•by Valerie King• Every soul, even such great ones as Jesus of Nazareth and Gautama the Buddha when entering into life upon this world, must work through all levels of consciousness, from simple consciousness through self-consciousness, finally to regain Christ consciousness within the new bodies in which they reside. In making this journey, these victorious souls have beaten a path for us to follow. From their stories, we can gain inspiration and hope for our own inner quest.
Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. – Hebrews 5:8
We all seem to learn the lessons of the law of cause and effect through our own suffering when we “break ourselves against the law.” We cannot break the cosmic laws; we only break ourselves when we ignore them, in our lack of understanding. The law of cause and effect teaches us that it truly is more blessed to give than to receive: physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Physically, we can give through offering our life force in service to God. Mentally, we learn to discipline our thoughts to always return to the divine truth that God is everywhere, and in every life form! Spiritually, we give by making the effort every day to contact the living light of Christ consciousness, and allowing it to grow within us, that it may eventually become fully conscious in our every moment.
Yes, the spiritual journey is indeed a battle for truth and goodness within us. Slowly, we align ourselves with the heavenly purpose, and God’s abundant life, love, and joy begin to pour into us. This makes us want to give even more. The great wheel of the law of cause and effect begins to work for us, returning joy upon joy!
In embarking upon the journey homeward, the resolve to never give up is one of the most important attributes. At times, God pulls away from us, to test our desire and persistence. Remember, during these “dry” times, that many heavenly eyes watch you, awaiting your decisions. These are the times to make great strides in your journey. Pray to divine Spirit to strengthen your love, service, and devotion. God loves to answer this prayer, if offered with all your willpower and strength.
• by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • I Am That I Am, Mother-Father, will create us anew while yet we live, if we will allow, if we will remain steadfast, and if we but seek. One is afraid to die for fear of losing the body, but one, in seeing the pure Self becomes fearless; one in dying to the ego becomes immortal. This gift is what we seek; this is the gift to be administered.
To gaze upon the past is to look upon shadows. One thinks of reincarnation; it is comforting to think that reincarnation could be possible—that if we fail miserably in this life, another chance might be given. But to seek reincarnation is to read the wrong path, for reincarnation is itself an illusion. If one can see, feel and taste immortality, one does not need reincarnation. If one dreams of other lifetimes, are we sure that they are true? Can we prove it?
Those who have seen I Am That I Am all stress the fact that here and now this very moment and this very life that you have possession of, should be deemed extraordinary. It’s extraordinary to be alive here and now in these wonderful creations we call bodies; it’s more extraordinary to hear about eternal life, and that fact that it can be attained. Therefore, each one of us has one goal before us—that being its attainment.
The earthly life is short. All that you may desire in this world, having gained it, will not fulfill you, can never fill the great emptiness that can only be occupied by I Am That I Am. Why wouldn’t you then cast aside all desires, in hopes that you might gain this great thing called by Jesus “the pearl of great price,” that which cannot be bought, sold, or controlled.
You can become deluded, and think that ll those things which were not to be had, might now be had, and in so doing stop its growth, smother it, cut off its nourishment and be swept away by thoughts seeking to posses that which they have projected in the form of desire images. Once receiving it, realize that this is your moment, and only you can bring it forth to its full height and know its full purpose, for it speaks as the Christ; it acts as He.
All of those thoughts that surround you, which daily plague you, either good or bad, are not yours unless you receive them. In your daily offering, whether you are working, sitting, eating or playing, constantly give all you are, the god and the bad, to I Am That I Am. In your truthfulness and your sacrifice, he sees you and rewards you openly. By being honest and forthright you are forgiven, you are relieved. You are lifted up. If you persist in orbiting negative thoughts, you finally find yourself whirling away from the Source. Where do you go from here? Where did you come from? I Am That I Am takes a seat in the rear. He/She is not found in front, but behind. He is not only above, but below. She walks with you wherever you go.
by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder•All things move in parallels. Divine truths repeat themselves eternally. As creation was given birth, so was each one of us. The creation is macrocosmic; each of us is microcosmic; but essentially both are identical. Each son and daughter is a picture of the whole creation.
As we move within, we move without. That which was small becomes large. Even as each one of us came forth from the Divine, the ignition of creation has been expanding outward for billions of years. At some point in evolution, all will dissolve back into the invisible sea of Spirit, even as we are looking back and within towards God right now.
The predestined collapse of all upon its Source will take place; it will no longer be visible. So also for each one of us in reaching divine ecstasy, the walls of the body will fall away, yet still we live. Immortality is realized; security is found in divine Mother and Father’s presence. Once knowing them, how can we be fearful again? Our only fear should be that we might fail to fulfill their will.
Therefore we must endure through failure if it comes, realizing that defeat must give birth to victory, if we persevere. The indomitable will of the Divine has been given to each one of us to greater or lesser degree, depending upon our efforts and how much we desire it. God gives us his/her willpower and direction if we pray earnestly for it.
