From the first note of Adhara, I felt my mood change.  I first listened to it in my car in the midst of Los Angeles traffic.  Suddenly, I felt a soothing peace amidst an environment of grating tension.  Nirinjan Kaur’s voice is unique – both soft and powerful – with an intensely calming presence.

I practice Kundalini Yoga at Golden Bridge here in Los Angeles, and it was interesting to hear that so many of the chants played during a variety of different classes with different teachers are all right here on Adhara.  There is not one track on this CD that I did not like.  Not only is Nirinjan’s voice a pleasure to listen to, but each track is so well produced with such wonderful instrumentation that you can’t help but feel immersed in another world.

One of my favorite tracks on the album is “Triple Mantra,” which is a rare find on any Kundalini chant compilation.  Her version is perfect for an early morning Kundalini Yoga practice.  Its quick pace gets your blood flowing and helps to support breath of fire or any kriya where you build up to a fast pace, like spinal twist or cat-cow.

“Kaval Nain,” the last track on the album, is another favorite, uplifting and restorative.  It is great to chant along with while practicing yoga.  It keeps you going and inspires you.  And it’s also lovely to play at the end of a set during deep relaxation.

Whether you are new to Kundalini Yoga or a practiced master, or you are simply looking for a great, soothing album to listen to after a long day, Adhara is a fantastic addition to any music collection.

Take a listen and let me know what you think!

Sat Nam!

P.S. Adhara is available at Spirit Voyage as well as on iTunes.

But I digress.

Anyway, VeggieGril, for those who don’t know, is a restaurant here in LA that serves only vegan food, but much of their vegan food resembles traditional American fare like hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and carrot cake. Usually, I am not of fan of vegetarian or vegan foods made to look like meat, but in this case, I could be president of their fan club. I mean, their food is SO good. Orgasmically good.

They even offer a nifty service called “Curbside Pickup,” where, you order ahead, and as you are pulling into the parking garage, you call them, and they come down and meet your car in a pre-designated area.

But here’s where the situation got a little sticky last night…

I’d ordered dinner for me and a friend, and at the last minute, my friend asked me to change his side of steamed kale to a side salad. I called them, and as usual, they were very accommodating. By the time I was ready to hang up the phone (I was on a hands-free device, don’t get all freaked out), I was about to pull into the parking garage. “Hey, I’m just pulling into the garage, so just come down when it’s ready.”

“Okay see you in a few,” said the friendly voice on the other end of my bluetooth.

And so I entered the parking garage and started to wait. And wait. And wait. Finally, about 15 minutes later, I started to wonder what was going on. I took the elevator up to VeggieGrill, walked in, and sure enough, there was my food waiting for me like a kindergartner waiting for his Mom, who was clearly late to the pick up.

“I’ve been waiting down in the garage since we hung up,” I announced.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry,” said the man at the register. “I missed that you were already here when you called. My bad.”

And here is when VeggieGrill went from super yummy restaurant to epic pinnacle of all things in my world. The man at the register looked at the manager, who came forward and said, “Your meal is on us tonight, and for your trouble, here is a $25 gift card. Thank you for being a loyal customer.”

Amazing. Who does things like that anymore!?

I guess the old adage is still true: The best things come to those who wait.

This morning I was relieved to discover that I do, in fact, consume more than enough Vitamin D on a daily basis. Call off search and rescue. Crisis averted.

But in case you were wondering, adults should get between 400 and 800 IU per day of Vitamin D. Though, apparently, much more than 1000 IU per day isn’t so great for us, so be careful!

I get my Vitamin D from direct sunlight, fish oil capsules, my multivitamin, fatty fish like salmon, and fortified soy milk. Check it out for yourself, and make sure you are getting an adequate supply of Vitamin D everyday.

Good stuff.

Yes, eye cancer.

The American Cancer Society suggests people use alternatives like bronzers and self-tanning creams to get that golden glow.

Check out the article from the Associated Press for more info.