• by Craig Hanson•On life’s journey toward understanding our true nature, trials, misunderstandings and difficult times may beset us. As we weather these trials and learn many lessons, we may hope that we can help others with what we have gleaned from our experiences.
Norman Paulsen, the founder of Sunburst, wrote a book called “Love, Life, God.” In it he talks about his many experiences as he tried the best he could to live in a way that would bring him closer to the Divine Spirit whom he knew existed within himself. He stated:
My own search for God and a face-to-face meeting did occur for me, but I had yet to live to perfect virtue, which is the very nature of God. I hope, by revealing my experiences, struggles, and revelations, that you, traveler, will be aided on your journey homeward. When trials come, embrace them as opportunities for growth. We learn compassion for others through the painful circumstances we endure ourselves.
There’s an old expression that says: Whatever pains you in others is probably within yourself. The things we find painful inside of ourselves are like the cattle prod that gets our attention and causes us to reflect, then causes us to have compassion for ourselves and others. The sanctuary of peace and perfection we long for is within. When we relax the mind through deep breathing, we relax the thoughts and come to a place of peace and calmness. This is our own sanctuary where the waters of life flow in a beautiful cascade, giving life abundantly and eternally from the fountain of life which flows through us all. As we grow closer to the Divine, as we sit in moments of silence and contemplation, as we enjoy the beauties of creation and of each other—the smiling faces before us—we come to realize that all these things are within us.
We each are placed upon the Earth to do a great work unique to our own soul. We may discover this through a lot of trial and error. Understanding and comprehension of who we are, why we were placed here, and how the creation came into being—all these profound questions, which perplexed even the greatest minds, can be known.
Albert Einstein, humbled by the magnificent order of the creation fashioned by a divine intelligence, realized that the most profound answers to the physical questions of the universe, as well as the simple questions of our hearts, were found within this quiet Self within. So it is with each one of us that Divine Spirit has created a creative genius blossoming forth like an exquisite flower. Together we can be a bouquet of souls who fully understand our infinite potential and connection to each other through our common Source.
by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • Our Divine Creator is present in every image, living in every cell of our bodies, swirling in every atom, existing around every thought. But we are given the power to think and to make our own choices. Our Divine Mother and Father will not fully reveal themselves to us until they are convinced that we really love them, that we really want to see and know them.
The Divine created this whole universe of images and all of us, each one with a different face. It will be heaven on earth when we realize what a miracle this is. From our divine center, we can project for our world those images we want to see—humankind living at one with the gardens, the flowers, the trees and their fruits, with the creatures. We take care of them, and they are helping us.
My divine playmate, God, woke me one night, and with my eyes open or closed the whole room was filled with stars—brilliant, crystal clear sub-atomic particles, like tiny suns, living beings of light. Like swarms of bees, these beings assimilate and collect life force into images that divine consciousness wants to make visible. They were moving through my body and all around me, this swarm of living light.
God said, “This is my body—inside of you, outside of you. When you leave your physical form you fly with me in this light.”
I raised my hands up over my head into the light and it sparkled, twinkled and swirled around and through my fingers. Everywhere I put my hands into the light particles it felt like an extension of my own body. It was divine ecstasy.
I said, “Oh Father, I am really touching you with my hands! This is as close as I can get to hugging you.”
This experience is for everyone, if we will just make the effort in prayer and meditation. Life is so full of interesting things coming and going, you may think, “I don’t have time to seek God. I will do it later when I am not so busy.“ But if you seek God now, you will have a divine companion as you grow older. God will be with you, helping you to become a co-creator on the stage of life within yourself. God will be walking with you, and you will be walking with God every day—oh what a wonderful thing!
My God is very near; tears of joy run from my eyes, and down upon my cheeks.
The very vital airs I breathe are saturated with the Divine Presence.
The timeless, eternal Spirit now exists between each thought attached to this moment of my comprehension.
I become speechless and transfixed, in utter astonishment of the Divine’s presence before me, and existing in every moment.
Note: Norman always said the experience of Divine love and bliss is available to any who seek it. Renew your spirit at Sunburst’s upcoming Silent Retreat November 10 – 13. Call for details: 805 736.6528. Space is limited.
• Dawn King (text & illustrations) • It’s interesting to reflect on the judgmental biases that we each acquire from the environment in which we grow up. Today a long-forgotten memory came to mind while I was cleaning my bathroom. Many years ago when Sunburst first started, we had an office in Santa Barbara. It was on Cota Street. One of the functions of this office was to find employment for Sunburst Farm residents.
Because everyone needed to chip in some money to help Sunburst Farm feed its residents and develop the property, each resident needed to pay “rent”. We had not developed our chain of natural foods stores yet; later working at a job there was considered as payment of rent, although no money was exchanged.
At one point I was the volunteer who scoured local papers to find jobs for us. I sent myself on one of these because nobody else was available. This job was to spend a few hours cleaning someone’s home in an upscale neighborhood. I had grown up in an environment which saw cleaning someone else’s house as the lowest and worst job a woman could take. So I had to put that prejudice from my upbringing out of my mind.
