living for love....

Breaking free from illusion

Menaka — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:21:15 GMT

Transforming, Transcending, Surrendering, and self discovery, these are my goals and challenges this year, I see a new life for my children, with the dissolve of my relationship to my partner in parenthood after seven years, Srimati Radharani is opening doors to inner purpose and intentional existence, I see the many many blessings God has given my family, and myself, and i am so greatful for this is a great learning opportunity, I pray and hope that one day we can live amongst devotees and play with forests and jungles and gardens, dancing in the yogic light, rythimcally dancing drums, chanting and singing in devotion, honoring this merciful way of life, The children are so darling and naturally inclined to devotional life, it hurts to not be providing them a platform in which they can build on that.. in comunity... I am burning the fire of illusion, surrendering to the temporaryness of this material existence, i often wonder if i should take the girls to some other land...hawaii has a nice comunity in hilo with many sweet devotees there, the folks i have met on the way are calling me there, India is calling my soul to pilgrimage, or is Costa Rica calling....we were invited by my young midwife godsister and yoga teacher to live with her. You see, it would seem silly not to go to those places, but it seems we are materially vancouver bound for the time being... ugh is that for real? I ask god repeatedly, where do you want this new family of now three to be? I don't think it is ontario where there dad is, ontario is a very unfavorable place i feel deep in my soul.... Radharani silently answers, be here now... walk in the light, and trust, know that you are where you are meant to be, breathe, and surrender to life's plan... release expectations... The biggest healing taking place has been with my breathe, oh how awesome our breathe can be... I breathe for peace, i release the anger, the rage to the life force of light and love, we can choose to love or fear, and i choose love, I pray that we may we walk this journey into self discovery with gratitude and offerings of love and devotion...no matter where our life lives i am blessed and my children are the most sacred and merciful gift, i want to honor their needs and aspirations...

a buy nothing christmas

Menaka — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:59:52 GMT

i wish to give forth love and devotion this holiday season, when 3,000 kids die every day from malaria, it makes me want to donate to charity the little money i have to spare in honor of life, and freedom from illusion, I want to teach my children that there is more to life than recieving, it is giving that truely means something in this world, giving from the heart chakra.... i encourage everyone to think about an honorable and meaningful way to give this time of year, much love and respect in all directions.

lookin for an electric bike

Menaka — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:00:13 GMT

hey there beautiful people, i'm looking for a nice electric bike, used is fine, new is better, i am wonderin if ya'll have any tips, info or recomendations of make model, etc, i'm talking about the kind of bike that is a bike and has a battery, not a big clunky scooter, i need to attach my kids tandem bike or bike trailor to the bike... anyone have any thoughts or ideas? i'd greatly appreciate it. The whole puropse is to comute my kids to school about 5km, i am easy going about the look, weight and model is most important i think... just puttin it out there thanks for readin

home sweet home

Menaka — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:46:56 GMT

Yay! i'm so excited i could kiss anyone who walked in the room, well almost anyone. We just found out that our house hunt is OVER! We have found a nice two bedroom ground floor suite located fifteen minutes walk form gonzales bay, in fairfield victoria... and the place has a park with tall grandmother arbutus trees RIGHT next door! not to mention there is running hot water in the bath tub! Did i mention the fact that we didn't have running hot water for the past few months at the farm...? i am so stoked, it will be a bit of a bike ride to get the kids to meditation school, but what's a little rain and biking? when you live close to nature and oceans, and parks it really seems irrelivent. The best part is that it's like living in the nature but it is in a city, far enough away from city life to not feel the city at your door step... and the yard, oh the yard, laylucks, garden, fenced yard, trees, the kids love it. The catch? well, some of the ceilings are low... and measure at 6 feet for small parts in the hall way, and my beloved ramanath is well, 6 feet, so he will have to be careful to not bunk his noggin, it's a trade off for the location, gorgeous kitchen, bathroom and sunlight that shines throughout the rooms... not bad for a ground floor suite... Did i also mention that i really don't like house hunting and i'm so glad it's over? The land lord is from ethiopia and is so super sweet with my girls, she loved how they could describe every thing growing in the garden because they grew up on a farm and love to recognize different native plants... The best thing is that now we can move on with our life, and get the kids settled, and stop moving for a while! for the past few years we have moved almost every 6 months... sometimes every 5 months... kinda rediculously nomadic, but hey, what are we on this planet for anyways? to accumulate things and be attached? no no no, to give it up and be with our loved ones, and share this sacred time in devotion... so today marks a new day, a new journey, a bold move, a step in another direction of surrender, and i hope that with the kids in meditaiton school, I can focus on this yoga teacher training course i want to take, and making raw food! Oh and the place has electricity, can you believe it electricitity!!! we didn't have electricity at our farm, our solar pannel was okay but not quite enough juice to do a blender...:( It is all temporary this life, i give thanks to what we have been given and to the hard work and dedication it takes to maintain it... happy day!

