Live The Eternal Way

Listening

2012-02-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

Love Notes from the Song of God

A lifetime is not sufficient to master all the scriptures. So know the essence of the scriptures.
–Sri Lahiri Mahasaya

Study of scripture is an essential part of religious and spiritual discipline. Since the ultimate goal of religion is to awaken to the Truth of our innate spiritual nature—to realize who we are, what our life’s purpose is, and how to live it—study of scripture provides an avenue for encountering and contemplating the teachings that guide us to this goal. Spiritual Truth is eternal and the way to realize it is universal. The scriptures, as revelations of Truth, can shine a light upon our path and help to awaken our dormant innate wisdom. The Truth we are looking for is not external, something to be acquired from without. Nor is it new, something yet undiscovered. That which we seek is within us, the knowledge of our essential Self. How do we encounter the Self and discover the Truth for ourselves? Study of scripture can help, especially if approached in an intentional way.

There are many ways to approach the study of scripture—including exploration of the origins of the work, its historical context, nuance of word usage and meaning and its metaphysical meaning. For the truth seeker approaching scripture as an inspiration to spiritual insight and a guide to daily life, there are three essential steps that support insight. These three steps help us assimilate the teachings so that the scripture comes alive for us. It moves from the page (or the words of the teacher), to the mind and heart, and then into action, inspiring a new way of living.

These three steps identified in Vedic teachings are called (in Sanskrit): shravanam, mananam, and nidihyasanam. Shravanam means hearing or listening. It refers to hearing the words of the scriptures from, and studying with, a qualified teacher. This may be in a setting where the teacher’s words can be heard, or it can be receptivity to the teacher’s written word as a commentary on the scripture. We begin with listening. Perhaps we have “heard” the scriptures for years but never really listened, never had the experience of profoundly receiving what was heard. Usually it is the contact with the spiritual teacher that makes true listening, or shravanam, possible. When the scriptures are illuminated by the teacher, or guru, our own understanding is quickened. Suddenly, the words have life, and meaning. Study with the teacher offers transmission of the teacher’s spiritual insight, awakened consciousness, and connection to the divine grace of the tradition that the teacher represents. We can also benefit on many levels—physically, mentally, and spiritually—from hearing the mantric vibration of the sacred words and phrases of scripture.

Mananam is reflection, using our intellect to discern the truth of the teachings. When we hear or read the scripture, that study should be followed by reflecting upon its meaning until understanding dawns, our doubts are removed, and insight is clear. This is how we begin to consciously assimilate the wisdom of the scriptures. A good exercise at this point is to write about our understanding, and put the teachings into our own words.

Nidihyasanam is meditative contemplation. In this step, the initial insights are taken into meditation with the intention to know the truth about what is being examined. The Truth we seek is within, thus we direct our attention and awareness to the revelation of innate knowledge. When the mental field becomes clear in meditation, we have the ability to examine, and discover, whatever we seek to know. When insights about the nature of Reality are revealed in meditative contemplation, this further purifies our mental field and clarifies our understanding, which positively affects our experience of life. The essence of the scripture comes alive in us through our insight and direct experience of it. Our perspective changes and the teachings can be integrated into how we live.

—Ellen Grace O’Brian

Christmas, Another Way

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

The wise men who see the star in the east, journey to worship the Christ child. Following this star and worshipping the Christ child can be seen as a metaphor for the inner experience of superconscious meditation.

In order to meditate, we calm mental restlessness by focusing on an object of perception. The object can be anything that is soothing to the mind such as a mantra, or the perception of inner sound, or inner light. With steady concentration on a single point of focus, the mental field becomes clear. When restless thought activity no longer distracts our attention, our awareness naturally flows into meditation. We initially meditate on an object of perception but then go beyond that, to the direct experience of our essential nature. This essential nature is beyond all phenomena or change; it is eternal.

The “star in the east” can be seen in meditation as the inner light at the ajna chakra or third eye center. This light may be perceived as a sliver-white star in a field of blue surrounded by a golden halo. The colors represent the creative process of Supreme Consciousness. The gold represents the vibratory energy and power of Om. The dark blue represents Consciousness pervading all of creation, the Christ consciousness. The white, star-like light represents Supreme Consciousness beyond all phenomena.

Viewed metaphysically, the journey of the wise men is an inner mystical journey through superconscious meditation to realize the Christ consciousness within. They “follow the star in the east”—concentrate on the inner light perceived at the third eye—until their awareness comes to rest in their essential nature. The wise men themselves represent our awakened faculty of discernment, the purified intellect in which the light of the true Self can be revealed.

Consciously abiding in our essential nature beyond thought or phenomena is the experience that is truly transforming. While perceptions of phenomena may encourage our spiritual quest, only the direct experience of our essential nature transforms our knowing.

Once the wise men experience the Christ, the story tells us they do not return to Herod. They do not return to the ego-based identity. The greatest gift of this holy day for every person is the gift of Self- and God-realization. This and this alone, brings new life. Those who discover it “return to their own country another way.”

Practice: Meditate more deeply today with the intention to experience superconsciousness. Once you have closed your eyes and interiorized your attention, focus at the spiritual eye slightly above and between the eyebrows. Feel as if you are breathing through this chakra center. With inhalation, inwardly listen to the word Om, with exhalation, inwardly listen to the word God. Om, God.

When the mental field becomes quiet, let the mantra fall away but keep your inner gaze focused at the spiritual eye. Feel as if you are looking into the distance of inner space. If you perceive a field of blue light or a steady white or gold light, gently focus your attention there. Remain inwardly attentive and relaxed. Be curious about this inner journey. Wait and watch in the silence, looking and listening within. Meditate for as long as you are able to stay alert.

Conclude this meditation by offering prayers for the entire world. Bless every person, everywhere on this holy day, with your wishes for their complete well-being and spiritual realization.

Contemplate: The more conscious you are of the omnipresent Reality in which you abide, the easier it will be for you to know that all you need for your complete well-being is available to you. You will not have to ask for anything or use a lot of effort to accomplish your inspired purposes. You will live with graceful ease in harmonious accord with the rhythms of life.
–Roy Eugene Davis

Reflect:Am I willing to envision going “another way” to embrace a new life?

Christmas Eve, In This Lifetime

2011-12-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

The birth of Christ, the revelation of God with us, is an eternally present possibility. God is the eternal life of every person. No one has ever been, or will ever be, separate from the one Reality that is God. The birth awaited on Christmas Eve is the realization of this truth, the dawning of it in our consciousness and the fulfillment of its promise in our world. The Christ that is to be born must be born in the hearts (the essential nature) of people. Since we are all expressions of God, this awakening is our certain destiny. Sooner or later, what we truly are will be known. Why not commit ourselves to this awakening now, in this lifetime?

The greatest impediment to the dawning of this essential realization is the tendency to cling to a mistaken sense of self by identifying ourselves as mortal beings with a soul instead of recognizing that we are souls expressing through a mind and body. Once we understand our true nature as spiritual, then we can open ourselves to experiencing it directly. Knowledge of our true nature and the direct experience of it is realization. This is the birth of a new consciousness and a new way of living.

The enlightened ones through the ages, including Jesus, have proclaimed the truth of our spiritual nature, encouraged us to discover that truth, and live by it. On Christmas Eve, a time when hearts all over the world are turned to God, and the spiritual vibrations of hope and faith permeate the atmosphere, let us kindle the light of commitment to spiritual awakening. The peace that we pray for in our world, the love we hope for, and the joy we welcome are natural expressions of spiritual awakening. What the world most needs is this awakening. Let us pray for it today, and believe in our hearts it is possible for us now.

Practice: Welcome the idea that spiritual enlightenment is your certain destiny. Know that at the core of your being you are already enlightened, a pure expression of the one divine life of God. Identify Self- and God-realization as your life’s purpose and goal. Consider any changes you want to make to arrange conditions in your life to support that goal. Decide which change should be the first step. Make a plan and begin it today. Walk in faith towards your goal.

Contemplate: By your own right endeavors and God’s grace, liberation of consciousness can be realized in your current incarnation. Your right endeavors allow rapid spiritual growth to naturally occur. Because of the inherent inclinations of Supreme Consciousness to express more freely as and through units of itself, the more receptive and responsive you are to its inclinations to be nurturing and transformative, the more evidence of grace you will have in your life. –Roy Eugene Davis

Reflect:Can I accept the possibility of enlightenment in this lifetime? Am I able to fully embrace it as my life purpose?

Fourth Week of Advent, Friday: Protecting New Life

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

The transformation of Joseph that takes place in the Advent story is indicative of the change that can take place in our understanding when we have a spiritual experience. Joseph’s mind is changed; it is transformed by his inner experience. When he is confronted with the dilemma of his pregnant fiancé, he uses his mind to try to find a solution. The scripture says that while he is thinking about what to do, an angel comes to him in a dream and reveals the spiritual nature of what is occurring. He follows the inspiration to accept Mary as his wife and welcome this new life.

Joseph’s first response to what is occurring is to try to figure it out. But there are times when the spiritual inspiration that is trying to be expressed our lives cannot be contained or fully understood by the thinking mind. Thus, Joseph has a spiritual experience in a dream—an intuitive insight that expands his ability to embrace this change. There are times when we too must look beyond what the mind can fully comprehend and open ourselves to deeper insight to help us move forward with faith.

After the child is born, Joseph has another dream that instructs him to keep the child safe from Herod, who would seek to destroy the child. The awakened faculty of discernment is guided by the higher true Self, not directed by ego. When the mental field has been purified and transformed through spiritual realization, it can then serve Truth. Joseph represents the mind that becomes purified and acts in accordance with Truth. When our mind is clear and our faculty of discernment is purified, spiritual realization is protected from the ego, from doubts and fears that might obscure it.

Practice: To bring more clarity and understanding to a situation in your life, use the example of Joseph. Think about the situation and consider your options, but then open yourself to direct, intuitive insight that does not depend on logic. When reasoning something through does not satisfy the heart, be willing to wait until deeper knowing is revealed. Remember that we all have within us the ability to know the truth and be divinely guided.

Contemplate: Colors blind the eye.
Sounds deafen the ear.
Flavors numb the taste.
Thoughts weaken the mind.
Desires wither the heart.
The Master observes the world
but trusts his inner vision. —Tao te Ching, v. 12 Stephen Mitchell, trans.

Reflect:Do I have the patience to wait until clarity arises within me?

Fourth Week of Advent, Thursday: The True Self

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

Many years ago I offered contemplation and meditation retreats during Advent to explore how the themes of the season could inspire our inner lives. One of the retreat exercises was to read the stories of the birth of Jesus from the gospels of Luke and Matthew and reflect on all of the elements of the story—including the people, animals, stars, and angels. Participants were invited to consider what quality these characters might represent to them. Perhaps the ox has you think about being steadfast, or of being “yoked”, tied to something that guides your life. The star brings to mind being guided by a vision, and so forth.

After an introduction to viewing the story metaphysically, participants would each draw a slip of paper with the name of a character or element from the story—could be the donkey, Mary, a shepherd, the manger, or any of the other parts. The person who drew the Christ child and the person who drew Herod often had very different experiences. What I found interesting was that year after year, the same thing would occur. The person with the invitation to reflect on the Christ child would find it mysterious, sometimes even difficult to connect to. But, time and again, the person drawing Herod would have no trouble recognizing the qualities he represents.

Herod is easily recognizable as the false self, the ego that must control everything in order to maintain his position. Herod demands to know where and what time the Christ child is born. He says he wants to worship him too but the wise men see through his cunning and do not return to inform him. Although Herod has a powerful role in the story, it is fitting that he is not included at the scene of the birth. The false self, which insists on being separate from God, cannot remain when the light of the true Self dawns.

Practice:
Contemplate the qualities of Christ, of our divine nature. Make a list of them—love, peace, compassion, generosity and more. All of these qualities of God exist within us and are meant to be expressed through us. One of the practices in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra instructs us to purify our hearts and our minds by contemplating the lives and consciousness of spiritually enlightened people who are free from attachment. Contemplate the life of a saint or sage who inspires you. Imagine what it would be like to experience that awakened consciousness. Know that same divine consciousness is within you.

Contemplate: It is only because of ignorance that the Self appears to be finite. When ignorance is banished, the Self, which does not admit to any multiplicity, reveals itself by itself like the sun when a cloud is removed. –Shankara

When the fluctuations in one’s mind and awareness are transcended during meditation and consciousness is purified, the supreme Self is realized. –Lahiri Mahasaya

Reflect:Am I willing to claim my true identity and take responsibility for cultivating the divine qualities within me?

Fourth Week of Advent, Wednesday: Spiritual Friendship

2011-12-21T15:49:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

When the angel Gabriel announces to Mary the miraculous birth that will come through her, he tells her that her cousin Elizabeth will also experience a miraculous birth. He informs her that her cousin, who is older and was considered infertile, is now in her sixth month of pregnancy. There is hardly a pause in the story between the lines “and the angel departed from her” and “Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste…and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.” Something is happening in their inner lives that draws them together immediately and powerfully. It is possible to feel the excitement, energy, inspiration or curiosity that has Mary move so quickly to visit Elizabeth. She is not disappointed with what she finds. Divine grace permeates their meeting and further expands their joy.

When Mary enters the house and Elizabeth hears her greeting, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaps. Spiritually quickened by this encounter, Elizabeth speaks out to affirm Mary’s transformation and the blessed nature of the child within her. In this context of affirmation, Mary is inspired to offer praises to God and a vision for an awakened world.

One of the themes of this part of the story is the significance of spiritual friendship. Through their meeting, both women are inspired, affirmed, and encouraged to trust their deepest inner experience. In the atmosphere of spiritual recognition, they share their visions. In the light of spiritual friendship, God’s omnipresence is revealed between us as well as within us. When we experience divine grace permeating our relationships, our faith can be strengthened, as it was for Mary and for Elizabeth.

Practice: Appreciate and encourage divine grace in your spiritual friendships by focusing on conversation that is uplifting, and supportive of living a God-centered life. Be committed to lifting one another up through positive conversation, examples of virtuous conduct, and gratitude for the grace that you experience.

Contemplate:
Friendship gently reminds us of our one true Companion, God.
-Paramahansa Yogananda

Reflect:
Reflect on how spiritual friendships have been an important part of your spiritual journey of awakening. How have you been encouraged by others to deepen your faith? How have you been a source of encouragement to others?

Fourth Week of Advent, Tuesday: Dynamic Balance

2011-12-20T12:14:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

The accounts of the birth of Jesus in the gospels of Luke and Matthew are different. In fact, they are vastly different. What are we to make of this? The account in Matthew tells the story of the visiting kings and the attempted intervention of Herod. Luke makes no mention of that but tells us of the shepherds who were inspired by a vision in the night and came to adore the child. Luke gives us perspective of Mary’s experience, Matthew focuses on Joseph.

If we don’t lock ourselves into a purely literal reading of the texts, we can hold these differences together and discover some insights about the inner story that are valuable to us. Taken together, they affirm different qualities within us that are essential to our own wholeness.

The story in Luke is primarily focused on feminine qualities. Here we find Mary’s experience and her demonstration of the complete receptivity of the soul. In many traditions the soul—whether it is the soul of a man or a woman—is seen as feminine due to its receptive nature. The soul is, of course, beyond gender. To name it feminine is to affirm its primary quality as being receptive to God. The presence and power of God gives life to the soul and the soul is entirely receptive of that life. In Luke we also read the story of the shepherds and learn of their humility, earthy, and intuitive qualities—all considered feminine in nature. In Matthew, the focus is on Joseph. Joseph’s first response to learning of the impending birth is to use his rational mind to try to figure out the best way to deal with it. He then has a dream, which gives him a revelation beyond thought. The wise men, too, show this rational bent as they inquire “Where is he that is born king of the Jews?” The logical, rational inclination associated with thought is considered a masculine quality.

When we explore the story by holding the accounts side by side, we can see that feminine qualities of devotion, surrender, and intuition are essential and so are the masculine qualities of reason, discernment, and decisive action. The feminine quality of devotion and receptivity without clear discernment can become too sentimental or fail to take action on the inspiration. The masculine quality of reason without surrender and devotion can become too arrogant and self-willed. A balance of feminine receptivity and masculine action is ideal.

Practice:

Reflect on how you experience the balance of your masculine and feminine qualities. Do you tend to be too emotional or passive? Too “heady” or intellectual in your approach? In yoga, the ideal path is one that integrates Bhakti, the way of devotion, with Jnana, the way of wisdom. Making sure that our sadhana or spiritual practice includes prayer and surrender as well as study and contemplation is a first step in cultivating balance.

Contemplate:

All things have their backs to the female
and stand facing the male.
When male and female combine,
all things achieve harmony.
—Tao te Ching, v 42, Stephen Mitchell, trans.

Reflect:

Am I being invited to cultivate more balance in my life?

Fourth Week of Advent, Monday: A Time for Prayer

2011-12-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

…without prayer there is no inward peace.
– MahatmaGandhi

The metaphysical approach to prayer is never about fixing aproblem we want help with. Instead, prayerprovides a way enter divine communion, wherethere the problem no longer exists. It is not that the problem is fixed through prayer. Through prayer, we relinquish the sense ofbeing a separate self and consciously participate in harmony and divineorder. In this state of consciousness,we are not asking for a solution to our problems or even asking God to provideinspiration or direction. Rather, theresimply is no problem. We are not askingfor doors of opportunity to be shown to us so that we may escape ourdifficulties. In mystical prayer, thereis no problem to be fixed or difficulty to escape.

Now we see why it is said that the spiritual path becomesnarrow and difficult, because from our human perspective, we rail at thisteaching. “Wait a minute! Of course there is a problem, and I amsuffering. How can you say there is noproblem? I can see the problem, and theworld has a lot of problems and a lot of suffering too!” From this perspective, there is a very realproblem, and that is why we have come to God in prayer. We want help with ourproblems and we do not want our problems dismissed as unreal orunimportant. It sounds dangerously likedenial to affirm that problems are not real, fly into some spiritual solution,and imagine it will all go away.

Yes, the problem is real, and the suffering is veryreal. The teachings do not deny that nordo they suggest we try to imagine them away. But here is the key to spiritual understanding: whateverthe problem is, it is a changeable condition. It is a human condition that was broughtabout by certain causes and it is always subject to the laws of change. In and of itself no human problem has anypower to sustain itself. A condition hasno independent power. There is only onepower—and that power is God. Only God isall-powerful, eternal, and unchanging. In prayer, we cease to believe that the problem itself is powerful, thatit has any power of its own, that it is fixed or unchanging, or that it can besolved from the level of human consciousness that brought it about. We cease believing in two powers, trying topit one against the other. We believeonly God has power, and in our prayer we intend to rest in that power. In this way we do not deny the problem but wesee through its insubstantial nature, and come to rest in divine truth andharmony. Divine consciousness is unityconsciousness: God is one. In unity consciousness, there is no separateself with a problem. There is noduality; not two powers. There’s onlyGod, one power of love and divine harmony.

Practice:

The best time for prayer is after meditation, when thoughtactivity has subsided and the mental field is clear. Spend some time in prayerafter your meditation today by inwardly cultivating the awareness that all isin divine order. Feel this to be true. “Pray your way through” any innerconversation about conditions until you consciously abide in wholeness, awarethat all will ever be well in God.

Contemplate:
An affirmative prayer:

Beloved God:

Your one divine light—the Lightthat is the life of all the world—

ever shines in the sanctuary of my soul.

Though it has been obscured—cloudedover by wrong ideas, by thoughts of separation from Thee, by pride andself-will—it is shining still.

It is shining now.

Though Winter is here and the daysgrow darker,

my soul light is becoming brighter.

I release the past. I free myselffrom the tyranny of conditions.

They hold no power over me.

I kindle the light of divineremembrance.

Today I claim my true identity.

I am truly blessed. I am highlyfavored.

I see everyone in the light ofTruth.

Amen

Reflect:
I am willing to release my belief in thepower of conditions and welcome God as the only power in my life?

Fourth Week of Advent Sunday: A Useful Mantra

2011-12-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

And when Zacharias sawhim he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fearnot…
—Luke 1:12, 13

One of the things that happen consistently in several of theAdvent stories is that when the angel appears to bring good news—news of thecoming of the Christ, the announcement of new life, joy, and peace—the firstresponse is not joy or praise, but fear. In each story, this initial reactionto the divine inspiration is accompanied by the angel’s mantra: Fear not.

Fear is our usual, innate reaction to anything unknown that threatenslife as we know it. The Advent story is about a new spiritual identity destinedto overturn the rule of the ego, bringing about new life through a fundamentalchange in consciousness. This is unsettling to the ego to say the least. It isnot unusual for devotees on the spiritual path to have this experience of fearor contraction in the light of the soul’s readiness to express more fully.Sometimes we experience fear when we know we have been called to step into anew way of living—perhaps speaking our truth when we have previously held back,or seeking a new line of work that is more in harmony with our life purpose, orbeing inspired to give more generously than we have before. Any of thesebehaviors can trigger ego’s alarm system which has been put in place as aprotective mechanism. When we experience this, we can use our discernment toreveal what the fear is based on.

Sometimes this contraction of fear is experienced inmeditation. Samadhi, or experiences of superconsciousness, require us to let goin order for our awareness to expand into our higher Self. When this expansionof consciousness occurs, it can be joyful and yet provoke an ego-basedreaction. People say things like, “I was meditating and I felt so much joyarising, and then I got scarred and my meditation experience stopped.” Or, “mybreath got so quiet it stopped. It was so peaceful but then I became afraid andmy thoughts interrupted the meditation.” The fear comes from holding on to thebody-mind as our primary identity, instead of knowing that we are actuallyreturning to consciously rest in our true nature as spiritual beings.

Remembering our essential nature as unbounded supremeConsciousness, knowing that we are spiritual beings expressing through mind andbody can help us step into these expansive experiences. Walking in faith, wecan say to ourselves: fear not.

Practice:

Notice thoughts and feelings that arise that are based infear, particularly as they arise in relation to new, positive behaviors.Inquire into those thoughts and feelings. Discern what their origin is. Noticewhat changes as you shift your attention and awareness from identifying withbody, mind, and ego and embrace your essential true nature.

Contemplate:

The Blessed Lordspoke: Whence has this timidity of yours come to you in time of danger?... Donot become a coward, Arjuna. This is not suitable to you. Abandoning basefaintheartedness, Stand up, Arjuna!
–words of Krishna to Arjuna, Bhagavad Gita 2.2-3

Reflect:

When have I noticed fear arising? Does it coincide withexpanding my potential?

Third Week of Advent, Saturday: A Fitting Place

2011-12-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

And they came withhaste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. –Luke2:16

The gospel of Luke identifies the birthplace of Jesus as alowly stable, where a manger becomes his cradle. This imagery provides us withprofound lessons to consider concerning our spiritual journey of Self- andGod-realization or awakening to the Christ within. The simple humility of thestable is a stark contrast to palaces, the usual birthplace for one who iscalled a prince, or a king. Not a gilded bed but a manger, a simple feedingtrough, is the place that receives this child. What inspiration can we drawfrom this?

Inwardly, the manger represents that place in us thatreceives the Christ revelation. This is our mind and consciousness. In order tobe receptive to the revelation of divine Truth, the “cradle of ourconsciousness” must be purified—cleansed of pride, self-will, and worldlyattachments. Thus the manger is a fitting symbol. It is lowly, open, and aplace of nourishment. Ordinarily it contains food or water, that which sustainslife. Here, we understand nourishment to be the presence of God that sustainsand supports all life.

Spiritual teachings in the tradition of yoga point out thatwe cannot create a spiritual condition. We cannot make ourselves more spiritual,cause the inner Christ to awaken in us, or make Self-realization occur. This isbecause our essential nature is already spiritual, already a perfect expressionof God. The Christ of God is already awake within us. Our spiritual nature isunconditional; it is without cause. Nothing we do can change it. Rightlyunderstood, our spiritual practice is not to create “a spiritual self”, but toarrange conditions (both inwardly and outwardly) that allow our essentialnature to be realized. We purify the mind through devotion, pranayama, prayer,mantra and meditation so that it becomes a fit receptacle to receive the Christwithin.

Practice:

Alternate nostril breathing is an effective tool forpurifying the mental field and enhancing the flow of vital force that enlivensthe body and mind. By using this simple tool to regulate the breath, thisprocess balances the subtle energy in our system. This results in relaxation, mentalclarity, emotional calmness and enhanced intuition. Follow these simple steps:

Sit in an upright, relaxed meditation posture.
Use the fingers on your right hand to alternately close your right and left nostrils in the following way:

First, breathe in and out completely through both nostrils.
Then, gently hold the right nostril closed while you breathe in through the left. Pause for a moment after inhalation.
Close the left nostril and exhale through the right.
With the left still closed, immediately breathe in through the right, and then gently hold.
Close the right nostril and breathe out through the left.
Begin again as in step two

This is one complete round. Practice six to ten rounds, gently. Notice any changes in the mental field.

