"Lust is the Search for Love Misunderstood"
Poetry by Jaya Jagganath
It is said that kama is an insatiable fire burning in the chest
and like an occupying army, its conflagration arrest
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psyche and soma with mind afire & senses aflame by all-consuming desire
Impenetrable firewall
obscuring truth’s light
in intensifying degrees of obfuscation it blights
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But I think this only its outer shell, its inner telos
beatitude a joy beyond phenomena
a holy flame misused
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What I call beatitude is penetration by Divinity
Filled up with Its glory On the bed of Infinity
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So cease the worldly oblations which can never
satisfy the burning flames of (sacred) kama
that reaches for the sky
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No less an offering than the soul
Is intended as oblation fear not the burning off
of ore golden soul accept this invitation
Beat The Heat: Protect your Skin During Summer
with Dr. Manisha Kshirsagar, BAMS, RA
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The Skin: Our Body’s Majestic Fabric
Our skin is not just an external organ that needs to be put under rigorous routines to make it “look” healthy. Skin is considered to be one of the most important organs in Ayurveda. A shield that protects you, nourishes you and empowers you to be your healthiest self—physically and mentally. A radiant skin acts as the barometer of your health. With healthy routines and working in tandem with the seasons, you can unlock the power that resides within your skin–the power to restore, repair, and replenish itself. As we embrace the summer season–the Pitta season–it is an opportunity to reset our skin ritual and understand the impact of seasonal change on our skin.
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Okra with Coconut
Recipe by Divya Alter, Divya's Kitchen
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
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¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
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½ teaspoon kalonji or cumin seeds
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1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
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5 fresh curry leaves
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¾ teaspoon ground coriander
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1½ pounds okra, halved or quartered lengthwise (about 3 cups)
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3 tablespoons finely grated coconut, dried or fresh
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½ teaspoon salt
Directions
1. In a large skillet over low heat. Add the turmeric and toast for 10 seconds, then add the kalonji seeds and toast for another 10 seconds, or until the spices release their aroma.
Add the ginger, curry leaves, and coriander, and continue to toast and crisp them for another 10 seconds; add the okra. Toss well, increase the heat to medium-low, and sauté, shaking or stirring frequently but gently with a metal spoon, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the okra is tender yet still vibrant green. (Be careful not to mash the vegetables while stirring.)
You may cover the skillet to speed up the cooking, but do so only brieflyy because the condensation will make your okra slippery, giving it the dreaded “slimy” feel. If the okra begins to brown and stick to the pan, lower the heat.
2. Fold in the coconut and salt, and continue to toss and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the okra is tender and the coconut has browned slightly and absorbed the excess moisture. The vegetables will be soft and succulent, neither dry nor wet.
3. Garnish each serving with a splash of lime juice. Serve immediately.
Dosha Notes
FOR VATA OR PITTA BALANCING: Enjoy as is.
FOR KAPHA BALANCING: Add one seeded and
minced green Indian or Thai chile with the ginger in Step 1.
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From Joy of Balance, by Divya Alter, Rizzoli 2022
by Melissa Forbes
Moon Mandala
Melissa Forbes' Sun Mandala also served as the cover art for this print edition of VedaZine!
Focus on the center of the Mandala, the Bindu, and recite the Mantra:
Om Cham Chandraya Namaha
(I honor the quality of nourishment within).
Repeat this sound (either externally or internally) while working with the visual Mandala. The peaceful glimmer coming from silver and pastels shades of the Mandala brings acceptance and self-love to the participant. Close the eyes, rest with the moon mandala before moving into your day. Continue for 40 days, same place and time. Reflect on the inner and outer changes. When completed, place the moon mandala in the home as a visual reminder to stay calm knowing that you are Light.​
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To order prints of these Mandalas for your home, visit www.melissaforbes.art.
Beet Coriander Soup
with Coconut Dill Cream
Recipe by Claire Raggozinno, Vidya Living
Ingredients
Coriander Beet Soup
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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2 teaspoons ground coriander
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5 medium beets, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
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5–6 cups water
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1 teaspoon mineral salt
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1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
Coconut Dill Cream
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One 13.5 ounce can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk (½ cup coconut cream)
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2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
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¼ teaspoon mineral salt
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1 teaspoon fresh lime or lemon juice
Directions
In a large soup pot, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the coriander and beets. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, steaming the beets in their own moisture. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Add the water and salt. Bring to a boil.
