Category: featured

9/11 Never Forget

It is a day that forever changed our nation. Friends and families were left weakened by missing loved ones, yet the spirit and resolve of America grew strong. Now is the time to remember those that were taken from us, and to thank those whose memory kept us from falling down. It’s been a long, challenging road since 9/11, as one nation, we will continue to prevail.

 

Today the 16th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 attacks, the day that changed everything in America. While the devastation was astounding, the terrorist attacks also revealed the best of the American spirit in their aftermath; first-responders fearlessly did all they could to save victims, and ordinary Americans joined together to heal as one.

It’s hard to believe that 15 years have passed since that day that changed all of our lives in ways we never could have imagined. No matter how much time goes by, we’ll never forget where we were and what we were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001, when the news broke that the first plane had hit the World Trade Center.

And that’s why we need to stop and take a moment today to remember those who lost their lives in the attacks, and also the loved ones they left behind who are still grieving everyday.

To healing,

#krishna

 

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Bhakti Fest Yoga|Dance|Sacred Music Festival 

Bhakti translates as love and devotion. This fabulous festival is four days of camping in the starry California desert, or spending your stay at Joshua Tree Retreat Center practicing meditation and yoga to live musicians, singing kirtan and dancing barefoot to the likes of MC Yogi and Donna Delory until late at night. 

My whole heart is filled with so much happiness to be at Bhakti Fest. 
For those who like to keep the yoga and mantra mix going, White Swan Records offers innumerable soundtracks for the yoga of life. 
Coconut Bliss served delicious scoops of pure delight. Cool, creamy bites of salted caramel, ginger cookie, and hazelnut chocolate kept yogi and yogini faces more than relaxed, chilled and happy while vibing to the mystic afternoon beats of Girish. With an eclectic mix of rock, indian and reggae inspired rhythms, every artist set us off into a state of bhavtastic bliss!  

Bhakti Fest as a whole was  awesome. Part of what made it so powerful was that the entire sacred festival revolved around live music. It has been envisioned and talked about how Bhakti Fest is as a spiritual Woodstock, where thousands of people come together, chanting the names of God. 
Krishna Das has said that in India, people understand that God is within. The Hindu images associated with God, deities like Krishna and Hanuman and Ganesha, are symbols of the divine that live in each one of us. Chanting the names of God from any tradition is sacred because each repetition is said to be a seed, and sooner or later, that seed grows.

The seeds of love were certainly sent out with rain showers and rainbows in the early morning sky. It was breathtaking to look at and a rainbow has such a powerful message to convey. Lovely to gather there with a cluster of new friends, sitting on lawn chairs and blankets, singing along with other music artists, everyone dancing and spinning. Fantastic evening concert and such a transforming event @ Joshua Tree Retreat Center. 

We LOVE Bhakti Fest!! 
love, #krishna 

   

Protective Blessings to Everyone during this time of Natural Disaster 

Concerned for our friends in Mexico after the earthquake and all in the path of Hurricane Irma. 

Mexico rocked by HUGE earthquake:  32 people have been killed after an 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck 60 miles off the southern coast of Mexico, sparking tsunami warnings across the world while Hurricane Irma clobbers neighbouring Caribbean islands as it heads towards Florida. 

We also send healing vibes to the recovery in Texas from Hurricane Harvey. 

To La Tuna Wildfire in Southern California Stay safe to everyone in the vicinity and near the Oregon and Northwest California wildfires plus forest fires ravaging Washington, Oregon, and California. Sending healing vibes… 
To Healing,

#krishna 

I Will Find You: Solving Killer Cases from My Life Fighting Crime

Oh he sure will find you!! Detective Lt. Joe Kenda, star of Homicide Hunter, a former Colorado Springs Police Department detective who solved 387 homicides in his career. 
He is featured on the Investigation Discovery television show  Homicide Hunter, where he recounts stories of cases he has solved. Lt. Joe Kenda shares his deepest, darkest, and never before revealed case files from his 19 years as a homicide detective. 

#1 New Release in Law Enforcement His new book I Will Find You reminds us that crimes like these are very real and can happen in our own neighborhoods or even in our backyards. Joe Kenda’s stories, insights into the actions and motivations from the criminal mind and behavior take you on a day to day journey of real life homicide cases and how he solves them. 

Intuitively sharp Lt. Joe Kenda is by far one of our most beloved detectives! 

