• Jake Collier • There’s a Zen saying: Before enlightenment I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. This quote really rings true. We’re here not to escape this world, but to be a vehicle for divine Spirit to experience all that it has created here.
When we look out at the sky at night, we notice the distances between us and other stars and planets. From astronomers’ studies, you realize the vastness of outer space. Scientists even had to formulate a different measurement called light years because the brain couldn’t comprehend how many miles it was to Jupiter, much less to the outer rim of creation.
We sit in seemingly solid chairs with a solid floor, in a solid building, and seemingly solid bodies. But within everything there’s space between the atoms, even between sub-atomic particles. Paramahansa Yogananda describes that space as divine Spirit, that energy that’s pulsating every microsecond of time, creating and continually expanding this creation.
These bodies have basic needs: shelter, clothing, water and food to sustain us. Work becomes necessary to provide these needs. When we do it selflessly, we can feel divine Spirit within us as we work. Sunburst’s founder said, “Selfless service creates spiritual evolution.”
The more we work selflessly, or self-less-ly give, the more of divine Spirit we receive—the more active Spirit is within us. And because we feel Spirit more fully, we want to do more. It’s self-perpetuating. And in the process, we inspire one another. When we see somebody else being selfless, we’re inspired to also do that.
“Whatever you do, you must do cheerfully for the service of all, and be very ambitious in well-doing,” said Yogananda. Looking back on the history of Sunburst from 1969 onward, there’s an endless list of souls who selflessly gave of themselves to make Sunburst happen. And so we continue to move it forward, to grow Sunburst and have it be a signpost, and a destination point for people to come and learn about divine Spirit and Mother Nature.
As we change our lives to live more harmoniously with the divine plan, our spirituality grows and expands, because it is part of the Creator’s imagination, for he fashioned us not to live in fear and to suffer here. God created us, that we might experience ecstasy living here—every day, and every moment of time that we’re in these bodies. Spirit flows into us and through our senses, and with that life force we create things; we help one another; we enjoy life to its fullest.
Yes, work can be a four letter word that we dread, but we each need to make it our mission to find a beneficial work that inspires us. Find a work in which you can joyously give of yourself. In doing so, you create an energy that spreads across the earth touching other souls, inspiring them to improve themselves and make the world a better place.
Through practicing meditation, reflection and contemplation, each of us can find a beneficial work we can apply ourselves to. The joy, the satisfaction, and the spiritual growth we will experience will be beyond our imagination.
Almighty Spirit, create within me a clear space, so I might see a way forward on my path. Lead me to your embrace. Let me see you as a blazing light pulsating through inner space, so I might become your joyous child, a true reflection of you. May my efforts here help Mother Earth heal herself, and inspire others to join in this mission to heal this world and create heaven on earth. Amen
• by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • Prayer and meditation, alone or with others, attracts divine Spirit’s attention. As we pray and meditate, God can appear before us brilliant like the sun! This is the subjective light, the very face of I Am That I Am. God may also appear before our gaze like a twinkling star at the end of an inner-dimensional tunnel. That light is the reflected image of the first creation of light, the Christ light that exists within each one of us. This light of Christ pervades all the dimensions of creation, all space and all time, within us and around us.
The angels in heaven and all the sons and daughters of man who have attained Christ consciousness [saints, seers and prophets] exist in that dimension of light. If we name them, we can call them forth to visit us, to help us, to heal and illuminate us—if we but call, if we but ask.
True tithing is giving our life force to God. To sit down twice a day, whether we like it or not, and call and pray that our Creator reveals himself to us— this is the real tithing. Being willing to give of yourself, your time, your love, your energy and desire to the Divine. When we tithe to God in this way in our prayers and meditations, our efforts are returned one hundredfold.
It takes self-discipline to seek God, because our self-conscious minds always want to go and play, acquiring this thing and that, running here and there. But when we discipline ourselves to sit down, even for five minutes, our divine Mother and Father will reward us. All desires are fulfilled, all transgressions are forgiven. But we have to sincerely offer ourselves.
As a young man I made the effort in prayer and meditation at the monastery of my teacher, Paramahansa Yogananda. I spent over four years diligently applying myself to meditation, praying to God to reveal himself to me. He finally came to me, and he will come to you, if you make the effort.
This wondrous experience, which surrenders the self- conscious ego, is for every one of us to have—to know our divine Parents face to face; to know our own soul—totally divine, awaiting to be awakened within us; to have our prayers answered, our desires fulfilled, our loved ones who have passed on seen again; to see God’s face shining like the sun. It will hide at times to test you to your limits, but it is always there, always loving, always miraculously returning to you.
All We Have To Give
Oh Light of Christ, we offer the life force of our bodies to you. This is our tithe. This is all we really have to give you: our life force, our energy, our consciousness.
Oh, that our consciousness might be touched by yours. That our consciousness might expand into your body of light throughout the creation.
We are here on this Earth only such a short time, only a moment in your eternity. Let us see you face to face, let us know you, let us see that place where we go when we leave here. Let your love be with us always, eternally.
Our world is in a state of upheaval, mighty changes. You and your angels, your army of light are here to see the world in peace and love, in growth and understanding.
The Wisdom of Owls • by Sunburst Founder, Normal Paulsen •
In my evening meditation, I prayed that divine Mother and Father inspire me anew, to put me on my feet and let me move forward. I was awakened in my sleep by that brilliant light of Christ that I have beheld for so long.
Just outside my room I heard the hoot of an owl three times. Divine Spirit whispered, “Do you hear?”
“Yes,” I replied.