Cover with a lid and reduce to medium heat and simmer for 45 minutes, until the beets are soft. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Transfer to a blender and purée. Work in batches as needed until all the soup is creamy. Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of coconut-dill cream on top.
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To make Coconut Dill Cream:
Place the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill. Scoop the cream off the top of the can. Combine in a bowl with 2 tablespoons coconut milk. Stir in the dill, salt, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Dosha Notes
Vata: Serve warm.
Pitta: Use lime juice instead of lemon.
Kapha: Reduce salt.
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Recipe from Living Ayurveda: Nourishing Body & Mind through Seasonal Recipes, Rituals and Yoga © Claire Ragozzino, 2020. Photographs copyright © Claire Ragozzino. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, Roost Books. Available wherever books are sold. www.shambhalapublications.com
Pitta-Pacifying Āsana Practice
with Arun Deva
by Radha Home
Mars in Taurus: Playing with Fire
Mars has now moved into Venus’ sign of Taurus from July 12th to August 26th, and we can expect our sense of action, discipline and courage to shift quite a bit from his own fiery domain of Aries! In earthy, food-driven Taurus we can find ourselves approaching life in a slower, more roundabout way where tasks get done when they get done and there is always time to stop and have a snack. We may also find that we procrastinate on certain projects or get a little lackadaisical with our daily routines in favor of more sensually pleasing activities and even connecting with others. There may be instances where our peace is disrupted, or our meal interrupted, where we turn on a dime and become, well…angry like a bull. Have no fear, nothing a little treat or pick-me-up can’t heal.
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Whenever our Mars energy feels like it is not being channeled in a way that matches his level of intensity, the fire and ire can build up within and come out in the form of disciplining others. See if you can stop and take a breath (or three) before reacting. Unnecessary arguments can mostly be avoided by tuning into what the body needs and wants!
Acknowledgements + Gratitude
Thank you to all the gifted teachers who have collaborated in the creation of the third edition of VedaZine.
Jaya Jagganath
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Jaya Jagannath is a practitioner of devotional nondualism (Bhakti Yoga) for the last 22 years, 13.5 of which was spent in a monastery. After leaving the monastery, his time has been committed to leading and participation in international retreats and pilgrimages sharing the teachings of devotional nondualism, yoga, meditation, and transpersonal psychology.
Dr. Manisha Kshirsagar BAMS
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Dr. (Vaidya) Manisha Kshirsagar BAMS (Ayurveda, India), Esthetician,
graduated from Pune University, India with a Bachelors degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery. She is a licensed Esthetician, specializes in Ayurvedic Skin & Beauty Care. She is also trained at the Indian College of Naturopathy and is a certified Yoga Instructor from the renowned Kaivalyadham University in India. Dr. Manisha has been teaching & practicing Ayurveda, Yoga for more than 30 years. She specializes in women’s and children’s health, skin care and natural beauty treatments. She offers Ayurvedic and skin care consultation as well as workshops on Ayurvedic Nutrition, Cooking, Skin care, Panchakarma and Ayurvedic Herbology. She is a faculty at Chopra Center & several other Ayurvedic institutions. She is a published author of Ayurveda, A Quick Reference Handbook, Enchanting Beauty (Ancient secrets to inner, outer and lasting beauty) and Panchakarma. She is currently the Co-Director at Ayurvedic Healing, an Integrative Wellness Clinic in Santa Cruz, California.
Divya Alter
Owner of Divya's Kitchen, New York City ​
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Divya Alter is a certified nutritional consultant, educator, and chef in the Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda tradition. In 2016 Alter and her husband Prentiss founded Divya’s Kitchen, a plant-based restaurant in New York City that reimagines classic dishes through an Ayurvedic lens. Divya’s brand has since expanded to include a line of plant-based retail food products and educational videos. Divya is also the co-founder of Bhagavat Life, a nonprofit culinary school that offers cooking classes and an Ayurvedic chef certification program. Divya is the author of two cookbooks, What to Eat for How You Feel and Joy of Balance.