Contemplate:
I will prepare for thecoming of the Omnipresent baby Christ by cleaning the cradle of myconsciousness, now rusty with selfishness, indifference, and sense attachments;and by polishing it with deep, daily divine meditation, introspection, anddiscrimination.
–Paramahansa Yogananda

Reflect:

Am I trying to become more spiritual? Am I willing to acceptmy divine identity, knowing that I am already made in the image of God?

Third Week of Advent, Friday: Keeping Watch

2011-12-16T07:26:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

And there were in thesame country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock bynight. –Luke 2:8

In that same country, “in that same consciousness”, wherethe Christ is born, are the shepherds who are keeping watch. We can associatethe shepherds with the qualities of mindfulness, meditative awareness, devotion,and concentration. They keep watch, paying attention throughout the night. Thesheep they tend are like thoughts that can wander in any direction. The job ofthe shepherd is to be awake and aware, take notice and stay focused. This is anapt description of the skills we need if we want to be successful inmeditation.

In the “field”—or within their consciousness that has beenquieted by concentration—a light appears. This light announces the Christ, the lightof God within us. An angel brings a message of peace and great joy—the Christhas come! The shepherds’ story can be viewed metaphysically as the revelationof the Christ within that occurs when the mental field is calm and quiet. Whenthe inner light of the Christ consciousness is perceived at the spiritual eye,it is often accompanied by the experience of bliss, or great joy. This is thejoy of Self-knowing, as we recognize the light of God that reveals ourspiritual nature.

The Advent teaching to “keep watch” encourages us to bringgreater focus and attention to our meditation practice. When we focus ourattention on a single point, the restless activity of thought subsides and themental field becomes receptive to the revelation of Self-knowing. We can alsolet it remind us that this quality of mindful attention is useful at all times.We are reminded to stay open and receptive to divine insight.

Practice:

In Patanjali’s eight-limbed system for experiencingsuperconscious meditation, concentration is identified as the precursor tomeditation. We concentrate on something that has a soothing effect on the mind,such as observing our breath or mentally repeating a mantra.

When you use a tool for concentration to prepare formeditation, observe the effect that it has on your mental field. As we becomemore proficient at concentrating on a single point, we can perceive a change inthe quality of our attention. Concentration requires a degree of effort. In theinitial stage of concentration, attention wanders and we must direct it againand again to our chosen focus. However, once the mental field becomes purifiedand calm, attention will naturally flow into a meditative state. It is nolonger obstructed by restlessness.

Watch for the moment when concentration becomes meditation.Then let go of the technique and simply “abide in the field” of divineconsciousness.

Contemplate:

The pageantry ofJesus’ coming to earth lacked no detail of symbolic significance. As with theshepherds on the hillside, the shepherds of man’s faith, devotion, andmeditation will be bathed in the light of realization and lead those devoteeswho are humble in spirit to behold the infinite presence of Christ newbornwithin them. –Paramahansa Yogananda

Reflect:

How dedicated am I to my meditation practice? Do I bring thequality of devotion or focused attention to it? How might I enhance mypractice?

Third Week of Advent, Thursday: The Inner Tree

2011-12-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

All my thoughts aredecorating the Christmas tree of meditation with the rare gifts of devotion,sealed with golden heart-prayers that Christ may come and receive my humblegifts.
– Paramahansa Yogananda

One of the first heralds of Christmastime in ourneighborhood is the corner city lots that fill up with evergreen treesovernight. The rows of cut trees seem to invite passersby to take them home,decorate them, and let the festive season begin. Among those who follow areligious, spiritual, or even cultural tradition of tree trimming there aremany ways to engage in the ritual. Even if it is not part of your tradition oryour personal inclination to put up a tree, the presence of Christmas trees isundeniable in the Advent season—whether in homes, on front lawns, in offices,government buildings, or shops. Many people treasure their annual ritual offinding a tree and decorating it, perhaps in ways that honor long-standingfamily traditions. Others approach it as a chore, one more thing to do in analready busy time. For those on the path of Self- and God-realization, thisubiquitous tree offers some rich symbolism for deep contemplation.

Beyond the physical activity or tradition of decorating atree, it can be a rich experience to reflect on its inner, mystical meaning. Thesymbol of the tree has represented many things through the ages—the evergreenof eternal life, the tree of life from the Garden of Eden, the living divinepresence among us, or the Christ. ParamahansaYogananda referred to the “Christmas tree of meditation”, which encourages usto consider how it can relate to the inner experience of divine communion. Thetree can represent the body with its spinal pathway, the channel for subtleenergy to ascend as one awakens to Cosmic Consciousness, signified by the star atits apex. As we reflect on this mystical tree representing our inner life, wecan think of the gifts of our pure intentions we would offer to God with loveand devotion.

Practice:

After your meditation, set aside a time for visualizationand contemplation. Inwardly envision a beautiful Christmas tree with a starshining on its top. Imagine yourself placing gifts of love and devotion aroundyour inner tree. What would you most like to offer? What brings you great joyto give?

Contemplate:

The traditional"Christmas tree" is a very ancient custom which exalts the value oflife, as in winter the evergreen becomes a sign of undying life. In general,the tree is decorated and Christmas gifts are placed under it…The message ofthe Christmas tree, therefore, is that life is "ever green" if onegives: not so much material things, but of oneself: in friendship and sincere affection,and fraternal help and forgiveness, in shared time and reciprocal listening.
–Pope John Paul II

Reflect:

What am I called to give?

Third Week of Advent, Wednesday: Rise Up

2011-12-14T15:18:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

Rise up nimbly and go on your strange journey to the ocean of meanings. The stream knows it can’t stay on the mountain.
– Rumi

Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel is sometimes seen as apassive “let it be”, an opening to divine will without choice or deliberation.Yet, there are clues in the story that reveal active participation that can beseen as an act of intentional surrendered devotion. First, she questions theangel’s greeting that she is highly favored and blessed. What could that mean?She listens to the prophecy and again, questions. The angel tells her that whathappens will be beyond her, “the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.”Then he reveals that her elderly cousin Elizabeth has also conceived. Afterhearing these three announcements, after questioning and contemplating them,she responds: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be unto me according tothy word.”

What Mary does immediately after receiving this inspirationis indicative of faith—she acts on it. She quickly goes to visit her cousinElizabeth. She’s inspired and moved to act. She ventures out with this newunderstanding. She moves into the world to meet her destiny as an activeparticipant in it.

Mary didn’t know what would occur when she met with Elizabeth but she goes withfaith based on her inner experience. Her choice to visit Elizabeth reveals and magnifies the awarenessof the activity of divine grace in both of their lives. What inspiration can wedraw from this part of the story? As Rumi says, “the stream knows it cannot stay on the mountain.” Spiritualinspiration is meant to be realized and expressed. When we are given a divineinspiration and take a step toward its expression, more is revealed to us,often astounding us with its expansive nature.

Practice:

Practice flexing your “inspiration muscles” by acting oninsights that you recognize are in harmony with the highest good. Sometimes itis the inspiration to offer a kind word, give a gift of support or service, orto enter the temple of silent meditation. Many times, we are prone to ignoresuch inspiration. We recognize it as good, but tell ourselves we will get to itlater. We then discover that “later” has passed and we have not acted upon thegood we were inspired to do. Then the inspiration and its energy passes and weare left with a sense of regret, or missed opportunity.

Don’t let the opportunity for a blessing pass you by. Decideto act on at least one inspiration today.

Contemplate:

Be quick to do good.
If you are slow,
The mind, delightingin mischief,
Will catch you…
Set your heart ondoing good.
Do it over and overagain,
And you will be filledwith joy.
–sayings of the Buddha fromThe Dhammapada (T. Byrom, trans.)

Reflect:

What am I inspired to do?

Third Week of Advent, Tuesday: Letting Go

2011-12-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

And it came to pass,as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to oneanother, Let us now go…
—Luke 2:15

Many of the Advent stories involve leaving home andventuring forth to meet the unknown. The change of seasons before us reflectsthe call to inner transformation. In the West, the muted landscape of lateautumn is particularly beautiful. The stark contrast of the last deep coloredleaves that remain on the deciduous trees against the dark grey skies announces:change is coming! With the support of the cold and the wind, the few remainingleaves drift, twirl, and dive toward earth. This exquisite dance of letting gois a prelude to the stillness of winter. The bare trees will work in silence,gather inner sustenance, and burst forth with wild green in the spring. Theletting go must come first.

I suspect most of us could learn this very simple lessonfrom nature: letting go is essential. For us, it must happen on manylevels—letting go of things we no longer use or need, letting go of old ideasthat no longer serve us, and letting go of our attachments to particularoutcomes. The deepest letting go is freeing ourselves from identification withthe false self. The Buddha said, “You are as the yellow leaf…What will you takewith you?”

The world of nature, which includes our bodies and ourminds, constantly changes. Only our essential, spiritual nature remains. Afterthe metaphor of the yellow leaf, the Buddha concluded, “All things arise andpass away. But the awakened awake forever.” Our venturing forth into theunknown is paradoxically to meet that which has always been and ever will be.

Practice:

Contemplate the nature of change in nature and in your life.How do you relate to change? Are you able to welcome it? Meditate until youexperience That which does not change, the ground of being. How does theexperience of changelessness affect our ability to move through life’s seasonsand changes?

Contemplate:

God works withoutinstrument and without image. And the freer you are from images the morereceptive you are to [God’s] interior operation…the closer you are to it. Allthings must be forsaken. –Meister Eckhart

Reflect:

Am I trying to hold on to something that is ready to change?Am I willing to let go?

Third Week of Advent, Monday: In the Silence of the Soul

2011-12-12T17:32:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

And thou shalt havejoy and gladness... –Luke 1:14

Several of the scripture stories surrounding the birth of theChrist include themes of watching, waiting, and being self-contained. The storyof Zacharias, the husband of Elizabethand temple priest, who is visited by the angel Gabriel, is one. Viewedmetaphysically, his story is about how divine insight is revealed to us when weare open to it and can wait in the silence for it to unfold.

The visitation of angels can be interpreted as divine ideasarising in the mental field. Gabriel represents conscious awareness of ourdivine identity and the infinite potential within us. When Gabriel visits Zachariasto announce that he and his aged wife Elizabeth will give birth to a child,Zacharias questions: how shall I knowthis? This vision does notcorrespond with facts. It is not logical. Have you ever had a glimpse of divinepossibility? Seen or been inspired to something beyond what you had ever consideredpossible? Perhaps like Zacharias, you may have thought, “how can I trust thisinspiration?” “It doesn’t make sense.” When this occurs, what do we do? Do weembrace the inspiration? Or dismiss it?

When Zacharias expresses his doubt, Gabriel tells him thathe will be struck mute, unable to speak about this revelation until it comes topass. Taken literally, it might sound like punishment. Understoodmetaphysically, it signifies that spiritual inspiration is received in silenceand cannot be put into words.

After Gabriel’s visitation, Zacharias leaves the temple andis met by the people waiting outside who wonder why he took so long. This“crowd of people” represents the ordinary thinking mind that can becomerestless after we’ve been meditating for awhile. Zacharias cannot tell themwhat has occurred because this level of consciousness, the sense mind, cannotcomprehend what is experienced beyond words and thoughts. When we see into theheart of the story, we find the encouragement to allow spiritual insight to benurtured in the silence of the soul, to avoid the temptation to too quicklytake it into the realm of thought and reason. If we can let it be, we oftenfind that greater clarity comes along with guidance for right action.

Practice:

The time spent in superconscious meditation can contributeto new insight, inspiration and creative energy. After a time resting in ouressential spiritual nature beyond ordinary thought activity, we may notice insightsarising. It can be tempting to abandon meditation and instead spend the timethinking about these new ideas. However, welcoming thoughts into the temple ofmeditation (no matter how creative they are) can easily become a habit thatwill undermine the ability to meditate deeply. Time spent in meditation is theoccasion to trust that we can let go of grasping or working on anything andsimply be present. Trust that any truly divine inspiration that arises willremain with you when you are done meditating.

Contemplate:

In the temple ofsilence, in the temple of peace, I will meet Thee, I will touch Thee, I willlove Thee, and coax Thee to my altar of peace. –chant by Paramahansa Yogananda

Reflect:

Am I willing to let inspiration unfold?

Third Week of Advent, Sunday: Our Divine Identity

2011-12-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

And the angel came inunto her, and said, “Hail, thou that art highly favored...

–Luke 2:28

When the angel Gabriel appears to Mary to announce the comingbirth of the Christ child, he does not address her by her given name. Hedoesn’t greet her as Mary but calls her “One Who Is Highly Favored” and “OneWho Is Blessed Among Women”. It is an interesting greeting and it causes Maryto wonder. What kind of greeting is that,she says. She finds it curious, and unsettling. As we explore the metaphysicalmeaning, we see that she is being called to a new identity. Her consciousnessis being transformed, and with that, her old identity.

When the revelation comes to her, it raises her up from oldideas and attachments. There is an immediate impact. We can note that she doesnot receive this inspiration at the level of ego, or personal identity. Herresponse is consistent with an opening to soul-knowing, with surrendereddevotion to God. Imagine an inspiration that comes and says, “You Are Great!Most Highly Favored! God is with you.” If such an inspiration were to be receivedby the ego, the false self, it would be tempting to feel proud, and perhaps,even to boast about having a spiritual experience. However, Mary’s story isinstructive of what occurs when the soul is completely receptive to the word,or the creative power, of God. She too finds another name for herself, saying,“Behold the handmaid of the Lord.”

This naming that takes place in the story, both from theangel, and from Mary, indicates the transformation of her identity. Beforespiritual awakening, we tend to identify ourselves with our bodies, with ourminds, and with the roles that we play. When our awareness is freed frominvolvement and identification with those patterns in the mind, it comes torest in our essential nature which is divine. We experience That which we trulyare—pure existence-being. We discover our true Self. One with the One, a newidentity is ours.

Practice:

Pay attention to the ways you “name” yourself (and others)throughout the day. What kind of adjectives come into your mind in moments ofself awareness? So often the names we inwardly utter are not consistent withour highest nature but our lowest—“O Absent Minded One!” or “You Who LackAwareness”.

Cultivate your divine identity by refusing to name yourselfin ways that pull you down. If you notice any self commentary that is notuplifting, change it by taking a moment to consider your true identity.

Contemplate:

At each stage ofprogressive awakening to authentic Self- and God-knowledge, the devotee’s newstate of awareness must be harmoniously integrated with the mind, personality,and body. This process is most effectively accomplished by appropriate,conscious living every moment of each day.

–Roy Eugene Davis

Is it not written inyour law, I said, Ye are gods?

–teachings of Jesus, John 10:34

Reflect:

Who do I think I am? Who do I tell myself I am?

Second Week of Advent, Saturday: Expect Revelation

2011-12-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

Scriptures of the world’s religions may be viewed fromvarious perspectives and will yield different insights depending on theapproach. The teachings in scripture can be applied to three levels of ourbeing—physical, mental, and spiritual. Scripture can be seen as literal andhistorical as well as metaphoric and metaphysical.

The physical level of scripture relates to its historical contextand literal meaning. It includes the time in history that it was written andwhat the context was at the time for those teachings. What happened, who wroteor recorded it, who was the intended reader, and what was its purpose?

The mental level includes the psychological and moralteachings. At this level we find instruction for living a moral and purposefullife according to spiritual principle as it is taught in a particulartradition. This is also a level open to image and metaphor where one can enterinto more subtle teachings about the nature of mind and spirit.

The spiritual level conveys insight about spiritualprinciple and knowledge that is beyond word and thought. This requires us tocontemplate, to imagine, and to enter the teaching experientially. At thislevel, scripture acts as a catalyst to open us to our innate wisdom.

One of the secrets of experiencing insight through studyingscripture is to approach it with the expectation that wisdom will be revealedfrom within you. Spiritual truth is always eternal, never sectarian or new. Wehave the ability to know truth when we encounter it. We also have the abilityto discern that which is not true. When studying scripture, be open to bothexperiences.

Scripture can provide an experience that connects us to thetruth within us. Sometimes a useful passage will be one that we do not readilyunderstand. This “not knowing” provides a space where deeper wisdom can arise.Be curious about the meaning and pray for it to be revealed to you. Expect thatit will. All knowledge of God, and God’s creative processes, indwells you atthe soul level of your being. Revelation is the unfolding of your innate soulknowledge.

Practice:

Read some passages of the scripture of your choice. Identifyits physical, mental and spiritual levels. When you come to something thatinterests you but you do not fully understand, write about it. First write whatyou think it means. Then write your questions about it, and identify what youare grappling with.

After your meditation, when your mind is quiet, contemplateit. Examine it. Expect insight to be revealed. It may come to you in thatmoment. Or, as more frequently happens, it may surface at another time as clearunderstanding, like a puzzle piece falling into place.

Contemplate:

And those who err inspirit will come to understanding.

–Isaiah 29:24

Do you have thepatience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear?

–Tao te Ching

Reflect:

Can I approach scripture with an open heart and mind?

Am Iwilling to allow its spiritual meaning to be revealed to me?

Second Week of Advent, Friday: Divine Ideas

2011-12-09T19:24:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

There are times when divine ideas or inspiration come to usunbidden. These ideas are often intuitive perceptions that arise when our mindsare quiet and we are receptive. We feel, and recognize, them as inspiration, asglimpses of higher guidance. Sometimes they are simple urgings to act in themoment—to call a friend, to open a book. Other times, they can be life-changingdirectives. Like Mary in the gospel story, we might ask: What is this? How can this be?

In the scripture stories, these intuitive perceptions ordivine ideas are delivered by angels. The angel Gabriel appears to Mary withthe salutation: Greetings! Highly favoredone! God is with you and you are blessed! When such stories are approachedmetaphysically, seeing the drama as an inner experience, an angel representsour intuitive faculty of soul-knowing. Through our intuition, we have theability to know, to discern, and experience divine insights directly, ratherthan through our thought process which compares and considers. Intuition comesto us directly. By its very nature it announces to us, “God is with you as youare blessed with this direct insight.”

Intuition comes to us holistically; it comes in fullnesswhich allows us to recognize it as true. We receive it with a felt sense thatwe recognize. We know that we know. Then we must find a way for that divine ideato take hold and be expressed. The moment that follows the revelation is crucial.How is it received? The thinking aspect of mind may enter and plant seeds ofdoubt. This doesn’t make sense, itmight say. How would you ever accomplishsuch a thing? This isn’t realistic. And on it goes. If we follow the leadonly of the thinking mind at this juncture, we will abandon the inspiration.Perhaps you have done that at some time. Many of us have disregarded ourintuitive inspiration only to later comprehend how it should or could havebeen. I knew it! We declare. We hadthe inspiration but not sufficient faith to trust it.

Three things can support trusting our intuition. First,study the nature of divine inspiration to see how it works. It rarely comes tous with the kind of mundane detail we would like. Instead, it comes as knowing,as insight, which provides direction. It rarely says the how, why, when orwhere. Second, learn how to use rational thinking ability in support of intuitionrather than allowing it to undermine it. At some point, our discernment andlogic will be needed to help us chart our course. However, when inspiration isfirst received, it is not yet the time for that. It is not one or the other; wedon’t have to discard reason in order to trust our intuition. Both ways ofknowing are important and come into use at the right time. After we honor ourintuition, receive it, and begin to move toward its guidance, then our skillsof discernment can come in as support. Third we can observe that honoring “theangels of insight” gets better with faith in the One, and with practice.

Practice:

Be open to intuitive insight in great and small ways. As youcultivate greater silence and receptivity through your meditation practice, youwill notice that you have more access to intuition. Expect that divineguidance, through your faculty of intuition, will arise. When it does, receiveit. Take some time to simply be with it, “pondering it in your heart” as thescriptures tell us Mary did. This is just being with it, allowing it to beheard, received, and felt. Inwardly ask if there is anything for you to do tohonor this insight with action. Sometimes the response is simply to wait with knowingand let it unfold, other times there is a first step to take.

Contemplate:

And Mary said, Beholdthe handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to they word. And the angeldeparted from her. –Luke 1:38

The mystic intuitivelysenses Reality and instinctively knows the Truth…Intuition is God in man,revealing to him the Realities of Being. – Ernest Holmes

Reflect:

Recall the times when you trusted your intuition and thetimes when you did not. What was your experience? Ask: What, if anything,prevents me from Self trust? How can I develop greater trust in my Self?

Second Week of Advent, Thursday: Silence

2011-12-08T12:19:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

Those who practice meditation soon learn that silence issomething much greater than not speaking words or the absence of sound. Onceour attention and awareness moves beyond the spoken word and then beyond thesubtle inner “noise” of sensation, thought, and feeling, and comes to rest inthe center of our being, it is there that we discover true silence. We discoversilence as empty of word, of sound, or image but full of presence. Silenceemanates the existence of God within us. Deep silence, beyond words andthoughts, ushers us into the experience of oneness. The Sanskrit word foroneness or unity—samadhi—means “holding together” or “to bring togethercompletely.” It refers to our ability to bring our attention and our awarenessto rest in our essential nature as silent, eternal, unchanging, pure, existence-being.It means to be restored to wholeness, returning our awareness to its origin.

Several images from scripture, songs, and prayers of thisseason point to silence as the fertile ground from which the ChristConsciousness can be realized, or born. It is a “silent night” a “holy night”when the divine presence is revealed. The shepherds keep watch on their flocksin the stillness of the night when a divine revelation comes to them.

The first few verses of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali offer instruction for the experience ofsilence that allows higher consciousness to be revealed to us and experiencedby us. It tells us that samadhi occurs naturally when the mental field issilent—when the restless thought activity has subsided. No longer obscured bythe modifications in the mental field, the true Self is revealed. Silent night,holy night—in silence, in wholeness, the true Self is known.

Practice:

When you meditate, intend to meditate superconsciously, tohave your awareness restored to its original wholeness. The word “super” means“above or beyond.” To meditate superconsciously is to access a higher state ofconsciousness, beyond our ordinary fragmented state of awareness.

The key is to know that superconsciousness is natural toyou. When we meditate, we are simply arranging conditions so that we can restin the silent awareness of pure knowing.

Begin with the intention to enter the silence ofsuperconsciousness. Initially use a technique such as observing the breath, ora mantra to focus your attention on one point. One-pointed concentration willquiet mental restlessness. As soon as you become aware of inner peace orsilence, let go of the technique and let your awareness rest in the silence ofyour soul.

Contemplate:

In the heart

is a well, filled
with the sound
of silence.
Drink

from it.
One taste
changes everything.

How do I know?
The day I stopped

sitting on the edge

and fell in,

told me this.

—Ellen Grace O'Brian, from The Sanctuary of Belonging

Reflect:

Silence is a quality of being that permeates the body andthe mind. Let us ask ourselves: Howsilent am I? Do I welcome silence or try to drown it out? What does silencehold for me?

Second Week of Advent, Wednesday: Journey

2011-12-07T11:34:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

One of the paradoxes of spiritual awakening is that it isoften spoken of, and represented as, a journey. People rightfully ask: Why ajourney? Why must we journey to arrive at a destination we never left to discoverthat which was always so? Yet journey is indeed a fitting description. While thereis no physical journey required, a journey must be made in consciousness—fromthe darkness of ignorance to the light of truth. We journey to a higher stateof conscious awareness, from being falsely identified with the body and mind torealizing our true nature as eternal Spirit. This journey is universal and isthe trajectory of everyone’s life. We are all on this journey, whether werecognize it or not. It is the certain destiny of every person to realize thetruth. Because our lives are inseparable from the life of God, what we trulyare will be revealed. What is true does not remain hidden.

Mary and Joseph are required to journey to the city of Bethlehem during the taxseason to pay their taxes. It seems that the reason for the journey is amundane one. This brings to mind John Lennon’s observation: Life is what happens while we are busymaking other plans. We engage in outer responsibilities, yet within us, inthe sanctuary of our soul, the inner journey continues. This is significant forus to recognize. Always, regardless of what is occurring outwardly, the innerjourney of Self- and God-realization is unfolding. When we recognize this, wecan stay attuned to divine guidance. The outer and inner journeys become one.

Practice:

Whatever you are doing today, recognize that the true“journey” you take is in God. Wherever you go and whatever you do is in, andwith, divine support. Remember that the deeper purpose is Self-realization. Letthat awareness infuse all that you do.

Use a prayer phrase to capture your attention such as: “I am working in God.” “I am serving in God.”“I am walking in God.” “I am resting in Spirit.”

Contemplate:

Rise up nimbly and goon your strange journey to the ocean of meanings.

The stream knows itcan't stay on the mountain. –Rumi

And so it was thatwhile they were there,

the days wereaccomplished that she should be delivered. –Luke 2:6

Reflect:

How can I bring more awareness to the inner journey as Imove through the activity of my days?

