by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • The birthplace of angels, called the first dimension of consciousness, surrounds the Great Central Sun of God, the Christ, like the corona we observe around our physical sun. Here the brilliance is shaded with a violet-rose light of indescribable beauty and vibration. This is the energy of ecstatic awareness. This is the place where, from out of eternity, individual souls come into being, appearing as spheres of incandescent light, suns of God.
When we first acquired Sunburst Farm years ago, while meditating deeply I observed with closed eyes the astral panorama surrounding my physical body. I could clearly see objects in the physical world—some moving, some stationary. The landscape was clearly visible in a veil of penetrating light.
Toward the east, I observed an orb of brilliant white light rapidly approaching. To my delight, it came directly to me and hovered at eye level. A voice came floating upon the ethereal atmospheres, “I am the one they call Babaji.” I remembered well Yogananda’s description of an ever-youthful figure called Babaji, meaning “holy father.” Babaji was the spiritual guide of Lahiri Mahasaya, Yogananda’s teacher’s teacher.
In my meditation, I watched as Babaji, in the form of the orb of white light, transited the full length of my inner-dimensional spine, emerging from the crown of my head. Hovering again before me, he silently projected in thought forms his pleasure at finding the way open through all the spinal centers. Babaji offered support for the endeavors I had undertaken. He left as he had come, toward the east and his favorite haunts in the high Himalayas.
I am constantly reminded of the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth to Paul of Tarsus. At the time, Paul was traveling to raise support to persecute the growing “cult” of Jesus followers. Jesus appeared before Paul’s vision as a sphere of incandescent light, brighter than our physical sun.
Paul was converted then and there, as he recognized Jesus—whom he had never before met—within that light. Jesus appeared to Paul with the power and brilliance of the Cosmic Christ, the Inner Sun, to baptize and illuminate Paul of Tarsus. Paul was to become one of the greatest advocates and messengers of Christ.
I believe that we human beings are surrounded at all times by angels. Surely we are watched constantly by them. The brilliant flashes of violet-rose and blue-white light seen before our eyes while working, exercising, or meditating, reveal their presence. They can be as big as they like, or as small as they like. They have access to Infinity. They are the projectors and initiators of the divine drama of creation and its evolution.
Many souls on Earth today are evolving inward toward their own spherical bodies of light. In this life, we seemingly find ourselves surrounded by a never-ending obstacle course of events. We must remember the words of Revelations 21:7, “The one who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be their God and they shall be my offspring, my heir.” We must overcome the negativity that surrounds us. With the help of angels, and by living virtue, we finally attain Christ Consciousness, and we truly see what a wondrous creation surrounds us.
Your own divine soul, the image of God within you, is a brilliant sphere of light. It is waiting to direct your physical body from the center of Christ Consciousness, the inner-dimensional throne of God within you. Ask and it shall be opened; seek and ye shall find. Meditate and live virtue, and you will be surrounded with the company of angels. Look to the inner light, brilliant like the sun, and know that you are looking at beings from the first dimension, the angels of the Cosmic Sun, I Am That I Am.
Light on Sunburst Sanctuary – Spring Takes Flight
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” – Maya Angelou
A recent hike through one of Sunburst Sanctuary’s deep canyon oak forests proved to be a magical wonderland. Hundreds of butterflies cavorted pell-mell through filtered sunlight, creating a fairy-like landscape. Some were white, some blue, some had orange wing tips. There were also Mourning Cloak butterflies, and Western Tiger Swallowtails (shown above), even a Monarch or two.
Above, left to right: Cabbage White, Sara Orangetip, Clouded Sulphur. Row 2: Echo Azure, Monarch, Mourning Cloak.
Flowering plants and butterflies go together, and both bring us joy. Butterflies are also seen as a symbol of the soul and transformation, of renewal, hope, and courage. Each of these is associated with the “fire of life,” and the act of surrender, sacrifice, or resignation that is required to make a change, just as the butterfly goes through three stages of development before getting its wings.
At least one Native American tribe believes the butterfly will deliver a prayer to the Great Spirit. You may unconsciously associate butterflies with being lighthearted and free. Some people ascribe different personal meanings to the different colors of butterflies that they may encounter. Whenever you see a butterfly, enjoy the beauty and appreciate whatever personal message you receive. These lovely creations definitely brighten our days.
“Happiness is a like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne
by Dawn King • It was early morning and I was about to crack an egg into the frying pan when my husband startled me, and I jumped. The egg flew from my hand onto the top edge of the dishwasher door, which was slightly ajar. Next it careened onto the laminate floor.
I’ve dropped eggs a few times over the years, each time resulting in an eggy, gooey mess. But this time a miracle—the egg was intact. Though the shell was cracked, it still clung to the egg. The membrane inside was unbroken, so nothing leaked out. “Whew!” I exhaled.
Instantly a Divine message entered my consciousness. “I AM taking care of you, just like this egg.”
