It may be true that power that gives power over corrupts, but being empowered is liberating. The yoga, when practiced as part of an ethical life, is empowering. But beware those who claim that “enlightenment” frees one from behaving with integrity.
Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
There was a joyous celebration at the US Supreme Court this afternoon to celebrate the historic appointment of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. May this nation heal.
Uma and Sully know that if they keep coming to their food bowl at some point it will be full. So too, I am firm in my belief that if I keep coming to my mat and my meditation cushion, I will experience the fullness of being, even though I do not experience it every time I show up. Without showing up, though, I would never get to sip the exquisite nectar of consciousness.
At what point does a recipe cease to be the one from the book and become one’s own? These muffins are loosely based on Martha Rose Shulman’s “Overnight Bran Muffins” from her book Great Breads. Her ingredients are: raisins, bran, boiling water, eggs, sunflower oil or melted butter, honey, molasses, buttermilk, whole wheat flour, white flour, baking soda, and salt. She bakes hers at 400F for 20-30 minutes. If I had just replaced the raisins with cranberries (sometimes I use other berries or dried fruits), or replaced the buttermilk with soy milk or juice, or used all whole wheat flour instead of a mixture of whole wheat and white flour, and added a few spices, it would not have been my cooking. But when one changes nearly every aspect of a recipe, is it a new recipe? I just happened to start with this one, but I could just have easily started modifying the recipe on the back of the bag of cranberries for cranberry bread or any one of a number of the recipes I have for apple, cranberry, or bran muffins and came to the same place.
I used chopped cranberries, succanat, walnuts, oat bran, egg replacer, walnut oil, soy milk, ground flax seed meal, whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, and salt and changed some of the proportions, the order in which I prepare and mix some of the ingredients, and the baking temperature and time. Ms. Shulman’s muffins are richer and more classic for having the eggs, buttermilk, and white flower, but the ones I made this morning tasted pretty good, and I recommend her book as an excellent place to find solid, easy to follow recipes. I honor her recipe as a starting point, the way I honor my teachers on the yoga path, but still bring in my own experience.
Want to make your own?
I freeze muffins and then take one to work (I transport muffins wrapped in a cloth napkin or a reused bag from nuts or dried fruit) instead of buying coffee shop muffins. Saves on packaging, calories, and I know it was made with love. Keep the coffee store pastries for a special treat or for when you’ve temporarily run out of your own.
This article about manners and eating with ones hands gave me a big smile. One of my friends who went on the second India pilgrimage wrote on Facebook right after she returned home that she missed wearing a sari and eating thali meals already. How wonderful the variety of experience on these journeys. Personally, I found the sari cumbersome and binding and not worth the prettiness of the fabric and the compliments (more thoughts on sari-wearing perhaps to come). I was thrilled to get back into my regular clothes (though I was happy enough in salwar kameez). Dal , kitcheree (spiced lentils and rice porridge), and vegetarian/vegan curries have long been a staple part of my diet, so I am already getting the rice and lentils, and the south Indian thali meal is almost completely devoid of vegetables. I was happy enough to get back to my own diet, including Indian-style food of my own preparation.
I am missing, though, being able to be in company and eat with my hands (or hand singular would be more accurate as it is horribly rude in India to eat with your left hand) and getting the chance to walk barefoot outside every day. Though you might not be able to do it everywhere, I highly recommend eating some of your food with your hands and walking without your shoes for some time every day to enhance your sense of touch and your motility.
Wow. I came up out of the metro to this extraordinary fiery sky show. When I invite others to look, mostly, like today, they just think I am mad. But sometimes there is a shared spark of recognition of the very grandeur and wonder of being.
I’ve taken to making dough for pizza and naan and then keeping it in the freezer to be thawed, shaped, and baked on a work night.
The green grocery delivery included dandelion greens.
Dandelion greens and cheese pie with mushroom-tomato sauce.