Second Week of Advent, Tuesday: Embody Truth

2011-12-06T12:30:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

I cannot think of a more fitting image to portray thetransformation that comes with spiritual awakening than birth—the divinerevealing Itself in and through a human body. If we explore the Christmas storymetaphysically, and imagine that all elements of the story signify some part ofus, the birth of the divine in the stable is particularly inspiring. We canreadily see that the crowed inn with no room for the divine birth representsour mind when it is too full of restless thoughts to allow any divineinspiration to arise. No birth, no divine inspiration, can be found there atthat level of ordinary consciousness. But what are we to make of the stablewhere the birth takes place?

To discover more about this birthplace, imagine what it waslike. Most of us have been in a barn or a stable at some point. What was itlike? Some of the impressions we might recall are: damp, warm, smelly, full ofthe energy and sounds of animals, teeming with life, humble. We discover thatthese descriptors have much in common with the human body. The scriptures frommany traditions point out that the body is the dwelling place of God. Yet manyof us either ignore, abuse, or indulge the body, not giving it its proper dueas the temple of Spirit.

The Lord of Love dwells in every heart. The body is the temple of Spirit. Advent invites us to reflect onour relationship with the body temple.

Practice: Includethe physical body in your sadhana today—whether it is hatha yoga, tai chi,Qigong, massage, or simply going for a mindful walk in nature. Use your breathto enter the body temple and connect to prana, subtle energy. Feel the energyof your body and know it is alive with Spirit.

Contemplate:

Who is wise,
The eloquent or thequiet person?
Be quiet, and lovingand fearless.
For the mind talks.
But the body knows.
—Saying of the Buddha from the Dhammapada

Reflect: What ismy relationship to my physical body? Do I honor and respect it as the temple of God? Is there a simple step towardcaring for my body for me to take today?

Second Week of Advent, Monday: A New Government

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

For unto us a child isborn, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder:and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, Theeverlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government andpeace there shall be no end… -Isaiah 9:6-7

The scriptures tell an ancient, ever-new story—people lookfor a new ruler, a change in government that will usher in the time of peaceand plenty that they yearn for. Many, who awaited the Messiah in the time ofJesus, were hoping for someone who would govern the land with wisdom and bringabout a reign of justice and prosperity. This story is continually retoldthroughout history and we have seen it in our own time. There are those whoyearn for a new way of life and place their hopes upon a person, believing thatonce that “right” person is in power, things will be transformed. It’s an oldstory of mistaken understanding, confusion about the true Source of peace andprosperity.

While it is certainly possible to have more qualified andjust leaders who can make positive change through their roles in government,the real change we seek must occur in consciousness. When there is innerchange, outer conditions reflect it—both personally and collectively. Thechange in government that is truly transformative is the inner change thatunseats the ego from its role as ruler. This change occurs with the “birth”,the revelation of the Christ consciousness within. When our minds are illuminedby the Christ light, the inner divine light of Self-knowing, there is no end tothe peace we experience. The peace of God that is within us is unconditional.It isn’t ours when something happens, or when something is resolved, when thisgoes away or that comes to us—it is unchanging, always available. Nothing cantake that peace from us, it is without end.

Practice:

Notice who, or what, occupies the court of your mind and thethrone of your heart. Who or what do you turn to as the source of your happiness,peace, or security? We sometimes spend precious time and energy entertainingvarious strategies to try to get what we need. A useful spiritual practice isto “pray our way through” all of that worry and wanting. Pray in God until youhave completely expressed what is on your mind and in your heart. Don’t holdanything back. Then, wait. Sit in the silence. Be receptive to the arising of peacethat is always within you and has simply been obscured by your restlessthoughts.

Throughout the day, whenever you notice any anxious, worried,or fearful thoughts arising, use that awareness as an opportunity to invite Godto take the lead, to govern in all of your affairs. Take a moment to be quiet.Recognize that you have turned to God. Relax. In the climate of peace thatarises, be receptive to guidance that is revealed.

Contemplate:

Place your burden atthe feet of the Lord of the Universe who accomplishes everything.
Remain all the timesteadfast in the heart, in the Transcendental Absolute.
God knows the past,present, and future.
God will determine thefuture for you and accomplish the work.
What is to be donewill be done at the proper time. Don’t worry.
Abide in the heart andsurrender your acts to the divine.

-Sri Ramana Maharshi

Reflect:

Am I willing to release my worries and concerns and inviteGod to lead?

Second Week of Advent, Sunday: Where Divine Love Enters

2011-12-04T11:52:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

And she brought forthher first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in amanger; because there was no room for them at the inn. -Luke 2:7

A great inspiration from the Christmas story is that againstall odds, the miracle of the birth occurs. Despite the implausibility of its beginning,despite the misgivings and frailties of the human beings involved, despite theharried circumstances, the miraculous birth occurs and divine love is revealedin the Christ child. A child whose very being declares: God is with us! Emmanuel. This birth signifies theawakened spiritual consciousness that knows, that realizes God is with us; God is our life. It is the revelation ofconscious oneness.

It is fitting that this divine birth occurs in the mosthumble place. Humility naturally fosters openness to divine grace and itshealing power. When we have done all that we can, and remain open to divinepower beyond our personal effort, we are truly transformed by the healing weexperience. We can then declare based on our personal experience: God is withus. We know that only God could accomplish such a thing. Our consciousness isforever transformed by such healings.

Divine love finds its way into our lives in the places wherewe are not filled with pride but where we are open and vulnerable. At times, thepart of our life or our selves that we reject, that which is most in need ofhealing, becomes a likely place for love to enter in. The Christmas storyreminds us that the power of love is greater than all of our imperfections. Itwill prevail over all our difficulties. With the image of the child leading theway, we are encouraged to trust and to be open to what can occur through grace,God’s supportive influence at work in our lives and our world. .

Practice:

The Christmas story provides us with a powerful teaching andinspiration about the presence of God moving through the world, unstopped byany obstacle. Metaphysically, “no room at the inn” symbolizes a restless mind,too full of thought activity to perceive the inner Christ. There is no room fordivine revelation.

Make room for divine consciousness to be revealed in yourmind and in your life by meditating. Sit quietly and intend to experience youressential spiritual nature that is beyond words and thoughts, beyond all limitsand conditions. Let your restless thoughts settle. Allow the peace of the soulto arise and the inner light of truth to be born in you.

Contemplate:

Effortlessly,
Love flows from God
into all people,
like a bird
who rivers the air
without moving herwings.
-Mechthild of Magdeburg

Reflect:

Grace is divine support that is unmerited, freely providedfor all. There are times we experience it and times we remain unaware of it. Welive by grace.

Ask: Can I become more receptive to divine grace? How can Iwelcome divine love today?

First Week of Advent, Saturday: Opening to Divine Guidance

2011-12-03T15:04:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

And it came to pass,as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one toanother, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come topass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. -Luke 2:15

The shepherds of the Christmas story personify intuitive feelingand the quality of humility that allows us to be receptive to divine guidance.Our consciousness, our body, mind, spirit, and heart—the totality of our being—isthe dwelling place of God. It is in the realm of our own conscious awarenessthat we will find the divine guidance we need. At times we may paradoxicallyyearn for this guidance and ignore its presence. When the voice of fear drownsout the voice of love, we find it difficult to do what we know in our heart isright for us. Why do we sometimes ignore or fear divine guidance? Perhaps weare afraid that what God will require of us is not what we want for ourselves.

When we choose to invite God to direct our life, we alsobecome willing to follow God's guidance. This is a moment of surrendering theillusional sense that we are separate from the Source. We are then no longer atodds with our Higher Power but can recognize that God's will for us is what weourselves truly desire, because God is our life, there is no other.

Practice: Use amantra, or prayer phrase, throughout the day to anchor your attention andawareness in the one Reality expressing as all that is. A simple phrase such as“not two,” or “only God” can suffice to erode the tendency to think of our lifeand God’s life as something separate. There are many moments throughout the daywhere soul consciousness rises and we are lifted into a new way of seeing andbeing. We can cooperate with this natural tendency to have our awarenessrestored to wholeness by engaging in this practice, using the mantra to affirmtruth. Breathe in “not two.” Breath out “only God.”

Contemplate:

I amalways with all beings; I abandon no one.

And however great your inner darkness, you are neverseparate from Me.

Let your thoughts flow past you, calmly;

keep Me near, at every moment;

trust Me with your life,

because I am you,

more than you yourself are.

-the Bhagavad Gita

Reflect: Am Iwilling to really receive inner guidance by acting upon it? Can I take one stepwithout knowing everything about where it will lead? Can I stay open, knowingthat I will be divinely guided one step at a time?

First Week of Advent, Friday: Create Life Anew

2011-12-02T07:41:00.001-08:00

In the Heart ofWinter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent
Advent coincides with Winter Solstice and an abundance ofmyths from many times and cultures which provide an entry into 'sacred time,'an opening into the deep, spiritual significance of this time of the year, thistime in our world, in our lives and in our consciousness. The Hopi in theSouthwest celebrate Winter Solstice each year as Soyal or Soyalangwul whichmeans “Establishing Life Anew for All theWorld.” Traditionally the first part of the ritual celebration beginsunderground as cleansing and preparation for the recreation of the world andthe celebration to follow. How inspiring it is to consider that the new life weseek is not our own, but a new life for the entire world.

In modern life many have lost contact with the 'sacred time'dimension of the holidays. There is an attempt to celebrate something momentousat Christmas without the essential inner journey which precedes it. True celebrationsare organic–they are in harmony with the times, with nature, with God, withour own soul. And as an organic process, true celebration tends to unfold from withinand move through a natural cycle. To authentically celebrate the return oflight, we must be open to the darkness–willing to enter into the mystery ofthis sacred time, to the possibility of leaving the old behind and creatinglife anew.

Practice:

Engage in a simple, prayerful ritual such as lighting acandle, washing your hands and feet in preparation for meditation or chanting aprayer. When you engage in the ritual, understand that the purpose of spiritualritual is to provide an “entryway” to the liminal, the numinous, spiritualconsciousness beyond ordinary mind. Bring your heart and mind to the action;feel that you are lifting your consciousness to abide in the awareness of thepresence of God.

In one of Rumi’s poems, he speaks about the practice of TrueAblutions and advises us to be aware that such an action is not just a matterof washing our hands and feet. Instead, we should recognize that the ritual ofwashing hands and feet before prayer and meditation gives us time to turn ourawareness away from the world and toward God. He offers the prayer, “Time tosay within your heart, I am now going to establish a connection with God.” Whateverritual you choose, do it to establish that connection.

Contemplate:

No heaven can come tous unless our hearts find rest in today.
Take Heaven! No peacelies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant.
TakePeace!
The gloom of the worldis but a shadow. Behind it yet within our reach is Joy.
There is radiance andglory in the darkness,
could we but see – and to see we have only to look.
I beseech you to look.

–Fra Giovanni,excerpt from a letter written in 1513

Reflect: What isthe life I would create anew for all the world? How does that begin with metoday?

First Week of Advent, Thursday: Willingness

2011-12-01T08:50:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent
How much time and energy is spent in our lives walking over andover the same ground, attempting to prove what we know and find comfort inpredictability? To welcome God's guidance, to live in harmony with Spirit, wemust be open moment to moment to what we do not know, cultivate a willingnessto venture beyond the limits of what is comfortable and familiar, and letourselves be guided by Truth.

Mother Teresa's prayer to live her life as “a pencil in thehand of God” says it simply and powerfully. Letmy life be full. Let it be guided by something greater than the narrow reachesof self interest and ego. I am willing to be a divine instrument, surrenderingto what is required for me to fulfill my divine destiny.

There are several accounts in the Advent story ofindividuals discovering within themselves the willingness to follow divinewill. The themes of their stories are the same but their particular experiencesare different. A big change in circumstances occurs; a call is intuited toembrace that change and to find it in a divine promise of fulfillment. Whetherit is Mary, Joseph, the shepherds or kings, there is at first fear and wonder.What is this? Why is it happening? And why is it happening to me? There are times when our lives takea turn into unchartered territory and we are stunned by what we areexperiencing. Why? We ask. Can this be divine will for my life? What good cancome from this? Do I have what is necessary to take the next step?

Where is security and well-being to be found in times ofuncertainty and great change? Mary’s response to the message from the angelGabriel says it all: Behold the handmaidof the Lord. Let it be unto me according to thy word. Her willingness is ademonstration of the peace to be found when we surrender into God. When become completely willing to follow divineguidance, we let go of the illusion that we are separate from God. We affirmand know that the word of God, the creative power of God, is already expressingin our life. This affirmation brings a sense of security and completewell-being. God is right where we are and all must ever be well with us.

Practice: Readover the accounts of the Christmas story in the New Testament (Matthew Ch. 1and Luke Ch. 1) and notice how often something surprising or unexpected occurs.Each life in the story is touched by the mystery, and all are invited to growin faith and willingness, thus becoming increasingly aware of God's guiding presence.Perhaps we can think of faith as the steps we take (small or large) into thedarkness of the unknown with a willingness to believe in the light.

Contemplate:

For with God nothingshall be impossible…

And Mary said...let itbe unto me according to thy word.

-Luke 1:37-38

Free from desire,

you realize themystery.

Caught in desire,

you see only themanifestations,

yet mystery andmanifestations

arise from the samesource.

This source is calleddarkness.

Darkness withindarkness,

the gateway to allunderstanding.

-The Tao Te Ching

Reflect: Think ofwillingness as complete openness to receive divine support. There are timesthat we face challenges in life that we do not know how to meet. Willingness isa powerful ally in these situations. We do what we are inspired to do, and whatwe can do, and we become willing for divine grace to meet us and show us thenext step, or to provide for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Ask: Am I completely willing to awakenspiritually and be free?

I am willing to live inharmony with divine will?

First Week of Advent, Wednesday: To Hope Once More

2011-11-30T17:56:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

In December stillness

prayers reach down

into darkness

like winter roots.

Underground they

grow branches and

weave shadow nests

for the winged life

of our dreams.

-Ellen Grace O’Brian

Our ability to be open and hopeful is directly related toour willingness to trust God, truth thatour Higher Power is, indeed, abundantly good. Perhaps we have trained ourselvesnot to hope or not to expect too much and thus avoid the disappointments thatseem to inevitably come. In order to protect ourselves from the suffering ofdisappointment, it may seem safer not to risk hoping. Yet we pay for that kindof safety with our joy and our enthusiasm for life. It takes tremendous effortto continually dampen down the Spirit within which hope ever rises.

Hope is essential to our spiritual journey. It is the way ourinnate yearning to realize God is expressed. Within us all is the deepest hopeto know eternal life, experience unconditional joy, and be completely aware. Tohope to know and experience life, joy, and awareness without limits andconditions is to yearn to realize our essential unbounded Self. It is ouryearning to know God. Paramahansa Yogananda explained that we must want Godwith such intensity that we feel we cannot wait another day. Yet, if therealization does not come, we must be willing to wait with fervent hope.

Advent invites us to consider opening ourselves to hope onceagain, to dream dreams in the darkness to be celebrated in the light, to beready to enter the mystery which surrounds us, to lose our old self and to findour essential Self anew.

Practice: To hope is to expect, to anticipate, or look forward to. Cultivatea hopeful attitude based on the assumption that there is a Power for good inthis universe and that you are choosing to cooperate with It. Feel that Life supportsyou. Expect that divine grace, God’s freely given support, is at work in yourlife in seen and unseen ways. Notice what it is like to consciously choose tobe hopeful.

Contemplate:

To hope means to be ready

At every moment

For that which is not yet born,

And yet not become desperate

If there is no birth in our lifetime.

There is no sense in hoping

For that which already exists

Or for that which cannot be.

Those whose hope is weak

Settle down for comfort or for violence;

Those whose hope is strong

See and cherish all signs of new life

And are ready every moment

To help the birth

Of that which is ready to be born.

-Erich Fromm from TheRevolution of Hope

Reflect: What does hope mean to you? Is it a part of your life today?
Ask yourself: Can I allow myself to be truly hopeful?

First Week of Advent, Tuesday: The Cosmic Christ

2011-11-29T14:59:00.001-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

The spiritual message of Christmas is the call for allpeople to awaken to their divine identity. A child is born! A new life is givento us as we are born in the spirit of truth, of love, and of freedom, as we awaken to our essential nature.

This new life has requirements and makes demands upon us. Wemust be willing to grow, to open our hearts and our minds and release old ideasthat are not consistent with truth. Paramahansa Yogananda said, “To bringdivine awareness into our human consciousness we must outgrow the limitedconventional concept of Christ.” The limited conventional concept of Christwould have us believe that Jesus alone represents the Christ of God. Some evenimagine that Christ is Jesus’ last name. The limited view suggests that thecoming of Christ is purely an historical event which we celebrate at Christmas,December 25^th , a day designated as Jesus’ birthday.

For many Christians, the word Christ is synonymous withJesus and refers to the Messiah prophesized in the Hebrew Scriptures. The word Christliterally means the Anointed one, one who is sanctified through the anointingof oil. The mystical meaning of this anointing is the revelation of divinetruth which brings the liberation of consciousness from all limiting beliefsystems. The revelation of spiritual truth is often accompanied by an energeticopening of the crown chakra—thus a mystical “anointing” coincides withawakening to the omnipresent inner Christ. The omnipresent Christ is the lifeof God within us all that includes all. Paramahansaji noted, “Jesus was born ina little crib, but the Christ Spirit is omnipresent.”

Christ is not a person, but a principle, a universal expressionof spiritual Truth. This principle was fully realized and manifested in thelife of Jesus. His life and teachings demonstrate the light of Christconsciousness, the anointed of God, the Self- and God-realized man. What can wesee when we read the scriptural accounts and when we contemplate his awakenedconsciousness? We can see the evidence of unconditional love and unadulteratedand uncompromising Truth.

When we are of the Christ mind, we recognize our divineorigin, birth, and nature. We recognize it in every one. Awakening to Christ consciousnessis beholding the One in all.

Practice:

Enter into meditation by turning your attention within andacknowledging God’s omnipresence. Inwardly affirm that you are meditating inGod, know that the life of God is expressing as you.

Once your attention has become interiorized, direct it tothe root chakra at the base of your spine. Step by step, move your attention upthrough each of the energy centers—from the root to the second center below thenavel, to the third below the diaphragm, the fourth opposite the heart, thefifth at the throat, the sixth at the spiritual eye (between and above theeyebrows) and then let your awareness rest at the crown chakra, just beyond thetop of the head.

As you conclude your meditation, take a few moments to feel,or imagine light or energy emanating from your crown chakra. Imagine, feel, andaffirm that the inner Light of Christ Consciousness is permeating your mind andbody. Affirm that you are spiritually awake and established in truth. Beforeyou end your session, share your experience of peace, and well-being withothers. With your intention and your thoughts, send forth the energy ofloving-kindness to people everywhere. Inwardly agree to behold the One in all asyou go about the activity of your day.

Contemplate:

It is of utmost importance to all people, whatever theirreligion, that they experience within themselves this “birth” of the UniversalChrist.
–ParamahansaYogananda

The historical Jesuswas one man, and Christ is not his last name. The Christ includes the wholesweep of creation and history joined with him—and you too. We call this theCosmic Christ.

–Fr. Richard Rohr

Reflect:

Are there ideas that I hold about the Christ that I mustoutgrow? Am I open to a new understanding? What does a new understandingrequire of me?

First Week of Advent, Monday: Possibility

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

It’s been awhile since I set up a nativity scene in our homeduring Advent. Over the decades, a few nativity sets have come and gone—somebroke and were discarded, others were lost in moves, and some may have disappearedinto the nether realms of the attic. This year I decided to purchase a new oneonline. After wading through a wide assortment, I selected one that includesthe animals mentioned in scripture as well as the central figures of Mary,Joseph, the infant Jesus, angels, shepherds, and wisemen.

The qualities that each figure in the nativity canrepresent, including all of the animals, has always captured my attention. Toconsider the nativity scene as a symbolic out-picturing of our own innerqualities, can be inspiring and bring surprising insights.

When the nativity scene arrived and I unpacked it piece bypiece, I was delighted with the artistry of the figures. When I got to the lastcompartment and removed a little standing lamb, I noticed that its back leg hadbroken in transit. It would have been easy enough to send it back. But as Iheld the tiny figure, I was aware that I did not want to return it. I wanted torepair it. With a little carpenter’s glue, some careful alignment and pressure,the lamb was once again able to stand. I placed it on my desk to dry. There itremains, waiting to join the others when the crèche is put together.

I am not sure why the lamb with the broken leg appealed tome. Yet, I know that it can be useful to simply follow the heart, do what itprompts, and then pay careful attention to what is revealed. As I was repairingthe lamb’s leg, I remembered a story about the Indian sage RamakrishnaParamahansa, who served as the temple priest at Dakshineswar. When anotherpriest was moving the image of Krishna, heaccidently dropped it and broke one of the legs. The local Pandits were askedfor their advice about what to do since it was considered inappropriate toworship the divine in a damaged image. They recommended that the broken imagebe discarded in the Ganges and a new one be createdfor the temple. When Ramakrishna was consulted, he pointed out that if one’schild had a broken leg, it would be natural to seek healing, not to look foranother child. He encouraged them to approach this situation in the same wayand to repair the statue. Although the Pandits were skeptical, Ramakrishna himselfrepaired the statue so skillfully that the break was not apparent and the statuewas restored to its former function.

One of the great promises of the advent of the Christconsciousness is healing. The ego limits, divides, and turns away fromimperfection but the Christ consciousness reveals wholeness and brings healingin the midst of brokenness. What was once considered impossible becomespossible with God. During the days of Advent, we can cultivate a greaterreceptivity to healing.

Practice:
Set aside some contemplative time to view a representationof the nativity. Instead of seeing the scene as depicting something historicalor even mythological, explore it as symbolic of your own wholeness, containingqualities that exist within us all. This contemplation of nativity scenes canbe done with three dimensional sets, with art images in books or online, orthrough our imagination as we read scriptural accounts of the Christmasstory.

As you contemplate the nativity scene, look at each partindividually. What do you notice? Whatcomes to your mind? What feelings are present? See if there is any part of thescene that particularly captures your attention. Be curious about it. Writeabout it.

Contemplate:
Christ has ever abidedin me. He has preached through my consciousness to all my rowdy andhypocritical thoughts…I was mentally blind, my will was lame; but I was healedby the awakened Christ in me.
–Paramahansa Yogananda

The wolf also shalldwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calfand the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall leadthem.
–Isaiah 11.5-6

Reflect:
Am I open to healing? Are there situations, relationships,or conditions in my life to be healed or transformed?

Week One, Sunday: The Art of Waiting

2011-11-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

In the Heart ofWinter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent
November 27^th,First Sunday of Advent

Today begins the intentional discipline of faithfulwaiting—cultivating a positive expectancy that heightens our sensitivity tolife. Working with the symbols of Advent is a useful way to experience greaterspiritual depth in the days before us.

So much in our Western culture encourages more activityduring the days leading up to Christmas. This particular weekend is heralded asthe greatest shopping days of the year. What a stark contrast to the inner callto contemplation. People camp out in front of shops to be the first in linewhen the store opens at midnight. Shop, correspond with family and friends,complete year end projects at the office, plan special meals, attend partiesand music performances, decorate your home and on it goes. It is no wonder thatso many arrive at Christmas weary of all of the activity, hype, and lack ofsubstance that truly inspires. Yet, when approached with spiritual discipline, thesedays hold great promise that can enrich not only our inner life but our time offestivity with family and friends as well. We don’t have to choose eithercontemplation or activity. A spiritual focus can help us set the rightpriorities.

Let us begin with the commitment to engage in contemplationduring this time, deepen our meditation practice, and reflect on the universalspiritual themes that this season of divine revelation can offer. Along withyour regular time of prayer and meditation, use these daily guides to explore thespiritual meaning of this season. Approach it with anticipation of divine graceunfolding.

Practice:

Many of us these days are not so skilled at waiting. We areused to speed and become impatient with slow computers or long checkout lines.We want what we want now because our minds are already on to the next thing.The art of waiting is the skill of remaining in the moment, right where we areand considering that moment precious. How do we do that? We do it by watchingand witnessing when our attention wanders off into some imagined future. Whenour thoughts veer into the future, we miss the present moment. Now becomesnothing more than a link between where we are and where we want to be. But nowis where life is; it is where God is to be found, where we can truly connectwith ourselves and with another. The good news is that when we notice ourattention running from the now, we are already stepping back in to beingpresent. Just notice that. Then notice your breath. Imagine that whatever themoment is, that moment is alive with God. This is the art of waiting.

Contemplate:

Waiting patiently inexpectation is the foundation of the spiritual life.
—Simone Weil

Now yoga (conscious oneness)is explained. Yoga is experienced when thought activity is restrained. The seerthen abides in its own (divine) nature.

