• by Dawn King • Last week we celebrated World Oceans Day (June 8). As vast and important as our oceans are, couldn’t we devote a month…or all year, to recognizing their amazing function in our very existence? And the incredible coincidence of how the Sun, Moon and oceans and weather work in conjunction to make Earth habitable. This doesn’t even take into account all the food we derive from the ocean. The more one learns about Nature, the more we are in awe, and the more we find that a “coincidence” seems unlikely.
Sunburst Founder, Norman Paulsen has explained that humanity is standing on the threshold of a quantum leap into a dimension of consciousness we’ve only dreamed of, a state of awareness in which we experience God existing in all beings, and all of Nature. How much more we will enjoy life when we open ourselves to this awareness!
Norm also tells us repeatedly that we are here to be co-creators with the Divine, as well as caretakers of this rare garden planet, and caretakers of each other. “Your sincere efforts will help heal humanity and our Mother Earth, and inspire others onward toward virtue. Your work will become a portrait of God within you.”
I’m sure the Divine wants us to realize how precious all of Earth’s resources are. So here’s a few facts about the oceans and water that may be new to you:
The total amount of water present on Earth is fixed and does not change. Powered by the sun, water continually circulates between the oceans, the atmosphere and land. This circulation and conservation of Earth’s water, known as the water cycle, is a crucial component of our weather and climate.
Earth’s water is always in movement. Water changes states between liquid, vapor and ice. These processes happen in the blink of an eye or over millions of years. Today, about 71% of Earth’s surface is covered by water. But a few billion years ago, there may have been little to no surface land visible at all.
• by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • The lives of the saints and prophets are expressions of divine Spirit, to show us the way to live if we want to meet and know God—if we truly want to be in an eternal existence with the Divine. Every man and woman alive who has felt true love, true peace, and seen true beauty, wants to live in that energy forever. We all want to see the sun rise tomorrow and feel its warmth, see the blue sky, feel the wind in our face, smell the fragrance of the flowers, and hold and touch those dear faces and friends. Yes, we all want continuous life.
If we want continuous, or eternal life, we must seek it where we were told we could find it. We have to make an effort to meet God. But how can we accomplish this? How can we become more like our divine Father and Mother, to draw that Presence into our lives?
I find that God’s power responds almost immediately when it is for the benefit of others that we pray. We then see miracles and the presence of the divine power working. For the most part, when people pray and ask for things for their own self gain, God doesn’t acknowledge this, and people wonder why. It’s because we aren’t fulfilling divine law. God is constantly giving and serving every particle of creation in every moment. When we can align ourselves with this energy, the floodgates are released, and the divine power can flow through us.
When we are more concerned with helping those around us than we are with helping ourselves, then we can see God’s power working. God watches the humble servants who have become more concerned for the welfare of their brothers and sisters than for themselves. Then God says, “I have to help her (or him), because nobody else is going to. He (or she) is too busy helping everyone else.”
I’ve seen it over and over again, that God takes care of the humble servant, miraculously. Those who set their own desires aside, and entertain the one desire to serve God, have all things added unto them. God loves them so much, and loves divine communion with their souls. God’s living presence becomes so strong within them that every desire of their hearts is miraculously fulfilled.
When you are one with God, you say, “Lord, I gave that desire up; it really doesn’t matter anymore.”
And God says, “That’s alright, just take it anyway.”
But then you can give it all away if you want to. These are the things that we see, that God does for us. Humble servants for God have seen miraculous power at work to build things for the betterment of all human beings.
• by Dawn King – photos by April Juels & Dawn King • After many months of Covid restrictions, Sunburst hosted a well-attended Kriya I Retreat (May 12 through 15). Sunburst’s Kriya II retreat is planned for October. Call the Sunburst office if you’re interested, or want to reserve your place in the next Kriya I retreat, January 2023.
Spring has blessed the Sanctuary with normal rains. Flowers gardens are blooming and Sunburst members are revitalizing the produce garden.
Deer can be seen caring for their fawns. Bluebirds are in abundance, and the hay field is growing daily. Each Sunday, 10:30 a.m. group meditation is followed by refreshments and fellowship, offering wonderful opportunities for enjoying the beauty of Sunburst Sanctuary and those who attend.
• by Barbara McCaughey • Oh Mighty Spirit, my Mother, my Father, my Creator, we are thankful you have given to us a mission to be good and faithful stewards of our planet. We are blessed to be surrounded by flowers and plants. Under our watchful care, they spring forth in beauty. Their form and their exquisite color remind us of the perfect idea that created them, and that you are present everywhere. We are blessed to be surrounded by animals who count on us to respect and protect them. Might we give them their rightful place in this creation and might they in turn give to us their wisdom. Help us to make the choices that will harmonize our heart song with the song of creation. Amen
We’ve all been told that if we listen to our conscience it will keep us on the straight and narrow path. The conscience is God’s life in each one of us, communing with us and directing us, unimpeded by the chatter of our minds. When we seek to live a virtuous life, we are willing to sit and listen for the voice of conscience before we act.
When we hear the directive and act on it, we can see the result of our actions. We notice that they either bring us joy or they bring us pain. Our Divine Mother and Father love us unconditionally. There is no judgment from our Divine Parents.
But when we don’t feel the joy that is our birthright, we can look honestly at our choices to help us change that which keeps us from union with the consciousness that we’re here to express. When we have this personal relationship with God we recognize it in all life. We see other beings, our brothers and sisters, plants and animals, as teachers.
In this world of images, our greatest challenge is to know we have been given the creative force. We must look through the images in order to bring into manifestation our divine nature. Let’s call into us today that life force. Let it move through us, and inspire us. Then let’s give it back in service and love and apply our will to look honestly at how we can strengthen a permanent union with all we hold dear.
• Dawn King, Sunburst • Often, I ask my closest companion, God, to let me see through his/her eyes so I can understand better what in the world is going on here. But when I’m outside in Nature, I invite God to enjoy this beautiful creation with me through the sensations I experience. What a joy this brings to me and I know God feels it as well. I’ll tell you how I know; here’s an example.
I went birding for the first time with Cary and some friends in Santa Barbara. I’d been so wanting to go birding with others and, was thrilled to take this opportunity. The group was going to Lake Los Carneros, “home turf” for them.
Very soon in our walk, someone said to me, “Well…I don’t hear or see any birds right off.”
I responded, “In the distance, I hear a cacophony of birds, but can’t make out any particular song.”
Only a few minutes later, in a flash we had already seen extraordinary mating displays, I’d taken some great bird photos, and the group was very excited. Hal leaned my way saying, “You realize, it’s not this way every time we come out here. This is an extraordinary day!”
“I’m sure it is!” I replied, rememberingthe many times my husband Al and I havebeen in nature where joyous people excitedly commented: “We’ve never seen it like this before! This is extraordinary!”
Yes, life is extraordinary when we invite God to enjoy it with us. If anyone in your group is doing that, you might all get the benefit. It seems to be a contagious enjoyment. Below is a photo from my recent Nevada desert trip.
God loves to be with us. This is what the whole creation is about. – Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder
