•by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder•Many people who have had near-death experiences have miraculously returned, describing seeing their physical forms on a hospital operating table or in a serious accident situation. At the same time, they describe seeing a tunnel of light of sufficient diameter for them to enter. Predominantly, these souls have also seen a light way off in the distance, seemingly at the end of the tunnel. This light is approaching them offering love, compassion, understanding and hope, and enjoining them to come to it.
They go on to describe a personal, one-on-one relationship with this Being of Light. It may appear as a spherical, brilliant orb of light, or in a human-like form. It has the ability to communicate with the individual. They seemingly hear a voice coming toward them through this tunnel. Many have been given the choice of going with the light at that very instant, or of remaining in their earthly environment to go on with the perfection of their lives.
Those who have been blessed with this experience have returned profoundly changed. They have had a taste of immortality. They know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is alive, that God is personal. They know that beyond this physical form, life goes on in a continuum, and it goes on dramatically and wonderfully!
Incredibly, this experience can be gained in full health, without the necessity of going through a terrible accident or illness. By attempting to live a balanced life of virtue and service, as well as devotion and love for God, we can set the stage for the day of illumination to come. On this day, all our efforts bear fruit. We now stand in the full light of God’s brilliance and unconditional love.
“…Having been in the presence of a Being who knows everything about you, to know he totally accepts you and totally loves you, I never wanted to leave this Being again…” – Dr. George Ritchie, M.D., describing his near-death experience
& the Power of Visualization and Prayer • All of California was in such a bad drought, reservoirs and creeks near empty, and just about everyone was visualizing and hoping for rain,… and rain we got all at once!!!
“Why?” we might ask, “Why do these things happen?” We could certainly be asking this about the flood that gushed through so many parts of California, including Sunburst’s sanctuary on January 9th. The property received over 10 inches of rain in less than 24 hours—this after waves of previous rainy days had saturated the ground. The hills funneled their moisture into the valley, which long ago had been a river valley. The little creek that now gushed with water and damming debris quickly overflowed its banks. Water found its way to any area downstream, and at lower elevation. Never mind that this was a parking lot and garden. The water swept into, onto, and through it all, including parts of our lodge building.
We had prepared for this event, not knowing what the magnitude would be. A team had come together to put the area around the event center in order, clearing leaves and branches, and putting out sandbags. This kind of teamwork is a hallmark of Sunburst, the can-do spirit upon which the community was built and has persevered through adversities for over 50 years. People coming together for a positive common cause is a beautiful thing. All spirits are lifted, and the benefic grace of the Universe is magnetically drawn to assist.
Communications were heightened after our preparations. A text message read: “A big ‘Thank You!’ to the volunteers that came out to Sunburst to help with preparations for this weekend’s coming rain. (left to right Paul, Robert, Mark, Judi, Justin Lela, April, Curtis, and not shown: Chad). Such a blessing! With much gratitude!”
Another responded: “It feels really good to see everyone stepping up, working together joyfully for common goals and being their best; that’s what I call practicing what we preach!”
But, the storm came full bore. Now a new wave of “Spirit in Action” has been cleaning up. The glue of Sunburst is our common desire to do good in the world, which includes Self-realization (realization of our highest Self). With our attitude of gratitude, we appreciate the end of an extreme drought, and face the day with the tasks it requires of us. Together we are stronger. We are incredibly grateful for this land Spirit blessed us with, and for receiving the strength, quick response and backing from all who help maintain it, for the benefit of all beings.
•by Trish Dunham•Today (January 5) is the anniversary of our teacher Paramahansa Yogananda’s birthday. Sunburst recognizes the virtue of Temperance in association with the current zodiacal month of Capricorn. Temperance can mean many things, from living a moderate and healthful life to maintaining order in your environment. It can also mean creating good habits, including perceiving the people and scenes you witness in a positive light, and acting in accordance with those positive perceptions. Mostly, we associate temperance with the avoidance of overindulgence.