—Patanjali’sYoga Sutra 1.1-3

Keep awake therefore,for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

—Matthew 24:42

Reflect:

- How willing am I to remain in the moment?

- What must I let goof in order to be fully here?

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator's Guide to Advent

2011-11-25T12:11:00.001-08:00

. Advent posts begin Sunday, November 27.

In the Heart of Winter:

A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

Daily Guides for Contemplation during the Holy Days

By Rev. Ellen Grace O'Brian

As with the shepherds on the hillside, the shepherds of man’s faith, devotion, and meditation will be bathed in the light of realization and lead those devotees who are humble in spirit to behold the infinite presence of Christ newborn within them.

–Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Forty-Eight: Prove the Principles in Your Life

2011-11-15T13:44:00.001-08:00

A student of the great yoga master Paramahansa Yogananda whowas struggling to accomplish a difficult task said to Paramahansaji, “It iseasy for you, because you are a spiritual master.” Yogananda replied, “How doyou think I became a master?” Instead ofgiving in to the student’s implied suggestion that he was somehow not asequipped to meet the challenges of life, Paramahansaji pointed him back to hisessential nature, reminding him that the same potential exists within us alland it is up to us to develop it. Spiritual philosophy, principles, andpractices are the tools that we use to develop our innate divine potential, tobring it into full expression. When we consider the lives of most of the saintsand sages, the great mystics and healers of all times, we can see that they toowent through a process of spiritual development in which they proved theprinciples in their lives. How did any of the great ones become great? By putting into practice what they learned.

A student studying mathematics must not only get the rightanswer, but must also recognize how he or she arrived at that answer. Then theprinciple can be applied beyond that one experience. Spiritual principles arenot different. To fully realize the benefit of our study and practice we mustdiscover how the beneficial changes we experience are brought about. Then wecan apply it in other areas of life. Or, if we fall short of the goal, we mustdiscern what the cause of our failure was so that we can correct it. This isthe key to mastery.

For spiritual practices to be of real benefit we mustconsistently apply them, study the results, discern the elements involved andmake any needed course correction. Success is a matter of dedication,application, observation, and perseverance. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra states thatour progress on the spiritual path will reflect the intensity of ourpractice—whether it is mild, medium, or intensive (Sutra 1.22). ParamahansaYogananda similarly affirmed that our spiritual evolution can be acceleratedthrough concentrated endeavor.

Think About It: Resultsfrom a study that observed the brains and behaviors of monkeys to discern theeffects of environment on learning revealed that success has a strongerinfluence overall on learning. MIT professor of neuroscience Earl K. Miller, thesenior author of the study reported:

Therehave been a lot of studies about how the brain learns, but there is very littleunderstanding about how feedback from the environment guides learning, andthat's critical because that's the way we learn. We learn from the consequencesof our actions…We found that neurons in the prefrontal cortex and the striatum,two brain areas known to be involved in learning, keep track of recentsuccesses and failures for many seconds, long enough for it to play a role inguiding the learning the next time an opportunity to learn comes up. The secondthing we found was that the neural processing in the brain improves after arecent success and doesn't improve much after a recent failure.

–from abcnews.com

Be Inspired: Practice is extremely intensive whennonessential matters are disregarded and attention and actions are concentratedon the purposes to be accomplished.
-RoyEugene Davis

Day Forty-seven: How to Have More Energy

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

It is heartening to experience abundant energy that allowsus to live joyously and accomplish our worthy goals. Some people are naturallyenergetic, seeming to overflow with energy from early in the morning to late atnight. Others struggle to get up and get going, find their reserves low duringthe day and end the day feeling exhausted. While some of the differences inenergy reserves may be due to factors such as constitutional type or states ofphysical or mental health, there are some insights and behaviors most peoplecan utilize to experience more vitality. There are four things we can do thatwill enhance our energy: cultivate positive thoughts; meditate daily and consciouslyexpand our energy; focus our attention, awareness and activity; and follow theguidelines for healthy, balanced living.

Our persistent thoughts affect our emotions, over-all wellbeing, and energy levels. We can use our will to direct our thoughts inpositive ways that are life and energy enhancing. It is not useful to affirmthat we are tired, or not well. If such circumstances arise, it is better totake positive, corrective action while keeping thoughts elevated. When ourthoughts are inspired and optimistic, we naturally experience more vigor. If weconstantly tell ourselves that we are fatigued, that has the opposite effect.Such inner conversation doesn’t bring rest or revitalize the system, it only addsto the energy drain. We can use our thoughts to connect with the divine lifeand power within us and affirm from that perspective that we are strong, vital,energetic, and enthusiastic. This will invite more energy into the body, liftour mood, and help us be mentally clear so that useful choices for self care canbe made.

The life and health enhancing benefits of regularsuperconscious meditation are well known today. While the stress reductionbenefit alone will have a positive effect on energy levels, meditation with aspiritual focus is even more beneficial. When spiritually conscious meditationis practiced and stress is removed from the system, the flows of vital force,or subtle energy, are enhanced. To encourage this benefit, at the conclusion ofmeditation consciously invite energy into your mind and body. Simply useintention, or use visualization to imagine energy as light that fills your mindand body.

One of the most helpful practices for vital living iscultivating focused attention and awareness throughout the day. When we arefocused and intentional, we are more efficient and also open to a greaterinflux of universal energy. Too much confusion and distraction scatters ourenergy and interrupts its flow. Intentional living is accomplished by havingclear priorities, setting goals and systematically working towards them andkeeping our attention focused on what is important to us.

There are many ways that vital force can be dissipated suchas engaging in useless conversation, spending too much time with television orcomputer distractions, or becoming too involved in activities that are notsupportive of our focus. Vital force is enhanced by intentional living, timespent in silence, positive communication, healthy activity and sufficient rest.Lifestyle guidelines recommended for healthy living—moderate eating, naturalfoods diet, a regular schedule of rest, recreation and activity, exercise,supportive relationships, meditation and meaningful work—all have a positiveeffect on our energy level. Adjustments in any of these areas can readily be accomplished.

At the heart of vital living is acting in accordance withour soul destiny, engaging in those thoughts and activities that are inalignment with the unfolding of our innate divine qualities. When the way thatwe live, day by day, is in harmony with what is most deeply meaningful to us,we naturally thrive.

Think About It: In second chapter on spiritual living in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, he notes: When all thoughts and actions are fullyconformed to one’s aspiration to be Self-realized, physical mental, andspiritual strength is acquired.

Be Inspired: Learn to keep yourwill strong—a calm will, not a nervous will—and your body will then be full ofenergy. It is by the power of will that you bring energy into the body andutilize it. Learn how to draw that energy not only from food and oxygen, butfrom the Infinite as well…

– Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Forty-Six: Living Love as Oneness

2011-11-13T06:22:00.001-08:00

How do we seek God? By stopping, looking, and listening. Bypeering into the darkness of inner stillness and listening to the language ofsilence. Then we discover that theMystery is really no mystery at all, that it gladly and graciously reveals Itssecrets to sincere and receptive hearts purely desiring truth. This is thegreat secret the saints are trying to tell us: Choose love. Live by love. Havethe courage to claim your inheritance.

Waking up spiritually is like waking up from sleep. Firstthere is an inner urge. An alarm bell goes off. Something happens that causesus to think more deeply about life, to question our beliefs about what is realor important. This alarm is a manifestation of God’s grace, that aspect ofDivine Consciousness that is consciously striving to bring all souls back toItself. With the support of God’s grace, our own efforts are quickened and wefind it possible to persevere on the path. This is how spirituality evolvesfrom possibility to actuality.

The spiritual path is universal because God is universal. Itis not the possession of any one religion, vocation, class, or race. Whilethere are infinite ways of living the awakened life, there are two key elementsyou will find in any true spiritual life: first, the primacy of one’srelationship with the divine Self or God; and, second, a virtuous way of livingin the world. Although there is no causal relationship between moral behaviorand enlightenment, there is a correlation. Enlightenment always supports rightaction, though one cannot “buy” God just by being good.

Because enlightenment is our true nature, you would think itshould be possible to achieve it now, instantly. Nevertheless, in most cases,it is a matter of gradual awakening. It takes time. During the interval,spiritual teachings help support the striving devotee, acting as a hedge tokeep out the intruding weeds of doubt and lethargy. Otherwise, following ourinitial wake up call or glimpse of truth, we tend to fall back into our oldhabits of forgetfulness. Spiritual teachings and spiritual company remind us toput one foot in front of the other, one thought in front of the other, untilthe goal of God consciousness is attained and the radiance of the divine Selfshines unimpeded.

Spiritual wisdom is not something that comes from theoutside, from a book, or even from a teacher. True wisdom emerges from the wellof enlightened knowing within our own consciousness. The presence of aspiritual teacher, or truth teachings, can help us awaken from our slumber andremind us to keep on in our journey to the Self. But we each must make thejourney ourselves. Knowing this, Yogananda advised those who desired Self‑realizationto read a little, meditate more, and think about God all the time.

Many seekers reverse this formula, reading spiritual booksas if enough information could bring about an enlightened condition, neglectingmeditation or “trying it” with only sporadic efforts and results, and lettingthe mind be filled with worries instead of thinking about God. This is a sureway to remain a seeker and not a finder! Those who want to find God, undertakethe daily divine discipline of looking within.

The spiritual life is difficult, but it is simple. Whatcould be simpler than putting God first? It is difficult because we’re not inthe habit of doing so. It becomes easier when, instead of becoming discouragedabout our lack of progress, we simply say to ourselves, “This moment I willthink of God.” We can all think of God this moment. And since life is a seriesof such moments, when all our moments are filled with God, then all our life isfilled with God.

But even one thought of God requires faith, the ability tolook through the unreal to perceive the Real. To look past hatred and see love,to look past separation and see unity, to look past loss and see gain—such arethe ways of the spiritual warrior. Those who choose to live this way havededicated themselves not only to bringing the light within themselves, but alsoto calling it forth in the world. This is compassion itself and the highestpath of service—living love through acts of compassion and a pure vision oftruth.

Think About It: Astronomer Carl Sagan was deeply moved by the photo he saw ofthe earth taken by Voyager 1 as it sailed away from the earth. This is anexcerpt of his now famous speech “The Pale Blue Dot”: We succeeded in taking that picture [from deep space], and, if you lookat it, you see a dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it, everyone youever heard of, every human being who ever lived, lived out their lives. Theaggregate of all our joys and sufferings, thousands of confident religions,ideologies and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward,every creator and destroyer of civilizations, every king and peasant, everyyoung couple in love, every hopeful child, every mother and father, everyinventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, everysuperstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of ourspecies, lived there on a mote of dust, suspended in a sunbeam.

Be Inspired: All that a man hashere externally in multiplicity is intrinsically One. Here all blades of grass,wood and stone, all things are One. This is the deepest depth. —Meister Eckhart

Day Forty-Five: Simply Be

2011-11-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

It can be easy forour lives to get out of balance, with too much emphasis on doing and not enoughon simply being present to God, to our Higher True Self, and open toexperiencing peace. Balance makes our life fruitful. Yet often we labor underthe mistaken belief that if we just work harder, or longer, or more, we willaccomplish what is needed and find our rest after. There is constant pressure tohave and to be more through greater effort. But spiritual wisdom offers thisparadoxical solution: the answer is not having more, or being more, but simply,more being.

In the teachings ofJesus we find a beautiful invitation into spiritual consciousness when he says:“Come to me, all of you who labor and areheavily laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest unto your souls. Formy yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) The invitationis to lift up our mind and rest in truth—the truth that we are not justphysical beings working for a living, but spiritual beings—heirs to the kingdomof infinite possibility, infinite joy, and blessing. Grace, the transformingenergy of divine consciousness that moves through all of life guiding andsupporting us and moving us in the direction of fulfillment, is always present.When we cease our frantic pace and turn toward divine remembrance, we open ourawareness to this gift.

Sometimes we havethe good fortune, or good planning, to take time away from work and familyresponsibilities by going on a spiritual retreat. When such a delightful opportunityis not on our calendar and we need a break, how can we find more peace, be moreskillful at being present in the midst of activity? The most useful thing wecan do is listen. Attend to the gentle nudge of the soul that rises up forrecognition during activity. When we listen, and follow, by taking a shortbreak to simply breathe and be aware, we dip into eternity… and that brings renewal,in only a moment.

Think About It: Taking a restbreak—while awake—can help strengthen memories, a new study suggests. Thefindings, which appear in the latest issue of the journal Neuron,expand our understanding of how memories are boosted. Previous studies hadshown this process occurs during sleep, but not during times of awake rest.

“Taking a coffeebreak after class can actually help you retain that information you justlearned,” explains Lila Davachi, an assistant professor in NYU’s Department ofPsychology and Center for Neural Science, in whose laboratory the study wasconducted. “Your brain wants you to tune out other tasks so you can tune in towhat you just learned. Your brain is working for you when you’re resting, sorest is important for memory and cognitive function. This is something we don’tappreciate much, especially when today’s information technologies keep usworking round-the-clock.” –posted on futurity.org

Be Inspired:

We are all great rivers

flowing to their end

Swirling inside us is the silt of ages
and creatures and lands
And rain that has fallen for
millions of years.
All this makes us cloudy
with mud
Unable to see God.
As we struggle for clarity
and the open sky
The Lord keeps saying
the same thing:
Come to me now and be blessed,
Come.

—Hafiz (from The Soul in Love, Deepak Chopra)

Day Forty-Four: Spiritual Awareness Can Enhance Every Relationship

2011-11-11T15:57:00.000-08:00

When we are Self-aware, when we know ourselves as individualized expressions of the one Reality commonly called God, we know this truth about others, and about all of life as well. Even a little progress on this journey of awakening can enhance our lives and transform our relationships.

When firmly grounded in spiritual awareness, two intentions can be supportive of conscious living and make a positive difference in our interactions with others. These intentions are: (1) to inwardly recognize every person as an individualized expression of God and (2) to be supportive of everyone’s highest good—the fulfillment of their soul destiny to experience liberation of consciousness.

The intention to recognize everyone as an expression of God, to behold the One in all, calls the divine qualities within us such as compassion, wisdom, kindness or respect into expression. We can relate to others “soul to soul”, instead of “personality to personality” with its ego overlay.

This is a subtle shift that is very easy to practice. Simply acknowledge the One in all and inwardly agree that as you interact you are meeting and connecting with the other person spiritually. This practice accomplishes two helpful things right away and brings forth other benefits longer term. First, it creates an atmosphere of respect. Most people are sensitive to how we approach them. The atmosphere of respect that this inner orientation brings can go a long way to positively improve communication. The other immediate benefit is that by making this adjustment in consciousness, we cultivate an inner awareness that facilitates discipline in our interactions. We will naturally be more thoughtful and reflective before responding to another. This supports us in expressing our divine qualities, bringing out the best within us, and in others, too. As we do this, we feel better about ourselves, our relationships improve, and higher potentials begin to express through us. This simple practice of seeing the One in all also facilitates the activity of grace in our lives. When we have the intention to act with clear awareness, to think of God in all we do, we are better able to cooperate with divine will. Because we are not clinging to personal desires or reacting from conditioned patterns in the mental field, we can more readily be open to the prospering power of grace as it reveals itself through our relationships with others. In the long term, we discover ways in which divine will is actively expressed in our lives through our relationships with others. Our relationship with the Infinite comes to life in every interaction. A second powerful intention that enhances our relationships and supports our spiritual awakening is to commit to our own full enlightenment and to the full enlightenment of others. Wish for them the highest good, see them prospering in all ways, and celebrate their virtuous actions and successes. Do not focus on their short-comings or mistakes, or try to establish blame when mistakes occur. Instead, inwardly affirm that every person is divinely supported and innately whole. See the best in them and call it forth in your awareness. When we commit to the full enlightenment and empowerment of ourselves and others, it supports letting go of unnecessary demands and clinging to personal desires which are often the cause of friction in interpersonal relationships. When we mistakenly imagine that others are our source of happiness or security, we can be afraid of growth or change—either theirs or our own. When we know God as the Source of all that is needed, we can celebrate growth and change because it does not, and cannot, threaten our direct connection with the source of our well-being. One Life, one Power, one Presence expresses as all that is. As we behold this One in all, commit ourselves to interacting in the highest way, and are guided by the inner light of realization, all our relations are blessed.

Think About It: Although the connection between social support/relationships and emotional/psychological health has been well documented, more recent literature has also focused on the connection between social support/relationships and physical health (Valliant, Meyer, Mukamal,&Soldz, 1998). This research has shown that certain relationship characteristics serve as protective functions against physical disease/illnesses and their outcomes. These characteristics include “family closeness and connectedness, problem focused family coping skills, clear family organization and decision making, and direct communication” -The Connection Between Relationships and Physical Health, from BC Council for Families @ bccf.ca

Be Inspired: It is not for the sake of the husband that the husband is dear, but for the sake of the Self that the husband is dear. It is not for the sake of the wife that the wife is dear, but for the sake of the Self that the wife is dear…it is not for the sake of everything that everything is dear, but for the sake of the Self is everything dear. -Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad

Day Forty-Three: Breaking Contact with Pain

2011-11-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

The Sanskrit word “yoga” is rich with meaning, giving rise to several definitions. One of the definitions is: Yoga is breaking contact with pain. This definition points to the essence of yoga practice which is removing our identification with the mutable body and mind. Pain, or suffering, ultimately results from attachment to anything that is subject to change. Instead of being identified with the mortal, changeable body-mind, the yogi is advised to identify with the unchanging, immortal reality of Supreme Consciousness, our essential nature. This practice of removing our awareness from fragmented states of consciousness and instead abiding in wholeness is to be approached fearlessly with determination and firm resolve.

On first examination it seems odd that we would need any encouragement at all to seek freedom from pain, let alone it requiring strong determination. However, when we look into the nature of mind and its component ego, we can see that the illusional sense of separate self depends on identification with pain and suffering. This is one of its key props used to maintain a particular identity. The illusional sense of self is constructed with the building blocks of our likes and dislikes. Those likes and dislikes, or attractions and aversions, then become the connectors to
pain and suffering. From the perspective of ego, if we have what we like, we are happy; if we lose it, we suffer in some way or another. If we are faced with what we don’t like and would rather avoid, we experience the pain of unhappiness. So while it seems completely reasonable to want to break contact with suffering, what must go along with it is the baggage of ego identity.

Sometimes people cling to suffering and pain because they don’t know who they could be without it. As it says in the Tao te Ching: The great way is easy, yet people prefer the side paths. The way of awakening to the unchanging reality of our true nature and breaking contact with suffering is easy, yet we may prefer the side paths of maintaining an ego identity that uses suffering to define it. Who are we if not our stories of what happened to us today, or all of our yesterdays combined?

The instruction to pursue this practice with a mind that is not dismayed but optimistically determined indicates the resolve necessary to become free from suffering. Like training a puppy to sit before he is given a treat, the wandering mind must be restrained with clear intent, otherwise it moves back into the conditioned pattern of identifying with fragmented states of awareness. Clear awareness, abiding in being, is the goal along with the ability to distinguish between the fragmented and clear states of awareness.
Once the mind is sufficiently trained through the fearless practice of yoga to abide in Superconscious awareness it will naturally seek wholeness. The refined joy of abiding in the Self becomes more attractive than the pain that props up the ego.

Think About It: A recent study on mood and performance, found that people are better at creative problem solving when they’re in a good mood than when they’re in a bad mood or just feeling so-so. In the study, participants were first put in a good mood by listening to some uplifting music (a stirring Mozart piece), then watching a funny YouTube video (a laughing baby); other participants were put in a bad mood by listening to some sad music and watching a depressing video, while still others were exposed to music and video that didn’t affect their mood. Then they had to master a tricky cognitive task that required flexible thinking. Participants in a positive mood performed better than participants in a negative or neutral mood on the task. –from Psychological Science, reported in ngreatergood.berkeley.edu

Be Inspired: Let this removal of awareness from pain be known as yoga, to be optimistically practiced with resolved intention.
–Bhagavad Gita, 6.23 (tr. Roy Eugene Davis)

Day Forty-Two: Four Stages of Life

2011-11-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

Vedic teachings offer a model for a lifetime of spiritually conscious, purposeful living by suggesting that we view our lives with four significant stages. These stages are related to age and to the physical, psychological, and spiritual developmental tasks required of us to mature, express our innate potential and fulfill our divine destiny. The core focus of this life plan is to provide a supportive structure and encourage us to arrange conditions to experience Self-realization, or enlightenment, in this lifetime. Life is seen through the lens of spiritual purpose focused on that goal while in the world doing what we are called to do, and required to do, at different times.

The first stage of life is the stage of the student or brahmacharya. Brahmacharya indicates celibacy (which is appropriate in this early stage of life), but also in its expanded definition, it means “to walk with God.” This time relates to life as a child and young adult. It is the first twenty or twenty-five years of life when one is primarily engaged in study—learning the skills and spiritual philosophy that will support a lifetime of conscious living. In this stage, the primary task is to mature and learn self-discipline with particular emphasis on physical, mental and moral disciplines. We are learning about life, about family, community, vocation, and how to live effectively.

The second stage is that of the householder or grihastha—generally from twenty-five to fifty or sixty years of age. This is the primary time of family, civic, and spiritual responsibility. Our spiritual practice is a thread that runs through all of our activities, infusing them with higher purpose so that we do not lose sight of the goal of life. The task at this stage is learning selfless service and generous giving that purifies the ego and makes a positive contribution to society. Householders have a place of particular significance in this four stage pattern. They are principally the ones who are engaged in supporting others at this juncture. It is their work, energy and finances that support family, societal needs, and the well-being of their spiritual communities. They are the “pillars” of community and family life. The challenge at this stage is to remain spiritually centered, to not get lost in one’s family life or vocation but to understand that this too is a passing stage in life. This stage is one that people may desperately cling to if they do not see the greater spiritual plan for their lives. When the children are grown and move on and the time for retirement comes, without the perspective of the other stages in life, there are those who feel “life” is over at this point. They become depressed or engage in behaviors that reveal they are trying to cling to a stage of life that has passed. Understanding the beauty and
higher purpose of the natural stages of life helps us let go gracefully from each stage and progress to the next.

The third stage is one called the forest-dweller, hermitage or vanaprastha period. This is a time when our focus becomes more interiorized and more time is made available for meditation and spiritual study. For those in the West, this time roughly coincides with retirement, with the age period ranging from fifty or sixty to seventy-five. With family and community, one now
occupies the role of wise elder or mentor. The forest-dweller name refers to the central task of this stage which is to simplify our lifestyle and to seek surroundings that are quiet and conducive to contemplation and meditation.

The fourth stage is that of the sannyasin or renunciate, generally the time period ranging from seventy-five to one hundred plus years. In this period, one renounces all worldly goals and is focused solely on spiritual realization. One in this stage has let go of professional and community roles and is free to engage as a spiritual teacher, assisting others by sharing spiritual realization through knowledge and transmission of awakened consciousness. The task of this stage is to be supremely free.

When we become aware of this divine pattern for truly fulfilled living, it can help us at any stage. Whatever age we are, we can reflect on the responsibilities and obligations we have, and commit ourselves to fulfilling life’s greatest duty—to be Self- and God-realized in this lifetime.

Think About It: A householder asked Sri Ramakrishna, “Can we realize God?” “Why not? Sri Ramakrishna replied, God is your own self, the Self of your self…[The] Only necessary changes you must adopt [are] in your life. Then it will be possible.” In this way, spiritual growth will become the key words of human development hereafter. Along with nphysical and intellectual growth, there must be stress on spiritual growth. n“Have I grown spiritually?” Everyone must ask this question. –Swami Ranganathananda

Be Inspired: Retirement means abidance in the Self. Nothing more. It is not leaving one set of surroundings and getting entangled in another set, nor even leaving the concrete world and becoming involved in a mental world.
–Ramana Maharshi

Day Forty-One: Renounce and Enjoy

2011-11-08T06:58:00.000-08:00

Renunciation, letting go of our attachment to particular outcomes, is the key to being able to truly enjoy life. Our degree of attachment to things and to outcomes can be a ready measure for our spiritual progress and degree of true realization. We may be pretty proficient at meditation techniques and able to understand yoga philosophy but if we need things to be a certain way for us to be content, then the goal of the practice is not yet realized. Only through renunciation can we experience peace of mind that is consistent. Without renunciation, we are elated when things go the way we planned and despondent or angry when they don’t. All of the peace gathered on the meditation cushion in the morning is blown away in the afternoon wind of
something not turning out “right.”

