• by Norman Paulsen • I remember the day I was told of my teacher’s passing out of the body. I rushed to Mount Washington to see him one last time. Paramahansa Yogananda had told me before he left that he would come to see me after he left his body.
Some months later I was living in Santa Barbara, wondering if he would ever come back. One Saturday I came home from work and sat down in my room to read. Suddenly, the wind came up outside my apartment, shaking the front of the building. The door blew open and Master Yogananda walked into my room. He stood before me and gave instructions as to how I should live my life.
I received the glorious message that he was immortal—that he could come back to talk to me, and that this was proof that we all have immortal souls. We can all come back to see our loved ones; our lives go on in this great immensity of God’s creation; I saw the resurrection of the man I loved.
Yogananda proved to me that through the practice of meditation and the ancient teachings, the way is open for all to come and enjoy life, with God-realization alive in our consciousness. That experience has brought me to this day and to this place, and I thank him, my teacher. I thank God for allowing me to be here with this message and this truth.
Through deep meditation and prayer, may we all seek those teachings that will guide us on our journey onward through our inner-dimensional tunnel, to the light that is right within us. Jesus said, the kingdom of heaven is within you. Inner-dimensionally, it is all here. Not somewhere out in space, but so near that you can touch it, feel it, and see it in your deep meditation, if you persist. Resurrection of the soul is possible for each one of us. Love is the key that unlocks the spiritual gates.
by Paramahansa Yogananda • Resurrect your soul from all dreams of frailties. Resurrect your soul in eternal wisdom. What is the method? It includes many things: self-control, good diet, fortitude, an undaunted mental attitude, and relaxation of the consciousness from body identification by daily practice of scientific concentration and meditation principles. Refuse to be defeated. You have unlimited power; you must cultivate that power, that is all.
It is time to realize your unity with all by experiencing your oneness with God. Again and again, pray in your soul: Oh Lord, come, clear away the dust of my indifference. Flood my consciousness, Oh Infinite Christ, with thy divine consciousness!
by Dawn King • My constant prayer is to see people and things through God’s eyes. One day I walked into a room at my house and saw it for the mess that it was. Instead of ignoring it, I needed to tackle a big clean up and declutter at my house, one I’d been putting off because it was so daunting, and there were so many other fun things to do instead.
Since inertia seemed to have kept this personal project from going forward, I resolved to give it a try once again. With that in mind, I stopped and prayed for at least five minutes. I prayed for strength, and asked for a “key” to help me. Then I listened for the answer; what was the key?
After several more minutes: “Just start!” came the reply.
How many times in life do we need to make a change, but feel unprepared in some way. Or maybe we simply lack the willpower, even though we know it’s something we should do. We put it off; we ignore it; we beat ourselves up about it. Yet, no results come because we haven’t really made an effort.
It takes repeated resolve to tackle a project, especially a large one. Each day we need to remind ourselves of what we’re trying to accomplish. Maybe it’s starting a meditation practice. Maybe it’s being a more compassionate and kind person. Maybe it’s writing a thesis. Whatever it is, it can loom large in our minds and seem overwhelming, next to impossible.
Paramahansa Yogananda encourages us to take on hard tasks in order to develop our willpower. It takes many virtues to overcome our demons, whatever they may be, or to take on any seemingly big task. We need first to recognize the issue; what do you want to change or to accomplish? Sometimes making a plan is helpful. Other times we simply need to dive in. But it’s always helpful to be certain your efforts and your goals are ones that Spirit is behind. When in doubt, meditate on whether the undertaking is something you should really pursue or not.
Once a worthwhile pursuit is on your “To Do” list, be ready to stick to it until it’s accomplished, no matter how long that might take. This is perseverance. And you’ll need patience to continue on. Sometimes it takes courage to even start an endeavor. Adopting Sunburst’s 8 Paths, and 12 Virtues can be very helpful in creating a healthy life, one that is fulfilling, and shines light into this world.
“Forget the past. The vanished lives of all people are dark with many shames. Human conduct is ever unreliable until one is anchored in the Divine. Everything in the future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now.” Paramahansa Yogananda
Let’s greet that Light.
Let’s embrace the diversity of all cultures,
of all God’s children
for truly that Light within our souls,
which is the pure Self,
is the light in every created being.
The sun we see outside of us today,
winking at us through the clouds,
is that same inner sun,
our divine Companion that likes to play with us,
hiding in and out of the creation,
enjoying life.
