To renounce the ego is a little different than what we may think of as renunciation. The Upanishads say that letting go of ego is not a renunciation of life; it’s a renunciation of all those things that make us unhappy—anger, selfishness, and desires for things or people, desires for money, for relationships, or to be recognized.
What is ego? I think of it as being like a grain of sand in an oyster. The grain of sand is irritating. It causes development of layers and layers of belief systems and sense impressions around it, eventually becoming a sphere of what we identify with. The ego builds up this whole concept of what we think we are.
I find when I’m working during the day, if I’m not staying centered on the work at hand. I’m thinking about results—thinking, “I want to get this job finished, so I can go on to something else.” This is ego talking. Or, when I get done, if I keep looking back and thinking, “Oh, that’s a great job. I hope someone notices my beautiful work.” That’s the ego talking.
The ego is a slippery little guy. It has all this inner dialogue. It can look at a person and all of a sudden form a judgement: “Well, that’s probably somebody I wouldn’t want to know.” Ego creates a whole culture of stereotypes that we’re familiar with. if we watch the news, we’re constantly confronted with it.
The ego has created what we see in movies, and in our daily lives. But, we can look at our lives and ask ourselves how we’ve really enjoyed life over the years. What experiences have we found most enjoyable? Looking back upon my life, I see the most joyful times are when I’m giving a present, or making a gift for somebody. I’m not thinking about how much I’m going to receive for this; I’m just giving it. I’m not thinking, “If they don’t like it, then I can always get it back and resell it on e-bay.” My ego has had those ideas, but I had to say to myself, “Let go of that thought, and bring it back to center.”
Each of us is exploring our inner world and learning to use our God-given abilities to bring heaven on this earth. Whatever talents or gifts we have, let us remember to give those gifts unselfishly, for the enjoyment of others and the inspiration that we might give to others. This is our true enjoyment.
The first evening approached with participant’s rapt anticipation. A sumptuous light dinner, a social circle and welcoming of guests was to follow, culminating in gentle, relaxation yoga. Sunburst’s beautiful lodge was exquisitely decorated for the holidays with soothing warmth radiating from its native stone fireplace. The stage was set; ending 2016 and ushering in 2017 would be the full script. The Light and Renewal Kriya Retreat was about to begin!
After Emily led us in warm introductions, Valerie shared some highlights from the history of Sunburst, starting starting with a little boy’s childhood visions, his years in Paramahansa Yogananda’s ashram at Mt. Washington (Self-Realization Fellowship headquarters, Los Angeles, CA). Years would pass before countless young souls sought Norman Paulsen, to learn about his experience of God, and how they might also know God. Yogananda’s request to Norm became reality in the birth of Sunburst. Valerie also introduced Sunburst’s eightfold path and twelve virtues.
Friday was a day of silence and deep contemplation, a class on Hong Sau technique, yoga, amazing meals and meditations. Saturday was a memorably soul-nourishing experience as everyone gathered for the Kriya Initiation ceremony at Sunburst’s temple. Fresh flowers, fruits, and soul-stirring song set an energetic framework for the sacred Kriya initiation.
One can attend dozens of these initiations, yet feel renewed each time at all levels of one’s being. The final highlight of the day was a sacred seed ceremony at the huge
lodge fireplace. Gone would be the karmic baggage of 2016, offered into the fire for transmutation! And into the ethers were sown the seeds of individual intentions for 2017—an experience of joy, peace and fulfillment.
But wait, the party part of the evening was about to begin! A sparkling apple cider bar provided drinks for toasting “Happy New Year!” Those who chose to stay past midnight were served Ischa’s secret
recipe chai. What fun it was to stand in a gratitude circle and usher in the New Year, and to send into the ethers planet-wide blessings. January first 2017 dawned to the offering of a light breakfast, Energization Exercises, and an inspiring Sunday service. Time to visit over a generous Sunburst brunch followed, ending a perfect weekend, a perfect retreat, a special treat!
This is the holiday season and filled with thinking about gifts, what to give and what we might receive. But you might reflect on “What is the greatest gift you already have?”
You might be thankful for family, for home, for the long-needed sporadic, but drought-quenching rains we’re enjoying on the southwest coast.
But the greatest gift you have is You—your consciousness, your life. This is the Creator, God, IN and AS YOU.
There is a Sufi saying: “La ilaha ill-Allahu” meaning the Creator (“Allahu”) is everything. Literally it can be translated: “There is nothing other than You, only You are God.” Sh’ma Yisrael (“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the LORD is one”) is a similar Jewish prayer.
If we contemplate this, that everything we know of IS the Creator, then we realize we are one with the Creator. We can then make the leap to realizing each of us is potentially the Christ child, the spiritual Christmas gift, the savior, or liberator, anticipated by the world’s great religions.
