf space and customer attention.

Healthy competition is one of the central values in this amazing industry, where everybody recognizes that we all need to work together to grow the category. The third piece is to ensure that all brands adhere to the highest quality standards when producing the products. We provide many food safety and industry-standard resources to help people produce the highest quality product.

How many members does ANBA currently have in its portfolio?

We have three chapters: the US, Canada, and the UK. We have 90 members in the US and 30 in the UK, and that started this summer, so it’s continuing to grow. Then we have another 45 industry member partners: non-producers, which means service providers, suppliers, and distributors.

What is driving the non-alcoholic beverage sector? Who are the primary consumers?

It’s a confluence of different forces. First and foremost, it’s innovative entrepreneurs. Over the past five years, they have produced new and delicious tasting adult non-alcoholic beverages. Brands have created high-quality beer, wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink cocktails, and now they’re becoming much more available. The second is that there’s been such an emphasis over the past couple of decades on health and wellness and eating mindfully about what we consume from a liquid standpoint. Lastly, there’s a big emphasis on mental health partially being driven by Gen Z and Millennials, who are recognizing that alcohol has a severe negative impact on their physical and mental health. Then you also have boomers and older generations, who are also driving the category, according to a Nielsen report, due to their disposable income. It’s all these kinds of forces coming together at the same time.

According to Global Market Insights, non-alcoholic beverages are expected to grow to $30 billion by 2025; where do you see the most significant category growth?

Beer has been the main driver. It will continue to do so because it’s easy and successful, and the innovation and quality are there. But wine and spirits have been increasing at a greater rate because there’s more diversity of products, and the quality continues to grow. There’s a lot of potential for innovation because people are looking for more bolder and diverse red wines. Others are looking for cocktails and spirits that you can drink. There will be a huge opportunity for growth in those in those segments.

What are your thoughts on establishing pricing for non-alcoholic cocktails/ready-to-drink offerings in bars & retailers? Should they be marketed at the same price point as their alcoholic counterparts?

They will probably be marketed at the same price point or even more expensive. The reason why is it takes much more time, energy, and resources to produce non-alcoholic beverages than their alcoholic counterpart.

There’s a strange perception that the percentage of alcohol equals value and the higher percentage of alcohol, the higher the value. Alcohol is one of the cheapest ingredients for producing these types of beverages. Alcohol is an excellent vehicle for flavor and a great ingredient for killing bacteria, microbes, and many other things.

When you’re working with non-alcoholic beverages, you have to formulate it very highly. If you’re dealcoholizing the product, you end up putting additional ingredients or taking it through a different and extra set of processes that take more time, energy, and money.

ANBA had an impressive presence at Expo East in Philadelphia( Fall 2023). How did you broker this partnership with New Hope Network and the exhibiting brands?

I had been wanting to engage and have a significant presence at trade shows. The categories are too small to have our own trade shows, so how do we connect with existing communities of buyers? How do we scale through partnerships? This was one of New Hope’s major priorities, recognizing that this is the next wave in beverage innovation. Together, we’ve been exchanging many ideas on how we can make these events much more inclusive and ensure that people have a delicious non-alcoholic beverage throughout the conference.

Interestingly, it set the standard for having the first NA Beverage Pavilion at the US trade show. In 2024, we will be at Expo West, Bar & Restaurant Expo, the National Restaurant Association Show, Bar Covent Brooklyn, and Fancy Food Show.

As for the brands present at Expo East, some up-and-coming, new, and innovative brands helped us push the envelope for taste, flavor, and branding.

What resources does ANBA provide to brands and founders?

We’re focused on helping to grow the overall category in the industry. Our advocacy work is partially driven by government affairs, helping members navigate the regulatory environment and advocating for that. We are trying to eventually standardize labeling as well as quality. We also provide a wealth of business resources such as monthly networking and regular business webinars on everything from scaling your business within this category.

We also partner with big data companies and are currently in the process of conducting our own research as well. At the end of January, we will host our first consumer-facing event, which is a Mindful Drinking Fest in D.C., followed by an event in California for Sober October. These are opportunities for members to connect as well as engage with consumers.

With an abundance of non-alcoholic brands across the US & abroad, how did you select your board members?

We had our first board of directors. Starting a trade association is so interesting because usually, they’re decades or one hundred years old. Creating a new one from scratch is always interesting. As a nonprofit, I had to recruit eleven board members to start the association. We wanted to make sure we were diverse on every single level, whether it be company size, different segments of beer, wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink, but also different backgrounds, different ages, and an array of categories. The more diverse people are at the table, the better the outcome.

What is next for ANBA?

We are just a couple years old. We’ve built a solid nonprofit foundation, and the association is on sound footing. We will start taking on much larger projects, some in government affairs, and providing additional resources for members to promote the overall category. Education is vital for us across restaurants, bars, buyers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, and hospitality. There are so many areas in which non-alcoholic beverages can be a part, and we’re going to start forming more extensive partnerships on those ends as well.

Connect with ANBA

ANBA Website: https://nabeverages.org/

ANBA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adult-non-alcoholic-beverage-association/

Non-Alcoholic Brands to Watch

At the Natural Products EXPO East in Philadelphia (Fall 2023), the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA) presented eighteen pioneering brands.

Within this impressive array, there were three brands that distinguished themselves as noteworthy for future trends.

Grüvi founders Anika and Niki Sawni

Grüvi

Grüvi Anika and Niki Sawni, the enterprising siblings at the helm of Toronto-based Grüvi, are redefining the non-alcoholic beverage landscape with their award-winning range of craft beers and wines that defy the ordinary. Since its inception in 2019, Anika & Niki have been on a mission to challenge the status quo of the non-alcoholic industry. Their vision? To forge a brand that encapsulates the essence of celebration through a selection of drinks that are as rich in taste as varied, and universally appealing.

Now stocked in over 4,000 locations, Grüvi stands out as the only brand to have clinched gold medals in the non-alcoholic beer and wine categories, a nod to their innovative drive and unyielding dedication to quality.

Anika & Niki state, “We both quickly noticed all the upsides of drinking less, yet it felt difficult to make that transition to a less alcohol-centric lifestyle because we never felt there were alternate options that were consistently appealing. We founded Grüvi to trailblaze a new way to live and socialize with alcohol-free options that could make that transition easier and exciting! As the only brand to offer a wide variety of beer, wine, and sangria, we want people to have an option to enjoy every moment, big and small. With exceptional taste at the heart of our brand, we strive to create an inclusive community that can enjoy beer and wine while valuing their health and well-being.”

Learn More!