In meditation we touch divine Love and Joy.
In the stillness between two thoughts
—any two thoughts—we come to know.
We come to get blasted by the Light,
like seeing the gap between cars
on a speeding freight train.
If we penetrate the gaps between the cars
with one pointed focus and concentration,
time stands still,
and we behold Light that was always there,
but we saw it not.
by John Kiddie•When we’re dependent upon external factors such as relationships, jobs, finances, etc. for our sense of well-being, we naturally have a strong investment in things turning out a particular way. By doing this we most likely create suffering for ourselves.
“Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.” – Art Linkletter
For the person who has found an inner source of happiness through the spiritual practice of meditation, observing non-attachment becomes much easier. In fact, unfavorable circumstances can be seen as gifts in disguise, to deepen our inner experience.
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein
In a universe where nothing is a miracle, mistakes are possible. In this world, I am a victim of circumstances, and others are the cause of my unhappiness. This is the world of should-haves, could-haves, and why-me. Someone who views life in this way will invariably have a strong attachment to outcomes.
On the other hand, if you subscribe to the view that everything is unfolding perfectly according to a flawless divine plan, surrender and non-attachment are not so difficult to achieve. Instead of asking, “Why me?” when trouble hits, every event can be viewed as our own perfect creation, to learn and grow.
You’re ready to ask: What is the gift in this situation for me? Or, you realize since that didn’t work out, there must be an even better situation just around the corner. When we put all of our eggs in one basket as far as happiness goes, whether it be a special relationship, getting a job promotion, or our income, we are setting ourselves up for suffering.
“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.” – Richard Bach
by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • With the consistent practice of meditation, contemplation and prayer, the existence of the divine Presence within you begins to unfold. You will eventually be able to identify the light that Jesus spoke of, shining behind the darkness of closed eyes.
This light is from another universe existing within the structure of our own dimension. Here, other suns shine and blue skies reflect upon the waters. This is a living universe that watches us more than we are able to watch and comprehend it.
Our physical bodies seem solid but, in the light of present scientific discoveries, exist as a sea of highly intelligent subatomic particles not unlike swarms of bees set about building honeycombs. These divine and highly intelligent particles of light and energy continually build the structures of creation and everything we see!
These subatomic particles can be seen and known by the meditating adept. They are the body of Christ consciousness. They are as bright as any sun we see. They create suns and galaxies in this dimension. If we seek to know God, we will surely see them in our meditations. They will shape our bodies in the next dimension as we leave this present one behind in death’s transition.
Through your belief in these sacred forces that are continually creating you, the doctrine of sin and the burden of guilt vanish, and you begin to move into the light of Self-realization. Your love becomes divine, and your soul creates an unbreakable bond with the pure Self within, unleashing your healing and creative powers: the ability to create, project, and materialize your own images into the future.
As you put on your true spiritual nature, the pure Self, you will recognize the knowledge which has always been there and you have seen it not.
by Jacob Collier • Many of us have been affected in one way or another, by the horrific events that take place in this country and around the world—fires, floods, famines, etc. We wonder what we can do to help, what we can do as individuals to make a difference. At other times we wonder: How can we stand up for what is right rather than getting rolled along with a more prevalent energy that is not healthy? How can we help change the tide of energy from a negative one to a positive one? How can we replace fear with faith and courage?
Turning to prayer and meditation is even more important during times when we feel fearful or anxious. When we are successful in shutting down the senses and going within, we truly become a conduit of light.
As Spirit enters the tops of our heads, it not only energizes us but it passes on through our bodies and into the center of the Earth positively energizing our planet and all of its inhabitants. Deep meditation is truly one of the ways that we can help in the healing and evolution of the planet.
Another way we can help is with sincere prayer from our hearts to our Creator. Pray for the Earth, and for the expansion of peace, harmony, and non-violence for all of humanity.
Meditation helps us arrive at and maintain an objective viewpoint. From this observer’s seat we can watch the emotional highs and lows of others and ourselves. We gain greater spiritual insight and self-control. When we feel God’s light and unconditional love flowing within us, we help shift and uplift humanity simply by our presence.
I Am that I Am, our Creator, we love you so much and we are so thankful for the sacred teachings of divine illumination. They are a part of the great healing and future unfolding of life on this Earth. May your will be done. Amen
