I love travel, and I love food. However, my veganism complicates this natural pairing. It’s not that vegetables and grains and everything you need for an enjoyable vegan meal don’t flourish in almost every corner of the world. It’s just that exploring a country in which foregoing meat is an alien concept can present cultural and logistical challenges. It also requires that we view our dietary choices from a new perspective.

Sometimes life feels like you have been directed into the hidden abyss without any guideposts showing the way. Often this experience comes out of nowhere, just when you thought you had things figured out for a while. Well, luckily, the yogis of old were familiar with similar experiences which prompted the download of a certain yogic technique just for the very task of navigating the unknown. This simple practice is called the Shoonya gesture in Sanskrit. Shoonya means “the void” or the nothingness.

Gathering with friends for some backyard grilling is a favorite summer activity. The smell of food roasting with a refreshing beverage in hand – what’s not to love?! While everyone has their favorites that just taste better on the BBQ, it is almost always guaranteed there will be a few ears of corn roasting.

For all of us urban gardeners out there, we know how difficult it can be to find land to grow fresh produce. Dodging the shadows of high-rise buildings can become a serious skillset that too many of us have had to hone. That’s why creating a community garden is an ideal solution to your gardening woes that also helps strengthen ties to your neighbors.

While creating a community garden is no easy feat, here are 10 steps suggested by the American Community Gardening Association to get you on track:

Healthy Chocolate Smoothie *Vegan Recipe*

(Serves 4)

Looking for a tasty treat to cool off with that isn’t packed full of sugar? Give this smoothie a try! It’s quick and easy to make, but oh-so-satisfying. The rich cocoa powder, cinnamon and subtle sweetness of maple syrup may taste like an indulgence, but this smoothie is packing some real protein and nutrients; silken tofu, banana and almond milk all come together to make the perfect start (or end) to your busy summer days.

Ingredients:

As one of nearly 7.5 billion people who inhabit Earth, you should ask yourself whether or not you’re doing anything to make your time here meaningful. It’s important to leave your mark (and I’m definitely not talking about a huge carbon footprint) as a way to pay thanks. What I mean is to pay it forward and do your best to earn good karma. Luckily, there are numerous small acts that you can follow through with, in order to pay your rent here on Earth, so to speak.

Native Plants are said to be species of plants that occur naturally in a particular habitat, ecosystem, region, or territory without direct or indirect human actions. They are often recommended and encouraged for planters because of their inherent adaptation to the climate, soil conditions, and native species (in terms of protecting themselves and feeding native wildlife and insects). Let me give you a few valid reasons why you should grow native plants.  

Native plants help support and sustain.

Balasana / Child pose

Benefits:

• Calming resting pose.
• Gentle hip opener.
• It’s a thorough way to stretch your back a shoulders with minimally injury.

Foundation & General Alignment:

• Hands, forearms, elbows, forehead, knees, shins, and top of the feet are on the floor.
• Knees are wider than hip distance with big toes touching.
• Belly isn’t resting on floor or thighs.
• Shoulders are away from ears.
• Forehead can either be resting on floor, up

In college I had the privilege of attending a lecture that changed my life and how I view the world. The lecture was an integral part of my alma mater’s annual Wisdom Traditions series, and it was there that I heard Angeles Arrien, world-renowned author and activist, talk about her revolutionary book, The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer, and Visionary.

Summer is in full swing here in the Northern hemisphere, which brings mixed reactions: some revel in the long, warm days, enjoying innumerable outdoor activities, while others seek cooling respite from the sun's rays and thick humidity. In the ancient practice of Ayurveda, summer (particularly late summer) is the season of Pitta—the firey, transformative energy at work in both nature and the body. Pitta is the fire that digests food and thoughts or ideas, so it's essential, but can easily get too intense as things heat up.