Shop Grüvi and Follow @Grüvi

PARCH Founders Ila Byrne and Rodolfo Aldana

PARCH

In 2022, two Diageo alumni, Ila Byrne and Rodolfo Aldana, introduced PARCH, a critically acclaimed non-alcoholic agave spirit founded on the belief that every consumer deserves exceptional, complex adult beverages that benefit humanity and the earth. PARCH, drawing inspiration from the Sonoran Desert’s mineral-rich ecosystem, promises a guilt-free indulgence with 100% plant-based, gluten-free, vegan, and sustainably conscious products.

The brand’s two ready-to-drink offerings include Spiced Piñarita. This smoky and piquant cocktail combines luscious pineapple with spicy cayenne, Weber Agave, mole bitters, and hand-selected desert botanicals. While Prickly Paloma showcases the bitter-sweet pairing of earthy Blue Weber Agave, prickly pear cactus fruit, grapefruit, orange bitters, lime juice, floral-tart hibiscus, and desert flora.

Enhancing the drinking experience, each cocktail is infused with functional herbs and adaptogens such as L-Theanine for immune support, American Ginseng to promote relaxation, and Ashwagandha for stress reduction; all thoughtfully crafted to embrace PARCH’s harmonious ethos, “What Grows Together, Goes Together.” With its expansive reach across North America and surging national demand, PARCH has proven its commitment to its vision of a radically inclusive and aspirational new category of adult drinks.

Anticipation is high for their next release as they unveil the Desert Margarita in Spring 2024. The latest creation is a zestful, tangy, tart trio blend of Mexican lime, orange bitters, and mandarin juice, enriched with the raw flavors of organic blue agave, desert botanicals, and tamarind, setting the stage for what’s sure to be another standout in PARCH’s celebrated lineup of non-alcoholic artisanal creations. Shop parch Follow @drinkparch

Seraphim Social Beverage

Seraphim Social Beverages is an award-winning, non-alcoholic, botanical-infused beverage created by Stephanie Schaich Bricken. From humble roots in her New Jersey kitchen, Stephanie’s homegrown blends caught the attention of culinary experts at Drexel University’s Food Lab for an initial taste. The recognition was followed by a partnership with The Food Innovation Center at Rutger’s University to elevate and scale the brands’ operation.

Seraphim’s flagship selections, Pure Blend Cassia and Pure Blend Cacao, each offer a sophisticated alternative combining the delicate complexity of organic berries, restorative herbs, and select botanicals to craft beverages that rival a fine red in depth and sophistication with only 60 calories in a glass. Driven by a passion for exceptional taste, sustainable practices, and unparalleled drinking sophistication, the vegan-friendly Seraphim Social Beverage redefines the craft of conscious consumption.

Stephanie is dedicated to crafting a non-alcoholic beverage that is sophisticated and flavorful and promotes a sense of wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit. “Drinking wine was causing mood shifts; I was snapping at my family, getting headaches, and feeling unproductive the next day. So, I set out to create an alternative. Each blend is free from added sugars, preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors. Additionally, I took great care to support local suppliers by sourcing bottles locally of the lightest weight material, minimizing our carbon footprint in the process.”

Shop Seraphim Social Beverage  Follow @seraphimsocialbev

Resources for Spirited Drinking Without Alcohol

Interested in embracing mindful drinking throughout the year? NASM-certified wellness coach and Mindful Mixology author Derek Brown’s Mindful Drinking course discusses the role of alcohol in culture and socialization and its impact on wellbeing. Stay updated with Derek’s insights by subscribing to his newsletter, Positive Damage, where inclusivity at the bar is a priority.

To explore and sample an eclectic selection of non-alcoholic beverages, visit Boisson’s brick-and-mortar locations in NYC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami, coming soon. Seeking a comprehensive guide to non-alcoholic bars, shops, drinks, and more? Visit Laura Silverman’s Zero Proof Nation Directory.

Discover the journey of two ex-French Laundry sommeliers who quit drinking after having kids, share a passion for non-alcoholic beverages, and now want to help you get the most out of your alcohol-free bar cart, wine rack and beer fridge through their ”All The Bitter Blog.”

The post Raising the Bar: Today’s Consumers Toast to Non-Alcoholic Drinks appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Ayurveda, an ancient holistic healing system from India, dates back over 5,000 years and pairs closely with the principles of yoga. The Sanskrit term Ayurveda translates to “knowledge of life” and helps us achieve and maintain our capacity for wellness, ensuring our digestive fire (agni) is in balance. Ayurveda draws its foundation from the elements: ether, air, fire, water, and earth and Ayurvedic patterns are presented in the form of three energies (doshas) vata, pitta and kapha.

Ayurveda, Food, and Remedies

Ayurvedic cooking prides itself on eating with the seasons, choosing the right spices and fresh foods for your body constitution which in turn nourishes your physical, mental, and emotional body. We encountered several innovative brands and founders championing these principles at Foundermade, Naturally New York network and the concluding Natural Products Expo East in Philadelphia, rebranded as Newtopia Now. As we head into the winter season, these brands promise to be the soulful companions you’ll crave through the chilly months.

Dancing Elephant

Amidst the bustling heart of New York City, two moms Saira Malhotra & Chandni Prasad, united by their passion for Ayurveda, found an instant connection at a cooking class led by Saira, an alumna of The International Culinary Center in New York.

As the two reminisced about their Indian origins, they realized their childhoods were infused with Ayurvedic wellness principles. Inspired by their shared heritage and driven by a collective dream, they created Dancing Elephant.

Dancing Elephant is a brand aimed to demystify Ayurveda through balanced, flavorful foods. Their primary offering, Kitchari, is a cherished Ayurvedic delicacy, a harmonious blend of grains and lentils and functional spices catering to everyone’s lifestyle. Created for the person who is on-the-go, the Pea Prana, Spinach Shakti and Butternut Karma are ready-to-cook, plant-based, gluten-free pouches made in 20 minutes to create a wholesome Ayurvedic meal.

Saira and Chandni shared their vision behind the name Dancing Elephant explaining,” The elephant, revered for its wisdom, strength, and grace, symbolizes the profound essence of Ayurveda. To dance is to be in perfect harmony, and thus, Dancing Elephant mirrors Ayurveda’s promise – to infuse life with balance, vitality, and joy.”

Green Goddess Kitchari Burger

Burger Patty

• 2 cups leftover Spinach kitchari, chilled
• 4 scallions 1/2 cup dill, finely chopped
• 1/4 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free, if necessary), ground
• 1 TBSP ground flaxseed
• 1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large egg (optional, leave out for vegan burgers)
• 1 TBSP flax seed

Burger Sauce

• 1 TBSP Dill
• 2 TBSP Mayo
• 1/2 Dill Pickle, finely diced
• 1 TBSP pickling juice

Accompaniments

• Burger buns of choice
• Optional Add-ins: thick slice of tomato/lettuce

Follow @dancingelephant_ayurveda Website: thedancingelephant.com

Divya Alter shares her love of healing foods. Joy of Balance, by Divya Alter; photography by Rachel Vanni (Rizzoli, 2022)

Divya Alter Wants you to Eat for How You Feel

Divya Alter is a pioneer of Ayurvedic cooking in the West, having taught over 20,000 students for the past 13 years, both in New York City and abroad. Born and raised in Bulgaria during the communist regime, Divya Alter found solace in her family’s garden – a lush haven bursting with fresh produce.

