This was an amazing and wonderfully peaceful weekend celebrating deep connection and re-dedication to awakening Spirit within. Friday morning, December 21, marked winter solstice. After morning meditation in the temple, some hearty souls greeted the first rays of the rising sun at Sunburst’s Hopi labyrinth. A warming fire had been built next to the labyrinth before sunrise. It was a beautiful and frosty morning as one walked the labyrinth, while also welcoming the 5th World of Hopi, and a renewal of the Mayan Calendar. The day was punctuated with meditations for world peace.
Winter Solstice evening celebration and ceremony in the temple featured a symbolic walk down the 8 paths and around the 12 virtues. Twinkling candles, crystals and sparkling decorations marked the keyhole pathway. Each celebrant lit a candle to inspire a personal goal, or prayer, at this sacred turning point.
Saturday was a quiet day around the main area, with ongoing meditations in the temple. Lovingly prepared light meals were served. Two yoga classes were offered: yin in the morning, and yang in the afternoon. Evening meditation broke into joyous singing to celebrate the season, our inspiration and all we have to be thankful for.
Of course, the Mayan calendar has now turned a new page on a more awakened world. In 1987, Sunburst celebrated the Harmonic Convergence, which marked the beginning of the end of ignorance regarding the possibility of spiritual consciousness. In my own lifetime, this writer has seen an escalation of humanity’s heart and mind opening to let go of prejudice, increasing tolerance, compassion and love for the rest of humanity and our planet. Current events continue to offer opportunities for such soul growth.
Many souls were inspired to join in Sunday’s service and fellowship. The temple saw its first Christmas celebration and its largest crowd to date. Sunburst’s current spiritual director, Patricia Paulsen led the service. Later in the lodge no one wanted to leave the happy warmth of our gathering, but eventually we all had to go home and prepare for more upcoming holiday celebrations.
Walking home from evening yoga at the Lodge, the sky is awesome.
Twinkling stars peak from between scattered buttermilk clouds.
In the East, a full moon rises from behind low fog.
Other clouds appear to be glowing angels hovering protectively overhead.
I pause at the labyrinth, stepping purposefully into its center;
only my feet knowing why and where.
Moonlight plays upon the the standing stones.
I’m mesmerized—such beauty overhead and all around me!
The journey calls me onward, though my soul desires to stay in this timeless joy forever.
Now I’m overwhelmed by a symphony of crickets,
as well as intriguing shadows of pendulous leaves suspended from branches
…about to embrace fall’s naked truth.
Sweet cool breath of Nature’s ever shifting fragrance
allows me deep drafts of life… renewed.
And I am renewed!
We had yet another fun gathering take place at the Sunburst Sanctuary last week-end during the bright and beautiful October Harvest moon. The autumn is such a wonderful time to gather when the days are sunny and warm, and the nights are starting to get cold. There is something about the contrast when the temperatures drop forty degrees between day and night when one can really feel the power of the changing seasons. Fall on the central coast is so beautiful with the many vineyards and local native trees changing colors, and many pumpkin patches are within visiting distance in the nearby towns of Los Olivos, and Santa Ynez.
Patty leads a relaxing and restorative yoga class.Â
Some of the activities for October’s Celebrate Life were two classes of yoga, a restorative evening class and a more invigorating morning class, and a wonderful Autumn hike in the afternoon. Dinner was served on the outside patio where we could observe the incredible beauty of the landscape complete with wandering groups of deer and other wildlife. Our meal, prepared by Core Foods chef Kira, was complete with all the warming foods of the harvest- potatoes, squash, kale, and other delights were served. A view of the setting sun to a long and luxurious day at Sunburst was an added bonus, followed by an evening of sacred songs….such a nice way to celebrate life!
The glorious full moon over the mountains blessed the end of our day.Â
Sunburst was honored once again with a very special group of participants in the September Kriya 2 workshop. Silence was observed before and after the event, adding to the sacredness of the day, and a rose petal pathway to the workshop reminded us of our pure selves and the sacred journey we each walk.
