Happy Ganesha Chaturthi!

Today is Ganesha's birthday. Just in case you would like to know more about this amazing fellow, here is a little info.

Jai Ganesha! “Gan” means individual, or the smallest or cell. “Isha” means Lord, ruler. So, the meaning of the word Ganesha is ruler over the individual or cells forming under a guiding force. He is the single intelligence. He is the first teacher.

He is the first-born son of the Divine Mother. He is the presiding force of Sanskrit, of the chakras, of the stars, of gravity, of the peace we feel in yoga, and he resides in the Muladhara Chakra, the principle on which everything rests.

He awakens Kundalini Shakti. He is the Divine force that gives direction. Gravity holds everything together and Ganesh holds gravity.

In his personified form, he is the intelligence of man and the strength of the elephant. His massiveness consumes and contains the Universe. He is karma in action, because he shines his light so that we may see our karmas. He is the remover of obstacles. He consumes our ignorance, ego, attachments, aversions and fear of death.

Even if we don’t pray to him, he rushes to our rescue like a father. Even if our minds are noisy, he is filled with the sweetness of love and compassion for us. He is the primordial seer and the source of knowledge.

He is pranava (silent sound). He is OM, the ParamaGuru, the master of all teachers. And for all these reasons, he is our teacher. When we practice love and compassion, we are becoming Ganesha.

So for his birthday – chant his mantra “Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha” and eat some sweets. He loves sweets!

You could make some yummy pitta cookies as an offering - here’s a recipe below.

Pitta Cookies

Dry ingredients:
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup almond flour
1 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp loose leaf chai tea, or 4 tea bags
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cardamom
1 tsp baking soda

Wet ingredients:
½ cup yogurt or plant-based yogurt
4 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 340°F and grease two baking sheets, or line
them with parchment paper.

2. Put the chai tea in a coffee grinder or food processor and
grind for 1 minute, until it’s a fine powder. Dispose of any
large pieces.

3. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

4. Add the wet ingredients and knead with hands to form a
moist dough.

5. Scoop approximately 30 balls and space them out evenly
on the baking sheets.

6. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool on the baking sheets.

Enjoy!