In terms of tempering a sword or knife, metal is repeatedly heated to red-hot temperatures, pounded, then plunged into very cold water. Somehow this strengthens (tempers) the blade. The virtue of temperance is like that; we all learn from our mistakes. Seared by the fires of error, when we plunge into the waters of meditation, the cooling relief of divine love gradually strengthens our better impulses, our good habits.
Paramahansa Yogananda, in his Bhagavad Gita, compares the life of every human being to the battlefield in this story. Arjuna (a great warrior) with the help of Krishna (greater awareness, or Christ consciousness) was required to slay the armies of his own cousins and lifelong friends. On one side of this battlefield were a hundred cousins with all their friends and supporters, representing the habits and ingrained impulses toward selfish, materialistic desires. On the other side were twelve or so faculties of true discrimination plus their friends, all that lead to soul happiness. This is the daily battle we each face within.
Yogananda goes on to say that we are simply a collection of habits. Isn’t it wise, in that case, to work hard on improving them every day? We show progress by beginning to slay the enemies of laziness, disorder, etc. These habits cry out and redouble their efforts to resume their former life of relative ease and comfort. This could discourage us, but it’s a time for greater faith, a time to remember spiritual blessings, and to fight on with all your might, aided by General Good Habits!
Sunburst teachings are really very simple: daily meditation (morning and evening), and trying to live a life of virtue. The devotee is not asked to give up simple pleasures such as a movie now and then, or to whip him/herself with self-scorn if she fails in any way. As we each strive on, united in our efforts, no matter how far we are separated geographically, our efforts raise the consciousness of everyone on planet Earth who cares to receive.
•Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder• An evolution of consciousness has been going on for millenniums, as human forms have moved from simple consciousness (animal instinct) to self consciousness (ego: the sense of a separate self). Humanity now stands on the threshold of cosmic consciousness, Christ consciousness, divine awakening.
Humanity, in its process of evolution, is now moving beyond the mammalian or mid-brain which demonstrates self-consciousness, and opening to the upper reaches of the higher brain. This great “living computer” is sitting within each one of us now, with the vast majority of its potential unused. In this sacred place, the Divine has set forth a creation in our bodies where we can become fully conscious of it. Spirit can enlighten us, when we have prepared and allowed the way to open. Then the divine pure Self can direct the lower self-conscious and simple-conscious natures, as well as our physical bodies. Our very DNA can be improved. I Am That I Am can walk in each one of us on this Earth. This is the reason for the creation.
Why did Divine Spirit create all we see, including ourselves? It becomes obvious to me that the Creator wanted to enjoy walking upon and experiencing the worlds it had projected and created through its creatures, through us!
It’s hard to conceive of what this world would be like if everyone were able to engage the full potential of this higher brain that we have in our possession right now. We get glimmerings of it in dreams, visions, intuition, and sometimes messages from Spirit. But there’s a way to consciously open the spirit-doorway on the crown of the head, where Spirit can energize us, and assist in our development, imparting divine information: the structure of atoms, the sacred geometry of the cosmos, the wisdom and the infinite knowledge contained therein. With the practice of an effective meditation tool, we can begin to receive and express divine consciousness on this Earth today.
The awakened higher brain is designed to contain the knowledge of the whole cosmos. It is connected to the very beginning of this creation. The first creation of light is at the center of your own higher brain, inner-dimensionally. We are created in the image of the Creator. We are the offspring of I AM THAT I AM. We are the encapsulation of the whole creation; it exists within each one of us inner-dimensionally. There is no place to go “out there.” There is a place to go within yourself, to the Light that created you and is manifesting you today.
•by Valerie Joy King• A common question was asked of us at Sunburst during our Founder Norm Paulsen’s last years. “How many of you besides Norman are Christ conscious [meaning spiritually fully awakened]?” This question tickles my funny bone, because we feel as one in the Spirit. We manifest the energy of Christ consciousness at times, and at other times we fall short.
Awakening spiritually is a process, like the growth of a child into an adult. It’s up to each of us to nourish and protect our spiritual growth as it matures. That’s why having guidance is so important. We each try to do our best. Sunburst’s Eightfold Path and Twelve Virtues give us that guidance. An attitude of devotion and a desire for God-realization, as well as the practice of selfless service greatly hasten one’s development.
Christ consciousness always exists in each one of us. It’s the compassion of our hearts; it’s the still small voice of conscience within. As you begin to meditate and practice virtue, your heart will be filled with love for all; your conscience will speak more loudly and clearly. You begin to feel ecstatic energies move through you. You may hear Spirit, or taste or smell inner delights. You may see beautiful scintillating light before you, a distant beckoning star. All of these are signs of your spiritual awakening, of being in a state of spiritual grace.
Yes, there have been times that many of us have tasted this consciousness, but our continued goal is to feel this in every moment. Then we will truly be serving all, allowing the radiance of God to live, work and play in us. This is our work and the rainbow pathway homeward that we walk.
“If I am living in a state of grace, may God keep me there; if I am not, may God put me there.” – Joan of Arc
•Jake Collier•There’s a Zen saying: Before enlightenment I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. This quote really rings true. We’re here not to escape this world, but to be a vehicle for divine Spirit to experience all that it has created here.
When we look out at the sky at night, we notice the distances between us and other stars and planets. From astronomers’ studies, you realize the vastness of outer space. Scientists even had to formulate a different measurement called light years because the brain couldn’t comprehend how many miles it was to Jupiter, much less to the outer rim of creation.
We sit in seemingly solid chairs with a solid floor, in a solid building, and seemingly solid bodies. But within everything there’s space between the atoms, even between sub-atomic particles. Paramahansa Yogananda describes that space as divine Spirit, that energy that’s pulsating every microsecond of time, creating and continually expanding this creation.
These bodies have basic needs: shelter, clothing, water and food to sustain us. Work becomes necessary to provide these needs. When we do it selflessly, we can feel divine Spirit within us as we work. Sunburst’s founder said, “Selfless service creates spiritual evolution.”
The more we work selflessly, or self-less-ly give, the more of divine Spirit we receive—the more active Spirit is within us. And because we feel Spirit more fully, we want to do more. It’s self-perpetuating. And in the process, we inspire one another. When we see somebody else being selfless, we’re inspired to also do that.
“Whatever you do, you must do cheerfully for the service of all, and be very ambitious in well-doing,” said Yogananda. Looking back on the history of Sunburst from 1969 onward, there’s an endless list of souls who selflessly gave of themselves to make Sunburst happen. And so we continue to move it forward, to grow Sunburst and have it be a signpost, and a destination point for people to come and learn about divine Spirit and Mother Nature.
As we change our lives to live more harmoniously with the divine plan, our spirituality grows and expands, because it is part of the Creator’s imagination, for he fashioned us not to live in fear and to suffer here. God created us, that we might experience ecstasy living here—every day, and every moment of time that we’re in these bodies. Spirit flows into us and through our senses, and with that life force we create things; we help one another; we enjoy life to its fullest.
Yes, work can be a four letter word that we dread, but we each need to make it our mission to find a beneficial work that inspires us. Find a work in which you can joyously give of yourself. In doing so, you create an energy that spreads across the earth touching other souls, inspiring them to improve themselves and make the world a better place.
Through practicing meditation, reflection and contemplation, each of us can find a beneficial work we can apply ourselves to. The joy, the satisfaction, and the spiritual growth we will experience will be beyond our imagination.
Almighty Spirit, create within me a clear space, so I might see a way forward on my path. Lead me to your embrace. Let me see you as a blazing light pulsating through inner space, so I might become your joyous child, a true reflection of you. May my efforts here help Mother Earth heal herself, and inspire others to join in this mission to heal this world and create heaven on earth. Amen