Discovering yoga in her teens, Alter embarked on a plant-based culinary journey in the serene environment of a yoga ashram in Bulgaria. Trading her novice kitchen skills for yoga lessons, she emerged not just as a yogi but as a master chef, infusing her dishes with plant-based goodness and age-old Ayurvedic wisdom. Consequently, Divya became a certified nutritional consultant, educator and chef in the Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda tradition.

Divya’s mission is to create awareness and education surrounding the secrets of Ayurvedic cooking, personalized health, and ultimate balance. In 2016, Alter cofounded Divya’s Kitchen, an award-winning plant-based restaurant in New York City that reimagines classic dishes through an Ayurvedic lens.

Divya’s brand has since expanded to include plant-based retail food products and educational videos. Alter is also the cofounder of Bhagavat Life, a nonprofit culinary school offering cooking classes and an Ayurvedic chef certification program. Alter is the author of two cookbooks: Joy of Balance: An Ayurvedic Guide to Cooking with Healing Ingredients; and What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen.

Alter is dedicated in helping people find joy, nourishment and balance through food and creating awareness with the notion that the principles of Ayurveda in relation to food are universal.

“You can see the best doctors and take the best courses on Ayurveda, but when you go home, the most immediate application of knowledge comes down to the food you eat. How do you mix and toast the spices? How do you chop the vegetables and what cooking techniques do you use to protect their prana (life-force). What cookware do you need? How do you prepare a balanced meal for your family and friends who all have different doshas? People need answers in the kitchens.”

Connect with Divya Alter

Website: divyas.com

Instagram: divyas.nyc

Joy of Balance, by Divya Alter; photography by Rachel Vanni (Rizzoli, 2022)

Kitchari recipe from Joy of Balance, by Divya Alter

• 1/2 cup yellow split mung dal, rinsed, soaked in water for 30 to 60 minutes, rinsed again, and drained
• 1/2 cup white basmati or baby basmati rice, washed and drained
• 2 TBSP ghee or olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 6 fresh curry leaves or 2 dried cassia leaves
• 1 TBSP minced fresh ginger
• 1 small green Indian or Thai chile, seeded and minced
• 2 cups medium diced vegetables: carrots, zucchini, green beans, broccoli, daikon radish, asparagus, to name a few
• 2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp ground fennel
• 2 handfuls chopped spinach, kale, chard, or arugula

Kitchari Garnishes

•  Olive oil or cultured ghee
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro, thyme, or basil leaves
• 1 slice of lime per serving

Khalo Founder Ankita Sankla

Khalo Makes Masala Bases for Everyone

Khalo, meaning “Let’s Eat” in Hindi, is a brand set to revolutionize the culinary world with a line of functional Indian masala cooking bases rooted in Ayurveda. Khalo is launching direct-to-consumer nationwide in Spring 2024.

Founder Ankita Sankla, a proud first-generation Indian American born in India and raised across various corners of the world, including San Francisco, London, New York, and New Jersey, originally enrolled at Rutgers University as an engineering student and quickly noticed her passion for business. Landing marketing roles at Lancôme, Dior, and Ayurvedic skincare startup Aavrani, Ankita’s transition to college life had unwittingly ushered in dietary changes, taking a toll on her gut health.

Her soul, however, remained tethered to the memories of her mother’s kitchen – a haven of spices, fresh ingredients, and age-old Ayurvedic wisdom. Ankita immersed herself in an Ayurvedic culinary school, aiming to share the magic of Ayurveda with the world, culminating in the idea of Khalo.

Ankita expresses, “I founded Khalo as a result of my personal health journey and the transformative experience of healing through the power of food and Ancient Ayurvedic Wisdom. I aspired to make the magic of Ayurveda accessible to the world, and Khalo was the realization of that vision. After all, how you eat, is how you live.”

Khalo has plans for a broad spectrum of innovative products. Their current offerings come in three distinct flavor profiles, Hot Take Masala, Gold Rush Masala, and Essential Masala. Every creation is deeply entrenched in Ayurvedic principles, promising not just taste, but holistic well-being. Think better digestion, a rejuvenated gut microbiome, and optimized nutrient absorption.

Khalo aims to redefine our relationship with food by highlighting a lifestyle that harmoniously intertwines health, taste, and ancient wisdom. Khalo’s masalas represent more than just powerful spices and ghee. They are an invitation to cook with love, eat with intention, and digest with ease. Steeped in quality and intent, Khalo is set to make Ayurveda an attainable and everyday experience for everyone.

Ayurvedic Ginger Spinach Recipe

• Serves 2
• Cook time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb baby spinach washed and roughly chopped
• 1 inch piece of ginger peeled and grated
• 2 small green chili chopped
• 2 TBSP Khalo Gold Rush Masala
• 1 cup of Basmati rice 2 TBS Ghee
• 1 TBSP Cumin seeds
• 1 TBSP Himalayan salt
• 2.5 cups of water

Ginger Spinach

• Add 1/2 tbs ghee to a sauté pan over medium heat.
• Add chopped ginger and green chili.
• Roughly chop the spinach and add to the pan gradually while mixing.

• Once all the spinach is wilted (4-5 minutes) add the Khalo Gold Rush Masala.

Cumin Rice

• Wash and soak basmati rice for 15-30 min.
• Add 1.5 tbs ghee to pot on medium heat and add cumin seeds.
• Once the cumin is sizzling add the water.
• Bring the water to a boil once it’s boiling add the washed and drained rice.
• Place the top of the pot on and reduce flame to low heat and cook for 12 minutes.
• Let the rice rest for 5 min before fluffing and serving

Connect with Khalo

Follow @khaloworld Website: khaloworld.com

Ayurvedic Wisdom and Wellness

Internationally renowned Ayurvedic healer, Vedic speaker and former president of The California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine, Acharya Shunya states in her book AYURVEDA Lifestyle Wisdom, “Ayurveda teaches us that true health is our birthright- and that by artfully adapting to the rhythms of nature, we can restore ourselves to balance and experience optimal well-being.”

Dr. Siva Mohan, founder of AyurvedabySiva and author of Ayurveda for Yoga Teachers and Students expresses, “Wellness is a lifestyle choice. One of my gifts is to show how you fit Ayurveda into the container of your modern urban life. And then, use it to change the container entirely.”

In the end, we are the guardians of that choice.

