Beet Salad with Tangerines and Pomegranate

The Vegie Head’s Signature Salad Stack

Baby Arugula Salad with Pears and Pomegranate

Raw Vegan Chocolate Pomegranate Cheese Cake

Raw Vegan Citrus Tart

Photography and styling by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

The Vegie Head’s Signature Salad Stack (this time I used baby kale instead of spinach):

Serves 1

• bunch of kale leaves
• 1 shaved pear
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced very thin
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tspn organic olive oil
• 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
• fresh pepper

1. In a food ring, layer the spinach leaves first, then the cucumber and pear
2. Repeat this until you reach the top of the food ring
3. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon, pomegranate juice olive oil and pepper
4. Gently remove the food ring, and pour the dressing on top
5. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and serve with a sprig of fresh coriander

Baby Arugula Salad with Pears and Pomegranate

Serves 2

• 2 cups young arugula leaves, rinsed and dried
• 1 pear, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 medium cucumber, sliced very thin
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tspn organic olive oil
• 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
• fresh pepper

1. In a large bowl with a lid, combine arugula, pears,cucumbers, oil pomegranate and lemon juice.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cover, and shake to mix.
4. Divide salad onto plates, and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Photos and styling by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Ingredients

• 1 bunch red beets (1/2 pounds scrubbed peeled and cut into 12 inch wedges)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (2 teaspoons)
• coarse salt
• ground pepper
• 1 tsp raw apple vinegar
• 1 bunch baby lettuce and spinach (1/2 pound trimmed)
• 2 tangerines (pith removed cut into 14 inch thick rounds)
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 medium pomegranate

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the juice of half a lemon, one and a half tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Add the prepared beet slices and toss to coat. Marinate for 1-2 hours. If you don’t like raw beets, you can roast them: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beets on a large piece of foil on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Fold foil around beets and crimp ends to form a packet. Roast until tender when pierced with a knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove beets from foil and let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 2 teaspoons oil with vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Add greens, tangerines, pomegranate seeds and beets and toss to combine.

Props, styling and photography by Olia Saunders.

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Raw Vegan Chocolate Pomegranate “Cheese” Cake

Crust

• 1 cup almonds
• 4 dates, soaked until soft
• 1/4 cup cacao powder

1. Place almonds in food processor and process until finely chopped.
2. Add dates and cacao. Process until well blended. Mixture should stick together when you pinch it.
3. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan lined with parchment paper. Make sure you press it well.

Chocolate filling

• 2 cups cashews
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup melted coconut butter

1. Blend all but the oil and butter until smooth and creamy in a high speed blender.
2. Add the last 2 ingredients and blend again to incorporate. The mixture is thick.
3. Pour over the crust.
4. Set in the freezer for a couple of hours.

Pomegranate filling

• 1 cups cashews, soaked for 2 – 4 hours
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup agave
• 1 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
• ¼ cup beetroot juice (optional, just for color)

1. Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender under smooth.
2. Pour on top of the base.
3. Place in the freezer to set. Once it’s set, the cheesecake can be moved to, and stored in, the fridge until ready to eat.

Photos, props and styling by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Serves: 4 or 5

Soaking time: 12 hours

Preparation and cooking time: about 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of almonds, soaked for at 12 hours, drained, rinsed and peeled
• 1 1/2 cups of water for soaking the almonds
• 21/2 cups purified water
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp raw sugar (choose lighter color)
• 2 tbsp agar agar (white color)
• 2 tbsp vanilla powder
• 1/4 cup raw agave nectar
• 1 pound (454 g) frozen unsweetened strawberries
• 10-12 fresh strawberries

1. To soften agar agar in a small saucepan, measure 1 cup of the purified water and sprinkle over the agar agar and soak for 5 to 15 minutes.
2. Bring the agar agar mixture to a boil. Stir almost constantly for 5-7 minutes or until the agar agar has dissolved completely. Add the sugar and stir well.
3. Blend the peeled almonds with 1 1/4 cups of purified water until smooth.
4. Add the almond puree to the hot agar agar mixture and stir well. Then add vanilla powder  - stir.
5. Pour into a shallow backing dish that has been slightly greased with coconut oil. Refrigerate until the dessert is cool and sick.
6. Use frozen strawberries pureed in blender with raw agave for the sauce.
7. Cut into the pieces and garnish with the sauce and fresh strawberries.

