“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”– Maya Angelou
A recent hike through one of Sunburst Sanctuary’s deep canyon oak forests proved to be a magical wonderland. Hundreds of butterflies cavorted pell-mell through filtered sunlight, creating a fairy-like landscape. Some were white, some blue, some had orange wing tips. There were also Mourning Cloak butterflies, and Western Tiger Swallowtails (shown above), even a Monarch or two.
Above, left to right: Cabbage White, Sara Orangetip, Clouded Sulphur. Row 2: Echo Azure, Monarch, Mourning Cloak.
Flowering plants and butterflies go together, and both bring us joy. Butterflies are also seen as a symbol of the soul and transformation, of renewal, hope, and courage. Each of these is associated with the “fire of life,” and the act of surrender, sacrifice, or resignation that is required to make a change, just as the butterfly goes through three stages of development before getting its wings.
At least one Native American tribe believes the butterfly will deliver a prayer to the Great Spirit. You may unconsciously associate butterflies with being lighthearted and free. Some people ascribe different personal meanings to the different colors of butterflies that they may encounter. Whenever you see a butterfly, enjoy the beauty and appreciate whatever personal message you receive. These lovely creations definitely brighten our days.
“Happiness is a like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne
by Dawn King • It was early morning and I was about to crack an egg into the frying pan when my husband startled me, and I jumped. The egg flew from my hand onto the top edge of the dishwasher door, which was slightly ajar. Next it careened onto the laminate floor.
I’ve dropped eggs a few times over the years, each time resulting in an eggy, gooey mess. But this time a miracle—the egg was intact. Though the shell was cracked, it still clung to the egg. The membrane inside was unbroken, so nothing leaked out. “Whew!” I exhaled.
Instantly a Divine message entered my consciousness. “I AM taking care of you, just like this egg.”
“Wow!” a feeling of relief came over me. Like so many of us since Covid arrived, my whole life has been in tumult for a number of months. Various circumstances have compounded upon the situation, leaving us in a state of worry and uncertainty about the future.
Ideally, we would live in the present, unconcerned about tomorrow. But even the birds outside my window prepare for tomorrow.If they’re acorn woodpeckers, they gather acorns and stash them. And all birds make nests in preparation for the coming of a new brood.
Humans not only want to prepare for tomorrow, but want to feel that there’s safety in the future. This is hard when life throws you a sudden, unexpected challenge. It can be hard even when you see the challenge imminently bearing down on you. What to do?
Sunburst’s founder Norm Paulsen seemed to advise meditation as the solution for everything. The longer I live, the more I learn how effective regular meditation, and devotion to Spirit is. Through meditation we learn to realize and reflect on the many gifts of Spirit in our lives. This leads us to love the Divine, and want to be closer to, and more in harmony with our Creator.
Norm once said: “Each time that we meditate, the imprint of our heart’s love leaves an eternal picture in the mind of our Creator.…We are part of immortal life, here in this world for such a short time.…We were each created perfect in the beginning. Let us strive to regain our perfection.”
From the Divine Heart of Love, we have each come. Divine Love is the Seed within each of us. When we connect with that Seed and nourish it, in turn it nourishes our spirits. If the ability to meditate eludes us, we can still reflect on the blessings of each day, and develop love by loving those around us, realizing they too are divinely created and sustained, just like us.
Love inspires Faith in us that helps us hear and know the truth of its message: “All is well; I Am taking care of you. Seek me and listen.”
Today we honor the memory of Paramahansa Yogananda, and his mahasamadhi on March 7, 1952. Mahasamadhi is a final, intentional and conscious exit from the body.
by Fredd Dunham • Paramahansa Yogananda was an amazing being, a modern day saint, who was born into this life fully conscious of who he was before, and where he was going in this life. He expressed the frustration as an infant of not being able to communicate, with many languages running around in his head. His parents lived a spiritual lifestyle in harmony with each other on their spiritual path. He became a member of the Swami order and his name was changed from Mukunda to Yogananda, which means bliss through union. On March 7, 1952, for the final time he consciously left his body in an incorruptible state; over the next 30 days it did not decay. This made headlines in the L.A. Times.