The post Aligning with Ancient Wisdom: Ayurvedic Living in Fast Times appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Yes, Cherlato is Coming to town.

Drop Top Sleigh Ride

“It’s no secret that I absolutely love ice cream and gelato”  Cher admitted, “When I tasted Giapo’s gelato while on tour in Auckland it was the best I’d ever had.”

Giapo Grazioli is accredited with what his wife Anna Rosa calls, “the third narrative of ice cream.” It is a craft perfected in New Zealand over 18 years. After meeting Cher while she was on her “Here We Go Again” tour in 2018, the two decided to create something special together. The artisan explains, “Cher and I had hundreds of Zoom calls. As all of these plans were finally taking shape and everything was looking nice, Covid came.  So we made a turn and said, ‘This project has to be something that gives hope to people, and we should start from a truck so it can deliver optimism.”

Run Run Rudolph ~ Cherlato Truck Making Waves In Venice Beach c. Cherlato

Put A Little Holiday In Your Heart

The Cherlato Truck has been seen spreading cheer on Abbott Kinney, Melrose, and Third Street. As well as at The Abbey, The Bungalow, The Pier, The Venice Beach Boardwalk, LA LIVE, and even the Hallmark Channel HQ.

Staffers Enjoy Cherlato (and Cher’s Xmas Tunes) at the Hallmark HQ.

Curious customers marvel at flavors like, “Snap Out of It! Kefir & Cardamom” a nod to Cher’s Oscar-winning role in Moonstruck. And “Chocolate XO Cher” which ideated from her 1974 pop hit, “Dark Lady.” Angelenos ask about a favorite, “Cher’s mom’s cheesecake.” Giapo smiles warmly, “That’s an original recipe that Cher’s mom [Georgia Holt] used to make at Christmas parties at home. When Cher made me a preview of this recipe, it was handwritten by Cher’s mom.”

Giapo and Team serving up Cherlato to Excited Angelenos. c. Cherlato

This season, the evolving menu boasts Winter classics like Gingerbread and Peppermint Candy Cane. Of course the CFDA-winning fashion icon includes a little glitz and glam. You can opt for having your Cherlato in a gold cone. (We’re wondering if Bob Mackie designed it!)

“Breakfast at Cher’s Donuts & Coffee” in gold c. Cherlato

Please Come Home For Christmas

The 77-year-old yogi, who graciously walks onto the world’s stages singing the Gayatri Mantra is conscious of eating clean. For her plant-based friends and fans, Cher and Giapo created, “I LOVE LA” a vegan favorite in Laker’s gold + purple. The menu also includes other seasonal edits.

Cherlato thoughtfully sources from small farm partners and LA markets. Their serving cups, trays, spoons, and napkins are recyclable and made with sustainable materials.

“I LOVE LA” and LA loves Cherlato c. Cherlato

Cher tells LA Yoga Magazine, “Giapo explained his process to me of the highest quality of ingredients, organic fruits, artistry, and the need to have the freshest and tastiest ice cream. He has brought all of this to Cherlato. We are both so passionate about our love for ice cream. We are so proud of the response wherever we go in LA.”

This Will Be Our Year

At the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Cher sang her latest single, “DJ Play a Christmas Song.” It hit #1 on the Billboard charts a few weeks later, making the Kennedy Center honoree the only solo artist to have a #1 song in each of the last six decades.

Giapo (and Cher) c. Cherlato

We talked to Giapo not long after this who said, “The experience for me has been humbling. I am a normal person, I’m an artisan. I am in awe. What I really like about working with Cher is that even though she’s such a high caliber artist, she’s still a human being and she loves the same thing that we do. She likes to have a great ice cream and laughter, And the more you stay close, the more you understand how she has been able to be who she is for the past 60 years of her career. It’s very inspiring.”

Are you Hungry for More Cher or Cherlato?

To find the Cherlato Truck, follow it on IG here.

To book the Cherlato Truck for your next event, learn more here.

You can find Cher’s new album, Christmas on Spotify and iTunes.

To follow Giapo, find him on IG here.

The post Cherlato Is Coming To Town appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

On October 7, Israel witnessed one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in its history, leaving the world in shock. Innocent lives were tragically lost as Hamas terrorists invaded homes in Israel’s southern regions – including a nature party nearby. What was meant to be a celebration of love turned into a heart-wrenching tragedy, leaving thousands of individuals shattered, lost, and struggling to recover. 

The Secret Forest, a sanctuary for renewal nestled in the mountains of Cyprus, was deeply moved by these events. In response, they have decided to take action. To support the survivors of this tragic event, they have dedicated a portion of their village villas for the purpose of healing.

Working alongside numerous qualified Israeli therapists and counselors specializing in trauma and anxiety, they have developed a unique program set amidst the forest. This program offers a five-day journey immersed in nature, with a primary focus on nurturing the wounded soul.

“We’re not talking here about work that is post-trauma,” says Zohar Wilson, a psychotherapist and volunteer workshop facilitator at the Secret Forest. “This is work that’s actually in the trauma. The trauma is happening now. It is critical to provide support as close to the trauma itself.”

First Arrival at the Secret Forest

Within a remarkably short span after the attacks, the first group of 60 survivors arrived at this healing haven. 

“We decided to open our gates and welcome [survivors] at no cost,” shares Yoni Kahana, the owner and CEO of the Secret Forest. “I was sure that 50, 60, 70, maybe 100 people would respond. About 1,400 people registered within a day or two.” 

Each day was thoughtfully structured, featuring a wellness program that includes healing and touch therapies, guided breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, circle of listening, support groups, hydrotherapy, sound healing, meditative walks in nature, and more. Participants had the freedom to choose when and where they wished to engage, while therapists were always on hand to identify and offer support to those in need.

Psychotherapist and workshop facilitator, Zohar Wilson, leads a group session. Photo: Nir Davidzon

After a week in this healing environment, signs of progress and healing were evident among many participants. People came together, shared their stories, laughter filled the air, and hugs offered solace. As they bid farewell to the dedicated team, gratitude and tears flowed freely.

The demand for this transformative program at the Secret Forest is immense, with such a long waiting list of survivors eager to embark on their own healing journeys. For the initial three weeks, the Secret Forest covered all expenses and the therapists volunteered their time. However, to sustain this invaluable work, the center requires outside support.

“When trauma like this happens [to people], they wake up every single day on October 7,” Wilson states. “If it’s October 23 now, they’ll wake up on October 7 again the next day. We want to ‘now’ them, so that if they wake up on November 7, then yesterday was November 6.”

Wilson also shares the importance of having experienced clinical staff, such as an Israeli MD, on board. He emphasizes that the program is intended to gently support survivors by providing safe and comfortable accommodations, nourishing and enriching food, and a sense of structure through classes, workshops, group sessions, and more.

