June 2020
Program Updates
Retreat Updates
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is with a heavy heart that The Sanga Initiative organizers have decided to cancel the Summer Retreat for 2020. We hope that all of your families are safe during these times, and we encourage you all to keep using online platforms to stay connected with TSI friends and family. For anyone that had registered for the retreat, we have processed your reimbursement and you should have gotten an email from TSI Finance confirming that your reimbursement has been issued. However, keep reading the newsletter as we have a very special announcement about an exciting replacement for this year’s summer retreat!
Camp Ignite Update
"Trust the wait. Embrace the uncertainty. Enjoy the beauty of becoming. When nothing is certain, anything is possible." - Mandy Hale
Hare Krishna everyone! We hope you are all happy and well :)
We felt this quote perfectly encapsulated the current state of the world and our situation. Although we are facing various challenges, we will continue to support one another and provide as many opportunities for the youth of our community to grow together.
Unfortunately, we have had to cancel Camp Ignite 2020. Due to ongoing uncertainty regarding COVID-19, we made this decision while prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of every Camp Ignite attendee. We eagerly await to reunite next year!
Although we will not have our regular Camp Ignite, we are working towards creating an online experience for any of our youth that are interested. We hope to have virtual sangas, team-building activities, and an international s'mores night! We will keep you updated with more details to come :)
What’s New
We are excited to introduce our first ever Online Retreat!
In the midst of all the personal and collective suffering being experienced throughout the world right now, there is only one permanent source of refuge: Krishna. His unlimited mercy is something that is always available to us if we have put on the correct lens to see it. As we aspire to become better devotees through experience, we must follow the examples of those that have experienced the most unbreakable shelter in the most trying of circumstances. How can we understand their moods of service? How do we remain unhindered while the reality of suffering surrounds us at every moment? How do we seek shelter and gain strength from the greatest of devotees?
Join us for our 3-day online retreat where we will have seminars, sangas, and enlightening discussions with our amazing guest speakers! Explore how to seek the eternal shelter (at home, of course) of our acharyas and their teachings!
Upcoming Events
We hope you’re staying safe and healthy during this unpredictable time. We are excited to be continuing our webinar series that will allow us all to stay engaged through discussion and association! Please check our social media pages for upcoming webinar dates:
Past webinars can be viewed here
-Food for the soul-
Vegan Southwestern-Style Quesadillas
Ingredients: Chickpea Filling
1/4 cup vegan/dairy butter
4 tbsp hot sauce (or any tangy, spicy sauce of choice)
pinch of chili pepper (optional)
pinch of salt
2 tsp granulated sugar
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp hing (asafetida)
1- 15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Ingredients: Vegan Cheese Sauce
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 1 hour until softened
1/2 cup vegan/dairy unsweetened yogurt
2 tbsp water
1/2 cup salsa (mix of tomatoes, jalapeño, lime, salt, and chopped cilantro)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
For serving:
8 flour tortillas
Squeeze of lime/lemon
Method:
In a heat-proof bowl, melt the butter and add in hot sauce, chili powder (optional), salt, and sugar. Whisk until the hot sauce and butter are completely incorporated.
Pour drained chickpeas in a medium bowl and mash roughly with a fork while leaving some whole.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is shimmering, add in hing and heat until fragrant. Add in the butter sauce mixture along with the chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Add in fresh cilantro and stir. Transfer to bowl and wipe out skillet to use for toasting the tortillas.
To prepare the cheese sauce, drain soaked cashews and pat dry. Add cashews and remaining sauce ingredients and blend until thick, creamy, and smooth. The sauce should be quite thick but if a thicker consistency is desired, heat the sauce in a pan over medium low heat until thickened further.
To assemble quesadillas, spread an even layer of the cheese sauce (1/3-1/4 cup) onto one of the tortillas. Arrange 1/2 cup of chickpea filling on top and place another tortilla over the filling. Transfer the prepared quesadilla to a slightly greased, hot skillet. Cook for 3 minutes on the first side while pressing down with a spatula. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side until golden brown.
Make an offering of these delicious quesadillas to Krishna. Serve in quarters with a fresh squeeze of lime and dig in!
Media Recommendations
Books
Kirtan
Lectures
Service in Times of Crisis - Radhika Raman Prabhu
The Science of Relationships - Bhuta Bhavana Prabhu
Sweet Mercy - HH Sacinandana Swami
Gods, Demigods, and Incarnations - HH Tamal Krishna Goswami