Thank you for all that you do on this planet. 

love, #krishna 

Harvest Full Moon in Pisces

The full moon today Wednesday September 6, 2017 is at 13° Pisces. First harvest time of this new eclipse cycle. The astrology of the Harvest Full Moon suggests that it will have an impact on your hopes, dreams and on your love life. Full moons have long been associated with myths and legends and Native Americans gave a distinctive name to the one that occurred each month. September’s full moon is known as the Harvest Moon or Corn Moon because of it occurring at a time when crops were harvested and farmers could work by the light of the full moon. It most commonly occurs in September, but the name is given to the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, which can fall during October once or twice every decade.

 

The Moon is very happy in Pisces. (which also occurs in conjunction with Pisces ruler, Neptune) amplifying the energy of Pisces and making it even more important for us to be sweet, gentle, kind, and caring. This placement in natal charts has certainly brought out some powerful and influential women in the field of medical science and healing. The lunar lesson here is to tap into your own inner guru. Use your increased emotional strength and intuition to overcome challenges.

 

Sun opposite Moon “Virgo-Pisces” brings attention to your close relationships and how they are influenced. Others may try to bring you down by attacking your private life. The two weeks of this moon phase will be an especially sensitive time. Be very clear to yourself and to others about your intentions. Under the Full Moon we might feel especially thirsty for the waters of Spirit. Yet, we might also find that our thirst is being quenched through tidal waves of intuition, dreams, epiphanies, release of tension.

Every Full Moon marks an energetic peak, which shines a bright beam on whatever is coming full-circle in our Life, highlighting realizations, culminations, manifestations in the world of five senses; yet, with Pisces, it is subtle, holographic, and divine.

 

Revelations and realizations will arise from that lunar space that simultaneously permeates and transcends reality; that immaterial space where the voice of the heart echoes undisturbed. As the veil between worlds grows thinner, the intuitive knowledge and guidance that flickers from beyond will appear closer than ever, to the point of feeling more realistic than the so-called real world itself. The meta-physical plane, on the other hand, will be remarkably alive and vibrant with inspiration, and the limelight of the Full Moon will work as an ethereal channel to the Spirit world.

love, #krishna

 

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Cleansing with Sage

One of the oldest and simplest methods of clearing out negative energy from a room, around you, within you, or in a home is to use sage, or smudging as it’s usually called.

The use of rising smoke to cleanse is a very old tradition used by many cultures all over the world like Egypt, India, Rome, Greece, and many others. The most well-known people to use sage are the Native Americans.

Sage smoke can be used to cleanse a room, a new home, negative spirits, or anything else that may be making the area where you live uncomfortable. In addition to using the sage, you can incorporate anything you like into the cleansing, such as candles, other incenses, prayers, or whatever you feel you need or would like to add.

It’s very important to remember that when cleansing, your attitude towards the process is extremely important. Your approach should be positive and calm.

How to Smudge With a Sage Stick

After physically cleaning the room it is best to wear fresh, clean clothes. Place a bowl of salt in the middle of the room, as this helps to disperse negative energy.
Keep the air gently circulating to keep it smoking— this can be done by blowing on it or wafting it with a feather, your hand, or some other tool.
We begin at the doorway, cleansing the frame inside as well as the door with the smoke, then working our way around starting from one of the corners. Make a slow progress around the room in a clockwise direction. Basically, aim for a circle. The sacred circle has been used for thousands of years as a powerful protection symbol.
Walk slowly and focus on what you are trying to achieve. It’s important to remember that the cleansing doesn’t just come from the sage: you are mentally cleansing the area as well, so concentrate as much as you can without becoming tense.
As you are doing this, you can recite prayer, repeat mantra, or affirmation that you like or that you feel is appropriate. What’s important is that you choose whatever words that feel right for you.
Visualize the dark negative energy being dispersed or pushed out and replaced with white, beautiful light. Imagine this white light filling the room and cleansing out anything negative.
Keep repeating your chosen words until you have finished smudging the room.
When you have completed your circle, you can end with another prayer/affirmation/poem or repeat the one that you used earlier. Stand in the middle of the room and visualize the white cleansing and purifying light still present and giving protection.
To close cleansing rituals, we always light a candle usually white— for light, love, and spirit. We also then burn other incenses usually a choice of sandalwood which is a powerful cleanser of negativity.

love, #krishna

 

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Ten Ways to Throw the Best Labor Day Party EVER

Summer where are you going?!! While the end of our favorite season may be coming to an end, that’s all the more reason to enjoy one last summer party of the season. In Southern California that doesn’t really mean putting away the grill, but even here lots of us like to get one last cookout in before fall hits.

