Light on Sunburst Sanctuary – Finding Plant Pioneers • Striving to exist gently on the Earth, Sunburst Sanctuary practices organic growing techniques along with permaculture. The ecological term for a weed is “pioneer,” because it appears where soil has been disturbed. It’s job is to bring normalcy back to the soil structure. But when a plant appears where we don’t want it, we call it a weed. The photo above was taken in Sunburst Sanctuary’s “Garden”. A significant amount of wood chips have been placed on the path to discourage weed growth. The orange and gold calendulas provide beneficial insect habitat.
Above: Curtis sprays a natural weed deterrent on new growth in the Sanctuary’s labyrinth. His mixture is a gallon of white vinegar with a cup of salt and a tablespoon of dish soap. Weeds retreat from this mixture. Although the lush greenery Craig is mowing looks lovely in the photo below, it needs regular trimming in order to maintain it as a beneficial ground cover.
We’re thankful for the weeds, our plant pioneers, because they return the soil to a natural healthy state after it’s been disturbed. Nature is wise beyond our understanding.
Give thanks!
When you arise in the morning
Give thanks for the morning light.
Give thanks for your life and your strength.
Give thanks for your food
And give thanks for the joy of living.
— Chief Tecumseh of the Shawnee Nation
Art & article by Lucinda Kinch • Clearing and transmuting karma begins with removing energy blockages from our beings. Effective meditation techniques and prayer nurture this process, allowing us to become more integrated and whole. Our hearts and intuition are activated; we receive clearer guidance from the Divine, and understand our soul’s purpose—giving deeper meaning to life.
Meditation techniques offered at Sunburst create a spiral of living transmutation through our dimensional centers, activating openings of light to pour from the depths of our being, healing blockages from prior years and even lifetimes. As like calls to like within our own inner universe, pain, joy or accomplishment travels with us from lifetime to lifetime. The more we transmute inner negativity, the more we are able to absorb positive spiritual energy. Start this karmic transmutation process by learning how to meditate to achieve inner peace and stillness of the body. Accelerate your evolution with the advanced techniques of the ancient Kriya Yoga meditation.
Transmutation of karma is also the source of all true forgiveness. One way to take full responsibility for your path, and reclaim a sense of personal spiritual empowerment, is to deeply reaffirm to the Divine that you are not a victim of any of life’s circumstances. With loving willpower, devotion and regular spiritual practice, we will transmute our karma and rise above fear and judgment.
We can become a potent stimulus for the transmutation of the collective consciousness, creating heaven here on earth for all! Since we are undergoing an accelerated evolution in consciousness on earth, there are many turbulent events occurring—yet another reason to hold dear to your heart and habits the blessings of daily meditation and prayer.
You alone can make the choice to overcome fear, to empower your own divine, pure Self. Sit in deep mediation and declare to Source that you are no longer a victim to anything you have experienced or will experience. Realize that all experiences are your teachers; be grateful for these experiences. Ask for courage to do this; it takes a new mind-set to inquire in this way. This practice will help bring understanding and humility, and attract more positive experiences. If you can continue to deepen in virtue, you’ll be able to reach deeper levels of fulfillment, gaining courage and satisfaction from life like never before.
We are the bearers of the Light frequencies on this Earth! By transmuting karma within ourselves, we are making great changes in the collective consciousness as well. Our own karmic transmutation is vitally necessary, without exception. Each one of us is key to the process and it is up to us to get the job done. Our essence is Love, not fear. We are loved infinitely and boundlessly, ever-supported by the great Source from which we have never been separate.
This weekend is shared by many religious communities as an important time of traditional celebration. Since Sunburst is non-denominational and honors all the world’s great religions, let’s learn about and honor the high points of their celebrations in this season.
Culminating in fireworks, Hindus celebrate Rama Navami festival, which is focused on morality, especially Loyalty. Some go on pilgrimage to sacred sites. After fasting, most Hindus clean and decorate their houses with flowers and other items that might honor the birth of Lord Rama. Image above is “Baby Rama”. The virtues and life of this avatar are recorded in the Ramayana, a story of the battle between good (personified by Rama) and evil (personified by Ravana).