Photography, props and styling by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

2. Wholegrain Spelt Flour Sandwich with Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Arugula and Hummus.

3.  Open Wholegrain Spelt Flour Sandwich with Probiotic Raw Vegan Cashew Scallion Cream Cheese, Cucumbers, Radishes and Lettuce.

Photos by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Serves 2

Peanut Satay Dressing

• 1 cup unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter (raw or roasted)
• ¼ cup fresh pressed ginger juice
• ¼ cup green onion
• ½ cup water
• 4 soft dates (soaked if needed)
• ¼ tsp cayenne powder
• salt to taste

In a large bowl, gently toss all of the salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing and gently pour over the salad, just before serving.

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Blend for one minute or until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

Photos by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Crust

1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut
3 dates, pitted
1/2 – 1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil

Grind the walnuts in a food processor. Add the coconut, dates, and water and grind into a dough. Add the coconut oil last. Grind again into a mixture that will hold together when pressed in your hand. Place the dough in the fridge for a couple of hours. Use a cookie cutter to cut out round shapes.

Topping

1 orange
1 Grapefruit (or blood orange)
2 Clementines
Pomegranate seeds from a half medium Pomegranate
Handful Pistachios

Peel and slice citrus fruits. Place a couple of citrus slices on top of the crust. Garnish with chopped pistachios and pomegranate seeds.

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Serves 6

• 3 Medium Zucchini
• 5 Large Tomatoes
• Nut Cheese
• Marina Sauce
• Basil Pesto
• Spinach Walnut Pesto

NUT CHEESE

• ½ cup brazilian nuts, soaked for 6 hours, drained and dried
• ½ cup walnuts, soaked for 6 hours, drained and dried
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup water as needed

Process all ingredients together adding as little of the water
as possible until a fluffy consistency is achieved.

MARINARA SAUCE

• 2 cups sun dried tomatoes, soaked for 1 hour or more
• 2 soft dates
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Process in a food processor until smooth.

BASIL PESTO

• 2 cups basil
• ½ cup cashew, soaked for 6 hours, drained and dried
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Process in a food processor until smooth.

SPINACH WALNUT PESTO

• 2 cups spinach
• 1/2 cup walnuts, soaked at least 6 hours, drained and dried
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Process in a food processor until smooth.

FOR THE ASSEMBLY

Build individual portions on the plate instead of assembling in a large dish.

1. Wash your zucchini thoroughly. Cut into thin slices with a knife or vegetable peeler. Lay in a glass dish, and sprinkle salt on top. This causes the zucchini to release moisture, otherwise your finished product would be swimming in water. Set aside the zucchini. When zucchini has been sitting for a while, you will need to pour the water off.
2.  Put a layer of zucchini on a plate, top with marinara sauce, fresh tomato slices and nut cheese.
3. Top with a layer of zucchini and top that with basil pesto.
4. Top with fresh tomato slices and spinach walnut sauce.
5. Repeat steps 2 trough 4.
6. Garnish individual portions with basil leaves and cherries tomatoes.

I turn around for 5 seconds and what do I see? Our little rascal Pumpkin enjoying the lasagna!

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

2 cups hazelnuts
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons of water
1. Blend hazelnuts, cacao and coconut in food processor until finely ground.

2. Add dates, 1/4 cup at a time, processing after addition until well blended. If the dates are hard, soak them in 1/2 cup of hot water for 10-20 minutes.  Once softened place the dates and soak water in the food processor, fitted with the “S” blade.  Don’t add the additional water.