Supporting the Initiative

When one first enters the peaceful serenity of the Secret Forest, the space automatically forms a cocoon of comfort, distanced from the harshness of the rest of the world. Birds sing out, trees form a canopy above the property, and a sparkling river runs alongside. 

Still, for survivors, deeper spiritual and emotional work is needed to overcome their still-fresh trauma.

“All the trees around you give you a feeling of serenity,” shares Zohar Sharabi-Ayal, a survivor of the attack at the Nova Trance Music Festival. “The external serenity lets you relax inside, which is very hard to do in Israel.” 

For Sharabi-Ayal, one of the most valuable parts of the program was the group discussions that were held each day. For her, these intimate and heartfelt discussions allowed her to feel less alone in her grief and guilt, to see that many others were in the same place as her.

Zohar Sharabi-Ayal connects with a fellow survivor. Photo: Nir Davidzon

The subsidized cost for each participant in the five-day healing program is 1,000 euros. Fortunately, the IsraAID humanitarian organization has stepped in with financial support. This has allowed the Secret Forest to launch an additional ongoing retreat for the healing of parents who lost their children during the October 7 attack. The Secret Forest now hosts survivors of the Nova festival every Sunday through Thursday and bereaved parents every Thursday through Sunday. 

Now, the program for bereaved parents needs funding. My sacred jewelry line, The Winged Ones, is donating a portion of the proceeds from every sale towards the Secret Forest’s mission.

As an Israeli-American, the recent tragedies in my homeland have laid heavily on my heart. Those who know my story know that I spent many years married to an Arab man, with whom I continue to foster a meaningful friendship based on mutual respect and compassion. That is why I devote my message to one of harmony rather than alienation.

It was a privilege to be able to sit down with Wilson and Sharabi-Ayal for an interview to help shed light on this incredible initiative.

“For the first time, once we were there and were able to relax, I felt I could finally breathe, that I was above the turmoil,” says Sharabi-Ayal. 

The Path to Healing 

For most survivors, the healing process may take months or even years. However, what the Secret Forest provides is the ability to kickstart that process and work through the trauma in the present, before it cements into negative habits or practices.

Survivors participate in a group healing session in the mineral pool. Photo: Nir Davidzon

Furthermore, the goal is to provide a space where survivors feel seen and heard outside of the chaos of an active warzone. Though the goal is to help all 1,400 waiting and willing participants, the goal is to share the experience with as many people as possible, so that they may return to their homeland with an elevated sense of peace, an ability to work through the difficult memories and emotions that otherwise plagued them, and achieve newfound perspective surrounding the events of the fateful day the attack occurred.

“The main thing this place gave us, besides that moment of serenity, are the tools to return to ourselves,” Sharabi-Ayal expressed. “There are still ups and downs, there are rough days, and then days when everything is okay. The main thing I learned is that it’s okay to be okay.” 

To support this life-saving initiative, The Winged Ones is donating 5% of the proceeds from all sacred jewelry sales. Use code HEALINGWINGS for a 20% discount.

You can also donate directly here: https://charidy.com/recovering.

The post Secret Forest Trauma Therapy Center Helps Nova Trance Festival Survivors Heal appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Crystals hold a significant role in shamanic and spiritual healing practices, acting as conduits for energy and aiding in the alignment of mind, body, and Spirit. These vibrant gemstones are believed to possess unique vibrational frequencies that resonate with different aspects of the human experience, making them valuable tools for enhancing meditation, energy balancing, and emotional well-being.

Shamans and spiritual practitioners harness the innate properties of crystals to cleanse, amplify, and direct energy, facilitating the release of negative emotions and promoting a sense of harmony. Whether used individually or in combination, crystals are revered for their ability to amplify intention, heighten intuition, and promote healing on both physical and energetic levels, making them essential components of various holistic and metaphysical healing approaches.

That is why, upon the launch of my sacred jewelry brand, The Winged Ones™, I reached out to Jenny Deaveau to serve as our resident Stone Educator. In addition to her spiritual and scientific brilliance surrounding the world of gemstones, she is also one-half of the sound healing duo known as Dynasty Electrik with Seth Misterka. 

Using her combined knowledge of crystal healing and musical sound therapy, she is a master at carrying the human Soul to new planes of consciousness and Spiritual awareness. I had the pleasure of sitting down with her to discuss her work, background, and how her prowess for sound and crystals weaves together. 

PARASHAKTI:  How would you describe your work? 

JENNY: At its core, my work revolves around the belief that we are vibrational beings in a vibrational world. Everything vibrates. And it is the natural tendency of all beings to entrain to the most balanced and harmonious vibration. The pure vibration is always going to be the most dominant, because well-being is the natural condition of all beings on this Earth. The human body, mind, and spirit are intricately interconnected. By addressing imbalances on quantum energy levels, true healing and transformation can occur. 

PARASHAKTI: What does the intersection between sound healing and crystal healing look like for you? 

JENNY: I work predominantly with sound and crystals, as well as color, light, reiki, plants; anything powerful in the natural environment. I use quartz crystal singing bowls in my healing sessions. The vibrations they emit are a pure holographic template of radiant light, resonating strongly with the human body and its energetic fields. Crystals have one of the purest molecular structures in nature. When we are using crystals, we have a natural tendency to entrain or attune to their balanced harmonious vibration. This stable geometric pattern helps to harmonize our own vibrational frequency, which can become easily unbalanced when we experience stress. By placing or using crystals on or around the body, we can enhance our energy flow, promote relaxation, and encourage emotional healing. The combination of sound and crystal energies can lead to profound stress reduction, and a heightened sense of self-awareness. Ultimately, my work is about facilitating a holistic journey where individuals can tap into their own innate healing capacities. 

PARASHAKTI: Tell me a little bit more about how you got into this line of work. When did you first start to develop an interest in sound healing and crystals? 

JENNY: In 2012, I was initiated into the practice of “Svaha Yoga,” a Shamanic energy technique, under the guidance of Master Energy Medicine Practitioner Lisa Ishwari Murphy. When I first arrived at Lisa’s wooden yurt in Fairhaven, MA with my partner Seth Misterka, we discovered a circular room filled with massive planetary gongs, crystal and Tibetan singing bowls of all shapes and sizes, a variety of crystals, Native American flutes, drums and rain sticks, sage, incense, palo santo and an adornment of statues from a multitude of spiritual backgrounds. Our first task was to record a cacophony of instruments, in seemingly no particular order or structure, for a piece called Rhythmic Entrainment. We were given various instruments at different moments and asked to play them, guided by our intuition. The power of vibration was palpable as the sound ceremony commenced and the wind blew through the seaside wooden yurt. Soon after, we discovered this was the music that would be used in Lisa’s private energy sessions. Her clients consisted of people diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer, multiple sclerosis, rare diseases, severe emotional trauma, among other imbalances. All of these clients had one thing in common: they were symptom-free, or mostly symptom-free after working with Lisa for a period of time. It was clear that sound healing and energy medicine were very powerful healing modalities.

