A Knock on the Door
Something I Am Grateful For
by Tracey Rich
Just one shade braver than I had ever been before, that's what it took for me to knock on that door. In all my shy twenty years, innate curiosity had never taken me that far. I walked down the stone steps leading to the front door of the house that sat at the top of Love Circle, and with three tentative raps, my life began to unfurl into an adventure of discovery, and into the teacher I would become. My mentor opened the door.
I had begun my journey of Yoga earlier that year in the spring of 1978, taking classes in a tall brick office building on Broadway and Division with three other curious and dedicated souls. We gathered twice a week in a small office space called the Yoga Science Center with a gentleman from India in the same building where I spliced reel-to-reel tapes for a Nashville jingle company. As my learning evolved over the years, although it was never expressed as such at the time, I was studying Raja Yoga for those initial six weeks. No matter the expression, the fullness of the experience was a homecoming. The same sentiment I would hear from my own students again and again over the years. The previous uncertainty about Yoga that I had, and the precipitous funk I was in, quickly faded into interest and aliveness.
Attuning oneself to an inner prompting is sometimes like having to use a metal detector over a seemingly empty terrain to find lost treasure. It can take...
From Both Sides Now
by Ganga White
Have you pondered why we have two eyes and two ears? You can experience this necessity right now, with a simple experiment. Close one eye, then look across the room and point at something with one finger. Keep pointing at it and close that eye while opening the other. You will discover you are pointing way off the target. You can repeat this with the opposite eye with the same result. Both of your eyes are wrong! But, together they balance each other's errors. They balance their differing perspectives into accuracy.
Our eyes constantly teach us to consider different points of view, to look at things from both sides--a valuable lesson in the art of living.
From the White Lotus Kitchen
Three Great Holiday Recipes
Steamed Kale Caesar
Thanksgiving season is a great time to rethink standards. There are so many great dishes that can be deconstructed and reconstructed, bringing new appreciation for veggies that we may already eat all the time. We think this simple rehash of both kale and the classic Caesar will be a great holiday addition to your repertoire.
We all know, kale with its deep leafy green is vitamin and mineral packed, and the good-for-you factor scores high points. You can hardly find food products that don't try to claim there is kale in them somewhere. But good is good, no matter how over-hyped it may be. The classic use of garlic is a great winter go-to for its health-giving benefits, so go for it and add all you want. We keep it simple in this recipe with olive oil and lemon, but think the simplicity is what makes this dish so delish.
We hope you enjoy this take on life with kale, and wish you a delicious season in health and well being from the White Lotus Kitchen.
Jewel Yams with Miso Honey Butter
Yams and sweet potatoes are welcome any time of year, but this particular season is their highlight. The beautiful color of these potatoes alone makes these gems attractive and tempting. Given that they are a classic in some form for the holidays, we think this simple recipe will not disappoint.
The white miso mixed with honey, butter, and cinnamon is the perfect salty-sweet addition to this complex carb. We used baby yams for our dish, but you could use...
Almond Cocoaccino
Treat yourself and others to this almost decadent drink. It's not your typical holiday nog. This elegant almond milk and cocoa delight is sure to take away any holiday blues and make you the host with the most. You can drink our almond cocoaccino without guilt knowing it is filled with delicious goodness, or take it up a notch serving it with chocolate shavings, chocolate covered coffee beans or ground espresso on top. You could even add...
