• Paramahansa Yogananda • Peace is the altar of Heaven. When peace comes to you, you are one with God. Peace is not something passive or negative. It stabs the heart of worries. One can kill worries by cultivating peace rather than by becoming angry at one’s lot.
You are swimming in an ocean of peace. Just as blood goes through every tissue, so peace flows through every cell of the body. When you are peaceful, everything is beautiful. When you lose your peace, your whole mental life becomes poisoned. Peace and divine love are much stronger than anger.
Learn to give love and calmness, and continuous understanding. When you wear the crown of peace, you will have everything. Everything you do should be done with peace. That is the best medicine for your body, mind, and soul. It is the most wonderful way to live. Cultivate peace!
• Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • In the light of true discernment past judgments may be found to be incorrect. When equanimity is practiced, we can look at circumstances around us and apply reason and virtue to our thoughts and actions.
Existing within each one of us is the exact center of the first light of creation; it is the point of concentration in meditation. From this center of divine consciousness, we learn how to balance the dual forces within us, and live in harmony with the law of cause and effect. We are now able to choose the correct thoughts and expressions to use in our everyday living.
Though we are in the storm of life’s experiences, let us take the time to sit down within our soul—our center of consciousness—and really weigh and balance our course of action. We can choose between the forces of positive and negative options surrounding us, and sail our soul ship of life within the eye of the storm. We will continue on course until the storm abates and equanimity reveals the shining brilliance of the inner omniscient sun, the only port of refuge!
In 1939, an article by Paramahansa Yogananda stated (excerpt): Intuition is that directly perceiving faculty of the soul which at once knows the truth about anything. Unless you have the power of intuition, you cannot possibly know Truth. It is the knowing power of the soul without the help of the senses or the mind. Intuition can give you knowledge about things which your senses and understanding can never give. Intuition does not depend upon any outside data whatsoever.
Intuition means “soul-perception.” It shows the difference between true and false reasoning. Many books and courses of study are prescribed for students in school, but nothing is taught them about concentration and the development of the sixth sense–the all-knowing faculty of intuition.
By the development of intuition one can outgrow the law of cause and effect in one’s own life. Intuition tunes the mental radio so that it can intercept all vibrations of future happenings which otherwise are deflected by diverse currents.
In India, Lahiri Mahasaya, revived the ancient meditation technique of Kriya Yoga for our era. He is quoted as saying: “Solve all your problems through meditation. Attune yourself to the active inner Guidance; the Divine Voice has the answer to every dilemma of life. Though man’s ingenuity for getting himself into trouble appears to be endless, the Infinite [Comforter] is no less resourceful.”
Sunburst’s teachings, outlined by founder Norman Paulsen, lead us to a life in greater harmony with the divine creative forces. Norm wrote and spoke of humankind’s evolutionary steps, which include gaining a “moral compass that derives from knowing our oneness with all life.” He goes on: “There will be no doubt of the Absolute Godhead, as every spirit shall see and know God, I Am That I Am, face to face.” There will be “no worry of death, or the future to come.”
Oh Father, Mother, Friend, Beloved God! I will reason, I will will, I will act; but lead Thou my reason, will, and activity to the right things that I should do.
– Paramahansa Yogananda
• by Ischa Beharry • In the silence of my soul, words, sounds, scents, impressions, thoughts and feelings seemed greatly amplified, yet with a gentleness and sweetness almost indescribable. And as I walked slowly and mindfully through the Sanctuary gardens with friends old and new, joy swept over my being in such gentle waves that my only reaction was exactly what our teacher, Sharon Ray, hoped it would be – a taste of what the Silent Retreat should evoke: A journey into the Path of SMILES and a deeper connection to Divine Spirit through silence and mindfulness.
A dedicated practitioner of the teachings of Thich Nhat Hahn, Sharon has embodied the concept of mindfulness in her daily life and needs not verbally extol its incredible effects on her quality of life, spiritual awareness or demeanor—it expresses itself naturally and gracefully in the truths and virtues that are her life’s guideposts, and in her very demeanor, speech and interaction with others.
Thich Nhat Hahn invites us to train ourselves to walk with reverence. Wherever we walk, whether it’s at the railway station or supermarket, we are walking on the Earth and, therefore, upon a holy ground. To walk with reverence everywhere is to find nourishment and solidity with each step. Each mindful step brings us back to the here and now, reminding us that we are alive on this beautiful planet. It propels us into present moment awareness. Ultimately, all of us are looking for our solid ground, our true home. The Earth, and the Present, is our true home. We can’t be grounded in our body if our mind is elsewhere.
Following the Path of SMILES, we are guided by the meaning of this wonderful acronym:
S is for Smile – uplifting my vibration
M is for Mantra – expressing my heart’s desire
I is for Inhale and exhale – aware of my breath
L is for Letting go – of my name and game
E is for Ears listening, Eyes watching – I come to my senses
S is for Sensing – the Presence of the Divine in and around me
Experience being the greatest teacher, I have to humbly agree that for the two days I practiced mindful walking and the Path of SMILES, the beauty and wonder of the Earth and its creatures around me was greatly amplified. Being in the moment was joy unbounded! There was no room in my mind for anything worrisome; my mind was totally absorbed in the moment, whether I was mindfully eating, looking at the beautiful pond and gardens, walking the labyrinth, listening to the birds, or perusing the roadways looking for tiny pieces of quartz crystals amidst the gravel.