Jake and Patty led an inspiring talk and teaching about the movement of breath along the spine called the Circulation of the Light, which helps us to open our spinal centers, illuminating our minds and balancing the masculine and feminine forces within us.
Sitting in the beautiful room, surrounded by friends and new acquaintances, there was an indescribable peace that filled the air and a feeling a gratitude for the chance to make a deeper connection with each other and with Spirit.
The last weekend of July, Sunburst residents and attendees were busy at our annual Summer Kriya Retreat. It is one of our favorite events because we get to share the things that are near and dear to our hearts: love for spirit, love for each other and love for the Earth. It is a great time to establish a meditation practice, or to rededicate and re-inspire our existing practice. Three foundation techniques of meditation are taught. Restorative and pranayama yoga, as well as devotional singing are some of the other activities offered.
As with all Sunburst events, nurturing, healthy meals were served at this year’s summer Kriya event. Much of the food had been grown on Sunburst’s Organic Farm. Mealtimes in the beautiful lodge dining room were relaxed and people had a chance to visit and get to know each other better.
One of the concluding ceremonies included a new garden dedication on the Sanctuary premises. This community garden will be used by residents and visitors alike, and help provide food for Sunburst’s weekly Sunday brunches. (Every Sunday morning service is followed by a brunch.) The new garden has a Hopi sun design with three beds indicating each of the four directions. In the center of the garden a tree was planted to represent the beginning or emergence of creation. Everyone present planted sunflower seeds in the garden. These flowers are known to track the sun—their faces turn throughout the day—much the same way that we are striving to track the spiritual sun that shines within us.
Heiko, Steven, Jake and Helge planting the center tree in the new Hopi garden.
The main event of the weekend was Kriya initiation during which the ancient Sun technique of meditation was passed on to the participants. I have been receiving this technique for almost forty years, and am always in awe of the sacred energy filling the room. The very act of breathing light into our bodies is both profound and uplifting. I always leave feeling a deep connection to all of the spiritual beings that have paved the way before us, including our own dear teacher, Norman Paulsen.
The last weekend of many months at the Sunburst Sanctuary is dedicated to nurturing and restorative activities such as yoga, hiking, meditation, and occasional classes. The pristine beauty and peacefulness of the surrounding land adds much to the experience of relaxing and recharging our batteries. Abundant wildlife such as deer and wild turkeys can be seen in the meadows around the landscaped lodge grounds.
The lodge itself was built in 1998 by a number of Sunburst residents, including John Henry McCaughey. Beautiful pine paneling lines the inside walls. Douglas fir rafters and trusses support the high ceilings. The outside of the building has redwood siding and Douglas fir posts. One of the things that make this building so striking is that the dimensions of the two main rooms are based upon sacred geometry.
Memorial Day weekend featured two presentations on sacred geometry by Craig Hanson. Saturday afternoon he discussed the vesica pisces, and we learned how to accurately draw this seed image, which is part of the Sunburst mandala. We colored our drawings, each of us creating unique artwork. In the evening we enjoyed a beautiful and informative slideshow in which Craig gave a short overview of sacred geometry. The “thumbprint of God” was Sunburst founder Norman Paulsen’s name for the golden proportion. Craig’s slides illustrated this repeating, aesthetically pleasing theme in nature. Included were plants, crystals, snowflakes, the structures of our bodies, and its adaptation in ancient architecture.
Vegetarian meals were specially prepared during the weekend by Kira Slade, who has studied and taught the benefits of simple core foods that serve to heal and harmonize the body, mind and spirit. Meals are an important part of Celebrate Life weekends as they provide time to get to know each other and to socialize.
Sunburst yoga classes on these special weekends offer an opportunity to do something wonderful for yourself. Restorative yoga with Dawn King on Friday evenings is for anyone who wants to sleep like a baby afterwards. It’s a safe and supportive environment in which to totally “let go” and relax. Patty Paulsen’s Saturday Yoga class gets all bodily systems into sync, up and running more smoothly.
If you have a chance to attend one of these weekends, prepare to be renewed, relaxed and recharged!