Ravana was a brahmin (priest); he was a great scholar who wrote numerous works on scriptural philosophy. He was powerful, dynamic, and beautiful in appearance. As the brilliant, handsome king of Lanka, he had everything one would need to be happy and peaceful. Yet, he was arrogant, egoistic, greedy and lustful. His insatiable desires led him to crave more and more power, more and more money, and more and more ladies to fulfill his every whim.
Bhagwan Rama’s heart overflowed with divinity, love, generosity, humility, and a sense of duty. Ravana’s heart, in contrast, was filled with avarice, hatred, and egoism. Under Bhagwan Rama’s divine touch, the animals became his devotees and his divine helpers. Under Ravana’s touch, even humans became animals.
Followers of Judaism celebrate Passover, also called Pesach for 7 or 8 days. In the Bible, Passover marks the Exodus of the Children of Israel from Egyptian slavery, when God “passed over” the houses of the Israelites during the last of the ten plagues. It is traditional for Jewish families to gather on the first night of Passover for a special dinner called a seder. The table is set with the finest china and silverware to reflect the importance of the meal. During this symbolic meal with its traditional foods, the story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold using a special text called the Haggadah.
During the rise of Nazi persecution and terror, in 1939, American Rabbi Philip R. Alstat spoke about the power of the Passover story: It is this Faith, born of racial experience and wisdom, which gives the oppressed the strength to outlive the oppressors and to endure until the day of ultimate triumph when we shall be brought forth from bondage unto freedom, from sorrow unto joy, from mourning unto festivity, from darkness unto great light, and from servitude unto redemption.
In Christianity, the celebration of Good Friday finds its roots in the Jewish feast of Passover, the evening on which Jesus was crucified as the Passover Lamb. Preceding Good Friday is Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. According to the Gospels, the Christed Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem, and the celebrating people there laid down their cloaks and small branches of trees in front of him, singing part of Psalm 118: 25–26 – Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The symbolism of the donkey may refer to the Eastern tradition that it is an animal of peace, unlike the horse which is the animal of war. A king would have ridden a horse when he was bent on war, and ridden a donkey to symbolize his arrival in peace. Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem would have thus symbolized his entry as the Prince of Peace, not as a war-waging king.
Painting: “Flevit super illam” (Latin: “He wept over it.”); by Enrique Simonet, 1892. In Luke 19:41 as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he looks at the city and weeps over it, foretelling his coming Passion and the suffering that awaits the city in the events of the destruction of the Second Temple.
Light on Sunburst Sanctuary – Spring Equinox • by Letha Kiddie • This year as we celebrated another spring equinox at the Sunburst Labyrinth, my thoughts turned to the deeper meaning of Equinoxes, a time of finding balance. It seems especially important this year, following an unprecedented year of forced changes in our lives (due to the pandemic) when everyone’s balance seems to be thrown off.
To me, equanimity is extremely important in times like these, having the ability to weather the storms without incurring too much damage on our emotional, mental and physical bodies. Self care is essential, as well as giving ourselves time to process the many changes and challenges that have taken place during this time.
What can we do to balance the emotions and exhaustion we may be feeling? First of all, just being an observer to our state of mind, body and emotions, can be helpful. Giving ourselves empathy and understanding, starts us on a path of healing.
Acknowledging the stresses in our lives and perhaps sharing our thoughts, feelings, and emotions with others is a good start. Taking time to walk or sit outside helps us to expand our awareness into the larger movements going on in nature, and it helps us see that we are all part of this grander scheme of life.
Balance is symbolic of Libra, which is opposite Aries. These two signs sit directly across the zodiac from each other. While Aries (the Ram) is a fiery, outward, expansive energy, Libra moves us and nature inward into fall (autumnal equinox). They are currently a dynamic dual influence.
And how interesting that the Northern Hemisphere experiences spring equinox at the same time the Southern Hemisphere experiences fall equinox. This is another example of the duality of the third dimension in which we live—something to ponder.
