by Jake Collier • We refer to life here as being part of the show. In this great show that goes on every microsecond of time, there are heroes and villains, there’s drama and action, and there’s sometimes seemingly insurmountable obstacles. When we go to a movie, we always find ourselves rooting for the hero to overcome the obstacles, to defeat the villain, and to have a happy ending.
Our life here, our journey, is being witnessed not only by God, but by all those beings that have walked this path before us, who were able to defeat the villain, overcome the obstacles, and attain eternal life. These spirits exist; they are around us all the time. Sometimes they appear to us; sometimes they are called angels. They are all rooting for us, that we too can stay the course and never give up in our quest to realize our oneness with our Creator. They are here to help and encourage us; and if we call upon them, they will come.
Truth must be experienced, must be understood on a cellular level, and we can do this by calming the mind, stilling the body, and going into a deep meditation every morning and every evening. This process will help us all evolve and overcome any obstacles that are in our way. It will give us the strength and courage to greet each day with a smile. It will also help us treat others like we would like to be treated, to be kind and love others like we would wish to be loved.
O heavenly Father, thank you for being with us this day and every day. Instill in us a deep commitment to seek true understanding, to love one another and to dedicate our lives to finding you, gazing upon your face and hearing your voice. Amen.
by Patty Paulsen • We’re each existing in our little spot on a tiny part of planet Earth, and all around us is space. As far as the mind can envision—even to the farthest of galaxies and the deepest of seas—Divine Consciousness is there. It’s everywhere, in every space, in every atom, and inside of us too. The kingdom of God is within us.
It’s easy to think of love in our own life, in our little circle of friends and loved ones. We learn a lot in those relationships, in that sharing, in the sacrifices and compromises we make for love. If we take a moment, we can realize how expansive love really is, this amazing, immense ocean of life, of love, of God. We can tap into cultivating divine love. We are very much a part of this ocean of love. We swim in it, yet sometimes feel separate from it,
There have been many saints and teachers, enlightened ones who have realized this love. Either in the body or out of the body, they still live in this ocean of love. They’re awake and ready to hear our call and our prayers, for they live in divine Love and in the joy and bliss of Spirit. To know that they are alive as we call them in, to join us in our meditations and be present with us on our journey is a real blessing.
This brings me to the teachings of Jesus. His whole message came from divine love and his great commandments to love God with all your heart, all your soul, mind, and strength. And, he said to love one another. He was aware of how powerful the heart is. Not just the physical heart that keeps us in this body, but the energy field and the astral center of the heart. The mind and the heart are very much connected.
I know for myself I had a blessed relationship, a marriage for many years. In our relationship, we always knew God was in the midst of us. There were three in our relationship at all times, as one. When my husband had to leave the physical plane, his love didn’t leave. It is as present this moment as it was then. Love is what gives us the joy of waking up every morning. If there was no love, what would we want to live for?
Yogananda speaks of cultivating divine love saying, “The world as a whole has forgotten the real meaning of the word love. You have to taste the fruit to know its flavor. So it is with love. All of you have tasted love in some form in your hearts. Therefore, you know a little about what it is. But have you understood how to develop love? How to purify and expand it into divine love? A spark of this divine love exists in most hearts in the beginning of life, but is usually lost because one does not know how to cultivate it. The satisfaction of love is not in the feeling itself, but in the joy that feeling brings.”
Consciously invoke the Divine in the temple of silence, and in deeper mediation find Him in the temple of bliss. The kingdom of God is just behind the darkness of closed eyes, and the first gate that opens to it is inner peace. Peace and joy are the voices of God that have long been ignored and forgotten in the din of human passions. Through meditation, we still our restlessness, focusing our attention at that point between the eyebrows. Thoughts, like clouds, begin to dissipate without distracting us anymore, and we remain focused on this presence of peace. It’s in this daily practice that we begin to cultivate divine love.
by Barbara McCaughey • I once saw someone demonstrate two types of surrender in body language. The first type had shoulders and head drooping forward, arms limp in the lap. The second type had arms, face, and palms up toward the sky. I thought, “The heart must open, and the arms create a funnel for spirit to enter.” When that happens, we’re guided and more comfortable living in the moment.
Think of surrender as a way of allowing space in your consciousness for the Divine to enter. You can gain a glimpse of what you truly are when you reflect your divine nature.
Letting go of the ego is an act of continuous courage. The self-conscious ego thinks it’s separate from its Creator, and from the creation. Ego wants to amass things, thoughts, and knowledge…and protect it all. Although the self-conscious ego experiences the ups and the downs of life’s drama, it’s afraid to let go. It’s not really sure what will happen when it surrenders to divine guidance.