Discernment about the nature of our efforts can be helpful for learning how to let go of clinging to outcomes. With any action we undertake, there are several factors to consider. Some of those are within our domain of control but others are not. We plan, we select materials, and we engage in work or action. Even when we do everything to the best of our ability there is always an unseen factor involved as well. This “unseen factor” is beyond our control. Consider a farmer who plans for a harvest, selects the seed, plants at the right time and in the right way, cultivates the ground, and tends the plants. But the unseen factor—perhaps weather conditions, water conditions or insect populations—will affect the farmer’s yield for good or for ill. Being aware that there is always an “unseen factor” helps us to understand the wisdom of letting go of particular outcomes. Working in the highest way is to do what we do with integrity, do the best that we possibly can, and then let go of the outcome.

People sometimes wonder if this isn’t giving up on having goals to succeed. It is not. We still set goals. However, we cease to attach our success to particular outcomes. Our relationship is with Spirit. We do what we do with an inner harmony, an awareness of our true nature as one with God. We trust that working in harmony with divine will yields success, sometimes in the way we envisioned and other times in surprising ways that we could not have anticipated.

With the practice of renunciation we take refuge in Spirit, and do not identify ourselves with the forces of nature and the dance of change that is its way. We rely on God, trusting the divine order of things. This ability to trust God, to trust Life, is fundamental to a peaceful mind. Without this deeper trust, the mind reels at every turn in the road. When the mind is restless, there is no inner peace. When there is no inner peace, there can be no joy.

Think About It: The ideal inspiration-to-right-action is to cheerfully do as duty what needs to be done. In this way, we can be inwardly peaceful at all times. Without this kind of discipline, we may be inclined to remain in bondage to desires, to performance of actions which can make possible fulfillment of desire, and to the end results of such actions. The devotee should meditate daily as spiritual duty, disregarding thoughts or feelings which might tempt one to do otherwise.
–Roy Eugene Davis, from The Eternal Way: Inner Meaning of the Bhagavad Gita

Be Inspired: Renunciation does not imply apparent divesting of costumes, family ties, home, etc., but renunciation of desires, affection and attachment. There is no need to resign your job, only resign yourself to God, the bearer of the burden of all. –Ramana Maharshi

Day Forty: Soul Guidance

2011-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Once we start looking for inner guidance, we naturally wonder how to tell when that guidance is right or if it is indeed “higher guidance.” How can we tell the difference between what comes from clear discernment or divine intuition and ego-driven ideas? What is the proof of authority or authenticity? Truth itself is the authority. When guidance is revealed that is aligned with Truth, we know it. It really is that simple.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his essay on the Oversoul: The soul is the perceiver and revealer of truth. We know truth when we see it, let skeptic and scoffer say what they choose. Foolish people ask you, when you have spoken what they do not wish to hear, 'How do you know it is truth, and not an error of your own?' We know truth when we see it, from opinion, as we know when we are awake that we are awake…

We recognize truth by what it is itself. It comes to us wholly, with a sense of peace and completeness. We inwardly sense the rightness of it. We may not know with specificity what the guidance means, where it will lead us, or exactly how what we are facing will be resolved, but we know that guidance has been received. If we can trust it, and live according to what know is true, we will find that all unfolds in graceful harmony, in a divine order.

Knowing how to follow divine guidance may falter this point for those who don’t understand how it works. They receive higher guidance but they don’t trust it to unfold as influence. Instead they keep stirring up the mind with questions like what should I say or what should I do? They don’t understand the oneness of things—how the change in consciousness will impact the situation. Instead, they keep looking at the situation, and ignoring the source where real change occurs.

As Emerson observed, The soul answers never by words, but by the thing itself that is inquired after. Soul guidance always comes as the sense of fulfillment itself, a sense of completeness, or of knowing. Rarely does such divine guidance appear as mundane instruction about what to do. Instead, it comes as peace. It comes as love. It comes as truth. It comes bearing our divine nature itself. It comes as an invitation to abide in our essential wholeness and to let right action naturally unfold. Here, it says. Here. Abide here. And if we will but abide there, in that answer which is Truth, the rest of the guidance comes exactly when it is needed. Paramahansa Yogananda reflected on how his experiences of superconscious meditation provided guidance in this way. He wrote: I do realize now that I have found god, for whenever the joy of meditation has returned subconsciously during my active hours, I have been subtly directed to adopt the right course in everything, even in minor details.

Abiding in divine consciousness we know what to say when it is time to say it. We know where to go when it is time to go. We know what to do when it is time to do it. We already know.

Think About It: The difference between intuition and will-power is this: intuition sees the Truth; will-power wants to become the Truth…Imagination is not intuition. Inspiration is not intuition. Aspiration is not intuition. But when intuition presents imagination with the Truth, imagination expands the Truth. When intuition presents inspiration with the Truth, inspiration soulfully embraces the Truth. When intuition presents aspiration with the Truth, aspiration devotedly devours the Truth.
–Sri Chinmoy, from yogaofsrichinmoy.com

Be Inspired: Intuition is soul guidance, appearing naturally in man during those instants when his mind is calm....The goal of yoga science is to calm the mind, that without distortion it may hear the infallible counsel of the Inner Voice.
–Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Thirty Nine: How to Receive Divine Guidance

2011-11-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Paramahansa Yogananda’s guru, Sri Yukteswar, counseled him, “Human life is beset with sorrow until we know how to tune in with the Divine Will, whose ‘right course’ is often baffling to the egoistic intelligence.” It is useful to consider how we can “tune in with divine will.” What obscures inner guidance? What supports our receptivity to it?

Because God, the Supreme Reality, is our life and expresses through us, at the core of our being, we always know what is necessary, what is right, what is good, what is loving, what is true, what is highest and best. “Instant guidance” for right thought and right action is ever available to us but we do not always connect with it.

What interferes with our ability to receive higher guidance? The primary obstacle to accessing divine guidance is clinging to the mistaken sense that we are separate from the source of existence. Approaching our search for divine guidance while clinging to an ego-based identity sets up a barrier to receiving what we seek. To effectively receive divine guidance we must be able to search within our own consciousness, not seek outside of ourselves. Higher guidance comes from within.

When our awareness is identified with the ego, various impediments to receiving divine guidance arise. They are:

Attachment or aversion to certain outcomes. When we mentally cling to what we want or reject what we believe is undesirable there is not sufficient openness for new guidance to arise. We must be completely willing to be guided to a new outcome. The premise is simple: we can’t experience guidance when we aren’t really open to it.
Egotism, or an inflated sense of self-importance. Egotism differs from, but is an extension of, egoism, the illusional sense of separate existence. When egotism comes into play in our search for guidance, we already think we know best and are generally looking for confirmation of our predetermined ideas. There is no sense in asking for guidance when we are convinced we already know what is best.
Fear or lack of courage to change. Fear or worry produces restless thoughts that cloud the mental field. This obscures the subtle perception of inner wisdom. To successfully access inner guidance we must be able to let our thoughts subside and allow the mental field to become clear. We must also have the courage to make any necessary changes.
Impatience. While inner guidance does occur “instantly” as soon as we abide in superconsciousness, it may take a little time and practice to experience that level of clear knowing. It is helpful to assume that guidance is already given. Affirm that it is imminent. Then wait with expectation while becoming more inwardly focused.

Our receptivity to inner guidance rests on our ability to meditate deeply, to access our innate wholeness and sense of complete well-being. Several factors which are supportive of deep meditation also assist us with becoming more receptive to guidance. They are:

Surrender of the illusional belief that we are separate from the Source. Once we discern and experience the Reality called God as our life, we recognize that it must offer the highest good for us. Sometimes people fear divine guidance because they imagine that God’s will may not be the best for them. The one Reality called God cannot be in opposition to our essential Self because it cannot oppose itself. It cannot be divided against itself.
Willingness. To receive divine guidance requires us to be fully open to change, to be curious about the good, to be willing to inquire into what is really true, and to seek God’s will for our lives.
Trust. Guidance comes most readily when we expect it, when we trust that it is already present. Our part is simply to improve our listening, and to affirm that we have the capacity to know what is true when it is revealed and we experience it for ourselves.
Contentment. The ability to be patient and to be content with the way that things are while we open ourselves to new possibilities helps to keep the mental field calm and receptive to new inspiration.
Steady practice. When we meditate daily, frequently use our discriminative wisdom to inquire about right action and open ourselves to new insights, we become familiar with accessing our inner resources. Guidance may then arise more quickly. Our ability to discern it also improves.

Once we decide we are ready to live our lives in harmony with divine will and cultivate the necessary openness to receive it, the activity of divine grace will support us. What we need will be revealed to us as it is needed. Life becomes infused with joy.

Think About It: Only the habit of mind-body identification keeps us from awareness of omnipresence. We are, as spiritual being, as omnipresent as God is omnipresent. Omnipresence can be reclaimed by contemplative meditation and spontaneous episodes of cosmic consciousness which may unfold at any time. Every soul eventually has awareness restored to absolute freedom because of the innate urge to realize it, and the contributing influences of evolution and grace.
–Roy Eugene Davis, from A Master Guide to Meditation

Be Inspired: After the mind has been cleared by Kriya Yoga of sensory obstacles, meditation furnishes a twofold proof of God. Ever-new joy is evidence of God’s existence, convincing to our very atoms. Also, in meditation one finds instant guidance, God’s adequate response to every difficulty.
–Sri Yukteswar

Day Thirty Eight: Meditation and Nonviolence

2011-11-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

The commitment to embody nonviolence, to live with love and compassion, requires skill and practice. We must have congruent speech and action and be aware of their more subtle counterparts—thought, will, motive and intention. Once we are aware of the continuum of intentions, thoughts, speech, action and external response we have the ability to circumvent violence from coming to fruition. The step beyond that is equally as important—to consciously supplant the seeds of violence with those of nonviolence that will then bear the fruit of harmonious right action. The manifestation of nonviolent means rests upon inner unity, the authentic expression of the highest good, the spark of divine love activated in the soul. Thomas Merton noted, “Gandhi’s spirit of nonviolence sprang from an inner realization of spiritual unity in himself. The whole Gandhian concept of nonviolent action and satyagraha is incomprehensible if it is thought to be a means of achieving unity rather than as the fruit of inner unity already achieved.” To be able to quiet the body and mind and experience inner silence (the peace of the soul) is the key to facilitating that unity. One is then capable of accessing the inner wisdom and discernment that is critical to nonviolent action and the pursuit of truth.

Gandhiji observed, “It has often occurred to me that a seeker after truth has to be silent. I know the wonderful efficacy of silence…What a great thing it would be if we in our busy lives could retire into ourselves each day for at least a couple of hours and prepare our minds to listen in to the Voice of the Great Silence. The Divine Radio is always singing if we could only make ourselves ready to listen to it, but it is impossible to listen without silence…It (silence) has now become both a physical and spiritual necessity for me.” Testimony to the physical and spiritual usefulness of meditative silence that Gandhi spoke of has gone beyond the subjective experience of those who embrace the practice; it has now entered the arena of scientific study.

Through such technological advances as electroencephalography (EEG), which measures the electrical activity of different parts of the brain, we have the benefit of being able to observe predictable physiological changes in meditators. Current brain research is beginning to produce concrete evidence for what many practitioners of meditation have maintained for centuries: Mental discipline and meditative practice can change the workings of the brain and allow people to achieve different levels of awareness. Though such research is still in its infancy, the initial results are encouraging both in terms of the ability to record the perceptible change in awareness that occurs during meditation itself and in what now appears to be the actual restructuring of the brain, which impacts our ability to choose a nonviolent response. Joel Stein, in an article published in Time magazine notes, “Tests using the most sophisticated imaging techniques suggest that it [meditation] can actually reset the brain, changing the point at which a traffic jam, for instance, sets the blood boiling.” Research indicates that meditation helps to evolve the brain from its ancient fight or flight reaction to stress to the ability to maintain equanimity, thus facilitating a greater conscious choice making capacity. The efficacy of this particular skill for practitioners of nonviolence is considerable. Skillful response requires skillful means and practice. Through a simple technique of daily meditation such skillful means are freely available to the average person today, regardless of social standing or religious belief and offer to all a beacon of hope for building a culture of peace and nonviolence. What is required is the commitment to cultivating inner silence and receptivity to truth, a simple technique, and the willingness to submit oneself to the discipline of attentive awareness.

Through practice, discipline, and grace, one can learn to achieve at will a state of focused mental alertness, a state where body and mind unite as one laser beam of power and awareness. When attention is focused in meditation, the mental field becomes calm and the light of the soul shines forth. This spiritual light removes our fears, makes known our deepest intentions, illumines the path of right action, and shows us the way to live with the integrity that is essential to nonviolence.

Think About It: Look at the pathology of violence. Being violent brings about a complete change in our biology. The muscles get an extra dose of blood and become tense. The adrenals give out extra secretion, which mixes with the blood and pumps in an excess of energy in the system. The liver too releases an extra energy in the system. The liver too releases an extra quantity of sugar in the blood stream. It brings about physical, psychological and chemical reactions. With the rise of aggressiveness breathing becomes fast. The normal rate of 10 to 15 breaths a minute goes up to 30 or 40. The stage is fully set for letting loose violence. Meditation puts the brakes on the over-busyness of the body and the mind and thus prevents violence.
—Acharya Mahapragya, from jainworld.com

Be Inspired: Silence is a great help to a seeker after truth. In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth, and the soul requires inward restfulness to attain its full height. – Mahatma Gandhi 10 December 1938

Day Thirty Seven: Four Easy Steps to Meditation

2011-11-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

There are four steps to practicing meditation: establish a conducive environment both externally and internally; practice a technique such as watching the breath or repeating a mantra in order to focus the attention on a single point; surrender, by letting go into the peak experience of meditative awareness; and finally, consciously bring the attention back to mind and body with a sense of appreciation and renewal.

It is helpful to set aside a regular time and place for meditation. If you are able to devote an area of your home for daily practice, the energy of your devotion will permeate the space and positively influence your sessions. Because meditation provides a wonderful sense of clarity and perspective, it is helpful to begin your day, first thing, with meditation before becoming involved with other matters.

When the sage Ramana Maharshi was asked about the best posture for meditation he replied that it is the posture in which the mind is still. Meditation can be practiced seated on the floor, on a cushion, or in a chair. The posture should be relaxed but firm, with the spinal column straight. This posture reflects the quality of mind that is most conducive to meditative awareness—a firm intention to experience God or Truth, balanced with peaceful surrender to divine grace and timing.

Begin meditation by closing your eyes and drawing your attention within. Offer a prayer of attunement, acknowledging the presence of God, the saints and sages, the divine nature of all beings, and the spiritual nature of your own soul. Most importantly, feel your connection to God and to all of life. Inwardly walk through the temple door of God’s omnipresence and experience yourself praying “in” God rather than “to” God. Know that God is nearer than your heartbeat, the essence of your being.

Inwardly direct your gaze toward the spiritual eye, the point between the eyebrows. Focus awareness on your breath, noticing the experience of inhalation and exhalation. Whenever you become involved in thoughts, gently return your attention to the breath. After a while, breathing slows down and becomes shallow, thought activity decreases, and moments of calm, pure, awareness are revealed.

As the experience of peace deepens, let go of watching the breath and rest in meditative awareness. When the attention wanders to thoughts again, you can return to the breath, or begin to conclude your meditation by bringing awareness back to body and mind. Before concluding, make a conscious effort to deeply feel the peace you have gathered within. Know that peace is innate, a divine quality. Feel that you are refreshed, renewed, and ready to start your day with peace as your companion. Pray for others and the world. Consciously affirm the graceful unfolding of divine purpose and the highest good for all. As you perform your activities, carry the effects of meditation with you and return to the awareness of the divine presence throughout the day.

Think About It: New research suggests that mindfulness meditation can have benefits for health and performance, including improved immune function, reduced blood pressure and enhanced cognitive function. The study, published in the latest issue of the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, draws on existing scientific literature to attempt to explain the positive effects.

The goal of this work, according to author Britta Hazel, of Justus Liebig University and Harvard Medical School, is to "unveil the conceptual and mechanistic complexity of mindfulness, providing the big picture by arranging many findings like the pieces of a mosaic." The authors specifically identify four key components of "mindfulness" - the state of meditation - that may account for its effects: attention regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation, and sense of self. Together, these help us deal with the effects of stress.
–from telegraph.co.uk/healthnews (11.03/11)

Be Inspired: Meditation practice removes our awareness from limiting conditions, enabling us to acknowledge and experience ourselves as spiritual beings independent of relative circumstances. We become enabled to view ourselves in relationship to the universe form a higher perspective, to choose our thoughts and actions and to flow with the rhythms of life with natural ease. Meditators can learn to prosper: to thrive, to flourish, and be successful in all aspects of their lives.
–Roy Eugene Davis

Day Thirty Six: Discover Your Work

2011-11-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

What we do and how we do it profoundly affects our lives. At this time of spiritual awakening in our world, many people are not only working more, they are asking more of their work. Those who are interested in living an awakened life, a life in harmony with their true nature, are asking important questions about their relationship to work. They are looking for work that is soul satisfying, stirs the divine creative powers within and makes a positive contribution to life. Success in terms of right work is measured beyond meeting basic security needs or reaching the heights of fame or fortune. Some questions that can be asked as we explore the topic of discovering our right work are: Beyond the purely pragmatic concerns of livelihood, what am I working for? What makes my heart sing with joy? Would I find some way to do the work I currently do if I was not paid for it? What difference does my engagement in this particular work make to others or to the world? Is this work conducive to my spiritual growth?

When contemplating the topic of work, people sometimes wonder: Am I in my right place? They question whether the particular work they do is the best environment for their skills and interests. With this question, there is an assumption that for each person there is a “right place” which will be a perfect match for them. Yet we cannot be any place other than our right place. Our right place according to spiritual principle will always be the out picturing of our consciousness, the outer reflection of our mental impressions and beliefs. Whatever situation we are in is the place that rightly reflects our current state of consciousness. If we want to find a place that offers more opportunity, more joy, or more meaning, then we must first find that place in ourselves by discovering it in consciousness. The manifestation of our right place comes from the inner realization of it; we can’t find a “right place” outside of our own consciousness.

As we begin to awaken spiritually, we may experience that circumstances which were once satisfying or acceptable to us no longer seem appropriate. This may be a call to grow, to make the necessary adjustments both in consciousness and in circumstances. But too often when this call to grow comes, people take action only outwardly without also tending to the necessary inner work. They feel dissatisfied with their work and simply change jobs without contemplating what the real need is or doing the inner work to either transform the situation they are in or attract a more suitable position. People are then surprised that the job change they thought would be fulfilling turns out to be less than satisfactory. This may happen because even though the growth indicator was there—the feeling of dissatisfaction—the change that was made was only an outer move. And sooner or later, without the requisite inner change, the situation will prove untenable.

When we inquire within to contemplate the right work for us, we should ask: What is the divine will for my life? What is the divine possibility for my work? Ask to know the highest good for your life. When you have a sense of that possibility, then know that your true work rests on the willingness to do whatever it takes to grow and to express that potential. Our true work is being willing to express our divine potential, to be the “growing edge of God” in the world, as God is expressing as us. The particular job that is for us is not the issue; it already exists. Once we bring forth the potential to match it, we will not miss it. To find our right work, we must look inside to its origin and be willing to become what it requires. Our right work is not a job. Our right work is to grow along spiritual lines, to become the hero of our own existence; to risk becoming all we can be.

Think About It: When author and business consultant Srikumar Rao was asked what someone could do to find more happiness at work he responded: I think the single most important thing that we can do is to recognize that we do not live in a real world; we live in a construct, and we made it. That’s actually a hugely liberating concept because if what we live in is the reality, then we’re stuck; there’s nothing we can do about it, grin and bear it. But if what we’re living in is a reality, then there’s a lot we can do about it. We can deconstruct the parts of it that are not working, that we don’t like, and build it up again.
–from greatergood.berkeley.edu.com

Be Inspired: Your work is to discover your work and with all of your heart to give yourself to it.
-Sayings of the Buddha from the Dhammapada

Day Thirty Five: Meditation upon Sri Yantra

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

There are many tools in the world’s mystical traditions to assist the seeker to enter the clear awareness of meditation. Chants, prayers, visualization of sacred images, prescribed movements such as the dances of the Sufi dervishes or the prostrations of the Buddhists or Muslims, and holy rituals are a few such methods to still the mind. Sacred images in the form of mandalas or yantras may also be used.

Many people in the West are familiar with mandalas (Sanskrit word meaning “sacred circle”) seen in the sacred art of the Tibetan and American Indian traditions. Mandalas and Yantras are similar in their purpose and use for worship and visualization. Mandalas are generally more pictorial, with the circle as the primary enclosure. Yantras typically have a geometric design with an outer square enclosure with circles, triangles, lotus petals, and a bindu, or seed point, at the center.

Yantra is a Sanskrit word meaning “to compel” or “to restrain.” A yantra is used to restrain or compel the attention of a meditator, who approaches it as a tool for bringing the mind to the still point of meditation. It is a potent instrument or device used for concentration and visualization. The yantra is a symbol of holy ground; viewing it prepares the mind of the devotee to be transformed into holy ground itself, an instrument fit for direct perception of truth. CSE’s Temple of the Eternal Way is blessed with a Sri Yantra that can be seen above the altar.

The Sri Yantra (or Sri Chakra) is a mystic diagram that symbolizes the unfoldment of creation, or cosmic manifestation. Its precise origins are not known but it is associated with worship of the Divine Mother, or the Mother Goddess and with Vedic teachings.

As a mystical representation of creation, yantras express an energy pattern, or mantra. The Sri Yantra represents the mantra Aum, the primal sound of creation and with it the process of spiritual awakening or Self-realization. As the key to cosmic consciousness is turned through contemplation and meditation, one experiences the direct perception of Truth and the inner meaning of the yantra is revealed. In her book Mandala: Luminous Symbols for Healing, author Judith Cornell, Ph.D. writes: “…Sri Chakra represents Self-realization and is formed from the mantric sound pattern of Aum. Its sacred geometry symbolizes the feminine creative aspect of sacred sound out of which the many manifestations of Divinity are mirrored back as patterns of light…the mantric sound of Aum is not exclusive to either the Tibetan or Hindu tantric traditions. It is universal and can be used as a powerful healing mantra for anyone.” Paramahansa Yogananda described Aum, as “The basis of all sounds; universal symbol-word for God. Aum of the Vedas became the sacred word Hum of the Tibetans; Amin of the Moslems; and Amen of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Jews, and Christians. Aum is the all-pervading sound emanating from the … Invisible Cosmic Vibration; God in the aspect of Creator.”

The Sri Yantra may be meditated upon as a representation of the universe as macrocosm and the human body as microcosm. As a macrocosmic image, it represents the union of Consciousness and Energy, or the masculine and feminine divine principles that comprise all of creation. The four upward triangles represent Shiva, or the Divine Masculine, the return of divine power to the Source, and the five downward triangles represent Shakti, or the Divine Feminine, the descent of Spirit into matter. The interplay of Shiva/Shakti gives rise to forty-three triangles, which symbolize the wholeness of existence. At the center of the yantra, the bindu, or seed-point, represents the still point of Supreme Consciousness—infinite divine potential with the power of manifestation at rest. As the individual soul is an expression of Supreme Consciousness, the yantra may also be viewed as the human temple of Spirit, where the bindu point expresses the devotee’s own being or consciousness.

As a tool for meditation, one may contemplate the process of cosmic creation as emanating from the one still point of Supreme Consciousness in the interplay of divine masculine and feminine polarities as well as contemplating its return to the Source. It may also be considered as a map, allowing one to travel in mind and consciousness from the outer expressions of God to the inner realm of divine communion. Contained within its symbolism are the processes and categories of cosmic manifestation as well as the esoteric teachings regarding the subtle energy pathways known as chakras.

Think About It: The image of the mystical mansion, the abode of the divine Self, is a universal image. St. Teresa of Avila used it in her writings on prayer: “I began to think of the soul as if it were a castle made of a single diamond or of very clear crystal, in which there are many rooms, just as in Heaven there are many mansions. Let us now imagine that this castle … contains many mansions, some above, others below, others at each side; and in the centre and midst of them all is the chiefest mansion where the most secret things pass between God and the soul.”
–St. Teresa, Interior Castle

Be Inspired: The universe is a great yantra of incredible power and intricate beauty that one can contemplate forever. –David Frawley

Day Thirty Four: Four Kinds of Happiness

2011-11-01T09:01:00.001-07:00

Spiritual teachings advise us to look deeply into the nature of happiness. Happiness, pleasure, joy, bliss—there are so many ways that we experience the sweetness of life. These experiences of happiness can tell us great deal about life when we examine them. One of the things we discover right away is that the desire to be happy, or to avoid suffering, motivates everything we do. All of our drives, from the basic instinctual ones like hunger, sleep, or sex, to the higher ones such as quest for knowledge or success, are rooted in a deeper desire to experience fulfillment or happiness.

