by Joe Belton (edits and photo by Dawn King) • As I step outside into a beautiful morning, divine Mother’s presence in the creation is so obvious. We see the reflection of divine Mother in our Mother Earth. She provides for us, takes care of us, gives us food and water for our bodies, materials for clothing and shelter. Her beautiful natural images enrich our spirits. Who has not stood spellbound by a sunrise or sunset, by a certain mountain or valley, or a majestic forest…or the awesome expanse of the ocean?
Divine Mother is also reflected in our birth mothers, who helped bring us into the world, who took care of us and nurtured us. Each one is beautiful in her own way. Each one is a daughter of Divine Spirit. Reflections of divine Mother are everywhere around us. But divine Mother is never alone; her constant companion is divine Father.
In every image that exists, throughout all of creation, divine Mother and Father dance in the midst of it, weaving light and sound, creating wonderful visible images. Above the crowns of our heads sits the brilliance of I Am That I Am, Mother and Father. Emanating from that brilliance, the sacred forces of our spiritual parents descend upon each one of us. If we sit still enough, we can feel their presence.
Divine Mother’s swirling life force spins downward around our bodies to the base chakra, then returns up the inner-dimensional tunnel of our spines toward the heart chakra.She envelops us in a cocoon of light. Through the midst of Mother’s inner-dimensional spiral the life force of divine Father spins downward meeting divine Mother in our heart chakra. Mother and Father’s vortexes combine, sustaining life, and offering Illumination, Christ consciousness.
Divine Mother’s vortex is like her mouth upon the crowns of our heads; it whispers to each one of us saying, “Breathe from my mouth the Breath of Life.” It is for each one of us to open that door on the crown of the head and invite abundant divine life force to enter in, and to illumine us.
As we inhale the physical air, we also draw the energy of divine Mother up through the base of the spine. As we exhale, we draw divine Father’s life force down through the crowns of our heads. We circulate their life force within us, and thus we breathe the Breath of Life. We become more and more aware of the presence of those sacred forces, the presence of our Mother-Father Creator, I Am That I Am.
Scientists say that at the center of every galaxy there is a massive black hole. It only appears black because its brilliance is undetectable by modern-day instruments. For each one of us there also exists a black hole, that place Sunburst’s founder Norman Paulsen calls “the smallest of all places”. As we circulate our life force and breathe the Breath of Life, we begin to penetrate the darkness within and eventually perceive the tiny light, the star that shines at the mouth of the inner-dimensional tunnel. Over time, in meditation it appears to grow into a shining sun, unveiling the brilliance of that Being we call I Am That I Am.
One day, everyone on Earth will have grown into this realization and be able to say, as Yogananda said, “In the inky darkness of my mind I could behold the Sun of Cosmic consciousness.”
Light on Sunburst Sanctuary • Lush Nature • Compared to much of the Southwest, Sunburst Sanctuary is lush and green today (May 7, 2021). The horses are grazing in tall green gasses.
Some mowing is a must, although it’s already been done at least once this year, thanks to Craig and Curtis.
Haley weeds new plants emerging in the vegetable beds. Poppies and other flowers bloom throughout the property.
The herb garden looks great!
Blackberry blossoms promise abundant fruit. Al irrigates the orchard. Sunburst Sanctuary is being prepared for YOUR upcoming visit.
“All things have God within them. Our job as humans is to make conscious contact with God within all of creation.” – Dorothy Maclean, Findhorn Community
by Michele Pike• There are many ways in which those at Sunburst Sanctuary strive toward sustainability. Organically growing fruits and vegetables is just one of those. We also applaud and support the teachings of permaculture. Earth friendly building techniques have been applied where and when possible. Using power, transportation, and other modes of operating that are more sustainable is always our goal. Although there is plenty of room to include more sustainable practices in our lives, we feel it is crucial to try, to start somewhere and move in the direction of our goals.
At the heart of all these practices of sustainability is the principle of Ahimsa, nonviolence. No relationship can be sustained if violence is present within it. Our relationship with Mother Earth is no different. In order that we may continue to survive and thrive here, we are each responsible for making decisions, taking actions, and having a conscious mindset to live lightly on the Earth.
As we each grow toward revealing the Divine within us, we do so in fits and starts. We take baby steps, moving incrementally closer to our goal of living on the Earth as completely illumined beings. Along the way, we endeavor to practice nonviolence, compassion and love for one another and our precious Earth.
“When we include God in the things we do, the things we enjoy, our work and our play, God loves to be with us. This is what the whole creation is about. Our Divine Mother-Father wants to be conscious in all of us on this Earth.
“We were placed here to include God in everything we do virtuously, for the benefit of all beings. We were born to be the caretakers of the Earth with God, looking after all of Divine Mother’s life-forms.”– Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder
“Karma” and “Dharma” are major concepts we need to understand more fully while we engage in the conscious pursuit of becoming better citizens of the universe. In his current May-June newsletter, Vedic Astrologer Ron Berger wrote:
The word ‘Karma’ is popularly understood as the Law of Cause and Effect, or: “As you sow, so shall you reap.” From that point, it gets more complicated, with many different types of karmas arising from a myriad of actions, creating an intricate web of consequences which ensnare the soul in innumerable lifetimes. Some of these karmas will have pleasant outcomes; others not so pleasant.
