From the Ashram Porch
 
Thursday, July 3, 2008
East-West June Views part 1
 
This June was a unique time for me, spending it half in India and half at the US ashram. But let me start from the beginning. June 5-6 was a new moon and a fertile zodiac sign - a time to plant vegetables and fruit (that grow above ground). So I did my initial planting, and a test to see how well planting by the moon & signs works. Then 7th June I flew from Albany to NJ, the direct to Delhi. This was the first direct flight I’ve taken. I really dont see it saving much time, but it is easier to check in in Albany (no lines) and avoid security at NJ where it is crowded. Reached Delhi, then drove up to Uttarkashi for the 75th anniversary of Shankar Math ashram.  rice patty fields in the Himalayas en route to Shankar Math  Ganga Ma, flowing very high and fast, and Loud  Shankar Math Ghat normally 4-5 steps more can be seen, are now under water the force of Ganga Ma  
A huge tent was constructed for the festivities. Here some swamis and pundits were giving talks.  and local school children performed - sang & danced After the festival, I returned to Delhi/Gurgaon area.
There I was introduced to a wonderful shop, Satya-Jyoti, that sells organic cotton clothes and fabrics made by sustainable farming and social entrepreneurism, helping women and men in troubled life care for an organic farm, animals, bees, and clothing making  My shishyas, Sanjay & Megha, outside the Satya-Jyoti shop in Gurgaon 
 Women surviving the tusnami make these little 2” dolls and people make donations for the dolls to support the lives of these women and their families. The dolls are a symbol of courage, vision, persistance, hop e, and more.  Artist, Megha Joshi,
Quickly sculpts a 
Maha Tsunami Doll
out of the little dolls,
and organic cotton 
balls. Now using only
 eco-friendly
materials, see Megha’s 
canvas on canvas art at
http://www.meghajoshi.in/  Organic clothing seen through the mirror  Ayurvedic fruit jams from the farm  the shop & shopkeeper 
organic clothes, organic ayurvedic jams & foods, and an inside look at the shop - inspired by Auroville. This orange swami has gone green!
I now have several organic cotton orange shirts made for me by Satya-Jyoti, by their award-winning designer. For details how to buy clothes, farm visits, how to intern, mentor, volunteer, or partner with Satya-Jyoti go to http://satya-jyoti.com/ ___________________________________________________ Back in USA at the ashram farm... 26th June I returned to find the fruits (and vegetables) of my early-June labor growing nicely. carrots, beets, kale, tomatoes, beans, squash, corn, melons, beans and more... Here, the cow manure from the organic cow farm has yielded a full bed of Lambs Quarters - a gift from Mother Nature - no effort and a yield to last the summer! (Some marigold and other leaves are also growing - I dont remember what I planted (ginger, turmeric, potato, yam). Lamb’s Quarters are highly nutritious, with beta carotene, calcium, potassium, iron, trace minerals, B complex; seeds have protein, calcium, phosphorus, and niacin. Plus they are ‘accumulators’ - that is, they extract certain minerals from the earth, even where there is little to extract. LQ accumulates manganese, nitrogen, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. This fits in with my theory, align with your God-vision & nature, and the abundance of life flows into and through your life; minimal work, maximum living in paradise.  A lot more pics, but I’ll just show one more; Amalaki bush!In America it is called Gooseberry. Looking healthy & happy, new bushes are said to fruit in 2 years. But there are plenty of wild raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and more around, so Mother provides in abundance for those choosing to live in paradise.  apples beginning to grow!  Backyard camping gazeebo & sleeping tent... mmm...summer living! Studying more about edible ‘weeds’ that proliferate and give you all the food & nutrition you need, and living by the Moon & zodiac signs. More in future blogs. I’ve been mowing the lawn in the waning last quarter of the Moon and in ‘barren’ signs like Aries. These are days to remove slugs too, but I don’t have the heart to kill them, so I just throw them out of the gardens...my compromise for now. The scythe is nice but I dont have the grass or hay growing that it cuts. So I got a weed cutter and a sickle, and will also get a sickle on a stick so I can swing it for faster work. It took 4 days of about 8 hrs a day to cut the lawn - part of the lawn - it was quite a bit hard work - so there has to be a better way. My neighbor suggested goats or sheep. I’m considering the sheep. Only two are needed for my size lawn... Will keep you updated (won’t pull the ‘wool’ over your eyes ; ) Happy Summer! Peacer, Paradise, Love, Gratitude,
Swami Sadashiva Tirthahttp://www.meghajoshi.in/http://satya-jyoti.comshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1