rainbows

Menaka — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:11:52 GMT

we're off to great places, we're off and away, it's time to go back to the island, pack up our things here, time to start living in the now and be greatful for all that we can see fell and hear... with friends all around this transition will surely be graceful, with sanctuary in sisterhood i am feeling quite peaceful time to start packing, time to get busy, the hills are alive with the sounds of mantra's that will cary my sould to soaring hieghts, i hope this next phase of our life will bring a big bright light.

nomadic living is abundant

Menaka — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:53:37 GMT

we are on the move again, just like the wild lamma and pack of wild horses that walked by our little home in the golden woods of bc today, it was hailing and thundering in the middle of july and the god's were defintely at work, the lamma could sense it... so it's off to victoria for august and september we will plant some roots for a while there, anyone have a place to rent out? or to share? we are looking fore something in fernwood so we can be close to the girls school .. the meditation school .... Looking forward to the yogathon this weekend and spearhead in vancouver next weekend... All are welcome to support kids affected by hiv and aids to go to summer camp - all you have to do is check out campmoombayogathon.com or come on down on saturday from 1-7pm for a blissfest that will surely satisfy the soul.. you can click on teams and join our team if you so desire to praise the sun salutations and abundance of yogic living with us in team Radha Krishna! (we're at the bottom of the team list) breathe deep and praise god for the undeniable welcoming abundance that surrounds us all with love and light,

home is where the heart is in love

Menaka — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 08:20:36 GMT

we are back from our whirlwind and relishing in vancouver and her bounty, thyme to pause and reflect solstice now, the many gifts of summer are uppon us, may we grace this time with love, devotion, music, and laughter ! thank you mother earth for your splendid abundance. thank you brothers and sisters for your kind embrace

california

Menaka — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:35:54 GMT

another day of mega driving, and the redwoods took us where we needed to be, in garbersville, after driving through eureka at six pm hungry and tired, we got totally creeped out and had to just keep on driving, the mist was like a day in tofino, and then the skies parted around 8:30 and i know it's going to be hot and sunny tomorrow, the owner of this motel is from india and his brother is a hare krishna devotee from nigeria... go figure! it's on the lower end of the motel spectrum, but there's a pool, a health food store one foot next door, and a hemp hut across the street (it's not a total dive, but it's close... no running water in the sink..??-too tired to complain) we are so tired from driving, and now it's time for sleep... tomorrow is amma and gurudev in the same day!

California here we come

Menaka — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:24:18 GMT

well we drove and drove and drove and drove until we just couldn't drive anymore, and alas we made it to Eugene oregon, i have heard so much about this place, and met so many amazin folks from around here, and i must say it is amazing and i want to live here after only being here for 24 hours! the people are nice, the places and scenery are wonderful, and the comunity newspaper just says it all regarding what's happenin, mvin and a shakin, sad to leave because we didn't quite get to stay long enough, but the travelling gypsy car must keep on cruising, hoping to get close to san fransisco today, and then tomorrow we will drive to outside badger for the hare krishna love festival with our family and friends from all over, if i'm really fortunate and we have some mercy we'll make it to san ramon to visit amaji's ashram, but that will have to be on the way..... this train is bound for love and krishna! Wishing now i had done this years ago in my hippy meca early twenties, but greatful that we were able to make it this far! i really am blown away that america could be so cool, i'v allways had this 'oh america sucks' vibe, and it was only relative to my experience, seek and you shall find! any more travel tips any of yu folks have are greatly appreciated, ------i can't believe how cheap organic food is around here! i'm really in shock that in canada we pay ten bucks for an organic pound of butter and it's only five here , i mean understandably about the travel costs proximity etc. etc, but come on they have a freaking health food store in the fred meyer (which is like walmart, but totally noto walmart) ---- Canada has some catching up to do, especially in the yogurt department, a five dollar one litre tub of yogurt is only 2.50 here, in fact for 4.50 you can buy almost tripple of that in the big nancy tub, it's almost reason enough to try to emigrate, we could actually feed our selves with money left over! okay that's a little extreme, but it's something to be greatful for here, i wonder how much yogurt we could bring back without it going rotten? ... hmmm... reason to come again! time to hit the road and feed the soul now... namaste