Yogananda was an avid traveler as a youth. Throughout India he met and conversed with sages, saints and yogis of all persuasions. In 1920, he was sent by his teacher, Sri Yukteswar, and Babaji to America to teach Kriya yoga meditation in the west. He founded Self-Realization Fellowship upon arrival, and spent 15 years traveling around the U.S. speaking in the largest halls available to sold out crowds. People came to hear this amazing man speak so eloquently about his experiences with God, and how yogic teachings were the same as the teachings of Jesus.
In 1935, tired of traveling, Yogananda concentrated his energy on building S.R.F. as a legal religious organization in California. He attracted souls that were seriously interested in obtaining God realization themselves. In the 1950s, he developed the Los Angeles Lake Shrine Temple and Gardens. A beautiful 5-acre lake is surrounded by a walkway and lush gardens. When built, it was a landmark in L.A. It includes a world peace shrine holding ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, who had been a friend of Yogananda.
Yogananda personally instructed over 100,000 people in the method of Kriya yoga meditation. He was indefatigable in his effort to work for Spirit so that every soul could reach its ultimate goal of illumination while leading an active life. Yogananda touched thousands of people when he was alive, and ultimately millions of people through his book, Autobiography of a Yogi.
My life was first touched by Yogananda in the late sixties when I was living in a small trailer. Yogananda’s student, Sunburst founder Norman Paulsen, had previously started teaching Kriya yoga to interested young people in this very same trailer. I came across Autobiography of a Yogi and started reading. About halfway through the book, I decided I would try to meditate.
I sat down on the bed and closed my eyes, doing my best to meditate without any instructions. A gigantic vortex of light came down into the room and surrounded me, like a whirlwind. I felt the life-changing touch of Divine Spirit, and shortly thereafter met Norman and moved to Sunburst Community where he was continuing the work of Yogananda.
God is for everyone. We can know God through a personal, direct experience of the Creator; it’s for each and every one of us to make that connection and know our destiny. Oh mighty Spirit, all you elders and saints in the light, be thou with us now. Touch each one of us; inspire us onward that we might know you, Oh Christ Spirit come into us, fill us with your divine radiance, and lead us in this life, closer to you and all the angels. Amen
Light on Sunburst Sanctuary – Springing Forward • Despite very cool mornings, Nature is springing forward at Sunburst Sanctuary. An opening double-photo shows the King’s almond tree at the start of February with buds on bare branches (left side) and, at the end of the same month, fully opened almond blossoms (right side). Deer are enjoying fresh green shoots in the main field (below).
Farther up the canyon, a field Sean disked and sewed with hay seed (1st photo below), is now green with new growth (2nd photo below).
To prevent insects larvae from boring into dormant spring peach tree buds, Al sprayed mineral oil on them.
A Pueblo Blessing: Hold onto what is good, even if it is a handful of earth. Hold onto what you believe, even if it is a tree which stands by itself. Hold onto what you must do, even if it is a long way from here. Hold onto life, even when it is easier letting go. Hold onto my hand, even when I have gone away from you.
The Kriya Yoga meditation technique of pranayama, life-force control that transmutes breath into subtle lifetronic energy, brings positive realization that the composition of the body is pure cosmic energy. In the adept practice of Kriya, the body is oxygenated and its atoms etherealized until it becomes light as a feather.
Man has no idea how much power comes into the body when he has mastered the mystery of the breath. Kriya practice brings a regulated, continuous inflow of oxygen into the body, the atoms of which, by the process of pranayama, are transmuted into life force, reinforcing the subtle currents in the spine. In turn these currents awaken the astral cerebrospinal centers and spiritualize the entire body.
After years of successful practice, the body of the advanced Kriya Yogi becomes so spiritualized that in exalted states he can hardly feel it touch the ground. The suffusion of life force becomes so powerful that the whole body loses its delusive solidity and actually levitates. I can testify to that from my own experience. But the beginner should not expect to jump weightless tomorrow!
Modern man is accustomed to getting results quickly; his industry and technology manufactures products so rapidly that he thinks there should be a convenience package of concise spiritual progress as well. A presumption of instant spiritual achievement is perhaps more than a bit audacious considering the innumerable lifetimes already spent in making oneself an unspiritual being. Even a lifelong practice is little to be required. Nevertheless, the Kriya Yoga science and art of meditation are not drudgery, because gradual transforming results are felt from the very beginning.