3. Add vanilla and process until combined.

4. Place the dough in the fridge for a couple of hours.

5. Once chilled use the 2 Tbsp cookie scoop to level off each scoopful. Decorate with nuts and pomegranate seeds. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Photos by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

• 3 medium/large avocados
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup lime juice

Blend the avocados, agave, lime in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy.  Allow to firm in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

Raspberry Sorbet:

• 1 pound (454 g) frozen unsweetened raspberries
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1/4 cup raw agave nectar

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender, using tamper for about 30-60 seconds.

Photos by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

1 cup oats (soaked over night, groats)
1 cup almonds (soaked over night)
1 cup sunflower seed (soaked over night)
1 cup walnuts (soaked over night)
1 cup red berries
1 apple
½ cup almond butter
½ cup dates (or agave nectar)
2 tsps cinnamon (add to taste)

Directions:

1. Let your oats and nuts sit at least an hour without water so they are not soaking wet. Chop up almonds or walnuts if you wish. Put oat groats, almonds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts in large bowl.

2. Process apple in food processor and then add in almond butter, agave/date paste, and cinnamon. Process until creamy, then pour over top of nut mixture, and mix well.

3. Dehydrate at 145°F for 1 hour, reduce heat to 115°F and continue until completely dry, flipping once during dehydration. Approximately 12-14 hours.

Photos by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Adopted from Rawmazing

It’s not easy to find raw, organic, vegan treats for dogs. And those that do exist are ridiculously expensive. Luckily, a couple of months ago I saw the Juice Pulp Dog Treats recipe on the Rawmazing blog. I thought it was a great idea, because I would now be able to make raw, organic, vegan treats for our puppy Pumpkin, without spending a fortune. I used the excess pulp from my apple carrot juice, but you can use any other pulp, just as long as you don’t include any toxic fruits or vegetables for your dog.  You also can grind these crackers and mix it with wet food. Btw they came out really delicious, and not only our puppy, but the entire family enjoyed them.

Recipe:

8 cups carrot apple juice pulp
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup ground flax soaked in 2 cups water for 1/2 hour

1. Mix all of the ingredients together and spread on non-stick sheets 1/4 inch thick.

3. Dehydrate at 145°F for 1 hour, reduce heat to 115°F and continue until completely dry, flipping once during dehydration. Approximately 12-14 hours.

Photos by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup walnuts
½ cup pitted dates
2 teaspoons coconut oil

Filling 

3 ½ cups cashews (soaked 2-4 hours and drained)
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
¾ cup raw agave nectar
¾ cup raw coconut butter
½ vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Celtic or Himalayan salt

Directions

Making the Crust

Place all of the crust ingredients except for the coconut oil in a food processor, using the “S” blade and process until crumbly. Sprinkle coconut oil onto the base of a spring form pan. Press the mix evenly into the pan to form a crust.

Prepare the Filling

Place all of the filling ingredients (except the blueberries) in a high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Remove about ½ cup of the paste (to make the top vanilla layer). Add in blueberries and blend again.

Pour the blueberry paste onto the crust, tapping to remove bubbles and make sure the cake plate is filled evenly. Pour vanilla paste on top and decorate with blueberries. Cover and place in the freezer until firm.

Photo by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Raw Vegan Raspberry (Strawberry) Key Lime Pie

Adapted from Heather Pace

Crust

1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut
3 dates, pitted
1/2 – 1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil

Grind the walnuts in a food processor.
Add the coconut, dates, and water and grind into a dough.
Add the coconut oil last. Grind again into a mixture that will hold together when pressed in your hand.

Filling

3 medium/large avocados
1/4 cup agave
1/2 cup lime juice
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Blend the avocados, agave, lime until smooth and creamy.
Add the oil, blend to incorporate. Pour over the crust.
Allow to firm in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

Topping

Use fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries (thawed and pureed in blender with raw agave).

Photos by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

What if Money didn’t Matter?

“If you say that getting the money is the most important you will spend your life completely wasting your time…”

Photo by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

I finally purchased a dehydrator and was really exited to try it out. All of the members of my family love Italian food, so I figured Italian-flavored chips would be a good choice. This was indeed a fantastic idea, and they came out absolutely delicious: both crispy and savory. I was so glad that everyone loved them!

So here is my recipe:

RAW KALE CHIPS ALL’ITALIANA

Dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free, nut-free, sugar-free, garlic-free, onion-free, vegan snack.

1. Place all the ingredients mentioned below in a high-speed blender. I use a Vitamix: select  Variable 1, turn the machine on and quickly increase speed to 10, then to High. Blend for 1 minute, using the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.

And as you can see, my kids Pumpkin and Sunshine loved the kale chips; they were even fighting over them

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Do you know what the seven worst categories of foods are? They are meat, dairy, eggs, sugars, cooked oils, processed salts, and flours. Fast food joints serve all of these and they combine each of them together all in one meal. This is not proper food combining. Each of these items requires different digestive juices to be broken down and digested. When the food products are mixed, as they are with any sandwich, the digestive juices neutralize each other and the food ferments and putrefies in the body. This is why many people carry around extra pounds of weight and have excess plaque coating their intestinal walls. It is the fermentation, putrefactive bacteria, and slew of other toxic chemicals that lead to cancer, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and many other diseases.

“The Western lifestyle is characterized by a highly caloric diet, rich in fat, refined carbohydrates and animal protein, combined with low physical activity, resulting in an overall energy imbalance. It is associated with a multitude of disease conditions, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arterial hypertension and cancer. Malignancies typical for affluent societies are cancers of the breast, colon/rectum, uterus (endometrial carcinoma), gallbladder, kidney and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.”-  The World Health Organization

Have you ever seen the videos where burgers from the most popular fast food companies were left out to rot and they did not decompose? Because of the additives and preservatives, many of these foods do not break down. French fries could sit out for decades and the structure of them would not change. Now imagine what happens when you allow these toxic items to enter your body. We cannot consider anything that will not decompose in nature to be food.

What people need to realize when eating at places such as Subway because of the “low calorie” count, or similarly, with following a diet such as Weight Watchers because they count calories, is that the calories are not everything. The problems we face in this country do not have to do with eating excessive calories as much as they do with eating food additives and genetically modified foods. Cancer will still develop if you eat one thousand calories a day of processed, chemically induced foods before it will develop if you were to eat three thousand calories of raw, organic plant-based foods.

Heart disease only threatens humans who eat animal products. Dietary cholesterol is found only in animal-based foods. In the China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell studied the dietary effects on blood cholesterol levels and determined that animal protein consumption by men was associated with increasing levels of “bad” blood cholesterol, whereas plant protein consumption was associated with decreasing levels of this same cholesterol. This tells us we should avoid animal products if we want to lower our cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease. Simply restricting calories will not prevent disease from occurring. The worst of the animal products are the processed meats and cheeses.  The University of Hawaii executed a study that followed nearly 200,000 men and women for seven years. The results concluded that people who consumed the most processed meats showed a sixty-percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer over those who did not consume processed meats. The staple of the Subway diet is processed meat. Other than their veggie option, each sub they serve is piled with processed meat and offers the choice of adding cheese. Meat is a major contributor to cancer and heart disease. Cheese is a major contributor to heart disease and cancer. The flours and gluten grains used in the bread contain compounds that trigger a variety of health problems. The refined sugars, sodium benzoate, and food coloring hidden in the condiments, bread, pickles, peppers, “fresh” fruit slices, and soft drinks compromise the function of the pancreas. The margarine made from palm oil that is in the cookies, and soybean oil in the bread, both oxidize the cells and cause inflammation, leading to weakness and fatigue. I noticed a middle aged man sitting in the Subway located inside of a local “health club.” He was wearing nice clothes and most likely makes a fairly decent salary. He was drinking a PowerAde and eating a sub with white bread. Why a gym or “health club” would sell these items to their members who are trying to make a positive lifestyle change is something that baffles me. Unbeknownst to him, drinking PowerAde may cause his blood sugars to fluctuate, and depletes his power. The flours and sugars also inhibit his utilization of nutrients. In this moment, he had been deceived by the power of the marketing industry.  “People may think they’re doing something healthy by grabbing a bottle of PowerAde instead of a can of Coke,” says Kara Gallagher, PhD, an assistant professor of exercise physiology at the University of Louisville, “but at ten calories per ounce, that PowerAde is almost as bad as a can of cola, which has twelve per ounce. Unless you’re exercising vigorously, you don’t need sports drinks. They have a lot of empty calories, just like anything else,” she says.