hopin and a prayin

Menaka — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:16:05 GMT

two more sleeps till we hopefully drivve the 101 to california for the purebhakti.com yoga retreat/blissfest outside of badger cali, (i mean really hopefully because work is pulling my dear partner into time commitment work land) ...... we are in need of wireless spots along the way, won't be hard to find i'm sure, I haven't been past portland so this is a highly anticipated journey...it's not the tropical paradise of my dreams but i'm sure there is lots of organic goodness to relish in any one out there recomend places to stay / visit eat along the oregon trail and in or around san fran, eugene is on the trip already but any other local tribal spots to camp or explore would be greatly appreciated, love light and vacation prayers.

home sweet home

Menaka — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:27:26 GMT

ahhhh the fluffy green grass and sounds of grandparents tickling their grand children, it really feels like spring

ready to go home

Menaka — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:55:46 GMT

woo hoo i am leaving for bc in two sleeps, I will kiss the ground when i touch it, breathe the fresh air, reunite with so many loved ones, and happily head to the mountains to make many fires to warm our family, as well as plant the seeds for our summer happiness.... i am soooo excited i could sing out loud all day long from now until then, even sweeter is that i am no longer in the united states of america, having visitied five states in five days i am ready to stay in canada for as long as it takes to find that peace of mind again.... god bless fresh air and tall trees amidst the foothills of glorious mountains of health and wellbeing

spring is here i can hear it

Menaka — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:51:49 GMT

walking through icefields and sun light with grace, all the way to Virginia, oh boy should be fun... We're steppin out the door of ottawa after a long cold winter bring it on spring!

Stop bullying, and Day of Action for Kenya

Menaka — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:45:57 GMT

Today is an international day of action to demand justice for Kenyan's and reach out in their plight for safety and non-violence.... also it is a day of action to stop bullying, weather you wear a pink ribbon or just care, think about these important days and reach out and love someone! http://amnesty.ca or http://amnesty.org has some relevant information and actions you can take if you want to speak out for the voiceless... a change is comin, and it starts with each of us taking the initiative to stand up and speak out.

My first trip inside of Parliament today

Menaka — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:32:03 GMT

well, after spending five of my six months in Ottawa, I'm actually going to enter the doors of Parliament hill (okay i've been there i'm not that bad of a tourist, but they were closed for tours whenever i've showed up) for what I hope will be an eventful and enthusiastic oppostition to Harper and his little side Kick Stephan Dion, whom you would think is the passionate opposition, but he keeps falling into manipulation and pressure. I hope today he is ready to rise up to the confidence vote, which will hopefully call an election..... What is it with all the media saying Canada isn't ready for an election? Like when will we be? when 78 more Canadian soldiers die in Afghanistan? When the working class all get laid off? when there are no houses left to live in? when charities go under because the government continues to not support them? When kids at school are being gunned down or beaten daily? THE TIME IS NOW CANADA___ we have to get off our buts and get galactivated before we are manipulated further. I must say that although I'm no liberal supporter I am shocked and sick that Stephan Dion has tried to challenge Harper on many things and almost always finds a compromise, I thought he was a gutsy French man, but now I see he's afraid of somthing.... Luckily Jack Layton knows how to dish out the voice of many of us, and Poor Elizabeth May is often withheld from debates even though she is very intelligent, receives 8+% of the vote and we the tax payers are paying her to represent her party... what kind of democracy is that? And although I'm no Bloc Quebecois supporter at least they are smart enough to understand that war is falling to shit, and that Canada should withdraw from a military 'combat' role in 2009 also like his opposition counterparts are saying... I hope that even though it's snowing there are enough people outside to make some real noise and wake the sleeping country representatives up and realize that we have too have a war at home and a little bit of help to reduce poverty, provide sufficient housing, and deal with the ghastly reality of Climate change is in dire need!!!! David Suzuki's in town so perhaps he can help stir the melting pot along with the people representing the alternative budget and policy making.... a change is comin, and it's going to be grand, i have faith that the powers that be will fall and this country can finally stop military combat in the near future and start dealing with more urgent problems than our 'role' in Afghanistan(which is a mystery and loosing support as the bodies mount) Lets hear it for Social Housing, and Environment that is in Protection, Bridging the gap between the very rich and the people working so hard and struggling to get by.... Where there is a budget reading there will be the noise makers!!!!! ok now i have to brave the snow and keep this fire a roarin!

Hare Krishna Love festival coming to Richmond Vedic Cultural Centre, and is absolutely FREEEEEEE!!!!!