But when we have the desire to start letting go, then we’re led to a way that helps us. For many of us, that way has been Kriya meditation, which allows us to live our lives more consciously. Norman Paulsen, founder of Sunburst, lived a life that was a beautiful demonstration of surrender. Life, Love, God, his autobiography describes Norm’s spiritual journey in detail. From the time he was a child, he desired to meet God, and this was strengthened when he met his teacher Paramahansa Yogananda, who taught him Kriya Yoga. Later, Divine Mother revealed herself to Norm’s consciousness. He said that then his physical mind, self-conscious ego, and personality had to stand aside. It was his own pure Self that spoke directly to Divine Mother. As she promised, seven days later she returned and presented him to Divine Father.
Norm said he felt no fear. He was able to look within and see that he had no other desires. “There’s nothing else in this world that I want, only you. Only you, Lord!” It was the continuous practice of surrender that led him to that day.
Many years ago I was sitting in meditation; it was a very difficult time in my life. I was lamenting to Spirit, “I’ve got this challenge, and that challenge; what am I going to do?” The thoughts felt like a moving freight train. All of a sudden, it’s like the brakes were engaged. My mind was flooded with thoughts from Spirit, showing me all the blessings in my life—blessings I was ignoring.
I was left feeling, “With all that I’ve been given, how could I not fulfill my mission to be loving, and to keep surrendering to the Divine?” Almighty Spirit, Help me to be very present with You in this moment, that I might see a glimpse of who I truly am. Amen.
by Letha Kiddie•January brings us into a time of reflection and projection each year. Looking back over past months, we notice some of the patterns that emerged of both happiness and suffering. Now it’s time to take note of where we wish to direct our future energies.
We ask ourselves, have we found peace in ourselves and brought peace to others? Have we had kindness for all? Do we carry the deep integrated wholeness of our body/soul connection? And how do we know what our souls’ intentions for this lifetime are?
The main purpose for learning how to meditate in silence, to sit without struggle, to close ones’ eyes without falling asleep, to open and to discover the light of the Pure Self, is all about connecting with our souls’ purpose and simply becoming the most spacious version of ourselves possible.
The cycles of life are continuously working to create, maintain, and transform us. It is not hard to look and notice the advancements in technology, but it is harder to notice the subtler advancements of our own levels of awareness.
This year let us commit to exploring some of these unseen vistas inside of us. Let us commit to learning how to sit in meditation with an open heart and an open mind… empty, yet full.
As we take a deep in-breath and exhale slowly, we begin to let go of the past year, its struggles and triumphs, its victories and its pain. We give way for the New to dawn brightly in our consciousness. Each season gives way to the next bringing us understanding and peace.
Join me in this adventure of inner-discovery, a quest for a full and balanced life. Let us be inspired by the light that illuminates from within. Blessings and Namaste.
Light on Sunburst Sanctuary – Range Management • January
“Do what you love to do, and be around things that make you smile. The cows make me smile every day.” – David Jackson
Sunburst is a sanctuary in nature not only for people, but also for flora and fauna, plants and animals, wild and domestic. Management of 4,000 acres of mostly wild land is a challenge. Potential fires, erosion, and useful resources are all taken into consideration, with permaculture in mind. If the land is healthy, the animal ecosystem prospers too. We are all connected. Overgrowth of flammable foliage is managed with the help of cattle that also fertilizes the land, and develops passable trails for other wildlife and people. Sunburst’s livestock, cattle and horses, are people friendly, especially the horses. You wouldn’t be able to pet a cow, bull or calf, because their tendency is to stay clear of people, although they find people fascinating to watch. Plant communities have developed with grazing animals throughout history, making grazing animals important to the wellbeing of these plants. The goal is a healthy balance of plants and animals.
Light on Sunburst Sanctuary – Agriculture • January
“The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.” – Masanobu Fukuoka A large property requires many hands to caretake its acreage. At Sunburst, we look forward to the end of Covid restrictions, not only for the return of Sunday services, but for all manner of events. These will include opportunities to join in our daily activities, including those in permaculture, agriculture and environmental improvement. This is the first of our Wednesday blog pieces to inform you about activities ongoing with Sunburst Sanctuary’s current crew. Everything from hiking trail maintenance, to water systems, agriculture, and more will be covered in text and photos. Last summer we enjoyed delicious fruits from our raspberries and grapes. This year they’ll be even more abundant. Pruning is taking place in the grapes (Al):
and raspberries (Curtis):
The young orchard, which is also being pruned, is a mix of apples and peaches.
A few more years of maturity are required before these trees will bear fruit.
A cover crop protects the soil between the rows of trees.
More on “Light on Sunburst Sanctuary” next Wednesday.
Last summer we enjoyed delicious fruits from our raspberries and grapes. This year they’ll be even more abundant. Pruning is taking place in the grapes (Al):