Partially because celebrities and athletes sell out and promote fast-food chains as being healthy, we are facing a societal epidemic of irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis. Because of the foods sold by fast foods corporations, we are witnessing degenerative diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, becoming increasingly common. These garbage foods also lead to cancer, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, and emotional disorders.

If you are a stellar athlete, or someone who is well known and well respected in society, you should be ashamed for selling out to these terrible corporations that are selling toxic foods that rob people of their health. Do you realize how many children look up to you because you inspire them? You are misleading them into a life of illness. I urge you to end any contract you have with them and start endorsing products that really are healthy.

“SUBWAY: EAT PROCESSED” BY JESSE JACOBY

Jesse Jacoby is a dedicated raw foodist who has devoted his life to the raw food movement. He abides by a raw, organic vegan diet, lives a natural lifestyle, and is compassionate towards all living creatures on Earth. Jesse is a longevity expert, nutritionist, certified raw organic nutritionist, certified lifestyle and weight management consultant, certified personal trainer, holistic health coach and author of “The Raw Cure: Healing Beyond Medicine”.

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Photo credits:
Photography: Olia Saunders
Models: Pumpkin and Sunshine

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

Image Credit: Lara Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

• Models: Sunshine (Lara Saunders) and  Pumpkin (3-month-old toy poodle puppy Cookie)
• Photography and graphic design by Olia Saunders

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

The ten health benefits of green smoothies was fist published by Victoria Boutenko & The Raw Family as Ode to Green Smoothie in January 2005

Organic Remix Conscious Living Journal

The Great Master’s teachings, “As many faiths, so many paths,” echoes the ancient words of Vedanta, “Truth is one, sages call It by different names” (Rig-Veda).  The following article originally appeared on ramakrishna.org

SEE GOD IN ALL

Krishna – He who sees the Supreme Lord abiding alike in all beings, and not perishing when they perish – verily, he alone sees.
Sri Ramakrishna — I have now come to a stage of realization in which I see that God is walking in every human form and manifesting Himself alike through the sage and the sinner, the virtuous and the vicious. Therefore when I meet different people I say to myself, “God in the form of the saint, God in the form of the sinner, God in the form of the righteous, God in the form of the unrighteous.”
Holy Mother — If you want peace of mind, do not find fault with others. Rather see your own faults. Learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger, my child; the whole world is your own.
Swami Vivekananda — This is the gist of all worship — to be pure and to do good to others. He who sees Siva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worships Siva, and if he sees Siva only in the image, his worship is but preliminary. He who has served and helped one poor man seeing Siva in him, without thinking of his cast, creed, or race, or anything, with him Siva is more pleased than with the man who sees Him only in temples.
Buddha — Goodwill toward all beings is the true religion; cherish in your hearts boundless goodwill to all that lives.
Guru Nanak — God is one, but He has innumerable forms. He is the Creator of all and He Himself takes the human form.
Jesus Christ — But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Judaism — You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason with your neighbor, lest you bear in sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Mohammed — All God’s creatures are His family; and he is the most beloved of God who tries to do most good to God’s creatures.
Native American — Every dawn as it comes is a holy event, and every day is holy, for the light comes from your Father, Wakan-Tanka; and also always remember that the two-leggeds and all other peoples who stand upon this earth are sacred and should be treated as such.
Rama — It is the shadow of the Paramatman that you see reflected in all the living beings as the Jivatman. Don’t you see the great sky reflected in each and every lake or river?
Sankara — Vishnu alone it is who dwells in you, in me, in everything; Empty of meaning is your wrath, and the impatience you reveal. Seeing yourself in everyone, have done with all diversity.
Vedas — The wise man beholds all beings in the Self, and the Self in all beings; for that reason he does not hate anyone.
Zoroaster — Forget self and identify Ahura Mazda in every being and in everything.