Some of these karmas are unavoidable, known as ‘Dridha’ karmas. Due to the intensity of whatever past action caused them, these karmas manifest in this lifetime as lessons and circumstances that give no choice. Other karmas are ‘lighter,’ i.e., they are more negotiable; there’s more ‘wiggle room’ and therefore more choice. These are termed ‘Adridha’ karmas.
The word ‘Dharma’ has a bunch of meanings ascribed to it in modern times. It’s original meaning was ‘Duty’, a concept that was much prized in a traditional culture like ancient India, where ‘Doing what you were born to do” was considered the best way to lead your life. We can reduce this down to the concept of ‘Life Path,’ i.e., your overall purpose, or if you prefer, “The Soul’s Purpose.” The basic idea is that Dharma is something more high-minded, more intentional, compared to Karma, which seems more fated. Dharma is associated with righteousness, and often gets lumped in with Religion.
In a larger sense, Dharma is The Law, or more accurately the Laws, that govern human existence. By acknowledging and willfully participating in the natural laws that underlie our lives, we can consciously fulfill our Karma, our inherited fate. And herein lies the connection between Karma and Dharma: the conscious practice of dharma becomes the remedy for karma. We don’t have any way to reach back into our past actions and change what we did that produced our present circumstances. The unseen past and its consequences appear to manifest as our own personal uncontrollable chaos. But with the Dharma we can, theoretically at least, purposefully align ourselves with the Universal Forces, and through Righteous Actions, start to rectify the accumulated karmas that restrict our lives.
If there have been lifetimes of disregard for The Dharma, then the person will continue to live in a personal hell, until things get difficult enough that they “see the light” and turn to God. In this way, difficult karma can be a blessing, since it will (eventually) put a person on the path of righteousness.
Another important idea is that your vocation is your dharma. The word ‘vocation’ is being broadly interpreted here; in today’s world it is used to describe your professional activities. But your Dharmic Vocation would be more than just that. Broadly speaking, it’s simply what you do out in the world. To do what you do in the world as a manifestation of dharma means that your personal actions are in alignment with the Universal Order. How you ‘serve’ is central to the idea of living a life grounded in The Dharma. Generosity and Charity are another major expression of Righteousness, and therefore, the Dharma.
by Valerie King • A number of years ago, Sunburst’s Founder, Norman Paulsen, received an answer to his prayers concerning the leadership of Sunburst for that time when he would be watching us “from the other side.” Norm wrote down his wishes for the future guidance of our mission and purpose, naming his wife Patricia as his successor, to serve in the role of Spiritual Director and President. (Photo above: Patty & Norm)
Those who know Patty are continually inspired by the depth of her devotion to Divine Spirit and the Sunburst teachings, her loving kindness, her purity of heart, humility and strength of conviction. Patty has had the good fortune to be with Norm for 26 years as not only his spiritual student but also his wife and best friend. She carries Norm’s energy in her heart and soul. Norm’s divinely inspired choice was felt to be a great blessing.
In 2007, Norm created additional support structures to help guide Sunburst. He appointed an Advisory Board to assist and advise the Spiritual Director, as well as naming officers to carry out the wishes of the Director and the Board. Norm also created the Sunburst Council, made up of those who choose the Sunburst teachings as their spiritual path. The council is a receiving, reflecting, and projecting body. Its purpose is to envision and seed the future with divinely-inspired images.
Whenever we sit together in the presence of Spirit, we bring concentrated power to bear upon creating and manifesting God’s dreams here on Earth. Norm spoke of this creative power during a Sunday meditation:
“So beautiful are the children of God in their uniqueness. When we love one another, the power is on the move to do things, to create things, to make this world a place of peace, love, and understanding. Each soul has such a power to help, to heal, to live a life of service for each other, and for the world. This world so desperately needs this from each one of us. Love ye one another is the message we need to remember as we go forth every day.”
We are thankful that Norm had the foresight to create such strong and clear structures to carry on the work that Spirit began. Norm’s legacy continues on through all whom he touched, encouraging souls to awaken to their own Pure Self, the magnificent presence of God within.
We each must chooses a diet that they feel best supports their vitality and health: physically, mentally, and spiritually. Needs vary from person to person and also can change from time to time for each individual. The most important thing is to notice the effect of what we choose to consume, asking, “Is this bringing me closer to, or farther away from, my goals?”
On the journey of Self-realization, we are aspiring to refine our consciousness, letting go of lower, denser energies, and reaching for more purified awareness. For this reason, on the spiritual path we choose to refrain from the use of tobacco, alcohol, non-prescription drugs, or other intoxicants.
“The ancient adepts all said that right nourishment comes from your own planting, if it’s possible for you—the placing of seeds in the soil of Mother Earth with your own hands, then the watering with love and the harvesting. There is nothing better than your own blessing of energy on the food that you have grown or prepared, or any food that you are about to eat.
“Realize that God is building the vessel of you that will contain him. Nourish your body, mind, and spirit so that you will have the life force to do the work you came here to do.”– Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder
