James Pace, Until We Meet Again…; plus: SAVE Divya’s Kitchen! – Your SV Ayurveda Newsletter April 16, 2026, #14, Vol 16

On April 12, 2026, our dear James Pace departed from this earth. Nine years ago, almost to the day, Vaidya Mishra had attained mahasamadhi… James was an ardent devotee as well as expert of vedic sciences, particularly Jyotish. He would delight one and all with his insights into planetary alignments and conjunctions, interpreting upcoming stellar events in the light of individual lives. But his true passion was, and always remained, Ayurveda.

Having studied with many renowned masters in the USA as well as India, he spoke with confidence and eloquence on any/all ayurvedic topics, remembering details and Sanskrit terminology with great ease and clarity. But his passion and study of Ayurveda attained new heights when he met Vaidya Mishra and was introduced to Shaka Vanshiya Ayurveda in 2002, at a café on the upper West Side in Manhattan – New York City. It was a blissful reunion of ancient souls whose paths were crossing once more, in this lifetime… Soon after meeting Vaidya Mishra and for the next almost 15 years, James was fully engaged in helping Vaidya design and organize courses, scheduling and organizing tours for Ayurvedic consultations and events all over the USA, Canada, and Europe.

On a more intimate level, James was a gentle soul whose love for animals perhaps surpassed even his love for humans. Well, let’s retract that: perhaps he loved coffee more than anything or anyone else! Vaidya Mishra and he used to meet up at their favorite coffee shop: “Bucky’s” – Vaidya’s mischievous nickname for “Starbucks” – where copious amounts of chai and coffee would be consumed over several hours while they engaged in joyful conversations, discussing knowledge and planning out ayurvedic events.

Dear James, your love for Vaidya Mishra and Ayurveda has inspired so many, and will continue to do so, through all the work you have done over the years assembling, organizing, and helping perpetuate Vaidya Mishra’s eternal SVA legacy.

Even though you no longer walk this earth, your gentle imprint remains on our hearts – forever.

We wish you safe travels in the eternal celestial abodes, knowing full well you are in total bliss and finally reunited with your beloved Vaidya, assisting him in designing and devising new divine projects to spread the eternal science of ayurveda in heaven,

and on earth…

Vaidya Mishra took Mahasamadhi on April 13, 2017, leaving us an encyclopaedic SV Ayurvedic legacy that defies the passage of time. His “shakties” – divine creative feminine energy incarnations – have been busy spreading the SVA light through knowledge and courses, consultations, and most importantly food! Divya came to SVA when she was having health issues 15 years ago. Vaidya Mishra and Dr Marianne Teitelbaum helped her recover fully through SVA protocols. Divya discovered and experienced the power of SV Ayurveda and has, along with her husband and business partner – Prentiss, worked at spreading SV Ayurveda through books, and their delicious NYC based fully vegetarian and pranic restaurant. However, things have been tough of late.

As we are all aware, the world is going through a great rough transition – at home, as well as globally. We don’t lose heart because we know it is always a happy ending no matter how bumpy the ride; however, we still have to survive the darkest hours that come just before sunlight…

One of the most important things we can do at this point in time is to help and support each other stand tall and strong, by giving our attention, time, and even financial support to those in need, so that we can continue the journey together, because together we are strong-er…

Please scroll down to read more about Divya’s Kitchen and consider making a donation, even if you don’t live in NYC!

Shaka Vanshiya Ayurveda is here for us all, to make our everyday a SVA day for more bliss and more balance always …. Namaste!

SAVE

DIVYA’S KITCHEN

Dear friends,

If Divya’s Kitchen has ever touched your life, we invite you to reflect on what it has meant to you—and what it would mean not to have it here.

For 10 years, Divya’s Kitchen has been one of the most beloved healthy restaurants in NYC—a place where food is healing, community is real, and nourishment goes beyond the plate. We’ve been honored to serve many thousands of you, creating a space where people come not just to eat, but to feel cared for, restored, and at home.

Today, we are facing an urgent moment. With healthy, vegetarian, and vegan spaces rapidly disappearing in NYC under current economic pressures, preserving places like Divya’s Kitchen has never been more important.

We are seeking to raise funds to meet urgent financial obligations and secure the immediate future of Divya’s Kitchen.

What happens in the next few days will make all the difference.

This funding will also allow us to thoughtfully restructure our operations into a more resilient and sustainable model for today’s economy, while staying true to the values that define Divya’s Kitchen.

We are working closely with a trusted local restauranteur and industry expert to strengthen our business systems, refine our operations, and creatively evolve our menu—preserving our commitment to exceptional ingredients, healing Ayurvedic principles, and the deep care with which we serve our community.

This transition is not about changing who we are—it is about building a stronger foundation so Divya’s Kitchen can continue nourishing people for years to come.

If this space matters to you, please support us today and help us rebuild a stronger foundation for the next chapter. Every contribution and every share makes a real difference right now.

Thank you, and God bless you.

With love and gratitude,

Divya and Prentiss Alter

Founders of Divya’s Kitchen

PS: We would love to hear from you and welcome your Words of Support from your donation receipt. Thank you.

Take Vaidya Mishra “With You” – Everywhere You Go!

if you ever had the opportunity to meet Vaidya Mishra in person, or have encountered him via his many youtube videos or online courses, then you know what we mean! We all want to have him travel with us in this earthly journey, to help us in our decisions along the way, through the timeless wisdom and knowledge of SV Ayurved. And now we can! If you have not discovered our podcast channel yet, we invite you to look it up and explore the timeless teachings of SVAyurveda, as well as fabulous talks by other SVAyurveda doctors and educators.

We want to help you protect your purchase – there’s been an increase in lost/stolen packages.

To protect your shipment – in case your shipping address is not secure – we have now added the “signature delivery” option upon check-out on www.chandika.com and we highly recommend you select it to ensure your package is guaranteed to reach you after it leaves our warehouse. Kindly note we are unable to replace stolen/misplaced packages once they are confirmed delivered by the carrier of your choice.