GOD IS WITHIN YOU

Krishna — I am the Self, O Gudekesa, seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all beings.
Sri Ramakrishna — Do you know what I see? I see Him as all. Men and other creatures appear to me only as hollow forms, moving their heads and hands and feet, but within is the Lord Himself.
Holy Mother — When one realizes God, He grants knowledge and illumination from within; one knows it oneself. In the fullness of one’s spiritual realization one will find that He who resides in one’s heart, resides in the hearts of others as well – the oppressed, the persecuted, the untouchable, and the outcast.
Buddha — The subject on which I meditate is truth. The practice to which I devote myself is the truth. The topic of my conversation is truth. My thoughts are always in truth. For lo! my self has become the truth.
Guru Nanak — As fragrance abides in the flower,
As the reflection is within the mirror,
So doth thy Lord abide within thee,
Why search Him without?
Jesus Christ — Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Judaism — Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not the holy Spirit from me.
Mohammed — He who knows his own self, knows God.
Native American — The first peace, which is most important, is that which comes within the souls of men when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its Powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Tanka, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us. This is the real Peace, and the others are but reflections of this. The second peace is that which is made between two individuals, and the third is that which is made between two nations. But above all you should understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is first known that true peace which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men.
Rama — Think that you are Parabrahman, you have no attachment, you are all-knowing and you are pure. Always feel like this and establish your oneness with the Paramatman and derive bliss within yourself without caring to know what is outside of you.
Sankara — Cherish your Guru’s lotus feet and free yourself without delay from the enslavement to this world. Curb your senses and your mind and see the Lord within your heart.
Vedas — There is one Supreme Ruler, the inmost Self of all beings, who makes His one form manifold. Eternal happiness belongs to the wise, who perceive Him within themselves – not to others.
Zoroaster — One need not scale the heights of the heavens nor travel along the highways of the world to find Ahura Mazda. With purity of mind and holiness of heart one can find Him in one’s own heart.

PERSEVERE IN YOUR SEARCH FOR GOD

Krishna — I am easy of access to that ever steadfast yogi who, O Partha, constantly meditates on Me and gives no thought to anything else.
Sri Ramakrishna — There are pearls in the deep sea, but one must hazard all to find them. If diving once does not bring you pearls, you need not therefore conclude that the sea is without them. Dive again and again. You are sure to be rewarded in the end. So is it with the finding of the Lord in this world. If your first attempt proves fruitless, do not lose heart. Persevere in your efforts. You are sure to realize Him at last.
Holy Mother — Continue to pray without losing heart. Everything will happen in time.
Swami Vivekananda — To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. “I will drink the ocean,” says the persevering soul, “at my will mountains will crumble up.” Have that sort of energy, that sort of will, work hard, and you will reach the goal.
Buddha — Search with sincerity and persevere in your search. In the end you will find the Truth.
Guru Nanak — Dwell on Him day after day, That thou mergest imperceptibly in His Name.
Jesus Christ — And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Vindicate me against my adversary.’ For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because the widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming’.”
Judaism — Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Mohammed — Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.
Native American — It may be that we shall receive no vision or message from the Great Spirit the first time that we lament [cry for a vision], yet we may try many times, for we should remember that Wakan-Tanka is always anxious to aid those who seek Him with a pure heart. But of course much depends on the nature of the person who cries for a vision, and upon the degree to which he has purified and prepared himself.
Rama — Keeping company with My devotees, always serving Me and My Bhaktas, fasting on Ekadasi, celebrating the festivals connected with Me, hearing, reading and expounding My glories, worshipping Me with continuous devotion, and singing of My excellences: If one follows these precepts daily, one gets pure devotion.
Sankara — The Atman that is Absolute Existence and Knowledge, can not be realized without constant practice. So one seeking Knowledge should meditate upon Brahman for the attainment of the desired goal.
Vedas — This Atman, resplendent and pure, whom the sinless sannyasins behold residing within the body, is attained by unceasing practice of truthfulness, austerity, right knowledge, and continence.
Zoroaster — Exert ceaselessly for the Glory of Ahura Mazda and for the good of the Universe.