Hide not from your divine Parents. Be open to their presence every day. Confess to them your failures, and reaffirm with greater love, your determination to be successful in their eyes. Carry not the grief and guilt of failure, but give it to them. For each one of us must stand forth in our true image before them. We must be able to pray:
Father, Mother, many times I have failed, but many times I have tried again. I have done my best with what I have been given. Grant me mercy, strength and above all, pour into the vessel of my heart they great love, that I might offer it back to you. For here is the joy of life, a life worth living. Here, in the miracle of that love, let me be; just loving you, all that you are, all that I see.
• by Valerie King •When I was seventeen, I fell in love with God. The taste of Spirit had come to me in meditations, and I had to have more! I prayed for a guide who knew the way up the mountain of God. Miraculously, I was led to Sunburst and its founder Norman Paulsen, who was to become my brother, teacher, and friend.
Norm’s profound love of God kindled my desire one-hundredfold, to behold the Divine One within, to feel no separation from that presence, to know it in every particle of my being.
How does one describe a true teacher, and the gifts God brings through him? The depths of spirit-joy, sitting in meditation together, quenched lifetimes of soul thirst.
With amazing humility, Brother Norm shared his own spirit-journey with so many; its times of trial and times of blessings. His heart’s true desire was—and still is—to see all of God’s sons and daughters awaken and realize who they are, and become true caretakers of one another and this precious garden world.
The other day, my heart was missing the physical presence of my dear friend. I felt inspired to open a book of Rumi’s poetry, and my gaze fell upon these perfect words: “I am your deepest being. Quit talking about wanting me!”
I had to laugh, as I felt Norm smiling along with me. I am blessed to have such a teacher. You, too, can have Norm as a teacher, brother, and friend. Norm is very present and available, having been released into the place beyond time. He joyfully continues Spirit’s work of encouraging all souls to discover their divine home, the heart of God. You, too, are invited to join in this endeavor.
Walt Whitman wrote about this sacred work in his poem To Him That Was Crucified, “…we all labor together, transmitting the same charge and succession…till we saturate times and eras, that the men and women of races, ages to come, may prove brethren and lovers, as we are.”
Editor’s Note: And so, too, has Valerie moved on to those rarer dimensions from which she is still teaching. Photo is of a class she taught at Sunburst Sanctuary in 2017.
• by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • The Divine beloved can and does relate and communicate on an individual, personal level. The more you seek to know and love God and pray to feel that Presence, the more (s)he responds to you. God is the Presence, the pure Self within each one of us, existing separately from our self-conscious minds and thoughts. Each one of us can realize in this life that God is truly our divine companion. We must realize this and include the Creator of us all in everything we do each day. Include Mother-Father Divine in the things you do, the things you enjoy, your work, your play. They love to be with you.
This is what the whole creation is about. Our Creator wants to be conscious in us on this earth. We were not placed here just to satisfy our self-conscious desires. We were placed here to include the beloved consciously, in everything we do, for the benefit of all beings. We were born to be the caretakers of the Earth with the Creator, looking after all creatures and life-forms.
The Divine is ultimately your only true friend, and when you realize this wonderful truth, you will find him/her in others around you, waiting to do things with you. Yes, new friends are found and old ones seem changed. The Divine begins to communicate, work and play with you through all the creatures and images. Nature becomes alive with the Creator’s presence.
The greatest moment of all in our lives occurs when we truly realize God is indeed alive—yes, a living, loving being we can know and communicate with personally. We are not alone in this creation. The Divine is here with us, right now, teaching us how to walk through this life.
If love is the key to the gateway of heaven, then devotion to our Creator is the pathway beyond. Your true Beloved responds and is moved by your love and devotion. Therefore, God must be very personal in the love he/she has for you.
Poem by Persian poet Hafiz: This path to God made me such an old sweet beggar. I was starving until one night my love tricked God himself to fall into my bowl. Now Hafiz is infinitely rich.
•The founder of Sunburst, Norman Paulsen, was born on February 3. His wife and successor, Patty Paulsen, wrote:
Happy Birthday Norm! It’s hard to believe so many years have passed since you left your earthly body, but I know you are ever-present, for there is nowhere love is not. Love cannot separate itself from life, for it is life.
You exist in the here and now. At this very moment you are present, ready and willing to be of help to all who ask. Yes, as a bodhisattva you are here, existing in the energy field of life, love, light and pure consciousness, so alive and so available as one of the immortal Builders! Yes, you simply are Presence, non-judging, ever-loving, ever-new joy.
In utmost gratitude we thank you for your perseverance, wisdom and great humility in helping us establish a strong intent to reach the goal of liberation, Self-realization, amongst the fellowship of Sunburst. May we continue to keep our focus on the goal, enjoy the journey, be of service, and caringly hand this gift down through generations of youth, as you handed it to us when we eagerly asked you to teach us how to meditate and find God.
The mind pulls us into the past and grasps for desires of the future, but God’s dream unfolds in the present. Both past and future give us inspiration for our efforts today. Your legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of those who seek to feel, know and see their Eternal Beloved, Divine Mother and Father, face to face living and breathing in us here and now.
Norman Paulsen wrote: Love is the keelson of the vessel named “Virtue”. We must sail this ship on our journey homeward. The Christ Light is the polestar to navigate by. Right living is the wind in our sails. Desire is the compass. And our willpower is the wheel to stay the course.