With an at-your-service attitude I rang the doorbell, and followed instructions for cleaning some hard to reach areas of the client’s beautiful home. I was happy that I could easily crawl behind the couch, and climb a ladder as needed. It was a successful job.
The homeowners seemed very happy with my work, and insisted I have some milk and cookies before I left. Very new to Sunburst at the time, I was 26 years old and weighed 95 pounds due to anorexia, which I suffered for a year or more before arriving. The generous homeowners most likely were concerned that I was malnourished, and after the work I appreciated their kindness.
Today, I’m very happy that I took this job and actually did it despite having grown up in an environment that said this kind of work was supposed to be “beneath my dignity.” The experience taught me many things.
1. Honest work is never beneath one’s dignity. “Honest” means it is not stealing, lying, or involved in anything illegal.
2. We should honor and appreciate others who perform honest labor; so many menial and even “dirty” tasks are vital for the functioning of society. My humble husband never shied from dealing with the community septic system or any other task that would turn others off.
3. It’s worthwhile to reflect on and realize what prejudices we have been exposed to, and whether we’ve accepted them as part of our own belief system.
4. When we perform any honest task with a glad heart in true service to others, or an attitude of service to Spirit, no task is too far beneath us, and no task is too large or too hard.
Selfless service is always attended to and aided by unseen angel helpers. What a blessing! You can feel it!
“I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that I will fall heir.” – Gautama Buddha
These words remind us that we are each responsible for our own actions and our own karma. It fits this time of year, the fall equinox.
In Jewish tradition Rosh Hashanah comes at the start of the fall season, and is a time of reckoning. Likewise, Hindu tradition sets two weeks aside for facing one’s own responsibility for one’s karmic lot. This time is especially aimed at overcoming victim consciousness around family issues. We need to recognize how we ourselves have been negligent in our thoughts and actions, or perhaps used bad judgement. Just as we want to be forgiven, we must forgive those we judge as having wronged us.
Here are Paramahansa Yogananda’s words on personal karma:
You should make a greater effort. Forget the past and trust more in God. Our fate is not predestined by Him; nor is karma the sole factor, though our lives are influenced by our past thoughts and past activities.
If you are not happy with the way life is turning out, change the pattern. I don’t like to hear people sigh and ascribe present failure to past-life errors: to do so is spiritual laziness.
Sunburst residents and visitors enjoyed a joyous, and relaxing weekend celebrating Music and Nature. It was fueled throughout by wonderful organic vegetarian meals. Events included devotional music in the Temple, a group hike through the woods to a vista, fireside sing-along, labyrinth walk, group meditation, and a Medicine Wheel ceremony. Enjoy the photos.
•by Dawn King• The divine dream of Sunburst is a world as it should be. The igniting energy of Sunburst is a consciousness that welcomes everyone who is willing to try living it, free from judgment. Sunburst is a place (Sunburst Sanctuary) and a people, holding the seed of this energy and journeying together while awakening into this consciousness. Sunburst draws us all towards our best behavior, and the courage to live without fear. The aura of Sunburst embraces us with unconditional love and acceptance through sincere caring and guidance for living.
Here we find inner strength and abilities we didn’t know we had. Sunburst, the Sanctuary and the consciousness, offers us an uplifting opportunity to reach for our very best self, our pure Self, the divine part of us that gives good guidance, joy, and a satisfying fulfillment to our days.
Spirit is alive in us, and this life is ever-changing. Thus, Sunburst is a fast spinning vortex. Over time, we each find personal tests pushing us to our limits. Sunburst founder, Norman Paulsen often said that we have to run to keep up with Spirit.
Visiting Sunburst Sanctuary can be a retreat from worldly goals; however, long term living at Sunburst’s Sanctuary only works for those who can put the small self aside for a life of service. Those who’ve resided with Sunburst for decades have the foremost goal of 1. developing spiritually; 2 supporting the mission and message of our founder and line of teachers; 3. supporting the work of Sunburst through daily group meditations and other activities.
Founder of Sunburst, Norman Paulsen tells us: “As each and every one of us moves toward heaven, toward the blessed experience of immortality, we will begin to feel God’s power in us, more and more. He tests each one of us to see how much we can take, like thrusting steel into the fire again and again to increase its temper. At times, you may cry to God, ‘Why am I so mistreated? O God, is your hand so set against me?’ “If you listen to the silence, you will hear God saying, ‘I want you so strong for future work that no matter what happens, you will never break.’ God cannot pour down his life and light, power and wisdom unless he is sure that the vessel is prepared to hold it. That is why the path to heaven is difficult, and described as a razor’s edge.”
Over fifty years of many people’s desires for realizing the Divine within, and those same individual’s selfless service have helped shape what Sunburst can offer today. Some of those people came and left; some are still residing at the Sanctuary. Meanwhile, the divine dream that is Sunburst, as projected by Paramahansa Yogananda and Norman Paulsen, lives on and is a blessing for all.
Paramahansa Yogananda wrote: “The greatest influence in your life, stronger even than your willpower, is your environment. When you are having difficulty in trying to change for the better, spiritual company and good environment are essential.”
“The greatest influence in your life, stronger even than your willpower, is your environment. When you are having difficulty in trying to change for the better, spiritual company and good environment are essential.”