The voice of Spirit continued, “The wisdom of the owl is with you.”
I was then made aware, as the owl hooted again three times, that it was a male. I asked “Where is his mate?”
No sooner had I said this than I heard further off the hoot of his mate, three times. I realized that divine Spirit Mother and Father were using the owls to communicate their presence and love to me.
These wonderful manifestations come to each of us from Spirit as we persist in our meditations. The kingdom of heaven is spread upon the face of the Earth if we can pause long enough to observe it.
Why This World • by Paramahansa Yogananda •
Don’t depend on death to liberate you from your imperfections. You are exactly the same after death as you were before. Nothing changes; you only give up the body.
If you are a thief or a liar or a cheater before death, you don’t become an angel merely by dying. If such were possible, then let us all go and jump in the ocean now and become angels at once! Whatever you have made of yourself thus far, so will you be hereafter. And when you reincarnate, you will bring that same nature with you.
To change, you have to make the effort. This world is the place to do it.
• by Norman Paulsen, Founder of Sunburst (photo shown) • In your deep meditations, you can sometimes see your body as a shadowy form filled with scintillating tiny stars. When you see this, your consciousness is beginning to merge with cosmic mind, God’s mind. These spinning, darting lights that look like distant stars at night are subatomic particles; highly intelligent beings of light. These beings are the building blocks of the creation, and are responsible for the appearance of all images, including our bodies. They are the pure visible manifestation of life as a force, which is God!
This force is unidentifiable until it appears around, and in visible thought-produced images. Yes, the Spirit of God is the force of life which in our words is “a great unknown”. Life, as we call it, cannot be seen or defined. Yet, it manifests miraculously before our eyes in nature as an endless variety of forms, from minerals to plants, animals, and people.
Divine imagination, moving as thought-forms, creates subatomic particles. These in turn spin atoms into existence and direct lifeforms into the density projected by divine mind. We are, after all, a swarm of divine thought-forms projected by cosmic mind, God, each one with a different face.
In the silence of my being, I hear the pulsating hum of all creation moving through every atom of my body. This sound, Oh Lord, is the divine comforter. If we but listen, we can hear you; we can feel you; we can see you. I know I am a being of consciousness without form, beyond light. I am eternal. I am a part of you, Mighty Spirit.
• by Trish Dunham • Millions of people all over the world have had experiences with the Light in the form of near-death experiences, due to serious illness or accident. Often the person sees and enters a tunnel, leading to a brilliant Being of Light, who loves them unconditionally. An intensely personal encounter with divinity ensues, and then, the patient finds himself back in the hospital room, or at the scene of the accident.
We all long for that kind of love. We unconsciously long to reunite with the most brilliant, radiant Light, personal and sweet. You can have this experience without the pain and trauma of nearly dying.
I had an experience of the inner-dimensional tunnel without going through near-death. I was meditating while facing the morning sun, sitting above a gently gurgling creek. After some time, I blasted myself with effort and briefly lost normal consciousness.
My head seemed transparent, not there. Where it should have been, there was a glowing sun. I watched it in awe. The cells of my body began rising into the sun. In pairs they came to the center line of my body and rose upward in the joy of expectation. Although it sounds odd, they were gaily shouting and laughing their extreme joy at making this journey at last, of going home, of regaining that which they had lost—their brightness, their birthright. Like children in line, they were ribbing each other, carousing in playful delight.
Shortly after I had this experience, I found myself gazing at a painting done by the late Hopi chief, White Bear. It was the Hopi symbol for the sun. My eye was attracted to small black lines, like dashes, that ran up the center line of the painting. With a jolt, I understood what they meant. They are the cells moving up the center of the being. How many times had I heard Sunburst’s founder Norm say, “The spine is like a hollow tube.…Inner-dimensionally, it’s the tunnel seen in near-death experiences.”
It’s one big hologram! Seek and you shall find. You can fly through the tunnel to eternity by your own effort, and to the eternal delight of the universe of yourself.
Has this experience somehow miraculously transformed me into a perfect vessel of virtue? Far from it. It gave me hope. It told me my path is a true one. It refreshed my soul.
• by Norman Paulsen, Sunburst Founder • I Am That I Am, Mother-Father Divine, will create us anew while yet we live, if we will allow, if we will remain steadfast, if we seek. The ego is afraid to let go of its grasp, but in seeing through the eyes of Spirit, you become fearless; in dying to the ego, you become immortal. This gift is what we seek; this is the gift to be administered.
Speak God’s name; chant it. Think of your Divine Mother-Father the livelong day. One drop of that Light will change your life forever. The great bliss and ecstasy is here before you! He alights on your head. He walks with you; he makes the air to move. He touches the secret places in you—the body starts. At his touch, one dies to ego and is reborn free.
To gaze upon the past is to look upon shadows. One thinks of reincarnation; it is comforting that another chance might be given. But 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?
All those who have seen I Am That I Am stress the fact that this very moment and this very life of which you have possession should be deemed extraordinary. It’s extraordinary to be alive here and now, in these wonderful bodies; it’s more extraordinary to become aware of eternal life, and the fact that it can be attained.
Earthly life is short. Having gained all you may desire in this world, it will not fulfill you. It will never fill the great emptiness that can only be occupied by I Am That I Am, that one most sought after by all beings, whose face blazes forth as the eternal Sun. One feels transformed by a mere glance at it. Do we dare to look upon his face? We dare if we seek our true home. She is the wellspring of all worlds, all images; each one of us is the inmost Self of I Am That I Am. Seek it diligently.