Sunburst’s founder, Norman Paulsen, liked to use the Christmas Tree as an analogy for a human being. My version is that the Star atop the tree represents your Pure Self. The rainbow of colors, as we have represented on our Lodge Christmas tree, represent your spinal chakras, with red (life force) at the bottom.
We can open the flower of our ourselves—develop and express our gifts, our talents and virtues—and live more fully. Let’s aim for realizing our oneness with the Creator every day of 2017.
Indigenous peoples have always celebrated the winter solstice as a time of new beginnings. Each of us is then thought of as being a year older and hopefully wiser. It is a time for people to come together in observance of natural phenomenon, such as at Stonehenge, as well as for sharing food.
Sunburst observes this unofficial New Year with ongoing silent meditation, a dinner and observances at our standing stones and labyrinth or lighting of candles.
Winter solstice is the start of the winter season, a time of reflection, a season for nourishing the soul as well as the body. In northern latitudes we see the days grow longer after this solstice, although the earth is cooler until spring’s equinox arrives, three months later.
This year’s Winter solstice is particularly meaningful as we set our intentions for deeper soul connections. To help fulfill this resolve, we will participate in the year-end Kriya Meditation Retreat. Starting 2017 on a spiritual note can only be a blessing to ourselves and our world.
As humans, we have a tendency to take so much for granted that we forget that the very air we breathe, the sunlight that gives life to us and our planet, the food that magically grows from a tiny seed – all these are major things in our lives; yet do we thank the Divine daily for them? If only every day was a day of thanksgiving, what a life that would be!
Gratitude can contribute immeasurably toward our joy because it is an essential aspect of love. As such, it draws us to the source of all love. To express loving gratitude for our blessings, whether great or small, brings us greater attunement to the Infinite, and a greater awareness of Life’s responding love. In addition, the divine laws of abundance become more fully operative in our lives when we acknowledge and appreciate the Giver behind the bounty of spiritual and material blessings.
How can we proceed to be grateful often? By catching the moment and inwardly saying, “Thank you God” for any little grace that comes to us. By practicing being thankful for the smallest of things is to dwell on good. And to dwell on good is to magnify it. A mind thus enlivened with gratitude is mirrored in the outward behavior of its host.
Reflecting on this year as it soon comes to an end, I cannot but with deepest gratitude and appreciation think of the efforts of all those who actively support the mission of Sunburst. From our daily activities, to major events, the love and commitment of many have made 2016 a powerful and meaningful year of both personal and collective growth.
A heartfelt and special “Thank you!” to the ministers, childcare helpers, brunch cooks; the office, kitchen, and administrative
staff; our dedicated work crews and temple keepers, permaculture expert Sean Fennell (and his helpers) in growing food as an expression of feeding body and Spirit; Erika Eddy for her amazing workshop on Chinese medicine; Moksha Badarayan who, amidst her busy teaching schedule, finds time to host an unforgettable yearly “Star Party;” Rev. Ron Gibbons for his fascinating workshop on the Mandala; Michelle Schaefer for her illuminating workshop on Ayurveda for Wellness; Craig Hanson for his presentation of Sacred Geometry in nature; and the dedicated yoga teachers: Patty Paulsen, Dawn King, Jennifer May and Carrie Smith; and for all our musicians who help create such a sacred space including the Kings (Valerie, Al, Dawn), Leela Badarayan, Peter Schaefer, Les Boyer, and Ann Kathleen; and any Karma yogis I missed. You are doing your part to make Sunburst happen!
To all our friends and guests, we appreciate and are most grateful for your presence and support in our lives. To each and every one of our sisters and brothers at Sunburst, without whose individual and collective efforts Sunburst would cease to exist, I salute you all and say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
And to our Eternal Well-Wisher, without whom we would cease to exist, with utmost gratitude I say, “Thank you, Beloved Spirit, for all your love, light, patience, understanding, compassion, kindness and grace; for your precious gifts of friends, family and community, and for the countless blessings you bestow upon each of us daily.”
Sunburst observes this unofficial New Year with ongoing silent meditation, a dinner and observances at our standing stones and labyrinth or lighting of candles.
A heartfelt and special “Thank you!” to the ministers, childcare helpers, brunch cooks; the office, kitchen, and administrative
the dedicated yoga teachers: Patty Paulsen, Dawn King, Jennifer May and Carrie Smith; and for all our musicians who help create such a sacred space including the Kings (Valerie, Al, Dawn), Leela Badarayan, Peter Schaefer, Les Boyer, and Ann Kathleen; and any Karma yogis I missed. You are doing your part to make Sunburst happen!
To renounce the ego is a little different than what we may think of as renunciation. The Upanishads say that letting go of ego is not a renunciation of life; it’s a renunciation of all those things that make us unhappy—anger, selfishness, and desires for things or people, desires for money, for relationships, or to be recognized.