In honor of Labor Day, we can’t think of anything more appropriate than a backyard BBQ and Pool party. Gather the friends and fam, while putting these 10 DIYs to use for the most unforgettable party of the season.

 

Pick a Theme 
Labor Day weekend is a popular weekend for cookouts, weekend getaways and pool parties. To celebrate these last few days of summer, start planning a theme for your Labor Day party.

 

Labor Day is about celebrating patriotism and having a theme can help highlight all things American.

 

Whiteout themed party: For those of you who are unaware of the Labor Day white rule, it goes like this: you’re not supposed to wear white after Labor Day. Some people believe that this rule applies primarily to white shoes and others believe that all white items are a faux pas after Labor Day. A lot of people ignore the rule completely. Wherever you fall in the “no white after Labor Day” spectrum, a Whiteout party is a great way to poke a little fun at “the rules.” Ask your guests to wear as much white as possible and have fun with this party theme yourself. You could incorporate white into your decorations and party menu as well!

 
Red, White, and Blue party: Ask everyone to wear red, white, and blue! Incorporate the colors of the flag and use the theme in your decorations as well by having American flags, stars and stripes, and the colors displayed throughout the party space.

 

DIY Labor Day Ideas 

 

1. Summer Fruit Kabobs : This weekend-Summer ain’t over! A fruit garland kabob will be a fun addition to your outdoor party scene.

 

2. Pool Party Movie Night: Set up your very own outdoor movie theater and entertain guests with a fun summer movie.

 

3. Watermelon on a Stick: Labor Day is synonymous with the end of summer and summer is synonymous with watermelon…

 

4. DIY Pineapple Table Runner: Yup, it’s happening. A DIY pineapple tablescape is pretty much inevitable since we still can’t get pineapples off our mind.

 

5.  Fruit Ice Cubes: For a backyard party, these fruit ice cubes will be a colorful way to add some flair to everyone’s drink of choice.

 

6.  Veggie Sliders Party: It’s not a BBQ party unless sliders are involved! The best thing about these vegetarian bite-sized veggie burgers is that they can be customized with all different kinds of toppings and sauces. Make sure guests come with an appetite.

 

7. Tomato, mozzarella and basil skewers: Take full advantage of your Labor Day party to serve lots of grilled dishes. Some great ideas for your Labor Day party menu.

 

8. Make-your-own ice cream sundaes: Plan to roast s’mores, give them jars to catch fireflies, or set up a Make-your-own ice cream sundaes with a variety of flavors and toppings.

 

9. Seasonal Fruit Pies: Saying goodbye to grilling weather also means saying goodbye to summer fruit, so Labor Day is the time to get in one last cherry pie, blackberry cobbler, or strawberry ice cream. If you have been spending too much time thinking about the homemade pie seasonal fruit pies, simple strawberry shortcakes, or an effortless angel food cake is a great way to celebrate the end of summer.

10. Summer Strawberry Pie: When we are in the mood for pie, usually we gravitate towards this ultra-summery pie. The filling is made of strawberry puree, macerated berries which gets poured into a simple graham cracker crust. This preserves the fresh flavor of the fruit. If you want the flavors of a traditional cooked pie without having to deal with a crust then cobblers would be the next best choice. Fruit filling covered with a biscuit crust. Cobbler is filled with blackberries, raspberries, and a pinch of cinnamon. The raspberries are there mostly to help round out the flavor of sour blackberries, so you can use 100% blackberries if they are sweet enough.

 

Decorate for the Occasion

Present and display fun, festive, and casual decorations for Labor Day parties. Use the colors red, white, and blue as a guideline for party accessories, balloons, plates, cups, and everything else you think of for decoration. Aside from focusing on the American aspect of the holiday also tie in some classic Picnic decor such as rustic centerpieces filled with seasonal flowers and classic picnic table covers over each tabletop. You could also finalize your decorations with lighting to create a wonderful ambiance. Lanterns or tiki torchlight’s are perfect for any outdoor party.

Stay relaxed while you entertain on this three day weekend! Happy Labor Day

love, #krishna

 

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The Art of “I Just Know It”

Intuition is living in pact with our spirits and the larger force of life.

Intuition is listening. Deep. The art of I just know it. Being connected to yourself is the solution. It benefits you, but as you’ll  notice living intuitively means living in pact with nature. What is good for us is good for the earth, the animals, the plants and everyone around us. Your deep connection with yourself has a ripple effect that will change the world.

 

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Ask yourself if the advice that is being giving feels right to you. If it doesn’t – move on, or figure out why. We’re all different, that’s the beauty of being human.

 

love, #krishna