PARASHAKTI: What is Dynasty Electrik’s mission for the greater good?

JENNY: We believe that music is a tool for planetary healing. Our vision centers around nurturing a sense of togetherness, emotional wellness, and an elevated awareness of our interconnectedness. By engaging communities, leveraging accessible technology, and forging a profound bond with the natural world, a sound healing practice has the potential to enrich the global community, fostering resilience and harmony.  This is a time for the collective… for working and playing together… for collaboration… for cosmic unity. 

PARASHAKTI: What is your vision for Dynasty Electrik’s role in helping the collective? 

JENNY: Music is a universal language that can reach across cultural divides and bring people together for collective healing, harmonization, and celebration. Our mission is to bring this healing power of music to the world through live performances and the digital realm.

PARASHAKTI: You’ve played an integral role in stone and crystal education for my sacred jewelry brand, The Winged Ones™, and I’d love for our readers to hear from you personally about our collaboration. 

JENNY: I remember first hearing about Parashakti about 15 years ago when I was living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I wondered “Who is this ecstatic dance shaman goddess?” To my delight, she arrived at the Mystic Journey Crystal Gallery in 2019, where I had been hosting crystal sound baths and healing sessions. We immediately clicked and started collaborating to offer some sound healing journeys in the space with enormous crystals. As things moved online, I became the crystal educator for her Dream Council Tribe trainings and wrote an extensive crystal guide for her extraordinary Winged Ones jewelry collection. From the moment I saw these exquisite amulets, I was drawn to their magic and knew they would be a part of my soul’s journey. I received my pieces fully charged and blessed by Parashakti and her spirit community. We rise together in spirit medicine! Every time I have the opportunity and privilege to connect with Parashakti, I feel an amazing vibration of pure love, excitement, and adventure about where the moment will take us.

Jenny Deveau dons her Winged Ones™ Visionary and SunDancer pendants.

PARASHAKTI: You are too kind! It is a blessing and honor to have been able to work with you over the recent years. The gift of in-depth knowledge that you have about these ancient stones is always so impressive. What is your research process for crystal education? 

JENNY: My love of crystals began as a young child, when I would travel with my father to geological sites to search for volcanic rocks. We kept a huge metal barrel in our backyard, filled with stones and crystals we had found during our adventures. I always work with crystals I am naturally drawn to. Sometimes they just call to you. Usually, we are attracted to certain stones because they may be energetically helpful to us. If you are unclear about which stones to work with, you can always start with clear quartz. It is a universal crystal, with a harmonious, balanced pure energy and can be used for almost anything and programmed with intentions. I also love research and information, so I read as many crystal books as possible and watch documentaries on the subject. Over the past several years, I’ve attended the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. This has allowed me to have direct conversations with dealers, miners and crystal enthusiasts.

PARASHAKTI: You make a point to delve deep into the science behind each gemstone. How has your wisdom surrounding this subject evolved over the years? 

JENNY: It has surprised me to discover that even those who do not ascribe any metaphysical qualities to the stones, have a deep love, appreciation and understanding of these mineral beings. I prefer crystals that are completely natural and are not subjected to any man-made processes. I also love finding stones in deserts, forests and beaches. 

PARASHAKTI: What is your process like for developing new soundscapes/music? How do you find inspiration? 

JENNY: Dynasty Electrik is my music and sound healing project with my partner Seth Misterka. Initially formed as an electronic group in Brooklyn, we were initiated into a practice of shamanic sound healing, and subsequently combined this ancient wisdom with our knowledge of music to create a unique style of sound therapy—the Dynasty Electrik Crystal Sound Bath. This experience combines original electronic soundscapes intertwined with the celestial tones of crystal singing bowls, soothing nature sounds, and ethereal vocals, guiding the listener on an inner journey of profound exploration. 

SETH: Every time we start a new composition, I like to think of it as if it’s the first time, and to look for new approaches.  I also like to ask myself, “What sounds/music would I find to be most healing/relaxing/pleasing if I were the listener?” Then, once we begin creating, inspiration comes from many sources – nature, dreams, visions, meditation, and life itself. In our new album, Journey to Tranquility, we explore the worlds of cosmic frequencies, binaural beats, and channeled vocals. Soft synths, singing bowls, and atmospheric sounds create an ideal soundtrack for everything from chill time, light yoga, and study, to meditation, dream work and deep journeying. The creation of the album mirrored our personal and artistic journey, from Los Angeles to a remote beach town in Nova Scotia, to establish a sound healing retreat center on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. During this transition, we shared our compositions online through our YouTube channel, with many of the tracks on the album originally appearing in our weekly sound bath ceremony.

Jenny Deveau and Seth Misterka lead a Dynasty Electrik sound bath.

PARASHAKTI: Is there a message you’d like to leave our readers with today? Some wisdom they can take away from this interview?

JENNY: We’re always on a journey of self-discovery. And we never quite know where it will take us. No matter what we envision, there are always challenges to overcome. If we can rise to the occasion, our view expands and we become more of who we were meant to be. Infinite and free. I am thrilled to be returning to Los Angeles this fall and winter to host some crystal sound bath journeys with Dynasty Electrik. Check our site for the dates and venues. There are some exciting things in the works. Or you can join us any Friday evening on YouTube for our weekly premieres.

To learn more about Jenny and upcoming Dynasty Electrik events, visit https://www.dynastyelectrik.com/  for details.

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In the heart of the agricultural revolution, a quiet yet powerful movement is reshaping the landscape of farming – regenerative agriculture. This movement is brilliantly depicted in the new documentary, “Common Ground,” a must-see follow-up to the hit “Kiss the Ground,” which touched over a billion people globally. The film shines a spotlight on the benefits of regenerative farming, inspiring audiences as it sells out theaters and ignites conversations about the way we cultivate our food. The seed has been planted in rich, healthy, microbe dense soil and it is flourishing.

The award-winning filmmakers behind “Common Ground,” Josh and Rebecca Tickell, crafted the film as a love letter to their children. Together with executive producer Nikki Reed they’ve drawn together an all-star cast, passionate about taking part and penning a promise with their own love letter. The film features appearances and narration by Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Rosario Dawson, Donald Glover, Ian Somerhalder, and Woody Harrelson, all deeply connected to a subject that resonates profoundly with them.

Rebecca Tickell believes that we are all ready for the commitment to roll up our sleeves and take action. “Common Ground” is more than a film; it’s a movement we can all take part in and it’s picking up speed, giving us hope and solutions to a broken food system.