When we desire something and then attain it, we experience happiness or pleasure. But, with a little discernment we can also see that the same thing that brought us pleasure may later bring pain. A mundane example is desiring a certain food we enjoy, let’s say, chocolate. If you enjoy chocolate, experience a desire to have it, and then get some, the natural result is happiness. But, after the chocolate is gone, sooner or later, you may find that the desire arises again. Ah! That happiness was pretty short lived. If you go after more in order to feel that satisfaction and happiness again, it is possible that instead of happiness, you will encounter a digestive upset or a headache from having too much of a sweet thing. Pain comes instead of pleasure.

The Buddha said, “There is pleasure and there is bliss. Forgo the first to know the second.” I don’t think that this is so much an admonition to never experience pleasure if you want to know spiritual bliss. Life is, fortunately, permeated with pleasure. Pleasure is unavoidable. When we are thirsty and we have a drink of water, voila! Pleasure! What is helpful for us is to understand the difference between pleasure and bliss. Fortunately, it is simple to make that distinction. Pleasure comes to us as the result of satisfying desires. And, the satisfaction of desires is always limited, and potentially treacherous. The satisfaction of desire generally leads to more desire and then we find ourselves bound. Bliss, however, is innate. It is unconditional, not the result of anything. No desire needs to be satisfied in order to experience it. It is a divine quality of the soul that is revealed to us when the mental field is calm and we are aware.

The most transitory happiness we experience is physical. When a desire related to the senses is fulfilled, we experience relief and happiness but soon find that particular form of pleasure to be short-lived. No sooner are our bellies filled than we are hungry again. The happiness we experience when we set goals and reach them, or succeed in life, stays with us longer. Even more enduring than that is the happiness we experience when we serve life by selflessly helping others. Being of service to others brings a deep, and long-lasting, sense of inner peace and happiness. Beyond all of those, however, is the highest happiness. The highest happiness is the bliss we experience through Self-knowing, through realizing our true nature. When we experience our essential nature, we discover our innate wholeness. That experience is free from desire. Nothing needs to be added on or attained in order for us to be happy. We are inherently blissful.

We are not required to give up pleasure to know bliss. We are advised, however, to know which is which and not lose the joy we already have while we look everywhere for happiness.

Think About It: A review of more than 160 studies of human and animal subjects has found “clear and compelling evidence” that—all else being equal—happy people tend to live longer and experience better health than their unhappy peers. The study, in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, is the most comprehensive review so far of the evidence linking happiness to health outcomes.

Scientist and research study author, Professor Ed Diener said, “We reviewed eight different types of studies and the general conclusion from each type of study is that your subjective well-being—that is, feeling positive about your life, not stressed out, not depressed—contributes to both longevity and better health among healthy populations.”
—National Science Foundation, reported in usnews.com

Be Inspired: Unsurpassed happiness is gained by contentment.
—Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, 2.42

Day Thirty Three: Concentration is Essential

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Steadiness, or stability of attention, supports the clarity of mind necessary for superconscious meditation. When we are able to intentionally focus our awareness on a single point of attention for a period of time, the wave-like motions of thought activity in the mental field subside and we can experience the peaceful radiance of our essential nature. Repeated intentional flowing of attention to a single point until clarity prevails is concentration. Think of it as “flexing our attention muscle.” We choose a point of focus, such as our breath or a mantra. We focus on this for awhile and then notice when our attention has wandered. When this occurs, we gently return our attention to the mantra or the breath. When we stick with it, these intentional, persistent acts of concentration ultimately bring stillness to the mental field. Steady concentration naturally flows into meditation. When concentration is stabilized, it becomes meditation—a steady flow of our attention and awareness to a single point. This practice is preliminary to the experience of superconsciousness or samadhi.

In order to experience superconsciousness, (clarified awareness, that is “super” or beyond ordinary states of consciousness) the mental field must be purified. Steady practice of focused attention is a primary way to achieve this purification. When attention and awareness become one-pointed, the qualities of restless and inertia in the mental field that stimulate thought activity settle of their own accord. Once that occurs, the mental field becomes peaceful and transparent; we are ready for the direct perception of higher states of consciousness.

For this practice to be successful, it must be comprehensive. It is difficult to sit for meditation and experience steady attention if our practice is not consistent. Irregular practice usually indicates mental unrest and further exacerbates it. The steadiness of a regular time, place, system, and duration of practice contribute to calmness and clarity. All that we do affects the mind and is affected by mind. The consistent practice of superconscious meditation over a long period of time contributes to positive changes in the body and mind. Stress is released from the physical body, contributing to greater health and well-being. Subconscious patterns are cleared from the mind facilitating clear awareness and freedom of choice.

If we seek clarity then we must cultivate steadiness in all areas of our life. We do this principally by maintaining Self- and God-realization as our primary focus and life goal. Meditation is then not separate from other aspects of our life but a tool that is supportive of achieving our highest aim. Our devotion becomes full and steady, not something limited to a particular meditation technique but rather our persistent commitment to spiritually conscious living and full liberation of consciousness. This means that we will persevere until we reach the goal. The great sage Lahiri Mahasaya encouraged spiritual seekers to prevail in their divinely inspired quest for complete realization: Keeping on, keeping on; one day behold! The divine realization.

Think About It: Whatever you may want to do in life, one thing is absolutely indispensable and at the basis of everything, the capacity of concentrating the attention. If you are able to gather together the rays of attention and consciousness on one point and can maintain this concentration with a persistent will, nothing can resist it - whatever it may be, from the most material physical development to the highest spiritual one. But this discipline must be followed in a constant and, it may be said, imperturbable way; not that you should always be concentrated on the same thing - that's not what I mean, I mean learning to concentrate.
–The Mother, (Mirra Alfassa)

Be Inspired: When the activating power of the mind is stilled by concentration, restlessness ceases and we become absorbed in the transcendental Bliss of the soul.
—Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Thirty Two: Freedom in Any Moment

2011-10-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

There is a choice we make, day in and day out, moment to moment, which makes all the difference in the quality of life that we experience. That choice is where we will put our attention. Not just the choices we make about what we will think about, but more fundamentally, what is the basic assumption we are making about ourselves at any given time? Are we identifying with our essential nature, the eternal spiritual truth of our being? Or, are we identifying with the physical body and the changing thoughts and feelings that arise in the mind? Simply put, do we think of ourselves as a physical being that has a soul or know that we are the soul expressing through the physical body?

A simple shift in identification from being caught up in mental conditioning to resting in the unchanging Self changes our perception and opens the door to the true freedom and joy of spiritually conscious living. The great goal of yoga is the liberation of consciousness that brings true knowledge and freedom from suffering. It begins with this turning of attention and awareness to abide in the Self. Taking a step toward liberation is turning attention and awareness to that which we are. It is remembering that which we know to be true.

While meditation and self inquiry are the primary tools for transforming the way we see ourselves and experience the world, this first step can be supported through awareness and intention. We can observe our prevailing mental tendency and notice how it colors our perceptions and experiences. And we can, through intention, shift our awareness to rest in that which is ultimately true about us. This is the way to discover freedom in any moment.

Think About It: The body is mortal but within it dwells the immortal Self. This Self, when associated in our consciousness with the body, is subject to pleasure and pain; and so long as this association continues, freedom from pleasure and pain cannot be found.
–Chandogya Upanishad 8.12.1

Be Inspired: In our original true being, we are divine Consciousness. That divine Consciousness is the reality of our being, and any limitation or discord, any sin or disease is no part of our consciousness, but is a superimposed picture.
– Joel Goldsmith

Day Thirty One: The Power to Change

2011-10-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

When Paramahansa Yogananda taught people about the nature of the soul and its relationship to the mind and life experiences, he used the example of viewing a movie to illustrate his point. He compared our experience of perception in the world to that of being in an old movie theater where you can see the light shining from the projection booth. The light from the projector is like the soul or the Self, shining forth the light of pure awareness. This light shines through the film with its imprints which then produces what we see on the screen in the “movie of our life.” The images on the film are the patterns in our mind that show up on the screen as our life experience.

Using his metaphor, we can see that criticizing the screen, or even replacing it with a new one, will not produce any change in the movie. Yet this is frequently how people approach change in life—they blame conditions, or other people, and invest a great deal of energy trying to change appearances. But to effect real change, we have to change the film. We must change the cause of the perception we are having. And this is the good news, because we can—by changing the contents of our mind.

People ask me: How can I tell if what I am thinking and feeling about another person is projection? My rule of thumb for the sake of spiritual growth is: it’s always about us to some degree. A good indication that there is some inner work for us to do is when our observation is accompanied by unsettled emotion. And when we can observe that most other people are not having the same experience of another person that we are. Our experience arises out of our own mental equivalent, that’s why it is in our field of perception. It is a representation of the imprints that are in our mind and consciousness.

Noticing that we are blaming, criticizing, or judging others can be an indication that we have lost our conscious contact with God. When this awareness arises, it can be a helpful signal to return to wholeness, to see through conditioned patterns and instead abide in spiritual realization—remembering the underlying truth about ourselves and others as spiritual beings.

It is useful to note that projections aren’t always negative. We may project out our own power, our own goodness, our own beauty, and even our own competency. We may project out our own spirituality. When we place someone on a pedestal, we might consider asking ourselves, “How am I being invited to grow in order to embody that which I am seeing in someone else as my own quality?” We can reclaim what is inherently ours.

To learn more about ourselves, we can practice self-examination and intentionally turn projections around. We can do this whether the projections are positive or negative. I’m not suggesting that we take the criticism or blame or even the adulation we have placed on another and turn it toward ourselves. Rather, I’m suggesting that we can use discernment while abiding in spiritual awareness to see what a projection may reveal about the patterns in our mind or the beliefs we hold. None of this should be confused with the essential self, which is free of any imprints. But what we observe at the level of personality may provide a useful learning. It may be time to let it go of an old idea, or perhaps, embrace a new one.

Think About It: In Zen Buddhist meditation the master tries to teach his pupil how he can forever keep the inner mirror free of dust. To the extent that he lives in complete accord with the rhythm of psychic energy and with its regulator, the Self, he has no projections anymore; he looks at reality without illusion and more or less continuously reads the meaning of all the synchronistic events happening around him. He lives in the creative current or stream of the Self and has himself, indeed, become a part of this stream. –M.L. von Franz

Be Inspired: Mines of power lie unexplored within you. You use this power unconsciously in all things you do, and you achieve certain results; but, if you learn how to consciously control and use the powers within you, you can accomplish much more. –Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Thirty: It Comes Down to Kindness

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

When we look into the great religious and spiritual traditions, the wisdom legacy of all humanity, we find in each an ethic of compassion based on the deepest truth of our spiritual identity as one, unified life. Knowing this truth is revealed in acts of simple kindness which reflect the deep beneficence inherent to such a world view. Scholar Karen Armstrong, in her book, The Great Transformation: The Beginning of our Religious Traditions, observes that the illumined sages who provided the seminal influences on the origins of the major faiths were less concerned with abstract philosophical concepts about the nature of God than they were interested in the actualization of ethical behaviors or a compassionate life which they considered essential for any real encounter with God or higher truth.

All the sages preached a spirituality of empathy and compassion; they insisted that people must abandon their egotism and greed, their violence and unkindness…Each tradition developed its own formulation of the Golden Rule: do not do to others what you would not have done to you. As far as the Axial sages were concerned, respect for the sacred rights of all beings—not orthodox belief—was religion. If people behaved with kindness and generosity to their fellows, they could save the world.

To simply be kind, to offer respect to one another in our interactions, is a basic guideline for how to live and get along well with others, yet it is not always so easy to do. Why is that? We certainly feel better about ourselves when our thoughts, speech and actions are harmonious, contributing to our own happiness and that of others. It isn’t pleasant to be unkind, to go through life with the proverbial chip on our shoulder, having interactions that leave upset and suffering in their wake. Yet most of us experience this less than ideal way of relating to others, primarily due to two factors: first, a lack of spiritual realization and second, a need for specific relational skills and practice. We must be aware of the truth of who we and others are, and we need to learn how to relate based on this truth. This takes practice.

Acts of loving-kindness are expressions of our innate divine nature. It is interesting to note that the Old English origins of the word kind mean natural or innate. The basis for developing loving-kindness is not self-improvement, rather it is self realization—knowing the spiritual truth about ourselves and others and acting in accordance with that knowledge.

A story is told about the great Master Yunmen who was asked by an aspiring monk, “What was it that the Buddha taught his entire life?” Yunmen answered, “An appropriate response.” Loving-kindness is the appropriate response from one who is awake to their nature as Supreme Consciousness, one with all that is. It is the appropriate response to all who are that same Supreme Consciousness which is expressing as each individual. Therefore, the first practice for cultivating loving-kindness is recognizing what is so. All of life is God in expression.

Think About It: Altruism—including kindness, generosity, and compassion—are keys to the social connections that are so important to our happiness. Research finds that acts of kindness—especially spontaneous, out-of-the ordinary ones—can boost happiness in the person doing the good deed. -On Altruism and Happiness from pbs.org

Be Inspired: When my guru, Roy Eugene Davis, was asked about the key to long-lasting and fulfilling relationships, he replied, “Be kind to one another.”

Day Twenty Nine: Meditate on an Awakened Heart

2011-10-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

Besides the positive support of our teachers and friends on the spiritual path, we are blessed with the examples of enlightenment in the lives of the saints and sages of all times. Through contemplating the minds and consciousness of such illumined souls, we can purify our own minds. One who is awakened, whose mind is purified, is free from the sway of desire. He or she is dispassionate, established in equanimity, and free from the pull of restlessness caused by the ego. When we contemplate what that state of mind is like and meditate upon it, it has a powerful purifying effect upon us. This practice is one of several ways recommended in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra to calm the mental field and overcome the obstacles to superconscious meditation:

1.37 (the mental field can be calmed) by meditating on the heart of an illumined soul that is free from passion.

We immerse ourselves in the awareness of how it might be to experience an awakened heart (spiritually realized consciousness) until there is the direct experience of that consciousness within ourselves.

The steps of this practice are:

Begin with a few moments of meditation.
Bring to mind an awakened or enlightened person. See an image of them in your mind’s eye.
Feel as if you are sitting with him or her, and imagine what it would be like to be influenced by their consciousness and presence.
Reflect on the quality of their conscious awareness. Feel as if you are experiencing it directly and allow that feeling to impact your own state of mind and heart.
Feel that their consciousness and your consciousness are one; their heart and your heart are one.
Rest for a moment in knowing that this awakened consciousness is your own true nature.
Agree within yourself to let this light of truth, this light of love, guide your thoughts, speech and actions.

We can also cultivate this higher consciousness in times of activity where discernment is needed by taking a moment to enter the silence, remember the enlightened one, and inwardly ask how such a free soul would approach the situation before us. What would their natural response be? What might they say or do? Then we can consider this choice for ourselves.

Think About It: When His Holiness the Dalai Lama appeared before 5,000 people at Sanford Fieldhouse to hear him speak about happiness, he first removed his shoes and arranged himself slowly in a cross-legged position in the oversized crimson leather chair that was made for the occasion. Despite the audience's palpable eagerness for words of wisdom, he quipped that the chair was so comfortable he'd like to "sit without talk." But talk he did, in an engaging and straightforward way; about how inner peace, compassion, and truth are necessary for happiness. He implored his audience to "please think more about those inner values."He said, "We pay too much concern to material things and neglect our inner resources." –posted on dalailama.com

Be Inspired: I am often asked what it was like to be with Paramahansa Yogananda…When I was with him, and at all other times when I attuned my mind and consciousness with his, which he frequently advised me to do, my mind was calm; I felt secure and peaceful; my awareness was tranquil and clear; I was more Self- and God-conscious.
–Roy Eugene Davis, from Paramahansa Yogananda As I Knew Him

Day Twenty Eight: Beyond Belief and Into Possibility

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

A powerful lesson was in front of me many times a day, for many months. I did not see it. I did not see it because I saw what was in front of me through the eyes of my belief system and, my belief system was in error. Here is the story. It’s a story about me, my beliefs, and the little ficus plant growing in my greenhouse window above my kitchen sink. The greenhouse window has a glass shelf in the middle for plants. When I put the ficus plant on the bottom shelf it slowly grew until its leaves reached the underside of the glass shelf in the middle. I didn’t worry about the ficus being cramped because I knew that ficus plants are slow growing. For months it stayed there, simply touching its top leaves to the shelf above. It showed no evidence of overcrowding, no straining against the glass. Each time I looked at it I reminded myself it was a “slow grower.” One day I decided to move it out onto a table in the open. The glass ceiling was gone. I could not believe my eyes. Within days the “slow grower” was literally reaching for the sky. It grew nearly a foot. I stood awed, corrected, and invited by this little plant to look beyond my beliefs into the realm of possibility.

At CSE, we are concluding our 30th year of ministry service and getting ready for our annual community meeting. As we prepare, it is natural to reflect on the growth of the ministry over the years. One of the most moving stories for us is what happened when we became willing to take responsibility for a permanent home for the ministry. We had yearned for a place of our own for many years but we learned that besides a dream, we would need to change our minds about what was possible and be willing to step into that possibility. When we did, we experienced the power of Spirit to prosper us beyond our belief systems.

When we heard that the Unity Church property on University Avenue in San Jose was for sale we went to look knowing that we could not afford it. The asking price was two million dollars and we had twenty thousand in our building fund. The staff and board members who went to see the buildings shared in the appreciation of its beauty and the sense of how perfect it could be for our ministry. However, we could not see how the Center could make such a great financial leap so we set the conversation aside and we continued to pray for a new home. The more we looked at others sites, the more this one seemed right. Then we decided to revisit the property. This time, we would look through the eyes of possibility, rather than the eyes of our limiting beliefs. We asked: “Is this the right place for us?” We did not lead with the questions: Can we afford it? Where will we get the money? We knew those were important questions but we also knew they were not the most important. When we were able to answer, in our hearts, “yes” and to see the Center there, the necessary help came forward. Funds were donated to purchase the property outright with no debt to the Center. Was it a miracle? Yes, we think so. A miracle is something we cannot explain through our ordinary belief system. A miracle is something that invokes awe in us and turns our attention to God.

Think About It: For years, the 4-minute mile was considered not merely unreachable but, according to physiologists of the time, dangerous to the health of any athlete who attempted to reach it. When Roger Bannister crossed the finish line on May 6, 1954 with a time of 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds, he broke through a psychological barrier as well.

John Landy, considered one of the great milers of that era, never had gotten closer than within 1.5 seconds of the 4-minute barrier before. Within 46 days of Bannister's breakthrough, John Landy surpassed the record with a 3:57.9 in Finland. By the end of 1957, 16 runners had logged sub-4-minute miles. —St. Petersburg Times

Be Inspired: No great idea can have a place in the heart unless one steps out of his little corner. —Swami Vivekananda

Day Twenty Seven: Express Your Self!

2011-10-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

The goal of a spiritually awakened life is not to remove ourselves from the world but rather to function effectively in it with clarified awareness and focused intention. The heavenly realm that many yearn for is, as the enlightened sages have taught, right here. Right where we are, the reality of God is. The purpose of spiritual practice is to purify the body and mind so that the natural radiance of our essential nature is revealed and we can easily live balanced, constructive, and joyful lives. The first thing we can do to support joyful, purposeful living is to affirm this fundamental truth of our existence. Further study and meditation practice will confirm and deepen this initial understanding.

When the mind is peaceful, the inner light of awareness shines through. Spiritual practice is not just the time we spend sitting in meditation or study of metaphysical principles but it is the choices we make every day. Being conscious of those choices, and their potential impact on the body, the mind, and relationships with others is essential. A useful goal is to strive to be peaceful by cultivating mental and emotional calmness and balance.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra offers a helpful practice for cultivating a peaceful mind as we engage with others. Verse 1.33 recommends: The mind is purified by cultivating thoughts and feelings of loving-kindness for those who are happy, compassion for those who are experiencing suffering, joy for those who are experiencing well-being, and dispassion for those who are engaged in error. This practice encourages us to adopt responses that would be natural to an enlightened individual. Such responses are natural to every person when they are spiritually awake; they arise from a peaceful mind and contribute to peace as well. Lower drives and tendencies that are rooted in the ego prompt thoughts and actions that disturb our peace, reinforce the sense of separate existence, and negatively impact our relationships with others.

An example of an unenlightened reaction to the happiness or success of others is jealousy. An ego-driven response asks: “Why them? Why not me?” Instead of reacting that way, this practice invites us to share in the happiness of others, rejoicing in it through offering our own thoughts of loving-kindness and wishes for everyone’s well-being. If others are experiencing suffering in some way, instead of criticizing, pitying, or avoiding them, we can wish them well by offering compassion and unconditional positive regard. If we encounter something that we know is not useful, instead of reacting negatively to what we see and becoming overly involved, we can remain centered and respond appropriately when necessary.

When we cultivate attitudes and responses that bring peace of mind and emotional stability, our essential nature can shine through. We then truly express the Self.

Think About It: Individuals do not exist independently from one another, but rather rely on this interconnectedness and interdependence for their very survival. Compassion refers to a deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it... a quality of mind that embraces the responsibility to care for and act for the benefit of others. An important basis for the cultivation of compassion is the simple and profound insight that we, as individuals, do not exist independently from one another, but rather rely on this interconnectedness and interdependence for our very survival. [from: Investigating the Behavioral and Neural Mechanisms of Compassion Training in Medical School and Psychology Students.
—Philippe Goldin, Ph. D. —posted at compassion.stanford.edu

Be inspired: Discard the false belief that there is a separation between spiritual and material life. In everything you do, express your limitless soul qualities. – Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Twenty Six: Cultivate a Peaceful Mind

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

A peaceful mind is essential to living the spiritual life. When the mental field is calm we are able to experience our true nature, discern inner guidance, and remain open to the activity of grace. We take better care of our health because we are more aware of changes that require the adjustment of our thoughts and behavior. Our relationships, too, are enhanced, as we are more capable of being fully present to others. A verse in the Bhagavad Gita addresses the importance of a peaceful mind: “The uncontrolled mind does not perceive that the Self is present: How can it meditate? Without meditation, how can one know peace? Without peace, how can one know happiness?” Once we find peace in meditation, it takes a dedicated practice as well to maintain it in the world—in our activities and relationships.

As with all spiritual practice we must have a goal, a way of achieving the goal, and a commitment to achieve it. To cultivate a peaceful mind, we must decide that it is a priority. It takes practice, dedication, and discernment to learn to be calm in the midst of life’s changing conditions. Some of the same skills supportive of meditation practice are helpful in developing a peaceful mind during activity—the ability to focus the mind on one point, to turn to God in divine remembrance, to be the conscious witness to thoughts and emotions without reacting to them, and to discern the insubstantial nature of changing phenomena. The essential skill to remaining even-minded in changing conditions is to pay attention—look closely at the true nature of things and remain centered in our spiritual nature. As we become less reactive, better able to maintain a peaceful mind, everything improves, including our meditation practice.

One exercise that helps us stay clear and calm, and has far reaching effects, is to refrain from taking things personally. Leave your “self” out of it. While it is important to take responsibility for our actions, this practice is about releasing the erroneous belief that we are the cause of another’s experience or that others are to blame for what we are experiencing. This is simply not true. Each person’s response to situations in life is reflective of their state of consciousness—their beliefs, collective life experience, level of awareness, and point of view.

Things or events in life are inherently without meaning. We assign meaning to what happens based on our own perception. It’s possible to observe this principle by watching the different reactions of people in a group to the same event. For example, someone says something that one person thinks is hilarious and laughs out loud. Another person feels wounded or insulted by the same remark and emotionally withdraws, while others are surprised or even indifferent. All the reactions are to the same event. Yet each person reacts in a different way based on his or her own conditioning. Taking things personally is one of the ways that the ego reinforces its control. The “I, me, mine” involved in taking something personally is part of the structure of ego identity. When we do not cling to this identity, we can abide in the truth of our spiritual nature and observe what occurs around us without being reactive.

Some people worry that if they cease to take things personally they will not be responsible, care about others, or what takes place in the world. Just the opposite is actually true. When we are reactive or caught up in our personal point of view, we are less able to see the viewpoints of others and respond appropriately. When the mind is calm, we stay open and respond with wisdom and compassion.

The discipline of not taking things personally includes remembering that we are one in Spirit. With this understanding, we know that what we say and do matters deeply, because it touches everyone and everything. To search for our own good at the expense of others will only bring unhappiness in the end. How could it be otherwise? The more we try to find happiness for ourselves alone, the more we are caught in the trap of imagining a separate existence. Belief in a separate existence effectively cuts us off from the Source of good. One cannot simultaneously seek personal good and be open to the Source of all. Happy and peaceful are those who seek the good of all. “Pray for the good of others and you will receive the good,” says the Talmud.

