Thanksgiving was a lot of fun for me this year, so it’s a little curious that a new question popped into my brain just as I sat down to recover from all the visiting and activity: “What is the value in doing all this?”
In truth, there is none, unless I apply love to everything I do, cook, and say. That is the only true value.
St. Paul might of said of Thanksgiving, “If I cook a perfectly delicious meal and yet have not love, I have done nothing. If I decorate the tables with flower-stuffed pumpkins that delight everyone, but I have not love, then I am nothing. If I speak to everyone in the room so that all feel acknowledged, but have not love, then I do not profit in any way.”
So, now Christmas is coming. Yogananada said that whenever we feel joy, no matter what the source of that joy is, we should cause it to expand from our hearts outwards until the joy is as big as the Universe. So, let there be joy in preparation for Christmas. Let there be love in all the shopping, the wrapping, and the giving. No “bah humbug” for me. I’m happy that the most wonderful time of the year to love is upon us!
A monthly weekend celebration at Sunburst Sanctuary
by Dawn King
On Saturday I hurried to the gym for Patty’s “Celebrate Life!” gentle yoga class. Somehow, I’d gotten there 30 minutes early. My first thought was of distress over all the chores at home that I could have been doing for 30 minutes. Immediately, my right shoulder good angel piped up: “You’re not that important, Dawn. Chill out!”
This was rather humbling to hear. But, I realized this meant home chores would wait, spiritual awareness is more important, and I needed to de-stress. Maybe this was an opportunity to chat with some of the people in the dining room. I found the conversations going on at that moment were quite deep, and seemed hard to join for someone as amped as I was.
I went outside and cleaned the sidewalk. Sunburst’s is a sanctuary for wildlife as well as Spirt. The sidewalk leading to the temple and lodge is used by deer, wild turkeys and pigs, bobcats, foxes, great blue, as well as, white herons and more. It’s a surprise each day to see what tracks and droppings appear there. Meanwhile, everyone enjoys seeing all these wild creatures quite close up. Since no one bothers them, they are very comfortable around people.
Finally, I joined a few folks resting quietly on yoga mats for the last few minutes before class started. This gave me time to contemplate humility and thankfulness, Sunburst’s themes this month. I thanked God for my opportunity to enjoy soul attunement with like-minded friends, some newly made.Later, all who cared to, enjoyed a fun Sacred Geometry presentation and hands-on activity, led by Craig Hanson.
This “Celebrate Life!” weekend of activities took place just before Thanksgiving and Chanukah, which coincide this year. It was beautiful crisp fall weather, with warm days and spirit-warming activities. Each of these monthly celebrations includes: Friday evening restorative yoga, Saturday a.m. guided meditation, light breakfast and gentle yoga, lunch followed by a special activity, early dinner and evening music with short meditation. There’s plenty of time to relax or socialize between events. Sunday’s spiritual grand finale is a deeply inspiring service followed by a lovingly prepared brunch.A lot of connecting, healing, helping, releasing, relaxing and spiritual growing takes place during these wonderful events.
If you have a story to share about your experience at Sunburst’s “Celebrate Life!” please leave a comment below.
Last Sunday, after a great service and brunch at Sunburst, I followed Sharon Ray for a tour of the farm. Arriving, it couldn’t have been a prettier day. After visiting in Sharon’s lovely little home, one that God arranged for her because of its sunrise and sunset views, we then strolled the farm. Making our way through the residential area, I could see what a wonderful space has been created in this community of neighbors.
Two miniature horses were lucky enough to get walks and brushes, wide-eyed and happy to be out of their pen. The four or five beautiful full size horses appeared a bit envious. On the stroll, those little horses kicked up enough dust to cover us from head to toe!  Funny, asking them to step a little higher, they seemed to understand.
I was offered to grab several remaining acorn squash after a recent harvest. Then, arms loaded with squash, my mini-horse Sugar decided to trot. Bobbing along as fast as I could, I looked over to see Patty in her car, smiling at the sight!
It became a photographer’s dream, as golden rays streamed down upon the farm’s floral gardens, making a buttery soft illumination upon the magnificent colors.  We decided to pick bouquets from the many choices of flowers in the long rows. We captured pictures of these moments, which included streaming light rays touching down on the beautiful park-like garden oasis that the farm is.