TRUST COMPLETELY IN GOD

Krishna — Fixing your heart on Me, you will overcome every difficulty by My grace; but if from self-conceit you do not listen to Me, you shall perish utterly.
Sri Ramakrishna — What are you to do when you are placed in the world? Give up everything to Him, resign yourself to Him, and there will be no more trouble for you. Then you will come to know that everything is done by His will.
Holy Mother — If anyone surrenders himself totally at his feet, the Master will see that everything is set right.
Swami Vivekananda — Stand up for God; let the world go.
Buddha — Surrender the grasping disposition of your selfishness, and you will attain to that sinless calm state of mind which conveys perfect peace, goodness, and wisdom.
Guru Nanak — He who gives himself up to His supreme will, wins the goal. No other action counts in achieving this end.
Jesus Christ — Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or, ‘What shall we drink?’ or, ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
Judaism — The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his names sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Mohammed — If you rely upon God as He ought to be relied upon, He will provide you as He provides the birds: they go out empty and hungry in the morning and come back big-bellied at eventide.
Native American — All things give thanks to You, O Wakan-Tanka, who are merciful, and who help us all. We ask all this of You because we know that You are the only One, and that You have power over all things!
Rama — Do not be overjoyed if you get a fortune, neither should you be dejected if you lose it. Your mind should be well balanced. I, Rama, am the life of all souls. Your mind should be fixed on Me alone.
Sankara — I know no Mantra, Yantra, or Stotra; I know no invocation or contemplation; I know no stories in your praise; I know not Mudras, not even how to cry out; I simply know that to run to you, Mother, destroys all distress.
Vedas — Children pursue outer pleasures and fall into the net of widespread death; but calm souls, having known what is unshakable Immortality, do not covet any uncertain thing in this world.
Zoroaster — Trust in God and do the Right.

LOVE OF GOD IS ESSENTIAL

Krishna – But the great-souled men, O Partha, who are endowed with the divine nature, worship Me with undisturbed minds, knowing that I am immutable and the origin of all beings. Ever glorifying Me, always striving with self-control, remaining firm in their vows, bowing before Me, they worship Me with love and unwavering steadiness.
Sri Ramakrishna — Unalloyed love of God is the essential thing. All else is unreal.
Holy Mother — One’s love of God depends entirely upon one’s inner feelings. Love of God is the essential thing.
Swami Vivekananda — Giving up all other thoughts, with the whole mind day and night worship God. Thus being worshipped day and night, He reveals himself and makes His worshippers feel His presence.
Buddha — That which is most needed is a loving heart.
Guru Nanak — God is not pleased by obstinate penance nor by many religious garbs. He who fashioned the vessel of the body and poured into it, His ambrosial gifts, will only be satisfied with man’s love and service.
Jesus Christ — “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.”
Judaism — Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Mohammed — Whoever loves to meet God, God loves to meet him.
Native American — Wakan-Tanka, help us to walk the sacred path of life without difficulty, with our minds and hearts continually fixed on You!
Rama — Devotion is the only thing that is essential to worship Me. It is impossible for a person to see Me by the merit of sacrifice, austerity, charity, or by the study of Vedas or by performing the scriptural rites, if he is devoid of devotion to Me.
Sankara — Among things conducive to liberation, devotion alone holds the supreme place. The seeking after one’s real nature is designated as devotion.
Vedas — Under a golden brilliance the face of Truth lies hidden. Do Thou, O Protector, withdraw this cover, that I, devoted to Truth alone, may realize it.
Zoroaster — As the Fire on the censer consumes sandalwood so let the Fire burning within you consume your heart with love for Ahura Mazda.

THE ESSENCE OF RELIGIONS / UNIVERSAL TEACHINGS OF DIFFERENT FAITHS

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