Claire Ragozzino
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Claire Ragozzino is a certified yoga instructor and Ayurvedic counselor with a background in holistic nutrition and natural cooking. Her work is dedicated to bringing yoga, Ayurveda, and nutrition to a modern lifestyle. She is the author of the popular site, Vidya Living, and also writes and photographs for online and print publications surrounding topics of food, culture, and our relationship to nature. Her first book, Living Ayurveda, offers a comprehensive Ayurvedic cookbook and lifestyle guide. Claire works with clients around the globe and leads immersive workshops and retreats.
Arun Deva
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​Arun Deva, DASc, AP-NAMA, AYT, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT is a NAMA certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist, IAYT-Certified Yoga Therapist (Retd), a Yoga Alliance certified Vinyasa Krama Yoga teacher, and a graduate of the American Institute Of Ayurveda. Arun has had the distinct pleasure of serving on the Boards of both the National and State Ayurvedic Associations, NAMA and CAAM, and he headed NAMA’s Committee for Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy, seeing it through to its fruition. He has taught internationally, lectured at Conferences, and written numerous articles for different publications, including the peer reviewed Ayurveda Journal of Health. Arun has been featured on both radio and television, and he continues to teach the Ayurveda and Yoga modules for various Teacher Training Programs around the world. He now considers himself semi-retired, which means he limits his clinical practice, teaches less and spends more time searching for the Buddha in every face he sees. Born in India, where he began his studies as a child, Arun Deva has made his home in Los Angeles since 1977. He can be reached at yogarasayana.com
Melissa Forbes
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Melissa Forbes is an artist, yogini, an author, and a world traveler. The creator of Mandala paintings, drawings, and etchings, artwork for meditation, awakening and grounding. She was an adjunct professor of art at the University of New Haven in Connecticut and has received numerous fellowships, including the prestigious Pollock-Krasner grant and Spring 2019 Fellowship Program at the Good Work Institute. Melissa had the honor of accompanying U.G. Krishnamurti, a Jivamukti, in his travels during the last five years of his life. She is the author of “No Teaching Yoga: The Authentic Guide,” published by Gatherinsight, a reflection of her spiritual journey. Melissa is engaged in ongoing studies of tantra, numerology, sacred geometry, and mandala in the linage of Harish Johari. She continues helping others awaken to their true purpose in life and to foster a connection between all people. To order Mandala prints for your home, visit www.melissaforbes.art.
Radha Home
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Radha Home is a Mother, and a practitioner and teacher of Jyotish, Yoga and mythology on the Big Island of Hawaii. She is a life-long lover of Astrology, as she was raised with the Western practice growing up. As a yoga teacher, she found the light of Jyotisha through her advanced studies of Yoga and Ayurveda, and from there was captivated to know more. She studied with Sam Geppi (Sadasiva) through his American Academy of Vedic Art and Science and continued on to assist him with future classes. She offers Vedic Astrology readings for clients, YouTube videos and compelling forecasts, as well as a Patreon membership community for more in-depth and personally focused astrological insight.
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She is honored to be in service through her knowledge of this wisdom for the past 14 years, and it is her passion to weave the ancient sister sciences of India together. She is deeply humbled by how they can help us understand our place in the Universe and show us what we can physically do to navigate that here on Earth. It is her great joy to take complex astrological concepts and alignments and eloquently bring them to life in an accessible way for whom she is illuminating them. She is also passionate about sharing the Vedic and Tantric deities as portals of Consciousness, allowing their myths, mantras, yantras and iconography to unfold deep healing for her clients, students and community.
https://www.radhahomeastrology.com/
patreon.com/RadhaHomeAstrology
Caroline Cronin
​Sevanti Institute Student Clinic
Caroline Cronin is the curator of VedaZine. A certified 200-hour Yoga teacher, Caroline is also a Clinical Intern at Sevanti Institute, where she sees clients in the Ayurveda Student Clinic. She plans to continue seeing clients through Sevanti Wellness Center once she graduates the program in January 2025. In her free time, Caroline enjoys singing, playing music, practicing Yoga and learning about Bhakti, and roller skating. She is grateful, humbled, and honored to have this opportunity to work with such renowned practitioners and teachers of Ayurveda.