“I think what people need to ask themselves is what is the legacy that we want to leave? What is the world that we want to build together?” noted Josh Tickell. “With 10 billion acres of arable land, from a basic, fundamental acres-to-humans ratio, we can grow way more food than 10 billion humans can ever eat. That’s what we’re talking about globally.” Rebecca states with confidence, “feed your community and that will feed the world.”

Soil is life.

Soil is life. It’s sacred, and this film will show you just that. The visuals are undeniable. When you see side by side what a regenerative farm looks like, teaming with life and biodiversity, and the stark contrast when it’s not. “I mean, that stops you in your tracks,” remarked Nikki Reed, a new mom for the second time. The film shows a well-rounded perspective covering various aspects and voices, including all types of farmers, ranchers, scientists, and whistleblowers, each telling their personal stories and showcasing their expertise to paint a comprehensive picture, much like a biodiverse farm itself. For instance, did you know that 85% of farmers farm on small-scale farms of less than 500 acres? That’s why small farms can play a big role in healing the soil.

Regenerate: to give new life to, revive, especially in a better form or condition.

At a time when there is so much divide, “Common Ground” brings us together, as it masterfully explores how regenerative practices can restore and enhance the health of the soil, which in turn revitalizes ecosystems and creates biodiversity, while balancing the climate as it promotes resilience of agricultural systems in the face of extreme weather events.

Regenerative principles embrace a holistic approach: cover cropping, planned grazing management, no tilling, and no chemicals are some of the key techniques used to rebuild soil structure, retain water, and sequester carbon. When speaking with Rebecca, she mentions, “there’s this crazy myth going around that regenerative agriculture isn’t biodiverse. All you have to do is watch ‘Common Ground,’ look at the fields, and you see biodiversity unlike anything else.” Animals play a key role in land stewardship. For animal lovers and vegans, it doesn’t mean they have to be our food. They can be out there grazing the way nature intended and playing a large role in soil health, especially restoration.

“Nature is always self-organizing, self-healing, self-regulating,” says Gabe Brown, one of the heroes of regenerative farming in the film.

Josh asks you to consider, “if the food system works for you? Are you healthy? Do you feel good? Do you have any chronic conditions that could be food-related? Do you have chronic allergies that could be food-related? The reality is 60 to 70% of Americans have a chronic illness that’s food related.”

Do we really think about how our food is grown and gets to our plate? More of us are now, but the realization is chilling to know how we’ve been “tending to our gardens,” so to speak. Big agriculture is not working. Regenerative agriculture is.

Within one year of adopting regenerative practices, you can see positive benefits.

These principles have been used by indigenous people for generations, but they’ve been forgotten, unlearned and replaced by what’s considered conventional or industrial farming.

Nikki expresses, “That’s why ‘Common Ground’ is so important because there’s a desire to understand nature and biodiversity and understand the vital role that every single part of nature brings to the table that we have so easily and systemically destroyed. If we can make sure that we raise our children with an understanding of this, the conversations that are being had around the dinner table, the friends they’re with, or the level of compassion they experience, because they grow a tomato plant… My hope is that the takeaway from this film is that we have to learn compassion and connection and realize that there is no you or me, there is just we.”

Rebecca Tickell, Nikki Reed, and Josh Tickell

“We” can all get involved. In addition to the film, the Common Ground Project is the “100 Million Acres Initiative,” an invitation to farmers, ranchers, NGOs, for-profit companies, and individuals who would like to genuinely take on becoming regenerative. Visit the website to make your pledge.

Josh shares, “We’ve partnered with certification partners who will actually certify their acres. We’ll measure the carbon; we’ll make sure that the farmers are on track. They’ll measure the outcomes. They’ll help the farmer, they’ll give consulting. That way we know that these commitments are real.”

Nikki urges everyone by saying, “I think the most impactful thing people can do right now is request a theater. That is how we vote. We vote with our time, we vote with our energy, and what we care about. I think that those numbers really matter, especially when we’re talking about things like legislation. The best and easiest thing that we can do is continue to request theaters, so that other audiences have the opportunity to see this film in areas that they might not have otherwise.”

Josh and Rebecca have been fierce protectors of the environment, and their award-winning documentaries over the years reflect that. Rebecca comes from 12 generations of farmers in the Midwest, including her father. Josh grew up in Louisiana with an introduction to the pollution from oil refineries and watching people get sick, compelling him to look for environmental solutions.

Many documentary films raise awareness and leave you thinking, but not always with an attainable solution.

“Common Ground” encourages everyone far and wide to come together and leaves you with an action plan.

This is something that every human can champion.

1. Join the movement and share this movie with everyone on social media and beyond.
2. Download a free guide to growing food at the website and grow food everywhere.
3. Ask your representatives to make regenerative agriculture a priority.
4. Help convert 100 million acres to regenerative farming at 100millionacres.org, as an individual, a business, or a farmer.
5. Support regenerative farmers, products and look for their labels.

“Whether farming interests you or not, it does, however, affect you.” Rebecca states.

This film is a love letter – to our children, our families, our next generation, and the land that we currently steward for us and them. There are many love letters written in the film, and many ways we can expand on this. Nature is perfect, symbiotic, and forgiving. Mamma Earth is giving us the chance to do it right. The ending depends on us.

“To be just a small part of such meaningful change, that makes life worthwhile,” Gabe Brown shared. The film is dedicated to him.

Be sure to check the website https://commongroundfilm.org/ social channels (Instagram, Facebook, X, You Tube) to learn more and the schedule of theatres and screening dates/times nationwide.

The post The Seed Has Been Planted for “Common Ground” – The Future Is Regenerative Farming appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Is it me or does it seem that our modern world has adopted a kind of ‘hustle culture’ that now reigns supreme? Look around, people everywhere are obsessed with their phones, optimizing productivity, net worth, status and social media streams. Hey, I’m guilty of it, too and we wonder why we are overwhelmed, unhappy, stressed out, anxious, and depressed.

Now, don’t get me wrong, hustle is good but when we’re just hustling and bustling here and there with no real intention, attention, aim or purpose, life becomes unbalanced; a blur of meaningless tasks that one HAS to do versus wants to do.

Of course for many, the hustle is a way of ‘being’ in order to meet life’s demands, raise children, and make a living with little to no time for self care and reflection. As this goes on, days become weeks, weeks become months and as the years pass, we grow more and more disconnected from ourselves, from nature, the earth’s rhythm and the cycles of life. This steals our joy.

One of the most interesting areas of current research is the impact of nature on our general well-being. A recent study done by Mind found that 95% of people who were interviewed said their moods improved after spending time in nature, changing from depressed, stressed, and anxious to more calm and balanced. Peaceful.

Another series of field studies done at the Human-Environment Research Lab found that spending time in nature connects us back to ourselves, to each other and the world at large. Nature brings us right into the moment, enhancing our lives in diverse ways, encompassing physical health, mental well-being, emotional balance, creativity, social connections and flow. Yep. Flow.