Our small world can feel so large and overwhelming, but we are just a wave on this ocean of life, and we are being carried along by this force we call Life/Love/God. May we all find balance and joy in this grand adventure of life!
by Dawn King • Each of the twelve astrological signs has a corresponding virtue. Western astrology’s Aries Sun illuminates us from March 21 (Spring Equinox) through April 19th. Aries is considered to be the first or beginning sign of the zodiac. The virtue for Aries is Loyalty. The purest essence of loyalty is unfailing devotion to the pure Self, the image of the Creator within each of our souls.
How do we connect with our Creator, or hear Spirit’s voice so we can be devoted, and do Spirit’s will? The key is in listening. Is there a way to enhance our ability to listen to Spirit? As we sit in meditation, our conscious breathing calms and settles the mind. We sit very relaxed, very open and receptive. We sit in the observer’s seat as a watcher, not a doer. A key to listening is entering that state in which we forget ourselves. We blend with the creation. We breathe and relax, becoming one with all life. Now we are still and can listen. Now we can receive.
How God communicates with each one of us is different. For some there are visual images. Others hear audible words. There may be thought transference, feelings, or a combination of any of these various experiences. When you receive a divine message, it’s evident that you didn’t think up the experience. You had no preconceived notions or expectations of the message. It was spontaneous. Sometimes it’s startling, or gives you somewhat of a jolt.
What about when we are not still and meditating? We need guidance most when we’re in the middle of a hectic day and there’s a lot to do. How do we listen then? If we can maintain a conscious listening and looking for Spirit’s communications, we will find them in our day-to-day experiences. Sometimes it comes through the spoken words of another person. Sometimes it’s a visual sign or an omen. For you it might be seeing a feather, hearing a songbird, or the feeling of a hand touching you when no physical hand is there.
A famous story about omens among Indian astrologers is one of an esteemed astrologer who answered a particular client’s question without even looking at his astrology chart. Later, the astrologer was asked by a student who had observed the incident, “How did you know so quickly that this man would indeed prosper in the business endeavor he was enquiring about?”
The astrologer was guru to the student and, as is common for Indian astrologers, he used omens as well as the day’s planetary placements for answering questions on the spot. “Look at the mangos!” he exclaimed. The client had brought a strikingly beautiful platter piled high with perfect mangos as an offering to the astrologer.
We gain sensitivity to our inner and outer environments as we spend time in spiritual contemplation and meditation. When we are sufficiently detached from ego and the busy mind, we become aware of the many times divine messages are coming our way. These messages will keep repeating themselves until we learn to listen and actually hear the Divine. It is a tremendous blessing to be guided by our Creator, our most loving Mother and Father. Take the time to develop a personal relationship with the Divine. Nothing else is as comforting, or as fulfilling.
By Letha Kiddie • Whenever you desire a change of energy, or more clarity in your life, addressing your physical surroundings is a good place to start. This works any time of the year.
The best place to begin is the front entrance of your home. Make it visually inviting to walk up to your front door with some kind of beauty to greet you. This can be pots of flowers or green plants, wind chimes, a fountain or other water feature, a beautiful sculpture, or just a neat and tidy pathway to your door. Painting your door an energizing color can also be effective.
Once inside, be sure that the front door can open completely without any blockages. Remove clutter from around the door and give the eyes something beautiful to see upon entering the room. It can be a colorful rug, vase of flowers, a painting, stained glass window, or anything of interest to you. This will hold the energy momentarily so that it can collect there before moving into the rest of the room or house.
Always be sure to have a well-defined walkway within the rooms. Ideally the center of each room should be empty so the energy can circulate.
In the Chinese art of placement, known as Feng Shui, it is believed that the different parts of our home are associated with the different areas of our life, such as career, wealth, love, health, etc. There are nine of these areas within the home which can be enhanced by simply knowing where they are, and by putting something symbolic into each area. It can be as simple as a picture of happy children in the area of creativity, a heart shaped pillow in the love-and-marriage area, or postcards from a favorite place in your travel area.
These actions send out the message of intention for these things to manifest in your life. Any time we bring attention to something, we bring energy to it.
It’s helpful to pay attention to where you live and how you feel in your living space. Ideally, your home is a sanctuary of nurturing and renewal, as well as a place of empowerment. Take some time to look around your home—see which rooms you love, and which rooms might need changes. Learn a few basic principles of Feng Shui, and enjoy the connection between your physical surroundings and your well being.