So inspired, I made the reasonable drive again from Santa Barbara the next evening to enjoy Sharon Ray’s Qigong class, with snacks, a short meditation, and a great passage from Norman’s book, Christ Consciousness. To my great surprise and great flattery, Sharon ended the evening with two quotes from my own writings.
My home is in such a sweet spot under two grand poplar trees. My favorite view is out my kitchen window—it’s all Nature, but the earth is barren. “Oh, I’d so love to look out this window and see some green grass,” I’ve lamented at least three times since I moved here, “but it’s too much work and too expensive. Oh, but it would be so nice!” That was it. I had to let it go. I never told anyone about my secret wish.
Then a few days ago my friend Heiko drove up to my place hauling a trailer behind his truck. He skipped up my cabin steps and looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and a smile, “Want some grass?” he enquired enthusiastically as if I had phoned in an order for sod that morning.
My hands flew to my cheeks and my eyes were as big as a child’s who has just been handed the biggest lollipop she’s ever seen.
Next thing I new I had wet mud squishing through my toes as I laid down squares, rectangles, and unnamable shapes of sod, forming them into a grand 12′ x 12′ circle, aided by my friends Heiko, Craig and Greg.
We finished and I ran back into the house, and peered out my kitchen window to see the bright green grass was sparkling with little drops of water from the sprinkler we had turned on to welcome it home.
With a feeling of utter gratitude and love, as though a large bouquet of roses had descended from heaven, care of my Divine Beloved, I realized how much God loves me and how it is true what Paramahansa wrote, “In every moment God is answering the whisper wishes of your heart.”
It was not very spiritual of me to hide in the bathroom and cry when my daughter called and told me her new car had broken down for the second time just as she was heading for an important appointment relating to the start of her new in-home care business for the elderly. Instead of letting pity overwhelm me, I should have followed the example of my 5 year old grandson who was with her and her husband at the time of the P.T. Cruiser’s sudden infirmity, and who exemplified perfectly that the difference between trouble and joy is 100% attitude.
My daughter reported to me that when the tow truck arrived, Little David was overcome with excitement and cried out, “ARE WE GONNA RIDE IN THAT TOW TRUCK?!?!” As his Mommy and Daddy climbed into the cab of the truck, they turned around to pull Little David in. Rather than being upset about the car trouble, he was wearing an ear to ear grin, excited for his first ride in a real tow truck. After climbing in, he immediately perched himself backwards to have a perfect view of the action in the back of the truck.
“Our car’s in the air! Our car’s in the air!” He exclaimed with glee. After that, they all got strapped in and headed to the repair shop, and he asked with hopeful anticipation, “Are we going to ride in here all day?”
LOL! I determined that I’d follow David’s fine example next time I had car problems…which was today.
I was on my way to Los Angeles when I noticed that my faithful air conditioner was running warm. I looked at the gauges and found that the hot/cold gauge was maxed out on HOT. My hand flew over my mouth in surprise and concern (the actual word would be “consternation” defined as the feeling one gets when one is in big trouble and is at a loss at to how to get out of it).
Having left from Buellton, I had not even made it to Santa Barbara. I reduced my speed and hoped to make it to Stork Ave. where there is a gas station flanked with a nearby Starbucks and sushi restaurant. I was trying hard to make it to that off ramp where I could suffer in comfort and pleasure.
Suddenly, the car began to smoke, which could have been a sign of fire (this was the point where I began to swear, but only three words and they were all the same word.) I pulled over to the side of the highway.
It wasn’t until I was climbing into the tow truck that I remembered my grandson’s positive attitude. I consciously turned myself around in my seat to look out the back window and see if I too might be excited by the sight of my car in the air. All I wanted to do was cry. Unable to rejoice, what I DID do was IÂ thanked God. After all, my first mission in L.A. was a most unpleasant one, and my travel crisis was conveniently taking me out of that picture. It would have to be handled without me –Â thank God.
I was also grateful and thanked God that the expense of getting the car fixed was hitting my budget at the beginning of my fiscal month and not at the end of it when I sometimes could not even afford to replace the plastic lei of flowers that hangs from my rear view mirror.
Well then, if I cannot be excited by my challenges, I can at least be grateful for the graces that are hidden within them. God is good, oh yes, ALL THE TIME.