Living in the flow, or simply put, aligning our lives with a sense of ease, purpose, and natural harmony, contributes to peace and happiness, not to mention lowering stress, fear, monotony and resistance.

By incorporating regular contact with the natural world, whether you’re on a mountain, in a forest or inside, face to face with your favorite house plant, we can all lead a richer and more fulfilling existence, when we tune in and experience the pulse of life itself.

How do we step into this flow?

Get Still.

I know, I know, it may seem like an oxymoron or a Koan from the Tao Te Ching, but it really ALL comes down to stillness. Every contemplative path will tell you this. Cultivating stillness provides the fertile ground that allows us to check in, listen to our soul and gather intel about our life path.

Stillness is the first step.

Mother Nature offers so many beautiful ways to practice stillness. When we come to the forefront of the moment and completely present as a silent witness, one can’t help but feel the perfection, magic and awe of the natural world.

Other ways to practice stillness include yoga, meditation, a mindfulness practice, or all of the above. With these practices, we come to know ourselves better, and understand what we really want from life. We also learn to separate our true Self from our thoughts, most of which are pre-programmed, recurring, and negative; leading to actions (and reactions) that keep our lives in a dystopian status quo.

Get Real.

Secondly, we must understand and come to terms with the fact that we are co-creators with the universe. This isn’t just frivolous, new age B.S., it’s science, folks, specifically the branch of science called Quantum Physics; the study of matter and energy at the most fundamental level. We don’t have to do life all by ourselves!

Research confirms that we are made from the very substance that the Universe is made up of…Energy. With this principle in mind, we can learn to work with our own energy and magnetism to guide our lives in the direction of our dreams.

Get Ready.

Another way to work with the universe is by asking for messages or guidance with tools for divination – like Runes, the Tarot or this new Oracle deck: The Chinese Five Elements Oracle. With this particular deck, nature and messages from the Universe come to you, through the 60 pillars of the five elements in Chinese Metaphysics: Water (Flow), Fire (Joy), Metal (Strategy), Wood (Expansion) and Earth (Centered). These five elements are believed to be the fundamental elements of everything in the universe between which interactions occur.

Vicki Iskandar photo by Denise Leitner

The deck was conceived by noted Feng Shui expert Vicki Iskandar, who has extensively studied and consulted on several Chinese spiritual modalities, including BaZi/Four Pillars of Destiny (a form of Chinese astrology), the I-Ching, Qigong, and the ancient art of war of Qi Men Dun Jia. The deck is also grounded in traditional theories and Taoist wisdom, channeled through a modern perspective and very easy to use.

Pulling a card and divining its meaning is as simple as reading the guidebook entry for that card or as profound as one’s understanding of Chinese Metaphysics and everywhere in between.

Each card provides insights into the past, present, and future and can help one get clear about a question, situation or next step. The layers of symbolism and meaning embedded in each one, beautifully illustrated by artist Candice Soon, allows users to understand the messages whether they are a novice or advanced in their knowledge of oracle cards, the five elements, or energy work.

Get Present.

Essentially this Oracle deck is a tool to connect and communicate with the Divine and to help users gain a deeper understanding of themselves, as well as the secrets and mysteries of the Universe as we walk our paths. Working with the deck requires tuning into the moment and focusing your energy before you ask a question and draw a card. Cards can be drawn for specific occasions or as a daily practice to guide and inform the day.

Shift Happens.

Can you feel change in the air? The Feng Shui concept of “ages” refers to a twenty year cycle known as a “Flying Star” period, where energy patterns associated with each of the nine numbers from 1 to 9 influence the energy of a particular space, timeframe or direction. We have been and are now leaving age 8 (2004-2023) and entering age 9 (2024-2044), a transition that signifies a significant shift in energy patterns.

Age 8 typically represents a period of slower, more stable energy, ruled by power and masculine energy. Age 9 introduces a fresh, new cycle with different influences including the rise of the feminine as an archetype and in our world at large.

Vicki will be showing how to do readings, talking about this upcoming transition, and the year 2024 (Year of the Wood Dragon) as well as launching her oracle deck at Santa Monica’s Mystic Journey Bookstore on Sunday, October 15th at 4:00 pm. The popular metaphysical retailer is at 2923 Main Street in Santa Monica, CA 90405. The event is free, but RSVPs are requested here.

Published by Hay House/Penguin Random House, The Chinese Five Elements Oracle, released on October 10, just in time for Halloween merriment, holiday gift-giving, and Lunar New Year divination. But most of all, it’s time to reconnect with ourselves, level up, and attune to the healing power of nature through flow and stillness, the five elements and the infinite possibilities of the Tao. It is by harnessing messages and using this divine wisdom to guide us, that we can live happy and more balanced lives.

About Vicki Iskandar

Vicki Iskandar is a Chinese metaphysics consultant, strategic coach, and writer. She has been mentoring clients on BaZi/Four Pillars of Destiny (a form of Chinese astrology), Feng Shui, the I-Ching, and the ancient art of war of Qi Men Dun Jia since 2012 while serving as a digital marketing consultant for a variety of brands in the LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) space.

In 2017, she founded Functional Feng Shui to help others manifest their personal and professional visions, using a balanced, holistic approach that combines her knowledge of Chinese metaphysics with her background in business strategies, expertise in health and wellness, and a unique energetic understanding of the body informed by Qigong.

Her oracle deck on Chinese astrology, The Chinese Five Elements Oracle, is set to be released by Hay House on October 10, 2023. The deck features the sixty possible combinations of the ten Heavenly Stems that represent the Yin or Yang qualities of the five elements and the twelve Earthly Branches, more popularly known as the animal signs of Chinese astrology. Each stunningly designed card offers a modern interpretation of the sixty pillars, grounded in traditional Chinese metaphysics theories and the Tao’s wisdom.

Born in Indonesia to parents of Chinese heritage, Vicki grew up in a culturally diverse setting rich in spiritual traditions and ancient customs. She started her metaphysics studies with Western astrology in 2000 after getting her graduate degree in business. Not until Vicki answered her ancestors’ calls to go deeper into Taoism, Qigong, and Chinese metaphysics a few years later did she realize how profoundly applicable, strategic, and healing these ancient arts can be as a mindfulness tool in today’s busy lifestyle.

Vicki has contributed to print and digital publications as a writer since she completed her MBA in Marketing from New York University. Not a stranger to luxury and design, she started writing professionally in 2001, editing the pages of global fashion magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar Singapore.

Readers can view her in-depth monthly insights on Feng Shui and the Chinese five elements on her website at vickiiskandar.com. Her daily astrological insights, a unique blend of Chinese and Western astrology, can be found on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @5elementsoracle.

The post The Tools of the Chinese Five Elements Oracle for Our Lives Today appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.