As the Master Hahn himself says: No one has lived in the past or the future, only the now. The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it. While you are walking, smile and be in the here and now, and you will transform that place into paradise.
Yes! I do enjoy the beautiful sanctuary where I happen to live; however, during every Silent Retreat its beauty, peace, tranquility, and divine resonance is, for me, amplified a hundred-fold! Ah, the power of many together!
• by Norman Paulsen, Founder of Sunburst • Researchers tell us that subatomic particles are highly intelligent; like human beings they elude detection when they want to. What does that mean to us? It means that subatomic energy is filled with I Am That I Am, divine mind. Remove the space between the electrons and protons of your own atoms, and you couldn’t be seen. When we look at one another, we are looking at space falsified by magnetism, the swirling particles of energy and light. We’re a mass of particles of light that represent the physical.
We think we have limitations, that we suffer and are weak. We have unfulfilled desires. But we are the instrument I Am That I Am created in which to enjoy Earth! It’s an illusion that each one of us has a personality, a name, desires, likes and dislikes. In reality, we are one divine consciousness which has conceded to be each one of us for a time. On that day when you fully realize this, every face you see will be your own, like looking in a mirror.
Oh, what a miracle to be alive, a glorious thing! The longer I live, the more amazed I find myself at life—in my body, the whole universe, the absolute creation of God. No doubt about it!
Do I know God? I know the Creator like I know the dearest thing within me. Yes, never do I feel lonely for a moment. I know the Father, the Mother, the Eternal Friend, I Am That I Am. These expressions of God include the great Comforter, speaking forth with the sound of AUM—the roar of all the atomic structures, star systems and galaxies in time and space—the voice and witness of God. Yes, it’s the witness that God is alive, that the great cosmic motor is turning, running every subatomic particle in your body. Press your hands over your ears and hear the sound, the roar. The deeper you listen, the greater the sound.
It’s all there if we but seek. Hard it is indeed to seek. Strong are the impressions of the outer world and the gifts it offers. Pursuing these gifts, we do not acknowledge the Giver of All Gifts. Once truly realizing our oneness with God, we have everything. “Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven, and all things will be added unto you.”
Immortality? You will taste it. You will feel it. Ecstasy beyond your wildest dreams—beyond your mind’s ability to comprehend. What a fantastic thing it is, this I Am That I Am, this Divine Consciousness which is all of us—here right now and as available as it ever will be for you.
Think of what it would be like to use the full power that your own consciousness can manifest. Yes, if each of us did this, we would walk the earth as gods again, and everything we do would be divine: our structures, arts, sciences. One can hardly image what it would be like in the absence of negativity, and in total possession of ecstasy, of bliss, of eternal love!
• Gregg Braden, talk excerpt • The dark night of the soul is when the bulldozer of change comes through your life and levels everything; then it backs up and makes another run so your ego, your identity, is left with nothing. You may loose all your physical resources, your relationships, your trust in others, but you will be left with your innermost self. And you’ll realize you are actually okay. Then life will get much better after all of that.
The better we know ourselves, the less we fear change in the world. We fear change because we have hinged our wellbeing on the world around us. When deep spiritual awakening leads us, we begin to realize that we’re okay no matter what’s happening out there. We begin to become more self-sufficient, rather than relying on external systems for our wellbeing; whether it’s growing your own food or having a backup power system. We take responsibility for the things that are important to us, rather than giving our power away.
You alone are responsible for yourself. Your friends and the world of activity will not answer for your deeds when the final reckoning comes. – Paramahansa Yogananda
It’s only after you’ve lost everything that you’re free to do anything. – Tyler Durden
You have a treasure within you that is infinitely greater than anything the world can offer. – Eckhart Tolle
• Sri Chinmoy, adapted • To be actively calm and calmly active is the essence of a balanced life. We need to be active, but undertake activity with inner peace. As well as working and achieving things, we should not ignore the importance of looking after ourselves and paying attention to our inner life. Here’s some suggestions for being actively calm and calmly active.
1. One Thing at A Time – Whatever you do, you should give it your full attention and focus. With only one thing to do and think about, it is easier for your limited mind to cope. With several things on your mind, you flit from one problem to another and can become overwhelmed at how difficult life seems.
By doing several things at once, you won’t get more done; you will just feel busier and more important. Try to do only one thing at a time and see the difference it makes. Start off with your most important task, breaking it into smaller parts; gradually tick off the things you need to do.
2. Take Time for Relaxation – It’s very easy to feel that life is too busy to spend 20 minutes cultivating inner peace. However, the success of your outer activity depends on your inner state. If the mind is confused and brimming with conflicting thoughts, outer activity will be hard work and you’ll be victim to your own insecurities. If you can clear the mind and achieve an inner state of peace, you will be able to work much more effectively. Time set aside for yourself will not reduce potential, it will give you increased productivity.
