There is a spot on this property where three mighty cedar trees root together in a triangle creating a vaulted, protected, central glade below. This space draws you in, inviting a connection, a pause to listen, and quieten our minds and become present in that moment of beauty. One of the trees has a girth of almost 2-meters and is so tall it makes a visible home landmark from as far as the Moorish Castle lookout. The thick branches welcome you in, reaching out and upwards for the sky. They stand strong against the fierce gales that hurl off the Atlantic in the summer months. On windy nights, they moan, shake and call to us in our cosy beds.

When we first moved here we held fires under those trees, later it became a place to rest, a place to contemplate and gaze up into the branches; still later, a circle of flowers was planted, and one year we hung a swing from one arm, spending hours daydreaming, spinning, soaking up the feeling of being held by them. Now, it has become a place of offering: Abi and her boys created a mandala, a gesture of their gratitude – created from things collected, from the walks we did that week, from the land and sea, and the joyous celebration and wondrous family feeling of coming together in our home. If you create something in nature – a careful image, an honouring of beauty, an act of appreciation – it can help you tap into the inner light and deepen your connection to it.

It also has caught my attention each time I pass by it now, I pass much more slowly. I slow down and bow my head a little; it offers me perspective, a feeling of being filled with light and allowing that light to flow through and out into this world.

Thank -you Abi, Issac, Aaron & Seth.

carrot raita

Use heaped spoon measurements unless otherwise stated.

Serves 2 person

Recipe shared by our teacher Ganapati Aarya, as part of the Jivana Yoga Diploma. 

Raita is a very soothing dish, with the overall property of being cooling for the body.  It is recommended to serve with 1 – 2 cups of cooked rice and becomes a very cleansing and satisfying meal to have in the evening.  In Ayurveda, it is said to evoke a good night sleep.

For a variation on taste ¼ tsp lemon juice can be added and can be made with grated cucumber instead of carrot.  This raita can be used as a dressing over a salad, or roasted vegetables or accompanied with a spicy rice/grain dish or dal.   Fresh curry leaves can be found at your local Indian Store and when stored in the freezer keep their flavour up to 6 months. After fried briefly in oil they become a uniquely flavourful, and a crunchy surprise, as well as benefiting from their wonderful medicinal qualities.

ingredients

1 cup regular yoghurt

1 cup filtered water

½ cup carrot, finely grated

½ tsp ginger, finely grated

¼ tsp rock salt

voggarane

2 tsp melted coconut/peanut oil

¼ tsp black mustard seeds

¼ tsp cumin seeds

10 fresh curry leaves – torn in half

2 pinches turmeric powder

preparation

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk the yoghurt, add the water and whisk again until well combined.

2.  Grate the carrot and ginger using the finer side on a box grater/parmesan grater. Stir into the yoghurt, and add the salt. Set aside.

prepare the voggarane

3.  In a small pan over medium heat, add the oil and mustard seeds; when the seeds start to pop, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves and turmeric powder and fry for 30 seconds, swishing the pan around to allow for the spices to fry evenly, then turn off the heat, add ¼ cup yoghurt mixture into the voggarane, swishing the pan for the spices to fry evenly.

4.  Pour into the yoghurt mixture, mix well.

Serve with 1 – 2 cups of cooked rice, garnish with fresh coriander.

Goodness shared by Stacey