“Wow!” a feeling of relief came over me. Like so many of us since Covid arrived, my whole life has been in tumult for a number of months. Various circumstances have compounded upon the situation, leaving us in a state of worry and uncertainty about the future.
Ideally, we would live in the present, unconcerned about tomorrow. But even the birds outside my window prepare for tomorrow. If they’re acorn woodpeckers, they gather acorns and stash them. And all birds make nests in preparation for the coming of a new brood.
Humans not only want to prepare for tomorrow, but want to feel that there’s safety in the future. This is hard when life throws you a sudden, unexpected challenge. It can be hard even when you see the challenge imminently bearing down on you. What to do?
Sunburst’s founder Norm Paulsen seemed to advise meditation as the solution for everything. The longer I live, the more I learn how effective regular meditation, and devotion to Spirit is. Through meditation we learn to realize and reflect on the many gifts of Spirit in our lives. This leads us to love the Divine, and want to be closer to, and more in harmony with our Creator.
Norm once said: “Each time that we meditate, the imprint of our heart’s love leaves an eternal picture in the mind of our Creator.…We are part of immortal life, here in this world for such a short time.…We were each created perfect in the beginning. Let us strive to regain our perfection.”
From the Divine Heart of Love, we have each come. Divine Love is the Seed within each of us. When we connect with that Seed and nourish it, in turn it nourishes our spirits. If the ability to meditate eludes us, we can still reflect on the blessings of each day, and develop love by loving those around us, realizing they too are divinely created and sustained, just like us.
Love inspires Faith in us that helps us hear and know the truth of its message: “All is well; I Am taking care of you. Seek me and listen.”
Light on Sunburst Sanctuary – Springing Forward • Despite very cool mornings, Nature is springing forward at Sunburst Sanctuary. An opening double-photo shows the King’s almond tree at the start of February with buds on bare branches (left side) and, at the end of the same month, fully opened almond blossoms (right side). Deer are enjoying fresh green shoots in the main field (below).
Farther up the canyon, a field Sean disked and sewed with hay seed (1st photo below), is now green with new growth (2nd photo below).
To prevent insects larvae from boring into dormant spring peach tree buds, Al sprayed mineral oil on them.
A Pueblo Blessing:
Hold onto what is good, even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold onto what you believe, even if it is a tree which stands by itself.
Hold onto what you must do, even if it is a long way from here.
Hold onto life, even when it is easier letting go.
Hold onto my hand, even when I have gone away from you.
by Paramahansa Yogananda
The Kriya Yoga meditation technique of pranayama, life-force control that transmutes breath into subtle lifetronic energy, brings positive realization that the composition of the body is pure cosmic energy. In the adept practice of Kriya, the body is oxygenated and its atoms etherealized until it becomes light as a feather.
Man has no idea how much power comes into the body when he has mastered the mystery of the breath. Kriya practice brings a regulated, continuous inflow of oxygen into the body, the atoms of which, by the process of pranayama, are transmuted into life force, reinforcing the subtle currents in the spine. In turn these currents awaken the astral cerebrospinal centers and spiritualize the entire body.
After years of successful practice, the body of the advanced Kriya Yogi becomes so spiritualized that in exalted states he can hardly feel it touch the ground. The suffusion of life force becomes so powerful that the whole body loses its delusive solidity and actually levitates. I can testify to that from my own experience. But the beginner should not expect to jump weightless tomorrow!
Modern man is accustomed to getting results quickly; his industry and technology manufactures products so rapidly that he thinks there should be a convenience package of concise spiritual progress as well. A presumption of instant spiritual achievement is perhaps more than a bit audacious considering the innumerable lifetimes already spent in making oneself an unspiritual being. Even a lifelong practice is little to be required. Nevertheless, the Kriya Yoga science and art of meditation are not drudgery, because gradual transforming results are felt from the very beginning.
From Lahiri Mahasaya’s teachings
• Consider yourself very humble. This means one should do service, prayers, and maintain a feeling of being a servant of all.
• Always do satsanga – associate with spiritually oriented people, inquire into the nature of yourself, and read spiritually uplifting writings.
• From time to time, congregate in a place and talk about God.
• Do not show disrespect for any name or form of God.
• At least once a year, leave worldly duties and go to a retreat for a month, or a week, or at least three days and enjoy the solitude.
Paramahansa Yogananda said this about Lahiri Mahasaya:
“The Kriya Yoga which I am giving to the world through you in this nineteenth century,” Babaji told Lahiri Mahasaya, “is a revival of the same science which Krishna gave millenniums ago to Arjuna, and which was later known to Patanjali, and to Christ Jesus, Saint John, Saint Paul, and other disciples.
“The science of Kriya Yoga … became widely known in modern India through the instrumentality of Lahiri Mahasaya, my guru’s guru. Lahiri Mahasaya received it from his guru, Babaji, who rediscovered and clarified the technique after it had been lost in the Dark Ages.”
The next post will explain Kriya Yoga further.
