• 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, remembering the many times my husband Al and I have been 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
By using our willpower we can tune into divine grace and accept the opportunities it provides us. This is not an instant thing. We have to persevere and have patience. It’s a lifelong pursuit, much like the following story in which Tibetan monks meditate as they build a monastery floor.
[Excerpt from the book “Tibetan Voices”] We built the floors of the monastery from scratch. Since there was no cement in Tibet, we used a material called arka, which is similar to crushed stone or gravel. It made very beautiful floors. We pounded this material with a tool consisting of a long pole and a heavy stone attached to the bottom end. The monks would form a line and sing as they pummeled the many stones into a solid floor, working to the rhythm of the song.
This was hard work; the big stones were broken up to make smaller ones, and then layers of these stones were pounded into the floor, slowly going from bigger stones to smaller and smaller. Remaining holes were filled by pounding in the finest material. Then a powdery form of the stone was put on top and this was also hammered into the floor, using water to help the binding.
Once the floor was pounded so it was smooth and level, we would get down on our knees and use big flat slabs of stone to polish the surface. Water was sprinkled onto the floor as we polished and worked our way from one end of the room to the other. The muddy result of all this effort was wiped away with cloths. Slowly, the beauty of the floor would begin to come out. Finally, a mixture of boiled oil and tree resin, the type used in making incense offerings, was applied. Cement was never used in the construction of Tibetan monasteries, and the finished quality of the buildings was far superior to any that could have been made of cement.
Slowly, the beauty of the Pure Self, the Christ light within each of us can shine forth, after lifetimes of desire and effort. This is the power of patience.
by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • Beloved Mother, we dedicate each day to honoring your beautiful Earth, your garden floating in infinity. What a jewel it is! We dedicate our energy and our lives to helping preserve your earthly garden for your children, now and in the future.
It’s a blessing to be a caretaker of your Earth, so full of your Spirit. We love you Divine Father, Divine Mother! Enjoy your creation through us! Let us all become warriors of light and truth, that we may go forth in your will and your guidance to help your world and your children.
When we can perceive the center of our own consciousness, that smallest of all places within us, we can perceive God. What a wondrous thing it is that we have the ability within us to communicate with our Creator. So few really practice it! Nothing on Earth is more important. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God; …the kingdom of God is within you.”
How can we find it within us? We find it through true prayer and meditation, by opening the door at the crown of our heads and asking the Light of Christ consciousness to enter. How long has the Divine watched and waited for us to open our hearts and souls and receive this blessing!
Divine Spirit is reaching out to us every moment to give us healing. When we offer to God all those things inside us that we don’t like, that don’t reflect our true nature, we are healing ourselves. We are cleansing our light bodies—that which we really are—of debris we collect with thoughts and actions that weigh us down and make us miserable. Offer all of it up to God this moment that you may be free; that you may be that immaculate spirit, clear as crystal, shining like the sun.
In our self-conscious state of mind, we often think God is so far away, someplace other than the very life within us. We think maybe God is out there in space, or on a mountaintop. But God’s consciousness inhabits the space between each atom, between each subatomic particle in our bodies. Meditation is so important to each of us. In the silence of our beings we can find this space where God is. Just sit and be still. Pray that God will reveal himself/herself to you.
Each time that we meditate and pray, the imprint of our heart’s love leaves an eternal picture in the mind of our Creator. We are all children of our Mother-Father God. We are part of immortal life, and here in this world for such a short time. Pray to your Divine Parents that you might find out who you really are before you leave. Pray that they heal you, and enliven your heart and mind. We were each created perfect in the beginning. Let us strive to regain our perfection.