Menaka — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:35:05 GMT

My beloved srila gurudev is the guest of honour for a two day bhakti yoga, love, kirtan and yes free festival on April 18-19. The event and will be something different than your usual Kirtan and bhajan, and is a long anticipated event- Narayan Maharaj has been travelling the world since 1952 spreading love for god and teaching bhakti yoga... He has not been in Canada since 2001 where we had a retreat on Salt Spring Island in his honour. a temporary link is below: (a friend of mine is still working the kinks and uploading more info bits as the days progress): http://cgbwebdesign.com/gurudeva/index.html or check out http://purebhakti.com for more of an indepth look at bhakti yoga All are invited to share this blessed occasion and relish in the mellows of love for eachother and for love of God, life and his divine grace who is so humbly giving his love and shelter to all walks of life. a further update will come sooner to the date! love and respect Namaste

FAIR TRADE CHALLENGE : Valentines' Day....

Menaka — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 02:17:56 GMT

I wanted to pass on a challenge to y'all, Starting February 14th organizations and peeps all across Canada are comitting to purchasing and consuming only Fair trade coffee, teas, and blissfull that oh so seductive cocao. or chocolate as you may know her... the challenge has been spearheaded by Fair Trade Manitoba, and I am participating with Trans Fair Canada, where i've been volunteering lately, thanks to being in Ottawa. The challenge is not too hard considering many of us consume that anyway, and it's all accessible in many places. There is a registration to show the world how many people really care at the end of it all which only takes a minute or two, if you head to : http://www.fairtrade.ca and more information can be found at : http://transfair.ca It is also inspiring to note that Manitoba has some pretty progressive things happening right now, you may remember that they are home to Leaf Rapids which is the first town to commit to banning the use and sale of plastic bags. And most recently I found out that two towns in Canada have been declared Fair Trade Towns, one of them is in Manitoba. From classrooms to boardrooms people everywhere are acknowledging the right to a fair wage, sustainable way of life, and a prosperous future. (no i'm not moving to manitoba, but i hope we bc'ers can learn from their happenins) I am wishing to strengthen the grass roots movement for Canadian farms to become fair trade certified, (which is so much more than a logo and pricey price.) So far we produce and sell many products that are c certified Fair Trade, but no actual produce or fresh food is on the market with the commitments outlined by Trans Fair or FLO (the european branch) This means that local communities could have even more opportunity towards support and guidencein their lively-hoods towards self sufficiency, and a healthy life. It is apparent that many parts of the world are exploited in unnecessary ways for labour, violence, sex and other things. Canada has it's fair share of exploitation although it may be on a smaller scale compared to workers in Cope Devoir pickin' cocao for nestle, Spread the word and happy trails on your path to eco-lution.

check this site out: dosomegoodnow.com

Menaka — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:36:53 GMT

Hey sista's and brothers, i just want to put out a really awesome link, a friend of mine is working on a project in Sacramento and Burkina Faso Africa, the mission is sustainable houses being built here and there, they are training masons to build earth and living roof homes in Africa.... for every person who hits the site, they gain support for the movement. tis a beautiful example of making a real leap of faith and helping heal this earth... http://dosomegoodnow.com http://ljurban.com just spreading the werd about eco sustainability and the positive things in life! peace

winter birthday land

Menaka — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:21:20 GMT

well, i'm 27 this morning, 27 years ago a sixteen year old young woman was delivering a baby and it was me, Upon hearing my mom's 'news' at the age of 15, my grandmother had wanted my mom to have an abortion and of course that didn't happen and my mom went solo. ... . I have to admit I had a rough childhood, poverty, abuse, neglect, but love allways prevailed, in the end I didn't turn out so bad, and get along well with my mother and grandmother to this day. Now i look back and see that there are so many things I have accomplished, and things that I have yet to accomplish but am determined to follow through with, like living on a farm, finishing my university degree, traveling to california, to india, all things i wish to still do and darn it why can't i? lookin back i feel very blessed to be surrounded by a beautiful loving supportive partner, (something my mom never had until I was 13) and although I kind of followed in my mom's footsteps by becoming a mother young, laksmi was born when i was 19 and revati was born when i was 22, it was all worth the challenges, and I have no regrets, I love my children in a way I can't describe, and so today I'm lettting them stay home from school and we are going to celebrate life, family and girlhood! one thing that i have learned after all these years (haaa i'm not that old i know) is that dreams can come true, so don't give up on them!!!!! love and respect in all directions, Thank you God for showing me your love, and thank you Blessed Mother for the gift of life. Namaste

blessed be the changing thymes

Menaka — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 02:00:49 GMT

what life brings allows us to sometimes be working to focus on the positivity, thank goodness for the changing winds, i see spring on the horizon....