Each day provides us with opportunities to cultivate a peaceful mind. How can we be even-minded, unconditionally content, and peaceful regardless of changing circumstances? Don’t take things personally. Remember that everything changes; God alone is changeless. Rely on God as your support. Be aware that things are not always as they seem. And lastly, have a deep commitment to live in joy, to live in peace. Believe it is possible and begin to practice today.

Think About It: Emotions such as anger and hostility quickly activate the "fight or flight response," in which stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, speed up your heart rate and breathing and give you a burst of energy. Blood pressure also rises as your blood vessels constrict. While this stress response mobilizes you for emergencies, it might cause harm if activated repeatedly. "You get high cortisol and high adrenaline levels and that is the cardiotoxic effect of anger expression," says Jerry Kiffer, MA, a heart-brain researcher at the Cleveland Clinic's Psychological Testing Center. "It causes wear and tear on the heart and cardiovascular system."
—from webMD.com

Be Inspired: Secure peace of mind by trust in God . . . Secure peace of mind through ceasing to contend and abandoning the search for one’s own good.
—al-Antaki (Islam)

Day Twenty Five: How Wonderful It Is to Be Aware

2011-10-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Resolve today to set yourself free and set others free from the tendency to criticize, blame or find fault. Paramahansa Yogananda said “it is possible to find fault with even the great works of art, yet why do that?” For many, fault finding is simply an unconscious habit. They are not aware that they do it consistently nor are they aware of the negative impact it has on themselves or others. Since our physical, mental, and emotional health is directly influenced by our prevailing thoughts, overcoming the habit of fault-finding can have a positive effect on our well-being and enhance our relationships with others as well. There are several easy ways to become free of this debilitating tendency.

To dismantle the habit of fault finding, first one has to become aware that it is a prevailing tendency of thought, speech and behavior. If you notice that you tend towards a negative state of mind and others tell you that they perceive you as being overly critical then more carefully examine your thought patterns, especially your first tendency upon encountering a situation. What is the first thing that you notice? Does your awareness seek out what is wrong, out of place, or displeasing to you? Or, do you tend to be aware of what is pleasing, what is in order and what is correct or done well?

Someone who is a habitual fault finder will experience a lack of joy in daily life and a lack of harmony in interpersonal relationships. Sometimes this habit is simply a learned behavior carried out unconsciously, a family pattern that was left unquestioned. Other times it may be due to a perceived need to feel superior, in control of situations or other people, or the desire to be noticed. Any of these rationales for the tendency are not consistent with our essential nature and therefore can be discarded. Such reasoning is built upon the error thought of the false self, or ego, which strives to maintain an identity based on separation. To keep this charade going, the unrestrained ego will attempt to assert itself on the environment as the master of experience. One of its methods is through fault finding, which serves to distinguish it as the owner and knower.

Those who are spiritually awake discern that the ego, which is a necessary mechanism for interacting with others in the world, is not the true self and can therefore be observed and directed by one’s higher true self. Soul is superior to mind and ego is a component of the mind. Simply intend to notice, to be aware of thoughts and feelings, and realize that you can circumvent any habit through soul knowing and your wisdom guided will. Once we become aware of a habit pattern we have the power to change it and to make a new choice.

The decision to make a new choice should be the focus. Otherwise, if one’s attention is directed only toward noticing when fault finding occurs, the potential for engaging in a cycle of self-defeating thinking can arise. This happens when we decide that we will cease from fault finding and then find fault with our self when we notice that we have done it. To avoid this trap, determine that you will use the occasion of becoming aware of fault finding as a prompt to change your focus. Decide to notice and inwardly affirm what you find praiseworthy. In the moment of noticing, the light of conscious awareness is always present, simply be grateful for that. How wonderful it is to be aware!

Another way to break the negative cycle is to decide to assume the best. Assume that the highest good is always prevailing; assume that life in general and other people in particular are supporting you. Assume that people are basically good. This is easy to do because it is true of everyone at the core of their being, regardless of appearances. This positive attitude helps to clear restless thoughts from the mental field and allows the inherent peace of the soul to prevail. We are then more inclined to make choices that affirm our uplifting attitude and soon find that our experience of life is transformed.

Start the day with an affirmative thought. Look forward to your day with confidence in the Infinite, gratitude for the opportunity to experience life and to be of service. Conclude the day with a few moments of reflection on the blessings you received. Notice what was good, what was lovely, what was just. Think on those things.

Think About It: Carol Ryff, a psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been studying whether or not high levels of psychological well-being benefit physical health. "There is a science that is emerging that says a positive attitude isn't just a state of mind," she says. "It also has linkages to what's going on in the brain and in the body." Ryff has shown that individuals with higher levels of well-being have lower cardiovascular risk, lower levels of stress hormones and lower levels of inflammation, which serves as a marker of the immune system. Her research on positive mental states is among 44 current grants funded by the National Institutes of Health evaluating optimism. –USA Today

Be Inspired: Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
—Philippians 4:8

Day Twenty Four: Overcoming the Obstacles to Superconscious Meditation

2011-10-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation is practiced to clarify awareness to the point of pure insight, direct experience of our essential nature. Techniques help focus attention and still the wave like activity of mental modifications—thoughts or emotions. There are several obstacles that can impede our progress with meditation and there are ways to overcome them. Three primary obstacles are: laziness (lack of true motivation), restlessness (dissipated attention) and distraction (which stems from a lack of focus).

Laziness, giving in to depression or various forms of inertia, can be overcome by wisdom guided will. We must use our discernment to consider what we really want in life and then commit ourselves to it. Once the will is roused through cultivating an uplifting desire, it will burn through the heavy dross of inertia by positive motivation. Clarity and commitment concerning the first step is what is needed. That one step in the direction of a worthy goal will naturally lead to another.

Another way to break through laziness is to think about the purpose of your life and how long you anticipate you will be here in this incarnation. Be aware of the passage of time and how important it is to live in the highest way. It is with this in mind that Buddhist monks and nuns contemplate the acerbic words of Master Guishan in an essay titled Encouraging Words: “Our bodies will not last forever…Days and months pass quickly, and old age and death are inevitable. How can you sit around and let your life trickle away meaninglessly?” Such keen awareness of time and mortality can have a clarifying, albeit shocking, influence when considering how we choose to spend the available time and energy we have. Whenever we are plagued by laziness, this crisp reminder can be a sharp wake up call to not let this precious lifetime be wasted in idleness.

Restlessness is overcome by the cultivation of stillness. A commitment to sit in meditation everyday, at a regular time, for a prescribed period of time, begins to curb the fire of restless activity. When the mind is overcome with restlessness, it is common to think that we do not have enough time to sit and meditate. From the perspective of the restless mind, this seems true. We can be aware of this thought as a sure sign that we have become too worldly, or too involved in outer activity. Turning this around in our life is like turning a big ship moving quickly through the ocean waves. Turning a large ship starts with the rudder, where a small adjustment makes a big difference. So it is with restlessness. The tendency with a restless mind is to make grand plans for changing everything—rearranging the meditation room, starting a meditation group, reading a new book—everything but stopping, when stopping is the simple remedy that is needed. Think of the rudder that turns the great ship and know that a small step, a seemingly small adjustment to your schedule, will begin the necessary quieting of your mind.

When our mental field begins to clear of restlessness, we may experience that our focus is still somewhat distracted. That is, we begin to concentrate and are able to bring the attention to a single point for a brief period of time but then find that we are relatively easily sidetracked. Once we have overcome laziness by making a commitment to meditate and curbed the restless tendency of the mind through regular practice, we may still encounter this obstacle of distraction.

Practicing nonattachment to specific outcomes curbs the outward flow of attention and supports a more inward orientation. Instead of searching externally for satisfaction or support, the practice of nonattachment has us discern the real source of our good as our relationship with the infinite. If we do not curb the wandering mind throughout the day and learn to focus our attention, we are at a distinct disadvantage when we sit to meditate because this mental tendency to wander can become a habit. Instead, we can develop the habit of concentration in the midst of activities. Not only will the useful habit of knowing how to stay focused improve our success in our mundane affairs, it will benefit our meditation practice as well.

Think About It: "I can't concentrate" is a common student complaint. Although the cure for this problem is not easy, the habit of concentration can be developed by self-discipline and practice in becoming involved.
–University of Wisconsin, Reading and Study Skills Center

Be Inspired: When TV newscaster Diane Sawyer was asked the secret to her success, she said, "I think the one lesson I've learned is there is no substitute for paying attention."
–quoted on About.com, Alternative Medicine

Day Twenty Three: Trust God's Timing

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Patience is trusting God's timing. It is the ability to trust the inherent goodness of life. Once we have done all there is for us to do, it’s our capacity to wait with confidence and faith until more is revealed. Patience, with a foundation of spiritual awareness, can be distinguished from a couple of its close cousins. One of those cousins is resignation. Sometimes people believe they are waiting patiently but instead, they are resigned that things are hopeless, believing there is nothing more that can be done to bring about a positive outcome. Resignation has a sense of defeat that patience does not have. Another close cousin of patience is forbearance. This has a quality of putting up with something and not really liking it, but exercising restraint. These are both to be distinguished from patience, which is our capacity to calmly endure with understanding. But even more importantly, patience is capable of bearing with delay while maintaining a positive outlook. This positive outlook facilitates waiting for the right moment and the right action to come to us. Patience is pregnant with possibility. Lao Tzu says it beautifully in the Tao de Ching:

Do you have the patience to wait 'til your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving 'til the right action arises by itself? The master doesn't seek fulfillment, not seeking, not expecting, he is present and can welcome all things. –Ch 15, Stephen Mitchell, trans.

The Qualities of Patience

Patience reflects our true nature. It is free of the grasping and sense of urgency that we often find accompanying ego and self-will. The sense of urgency coming from the ego says it has to be "my way" and it must be now. The wisdom of the soul, even when indicating the necessity to take immediate action, rarely has that tinge of urgency that is characteristic of self-will.

As a spiritual practice, patience is the ability to wait with faith, knowing that there is a divine plan and all is in divine order. We may not see that plan and we may not perceive that order, but we know it in our hearts as we wait. We wait with calm anticipation for the unfoldment of divine will. True patience relies on faith and expresses confidence in life, confidence in the Self. It indicates a belief in the fundamental goodness of life. Patience has a quality of mindfulness too—of being awake and open, aware of what is. Not pushing away, not trying to hold on, but open, waiting, awake and aware.

Patience also includes surrender and willingness. When we surrender the illusional sense of being separate from the Source of all life, we are then able to trust life completely. When we trust life, we can wait to take the right action when it is revealed to us. Patience is not passive. Like faith, it is something that facilitates right action. Like meditation, patience is an active kind of non-doing. It's a way in which we are in a state of readiness, waiting, but all the while making ourselves available to Spirit as grace moves through us. Sylvia Boorstein, a contemporary meditation teacher, said, "Don't just do something, sit there!" referring to our ability to sit with full awareness instead of mindlessly being busy. Patience has that quality, that state of readiness and wakefulness.

Think About It: We live in an impatient age, wanting and trying to make everything and everyone around us move faster at a pace we dictate. But as I have learned (and instinctively knew), impatience is not good for us mentally or physically. It causes stress, which weakens the immune system, irritates the stomach, raises blood pressure, strains the heart and strains relationships…Hurrying increases the risk of errors and accidents, which can end up costing more time than the rush saved. Patience allows you to remain cool and rational—to think clearly—under stress, to take the foibles and annoying behaviors of others in stride and perhaps even find them amusing.
–Jane E. Brody on Practicing Patience, The New York Times

Be Inspired: And let us not grow weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. —The Holy Bible

Day Twenty Two: How to Keep Your Balance

2011-10-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “It is faith that steers us through stormy seas, faith that moves mountains and faith that jumps across the oceans. That faith is nothing but a living, wide-awake consciousness of God within. He who has achieved that faith wants nothing…I am a man of faith. My reliance is solely on God. One step is enough for me. The next step he will make clear to me when time for it comes.” Clearly Gandhi was a man who walked in faith, able to steer through the stormy seas of life with God as his polestar. What is faith, exactly, and how can it become a true refuge and inspiration for our lives?

Faith is defined as “a confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.” Faith is what we trust in, what we rely on. Our faith is not so much our stated beliefs as it is how we live, the basis for the choices we make. In Sanskrit the word for faith is śhraddhā, which means trust, belief in divine revelation, or what is placed in the heart. In Proverbs of the Bible, faith is spoken of in this way, “As we think or believe in our hearts, so do we act, and so is our life.” Our faith is continually revealed in our thoughts, speech, actions, and ultimately, as the life we live.

During times of great challenge, some people may question their faith. With money in the bank, a secure job, and good health, it can seem as if our faith is strong. But when the outer conditions we were relying on fall away and we are thrown off balance, what we actually believed to be the real source of security is revealed. Most of us have occasions in life when our faith is shaken and we question the real source of our inspiration and support. We have only to look to the lives of the saints—those great souls who were ablaze with a burning desire to live a life of faith—to see that even they had their trials and times of doubt. It is clear that we do not develop deep faith in God in a day, or even in weeks, or months. Faith develops over our lifetime as we persevere with vigorous intent on the spiritual path and are met time and again by the presence of grace—life’s inherent support that leads us to our highest fulfillment.

To have the living faith Gandhi describes, to walk through life consciously knowing God as our constant companion, we must develop dispassion. Through practicing dispassion, we learn to remain nonreactive to changing conditions. This is the key to mental clarity and inner peace. A peaceful mind is necessary for us to be able to access the spiritual truth that is the basis of real security. A mind that is continually disturbed by outer conditions clouds our perception and obscures the light of the soul’s guidance. To rely on God, we must be able to lift our attention beyond physical and mental involvement to the unchanging spiritual realm, to experience our essential nature, beyond thought and phenomena.

When I was a young girl, I took dancing lessons. I was fascinated with the older dancers’ ability to twirl—to turn and turn in one spot without losing their balance. When it came time for me to learn this part of the dance, my teacher gave me the secret. She told me that in order to keep my balance; I must find a single spot in the room, something stable on which to anchor my attention. Each time I turned I was to focus my attention on this stable point. I was not to look around at what I saw passing by as I turned. I was only to stay aware of that single, steady point of reference. It worked like magic. And I discovered, much to my discomfort, that every time I lost my concentration and wandered from my point of focus, I would lose my balance and fall over. Developing a living faith is not so different. We have to develop a single point of attention, a wide-awake consciousness of God within.

When the mind is one pointed, established in truth consciousness, we can overcome great obstacles. And when we are distracted by the storm of worries, we lose touch with our own divine resources. Each of us must have a point of divine reference to walk in faith, to not sink down under the heavy burdens of the world’s sorrows. See them for what they are, boisterous storms that howl one day and clear the next. With God as our constant companion, we can each walk in confidence through the wildest storms of all.

If you become distracted by challenges, pause for a moment of meditation, to bring your attention back to God within. Look beyond changing conditions to the heart of Reality, to that which transcends heaven and earth. Within you is the help that never fails. Within you is the strength that will allow you to walk in confidence. Take one step at a time, knowing that the next step will be divinely directed.

Think About It: Faith and well-being were linked in a recent Gallup poll. The report revealed that the most religious Americans also have the highest self-reported well-being scores (according to the latest data from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index).
Very religious people scored 68.7 on the 0-100 Index, compared to 64.2 for those who identified themselves as moderately religious, and 64.2 for nonreligious Americans. “Very religious” was defined as people for whom religion “is an important part of daily life and church/synagogue/mosque attendance occurs at least every week or almost every week.”

Be Inspired: I have made Thee polestar of my life. –Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Twenty-One: Change Your Mind

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Our mind can be our greatest enemy or our greatest help. The Buddha is quoted as saying, “with our thoughts we make the world…think or act with an impure mind and suffering will follow you like your shadow, but think and act with a pure mind and joy will be your constant companion.” When the mind is clouded and restless, we may be driven by habits and emotions that do not serve our highest good and bring suffering in their wake. Sometimes people feel trapped by their own reactive patterns and despair to know how to change them. Learning to change our thoughts patterns makes all the difference.

The first step is to consider the nature of the mind and consciousness itself. What is the relationship of mind to soul? Of body to mind? Of our thoughts to our experiences? The true Self expresses through mind and body. The mind is an instrument used by the soul. The light of awareness shining in the mental field is the light of Supreme Consciousness, of which each soul is an individual expression. Mind alone is not conscious but our spiritual nature is ever conscious, ever aware. This distinction is important for us to know because it means that we, as conscious spiritual beings, can observe, influence and change our minds. And this is where the transformation begins.

We begin by taking on the perspective of the conscious witness to our thoughts. We observe what thoughts prevail in the mental field and we determine whether or not those thoughts are useful. We ask ourselves: Do they contribute to peace and well being? Are they true? Anytime we discover thoughts that are not useful, that are not based in truth or that have a negative influence, we simply introduce another train of thought. This potent practice is called “cultivating the opposite.” We notice and acknowledge what we are thinking and feeling, and then we introduce another possibility into the mental field. If the mind is overrun with resentment, we cultivate thoughts of forgiveness. If anger and hatred fill the mind, we bring forth thoughts of loving kindness.

Sometimes people worry that they will deny important feelings if they simply substitute other thoughts. This practice is not denial of thoughts or suppression of feelings. We notice our predominating thoughts and feelings and may even inquire into what causes brought them about. Then, we consciously decide to bring forth a more positive perspective so that any decisions we make or actions we take will be done in the clearest way. Changing our thought patterns from resentment to forgiveness does not give us amnesia. We don’t forget what happened but we do become better equipped to deal with it with a loving heart and a calm mind. The decision to live in the highest way means that we do not allow circumstances cause us to react. Instead, we learn to consciously respond to circumstances. We realize that we can choose to bring more clarity, more love, and more peace to any situation.

Think About It: The practice of concentration and clear focus that we develop with our meditation and spiritual practices helps us to be more observant in all areas of our daily life. The ability to observe how our mind works helps us discern right use of our attention and energy. Research about concentration, attention, and distraction is pointing out why cell phone use while driving is hazardous. The split between internal and external attention impairs reaction time needed for safe driving. As meditators, we can actually observe this phenomenon in our own mental fields. When we do, it becomes clear that cell phone use while driving is not advisable, whether hands on or hands-free. Studies reported by the American Psychological Association show that cell phone use while driving is comparable to driving while under the influence of alcohol. They recommend that if we are tempted to use the cell phone while driving we should ask ourselves if we would drive while drunk. http://www.apa.org/research/action/drive.aspx

Be Inspired: As we think in our hearts, so are we. -Proverbs 23:7

Day Twenty: Steady Resolve

2011-10-18T11:30:00.001-07:00

Paramahansa Yogananda advised devotees on the path of Self- and God-realization to have devotion for God (intention to realize the truth) like a wood fire that burns long and slow and not like a straw fire that blazes bright with intensity but quickly burns out. Steady resolve to realize the truth is supported by our focused intent, even-mindedness, and disciplined lifestyle.

Spiritual awakening is the unfolding of the innate knowledge of our essential nature as pure existence-being and the actualization of divine capacities that occurs over a period of time as the mental field is purified and erroneous beliefs are dispelled. Prior to understanding how spiritual realization unfolds from within it is not uncommon for people to assume that spiritual knowledge is something to be acquired. This mistaken belief that enlightenment is something to be gained through external means is the basis for the “straw fires” of excitement that arise in the wake of discovering some new method, workshop, book, or teacher who appears on the scene. While what is shared may be a valid, it is important to know two things: (1) that truth will never be “new” since spiritual truth concerns itself with that which is eternal and unchanging and (2) in order for realization to occur, what is heard must be directly experienced. We must put in to practice what we are taught and verify the teachings in our own experience.

Once the pathway of spiritual awakening is intellectually discerned, then every person must set about arranging conditions so that deeper knowledge, or realization through direct experience, can unfold from within. Since we already are that single divine reality which we seek to know, this is the only way. Once we see that, it becomes obvious that running after one new system or another will only prove a distraction to our goal. For attainment of the goal of Self- and God-realization, a clear, focused intent to know the truth is necessary. The story of the Buddha’s enlightenment is instructional in this regard. He made a vow to remain unmoving until his awareness was completely clarified and full realization of his true nature was revealed. This example of firm resolve is supportive of breakthroughs in meditation and it points to the necessity of having a clear intent for spiritual practice.

Think About It: The clarity, focus, and stress-reduction benefits of meditation and other spiritual practices enhance all areas of life—our relationships, creativity, and work. A paper on the role of meditation and other spiritual practices in American life and work reported that “In the corporate sector, businesses were initially attracted to the idea of meditation in the workplace as a way to increase productivity and efficiency. One of the earliest companies to try out meditation was the Montgomery Company, a Detroit-based chemical manufacturing firm. R.W. Montgomery introduced Transcendental Meditation for stress management throughout the company in 1983. Within three years, 52 of the 70 workers were meditating for 20 minutes before they came to work and 20 minutes in the afternoon, on company time. According to Montgomery, absenteeism fell by 85%, injuries declined by 70% and productivity rose 120% during that period of time (Stevens 1996).” http://www.contemplativemind.org/

Be Inspired: The follower of this path has one thought, and this is the end of his determination. But many branched and endless are the thoughts of the man who lacks determination. –Bhagavad Gita 2. 41

Day Nineteen: Conscious Speech

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

As we seek to live a spiritually awakened life, one of the most essential areas to be conscious of is our speech. Our words can be powerful; they carry the energy of the soul and are an intermediate stage between thought and manifestation. Words as sound vibration are energetically rooted in the primal sound of Om, the subtle substance of all creation. Therefore, they can be vehicles for creative energy. Being aware that our speech has creative power, we learn to make sure it is truthful, free from causing harm and spoken with clear intention.

Wisely Directing Our Speech

There are some specific ways we can cultivate conscious speech. The first is to avoid insincere speech. Insincere speech may take the form of patterns like sarcasm or flattery. Such use of words only breeds difficulty. While it may seem harmless enough, the energy and intent behind the words must be considered. With sarcasm, people put something forth as a joke but in truth, there is often anger or ridicule involved. When examined, we find that such speech is certainly not uplifting and it may be harmful to both the speaker and to others if they are the subject of it. When flattery is examined, underneath we generally find some form of manipulation. Paramahansa Yogananda counseled, “Be sincere with everyone. You can get along with most people if you flatter them. But that destroys the character of both the giver and the receiver.” There is no problem with sincerely acknowledging others. Flattery is different. It is praise given in order to cajole or persuade someone. It is using the power of words indirectly, thus not in a straightforward, positive way.

We can be intentional with our words and let them serve truth. This can be accomplished by thinking carefully before speaking and making sure that what we say is, in fact, what we intend. And, once we have spoken the word, it is important to follow through with what our words have put in motion, whenever that is required. Keeping our agreements, following through on the promise of our spoken word, supports the vitality of our speech. Sometimes people wonder why they are not more effective with their practices of affirmation, why they don’t seem to bring forth the positive results they seek. This may be because we can’t separate out only some parts of our speech as true and powerful. We must develop that powerful relationship with our words by seeing them through consistently. If we speak without clear intention, and don’t follow through, then we undermine our own belief in the power of our word. When we choose our words carefully and follow through with what we say, we build confidence in the strength of our word and our will. This contributes to our ability to creatively bring forth positive results in our life.

As we reflect on our habits of speech, there is one final area to explore that is of great importance. That is, how we speak of ourselves. The phrase “I am” is declarative—it signifies our spiritual nature, our eternal existence as expressions of the life of God. When we use that expression, we can be mindful to only speak the word of truth about ourselves. Use the phrase affirmatively, evoking innate divine qualities and strengths. It should not be used to limit or to identify oneself negatively. Use well chosen words to uplift, to encourage, and to support reaching toward that which you aspire.

Think About It: Skillful speech, the Buddha told us, has four qualities: It is always truthful. It is uplifting, not malicious or unkind. It is gentle, not crude or harsh. It is moderate, not useless or meaningless.

–Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

Be Inspired: Any word spoken with clear realization and deep concentration has a materializing value.

– Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Eighteen: Look for the Good

2011-10-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

The great Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said, “Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.” His words ring like a call to prayer: wake up, be present, realize life is holy, experience the blessing of this moment; don’t let this opportunity of a lifetime pass you by. This is the call to live a God inspired life, to awaken to our essential nature as conscious being, and realize that we are not separate from God. Nothing separates us from God, nothing, ever—no condition, no belief, no past deed, no impure thought. We can never be separated from that which we are. We can think we are separate, we might feel like we are, we might even believe that we are, but none of that can ever make it so. There is only one Life—God. A single Reality expressing as all that is and ever will be. God is our life. Rabbi Heschel was right in saying “just to be is a blessing.” Since we cannot be, cannot exist, without God, we are always with God, and therefore, always blessed. Just to exist is to be of God. Knowing this truth liberates us from the burden created by the illusion of a separate self, restores us to wholeness and sets us free to experience life as the blessing it is. When life’s holiness is revealed to us, living each day is an opportunity to discover what Paramahansa Yogananda called “ever-new joy” in God.