rising up

Menaka — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:26:38 GMT

Blessed be Dr. King. I hope that we can all keep our dream alive.

everything changes

Menaka — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:45:24 GMT

my poor me self pitty has got to go!!! AHHHH it's like a tumultuous wave that comes and flows by, i think it could be the winter blues, or maybe that my girlfriends are way too far away spacially, but i know this much everything changes, and with pain comes light, and with love comes laughter, with hope come prayers, love will guide me to my senses, so greatfull i must be, constantly reminding myself and everyone around me that it really isn't that bad, just because you don't get what you want when you want it doesn't mean it can't happen, life is a learning curve, and mine for sure has taught me a lot, i hope that i never stop learning to be greatful, and that i never stop changing, i love change, i am one of those folks who changes her furniture around ten times a year, it's cleansing and puts things into perspective that every material thing in this world is temporary, and that love never dies, especially when you water it. so bring on the water ! I am glad to know that this funky time too shall pass, and that loving arms are all around me, i just have to remember they are there! shanti shanti om namaste

love is real

Menaka — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:20:41 GMT

love is the light that guides my way through the dark, it's what helps me swim when i feel like i'm drowning with rocks in my pants love is real, love is now, love is yesterday, love will allways be, thank you god for loving me, for showing me that through the pain, love still shines and lifts us and thank you God for friends to share, for warm children to cuddle, and for hopes and dreams, praise jah,

the tides of change

Menaka — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:05:55 GMT

well, as it would happen there was a serious blizzard in our neck of the woods, and boston didn't hapen .. yet. seeking an adventure is fun, and the unknown can be even funner. Thanks to some pre-contract confusion it will take a bit more time to iron out the kinks of our trip, maybe a week maybe two, maybe a month, until then i'm happy to know that there is adventure on the horizon in the forseeable future. wait a minute life is an adventure allways! no need to be impatient, as amma says to me in my kitchen prayer: 'children, spiritual life is possible only for one who has patience' i'm ready for my spiritual life mother! Is patience something that just comes or does it grow... hmm... my mommyness would have me say that it grows. I just made a huge spue of my guts to amnesty international beggin, okay not begging, confessing, my deepest desire to be their next intern here in the nations capital, i will find out the day before my next birthday if i was shortlisted, I know it's a long shot but the prayer of deep intent is there and for that i will be patient. For now to pass the time i have the kiddies yes, the partner yes, but my deeper need right now is to serve my comunity, to feel comunity. The fam gets along quite alllright in my absence from time to time now, maybe even better so, It is refreshing to think that i will be able to volunteer at amnesty once a week, and at the fair trade headquarters once a week, and focus on unfolding the petals of yoga practice at least once a week - with deeper intent than i have given in the past. I have been reading Iyengar's light on life, and i must say that it has awoken my soul like never before, that i can find solace in knowing that it is indeed many guru's that will lead me on my path to perservere for inner peace and devotional service. Having said that I must say i am totally elated to know that my beloved srila gurudev, (whom I haven't seen in the physical realm for 7 years) is coming to bc in April, the day before my daughter Revati's birthday. It will have been five years since that he gifted us with her name on that very day she was braught into this world to live in this body. I want to personally invite all of you and anyone to come and meet him, not to be saved, or take him as a guru or anything like that, but to share in love and respect to the gift he gave us, the gift of chanting. It feels like eons since i have had kirtan, like a really really rip roaring you want to cry kind of kirtan. It should be blissful. So that's it, patience patience patience, and steadfast faith in pure love. Love for you, love for me, love for god, love for the kids, love for guru, love for the earth, for the people who cause harm, for the suffering, love for everyone. We all need a little love. there are limits in this life, but i wish to think that we can still accomplish our dreams even when our situation may not be in favour, so I pray for this, that I can find peace and patience in knowing that my dreams will come true, and that it is all happening in divine arrangement. namaste

living in the light

Menaka — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:53:09 GMT

when matters seem troubling thank goodness for the deep breath of life. they are saying this is the year to create, I'm off to Montreal then Boston this weekend. Anyone know of funky must see things on the way or in Boston? We're going for a weekend because of a business trip for Ramas work, Cambridge is probably where we'll be staying, but we're open to what the road has in store. travelling out of ottawa will surely gladden the spirit