Until we know this spiritual truth about our essential nature it is difficult to “just be.” Why? Because without realizing life’s inherent wholeness, most people believe they have to work at life and struggle to win a competitive battle—if not for survival, at least for security and happiness. But life is not meant to be a battle or a burden; we only make it so with our lack of awareness and our insistence on seeing ourselves as separate from God. If we imagine we are on our own, that God is some far off entity, or heavenly judge, we can be too busy trying to earn merit to discover the good that is already before us. Discovering life’s goodness is not difficult, it just takes willingness and practice. When we embody our commitment to live a God-inspired life with congruent action we are met by divine grace, life’s inherent support for awakening.

The joyous, spiritually conscious life rests upon simple choices—choices made in ordinary moments each day. Make the decision now to live a more conscious life and to make Self- and God-realization the central focus of each day. Even if we fall into forgetfulness many times a day, the simple commitment to be spiritually awake increases awareness of divine grace that supports us in every way. In a difficult moment we may forget that we decided to look for the good and to live in the highest way but the inherent goodness and supportive influence of God’s grace will direct us and turn our attention toward the lighted the path before us. In that moment, we see the choice before us and it is up to us.

Know that you are guided by the inner light of God and that you will be met by divine grace in all that you do. Be open to opportunities to practice spiritual principles in all of your affairs and notice what happens. Look for the good that comes your way and inwardly give thanks to God for all occasions of divine remembrance. What is it that turns the mind toward the light but the presence of Divine Light Itself? Realize God’s grace is already at work in your life.

Think About It: A study published in the online edition of the journal PloS Biology, shows that attention is a flexible, trainable, skill. Psychology professor, Richard Davidson from the University of Wisconsin, led studies showing that meditation alters the brain’s ability to allocate attention. His study showed that experienced meditators were more skillful at attending to rapidly changing stimuli and information. They were able to notice items in a fast changing sequence that the non-meditating control group did not detect.

–reported in the New York Times

Be Inspired: The Lord is my shepherd: I have everything that I need.

–Psalm 23 (tr. Stephen Mitchell)

Day Seventeen: Meditation and Dharmic Living

2011-10-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

No use trying to be a more spiritual person. Being on a spiritual path, or taking up a practice, won’t make us more spiritual; that is not possible. We cannot become any more spiritual than we already are. This is why: there is no spiritual condition to be created or attained or improved because our spiritual nature is without cause. It is pure, unconditioned, changeless, birthless, deathless, existence-being. That which we truly are was not born, does not evolve, cannot be changed, improved, or damaged in any way. It is without boundaries or limits. It cannot be sufficiently described by speech or known by the mind. Yet, because that unchanging infinite Reality is what we are, we have the capacity to know it by experiencing it directly.

Insightful knowledge of our essential nature combined with direct experience of it is Self-realization. Initial experiences of Self-knowing become stabilized over time with repeated experiences of superconscious meditation, use of our discriminative intelligence to gain further insight into the nature of things, and right, or dharmic, living. Dharmic living is behaving in accordance with our true nature, acting in harmony with natural and spiritual law. My guru, Roy Eugene Davis, has often explained dharma as: doing what we know we should. At the core of our being, we know what is in accordance with truth. We can also think of it as living in the way that is worthy of us as spiritual beings.

Sometimes seekers embark on the spiritual path, take up study and practice of meditation, and utilize various techniques for purifying the mind and body but are discouraged that progress is slow or sporadic. They may conclude that the practices are not effective and neglect their discipline as a result. Often the problem with the lack of progress when we are studying and engaging in meditation regularly is that spiritual practice has not been comprehensive. Specifically, the element of dharmic living has been ignored. Spiritual teachings must be integrated into our everyday life experiences. It is not possible progress significantly in meditation without aligning our lives with higher knowing.

To experience steady progress on the spiritual path, it must be approached holistically. Spiritual life is not separate from our material existence. It is a continuum that expresses from subtle to gross manifestation. Unless we consistently apply the principles in our daily affairs, conflict arises in the mental field that undermines our progress in meditation. We cannot expect the experience of oneness consciousness in meditation if we disregard guidelines for healthy living and neglect our inner guidance in other areas.

Meditation practice works in tandem with ethical, balanced, living. They are inseparable. When aligned and working together, they enhance our experience of the spiritual life, accelerate our progress, and contribute to transformation. The end and means are not separate. It is the revelation of wholeness that we seek, thus our journey towards it can only be accomplished by integrating all aspects of life. Yoga (oneness) is accomplished by yoga.

We hear the teachings and put them into practice to determine their relevance for our lives. As we practice the methods for purifying the mind, engage in superconscious meditation, live a balanced life, and cultivate faith, surrender, and devotion the way unfolds before us—a new life imbued with grace, shining with divine possibility. Our minds become beautiful gardens for divine thoughts to take root and bear fruit.

Think About It: Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson explored the experience of well-being with a group of employees at an IT firm. One group practiced loving-kindness meditation and the other did not. After eight weeks, the mental resources of the meditators improved; their mindfulness, health and connectedness to others all increased. However, they also showed an initial drop in their sense of well-being. “It’s like you started a gym membership and then you realize you have to go,” Fredrickson theorized. But once their sense of well-being increased, they retained their edge over the other group.

–report in New York Times, Happiness 101

Be Inspired: Always think of your mind as a garden, and keep it beautiful with divine thoughts.

-Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Sixteen: Four Things to Learn

2011-10-14T09:32:00.001-07:00

I have four things to learn in life:

To think clearly without hurry or confusion;

To love everybody sincerely

To act in everything with the highest motives;

To trust in God unhesitatingly.

–Helen Keller

This simple inspiration from Helen Keller sums up a philosophy of life that reveals a deep spiritual core, a commitment to the development of moral character, and the desire to live by faith. With her four goals she touches upon essential components of the spiritually conscious life: a clear mind, an awakened heart, selfless service in the world and surrender to God. Attention to these four areas brings balance to our life and the experience of inner joy.

Accomplishing any of these four goals requires a clear intent, commitment, and spiritual insight. While focused intention and the commitment to act in accordance with these lofty goals is crucial, their full realization depends on our ability to surrender the ego’s illusional sense of being separate from God and to cooperate with life’s inherent supportive grace. From the limited perspective of ego, it is not possible to love everybody sincerely or to act in everything with the highest motives because the natural tendency of ego is self preservation, maintaining the sense of separate existence and the desire to look out for our own interests. However, through spiritual insight and the ability to live in harmony with one’s Higher True Self, attainment of such goals becomes possible.

To think clearly we must understand the nature of the mind. Our mind is the instrument of the soul’s light of awareness, of consciousness itself. The mind, by itself, is not a light; it is not sentient. Like a light bulb that needs electricity to shine, the mind is illumined by the conscious light of the Self. Within the mind are different avenues of perception: thinking mind that receives information through the sense channels and processes it, the faculty of discernment that makes distinctions concerning it, and the ego that makes a case for ownership of the perception. With awareness, we can notice what we are thinking and how we are thinking. We can notice how the contents of the mind are generated. From this witness perspective, we have a choice about which thoughts we will entertain, or encourage.

Regular, repeated experiences of Superconscious meditation are essential to developing the mindful awareness that allows us to think clearly. Without the ability to “go up to the mountaintop” of spiritual awareness and experience directly the clear perspective that is beyond thought, we cannot see through the tumult of thinking mind and its modifications. Through regular meditation, the light of clear awareness shines into the mental field with a calming and purifying effect. Then the mind is renewed and we are able to think clearly without confusion or hesitation.

The same skill of Superconscious meditation that purifies the mind also cleanses our heart of selfish motive and makes possible right relationship with others. To love everyone sincerely and to act with the highest motives, we must realize the spiritual truth about life. When we know that all of life is one, that the life of God expresses as all that is, we enter into a sacred relationship with life. We can love others sincerely because we realize who they are as spiritual beings. We know and we affirm the truth of every person as a divine being and that is the basis of our love—not our likes and dislikes, approval or disapproval, of their behavior but a simple ability to behold the One in all.

To trust in God without hesitation is to live by faith, to rely on the infinite goodness of life as created, nourished and sustained by the infinite intelligence of Spirit. When we know, through our direct experience, that we are That Supreme Consciousness appearing as an individual soul, we trust in the wholeness of life. We know that our life is not separate from God. We surrender the tendency to identify with the ego’s perspective of a separate self and instead embrace our true identity as eternally conscious spiritual being. Free from fear based thinking, we meet each day with joyful anticipation, living in the awareness of our True Nature.

Contemplate these four goals: to think clearly, to love sincerely, to act with the highest motives and to trust God completely. Decide today to strengthen the spiritual foundation that makes their accomplishment possible.

Think About It: A study reported in Developmental Psychology found that people who set goals for personal growth actually showed increases in psychological well-being, regardless of whether those goals were actually achieved. Researchers asked college freshman to write about two of their major goals, then revisited those same students in their senior year. They found the students who set intellectual-growth goals (e.g., goals to explore or learn) were more likely to develop in maturity three years later. In addition, students who wrote about social or emotional goals (e.g., goals to improve as a person or gain a meaningful relationship) showed greater life satisfaction and positive emotion three years later. These results show that simply thinking about goals, no matter whether these goals are attained, can predict personal growth and development.

—www.greatergood.edu

Be Inspired: Before embarking on important undertakings, sit quietly, calm your senses and thoughts, and meditate deeply. You will then be guided by the great creative power of Spirit.

–Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Fifteen: Enhance Your Life with Gratitude

2011-10-13T08:29:00.001-07:00

The simple practice of cultivating gratitude, an appreciative awareness and thankfulness, can powerfully transform our everyday experience of life. For some people, this is a natural and easy thing to do. For others, keeping gratitude in the forefront of awareness requires intention and discipline. Or, it may be that feelings of gratitude seem easier to connect to when conditions are to our liking and more difficult when times of challenge arise. It is useful to reflect on gratitude and consider how to consistently open ourselves to it.

Not long ago, I had the opportunity to visit a cloistered monastery, where the monks spend their days in prayer, contemplation, work and simple living. When I asked the abbot to tell me about his spiritual practice he said simply, “it is gratitude.” He explained that lay people often approached him with interest in special mystical practices but that he found the practice of cultivating gratitude to be profound. Everyday, several times a day, he would ask himself: Am I thankful? His inner response to the question would tell him a lot about his quality of heart and mind, and give an indication of his spiritual health. When we are anchored in the awareness of our essential spiritual nature, recognizing God as the Source of our life, gratitude flows naturally. If we become too involved in the ruses of ego—attachment to particular outcomes, identifying with roles that we play or becoming too involved with mundane matters— then gratitude is more difficult to experience.

Paramahansa Yogananda advised, “Avoid a negative approach to life. Why gaze down the sewers when there is loveliness all around us? One may find some fault in even the greatest masterpieces of art, music, and literature. But isn’t it better to enjoy their charm and glory?” His words remind us that how we approach life and what we focus on is a matter of choice. In the same way that finding fault can become habitual, so can approaching life with appreciation and a sense of gratitude. We need only intend to be grateful and then train ourselves to look for the good, look for what is positive and uplifting and inwardly express our appreciation for it. The monk’s simple practice, to inwardly inquire, “Am I thankful?” can help us bring this attitude to the forefront of our awareness. When we do, we discover that thoughts and feelings of gratitude relieve stress, help us be more open and receptive to the supportive influences of nature and divine grace. Soon, we notice more to be thankful for.

Think About It: In many places today innovative models for business and community are including spiritual principles in their “bottom lines.” They are looking for greater satisfaction in work, relationships and service—beyond what financial profit alone brings. One such interesting experiment in California is Café Gratitude, which has blossomed into a number of restaurants serving vegan cuisine, using local produce, and a healthy dose of well, gratitude. Here is a description of their project from their website: Café Gratitude is an experimental business model called, Sacred Commerce, whereupon an atmosphere of transformational growth is created in the work environment. At Café Gratitude, all employees are signing themselves up for a curriculum of practicing “Being”- that their life is great now. It is a practice in how one's life transforms when community focuses on the qualities of Love, Spirit, and the Divine. Each day, we practice shifting our attention to love, acceptance, gratitude, generosity, abundance, and the privilege of serving others. This is the context of our work.

Be inspired: Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.

– John Milton

Day Fourteen: Working with Nature

2011-10-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

As I observe the workings of nature and the qualities that permeate the environment, including my body and mind, I have been tempted from time to time to declare: the gunas did it! The gunas are the three interlinked qualities that make creation possible and then continually influence its expression. The triple strand of sattva (luminosity), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia) are always found together in a dynamic, ever-changing interplay throughout everything in creation. Nothing in nature is free of the influence of the gunas. Nothing—not the food we eat, the clothing we wear, the television we watch, the weather, our interactions in relationship, our mental field, our bodies. As we consider that these qualities can influence our quality of life, we can see that it is helpful to learn more about them. The teachings of yoga suggest that first we learn to work with them, and then we ultimately transcend them, becoming completely free from their influence.

Author Brian Hodgkinson beautifully described the gunas: Sattva is predominant in events such as the rising and setting of the sun, in the season of spring, in the beauty of flowers or the singing of birds. Rajas predominates in storms, earthquakes, the season of summer, the speed of a horse, or the waves of the sea. When tamas exceeds the other two then there may be night-time, winter, sleep, death or the hardness of stone. This exquisite description helps us see that all three are necessary, and from time to time, each must predominate.

What we can do that contributes to conscious living is be aware of the qualities, when their particular influence is needed and why. As a general rule, those on the path of yoga are advised to cultivate a sattvic environment, a lifestyle that is uplifting and contributes to clarity in body and mind. We do this by paying attention to what we surround ourselves with and what we consume or take in through all of our senses—this includes food, conversation, media exposure and so forth. We are advised to be aware that these influences exist and pay attention to how they affect our bodies and our minds, know that we can use our discernment to select environments and influences that are most supportive of our goals, and make the appropriate adjustments. For example, if we want to bring more lightness (the quality of sattva) to the body, we select fresh, whole foods—fruits, vegetables, and grains—for our diets. To increase sattva in the metal field we can use pranayama to purify the mind, prayer or devotional practices, and meditation.

If the heaviness of tamas guna predominates in the body and mind, then it can be useful to call upon rajas to help make a change. Literally, we sometimes have to get moving—go for a walk in nature, take up a task we’ve been putting off, turn off the tv and stretch. In this way, the active quality of rajas can help us transform the pervasive dullness of tamas guna. Then, we can temper the rajas guna with sattva guna.

In a similar way that we use the ability of the mind to concentrate in the initial stages of meditation and allow it to take us beyond the mind’s thought activity, so we use our awareness of the gunas to help us arrange conditions to ultimately transcend them. As the mental field is progressively clarified and we experience sustained states of superconsciousness, we are no longer influenced by the gunas. For one abiding in the changelessness of the Self, the gunas are simply observed. No longer attached, or adverse, to these influences, one who is supremely awake is indifferent to them.

Think About It: A study published in Science magazine concluded that patients in hospital rooms with a view of trees and natural landscaping healed quicker than patients with views of a brick wall. Subsequent studies showed that hospital patients suffering depression were discharged sooner when they stayed in bright and sunny rooms rather than in dark rooms.

–quoted in Feel Good Home Design

Be Inspired: When the light of wisdom shines from the portals of the body’s dwelling, then we know that sattva is in power. Greed, busy activity, many undertakings, unrest, the lust of desire—these arise when rajas increases. Darkness, inertia, negligence, delusion—this appear when tamas prevails.

–Bhagavad Gita, 14. 11-13

Day Thirteen: Positive Feedback Loop

2011-10-11T15:43:00.001-07:00

A feedback loop is a cycle of behavior that is mutually reinforcing. This is the case with daily meditation and the practice of nonattachment while engaged in action. Engaging regularly in these two practices helps us to have more clarity both in our inner experience and our outer activities. A beautiful saying from the Persian mystic, Abu Said, offers a vision of inner stability and outer engagement: A true [human being] is [one] who dwells in righteousness among [others], who may buy and sell, yet is never for a single instant forgetful of God!

If we become overly involved with worldly activity and attached to particular outcomes, it adversely affects our meditation practice. When we sit to meditate, we will notice that our minds are very restless. Thoughts, plans, anxieties, and inner conversations fill our mental field, making it difficult to focus. This is usually a clue that we have become too involved in the outer. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we are too busy and should do less. What it often means is that we have become too attached—too wrapped up in thinking of the ego as the doer and grasping too tight to our desires for particular outcomes. The practice of nonattachment is the key. The ideal is to bring a meditative consciousness into our activity. When we do this we focus our attention on what we are doing and work with integrity, but leave the results to God. This makes it possible to be thoroughly active but with a calm mind. Then, when we sit to meditate, we notice that peace already pervades the mind. In this way, our activity in the world grounded in the virtue of nonattachment, supports our meditation practice.

Our meditation practice also positively supports conscious action in the world. We are encouraged by the saints and sages to always maintain a dynamic balance between meditation and service in the world. If we find we are becoming so inwardly focused that we are not inclined to engage with others, then it is time to strike the proper balance. Our daily dip into the sacred river of divine Presence, should prepare us for a day of remembrance of God. Paramahansa Yogananda noted that we can take the peace we access in meditation with us wherever we go. He called it our “portable peace.”

When daily meditation and conscious activity work together in our lives, the line that separates them grows thin. Our life becomes our meditation.

Think About It: In a recent study published in the Journal of Pain Research, researchers discovered that individuals practicing mindfulness reported significant reduction in pain and related symptoms. They defined mindfulness as paying total attention to the present moment with a non-judgmental awareness of inner and outer experiences. “Yoga promotes this concept – that we are not our bodies, our experiences, or our pain. This is extremely useful in the management of pain.”

–www.psychcentral.com

Be Inspired: Solitude is necessary to become established in the Self, but masters then return to the world to serve it.

–Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Twelve: Imagine

2011-10-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

There is a saying that “thoughts are things.” This statement underscores how important it is for us to be aware of our thoughts and the creative power and potential they hold. Did you ever wonder how thoughts are connected to experience or how they potentially influence what unfolds in life? Science has confirmed what we already know from our personal experience about the body-mind connection. Our thoughts influence how we feel and directly impact our mental and physical health. There is a feedback loop between our recurring thoughts, our state of mind, and our experience of physical well-being. Do thoughts also influence our environment or external conditions?

Through the science of yoga and metaphysics, we explore how thought does, indeed, influence external conditions. At the core of this exploration is the philosophical basis that there is really no external (meaning separate) condition. Since one Reality expresses as all that is, there is not a discrete “me” or “you” that is separate from the environment. There is, instead, a continuum of consciousness unfolding in expression. With regard to mind, there is the illusion of a separate or individual mind but our minds are actually units of universal mind, connected to all that is. We have glimpses of this “one mind” when we experience moments of shared insight with a friend and discover that we were both thinking the same thing at the same time.

According to Vedic theory, thought is a subtle form of matter. The thoughts that we focus on have creative power. First they affect our bodies and minds, and secondly, through our connection to universal mind, they influence or attract circumstances. Learning to use our minds creatively is one of the most important things we can do to contribute to our success and overall well-being.

Use the power of your mind to be successful:

1. Be aware that thoughts and beliefs affect your experience. Be selective about what you take in to your mental field and what you will focus on. Cultivate only those thoughts and beliefs that are consistent with the truth of your being, those thoughts that will contribute to your well-being and that of others. Stand guard at the door of your mind. Let it serve truth.

2. From time to time, engage in a process of creatively imagining the fulfillment of your goals in life. A good time to do this is after meditation when the mind is calm. Think about succeeding; picture the end result in your mind’s eye. Use your imagination to experience in the present moment how it will feel when your goal is met. This simple process allows us to cooperate with universal mind by consciously creating a mental impression that will attract what is needed to bring it about. We are doing the inner work, in mind and consciousness, to arrange conditions for our success. After that, we use our discernment and follow through with what know we need to do, or respond to, as it is presented to us.

Think About It: Dr. Robert J. Sternberg, Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Tufts University, is a renowned psychologist who specializes in determining what makes people successful. Dr. Sternberg has conducted research that demonstrates that imagination is as important as intelligence in predicting how successful people will be.

–from http://www.crayola.com/, The Other IQ

Be Inspired: Man may attract and direct any force in the universe by making himself a fit receptacle for it, establishing a connection with it, and arranging conditions so that its nature compels it to flow thorough him.

–ancient axiom

Day Eleven: Top Ten Reasons to Meditate

2011-10-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Staying in touch with the benefits of superconscious meditation is a helpful support to keep us inspired to practice every day. While meditation is not a cure all, its positive benefits are well known. Remind yourself to be good to yourself by meditating today and everyday.

1. You want to reduce stress. Meditation is a proven method to reduce stress from the body and mind. It induces deep relaxation, which removes physical tension and mental anxiety. Studies show that blood lactate levels are reduced during meditation which is indicative of a more relaxed state.

2. You’d like to improve your health and sense of well-being. The stress-reducing ability of meditation is a primary factor contributing to better health. This supports normalizing blood pressure and strengthening the immune system. Increased mental and emotional calm and clarity derived from regular meditation practice also supports our body-mind connection and helps us to make better choices related to our overall health.

3. You want to improve your relationships. Meditation clarifies the mental field which contributes to inner peace and aids our discernment process. When we are feeling more peaceful and our thought process is more orderly, we are less likely to be reactive. We can approach our relationships with more presence, calm, and caring.

4. You want to live a more disciplined, purposeful life. The discipline of a daily meditation practice provides a tangible foundation for purposeful living. Starting the day by investing in our the highest priority—being Self-realized—and then living from the spiritual center of our being throughout the day, establishes a baseline for the inevitable choices we need to make.

5. You’re looking for more energy. Long-term meditators exhibit signs of reduced biological aging and have higher energy levels. The biological age of long-term meditators is generally several years younger than their calendar age, demonstrated by higher energy levels, strong interest in life and learning, faster reaction times, stronger immune system and often better eyesight and hearing.

6. You want to have a sharp mind and healthy brain. The concentration required to move attention into meditation exercises the mind and brain, enhancing our ability to focus and think clearly. Meditation has been shown to contribute to neuroplasticity and increase grey matter in the cortex of the brain.

7. You want to be more intuitive. Meditation quiets the incessant flow of thought activity and allows us to access the deeper wisdom that is not dependent on mental processes. Intuition is soul-knowing that is directly perceived.

8. You’d like to be happier. As units of the One Reality called God, at the core of our being, we are already whole and complete. When the restless nature of the mind clears, we experience this wholeness. This experience reveals our innate contentment, the source of unconditional happiness.

9. You want to experience prosperity. Our innate wholeness is revealed in meditation when awareness is removed from limiting conditions. Experiencing our unbounded essential nature opens us to possibility. With this inner experience of sufficiency we are better able to respond to opportunities that present themselves.

10. You want to be Self- and God-realized. When the restless activity of thought subsides during meditation, our attention and awareness can rest in our essential nature which is Supreme Consciousness— beyond ordinary thought activity. When awareness is no longer identified with the changes in the mental field but instead abides in the Self, we realize (know and experience) that which we are.

Think About It: Meditation practice removes our awareness from limiting conditions, enabling us to acknowledge and experience ourselves as spiritual beings independent of relative circumstances. We become enabled to view ourselves in relationship to the universe from a higher perspective, to choose our thoughts and actions, and to flow with the rhythms of life with natural ease.

–Roy Eugene Davis, A Master Guide to Meditation

Be Inspired: In this practice [of superconscious meditation], no effort is ever lost. Even a little of this practice protects one from great fear.

–Bhagavad Gita

Day Ten: Effort and Stability

2011-10-08T06:56:00.001-07:00

Success with meditation occurs over a period of time as we develop the positive habit of regular practice. Steady practice removes stress from the body and mind, awakens our dormant powers of insight and intuition, and clarifies the mental field which makes one-pointed attention easier to experience. This prepares us for samadhi or superconsciousness. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra (1.13-14) explains: [Superconscious meditation] Practice requires effort and stability. It becomes firmly established when carefully attended to for a long period of time without interruption. When we meditate every day, it is like building an inner fire that grows stronger as it is tended. This inner fire burns away the dross of laziness, restlessness and confusion. Stopping and starting our practice is like building a fire, letting it go out, and then having to gather the energy all over again the next time. How much better it is to build the fire then tend it every day.

The effort needed to establish a deep meditation practice is best understood as focused intention and follow-though, rather than as something we must force ourselves to do. It’s a subtle distinction, but one that can be very supportive when properly understood. At the heart of the difference is this: meditation practice, daily conscious contact with the essential Self, is something we deeply desire. It is something that nothing else will satisfy. The effort required is simply a matter of aligning our energy with our deepest desire rather than allowing ourselves to be distracted. Think of it as supporting yourself to do something that you are naturally drawn to do.

Daily meditation practice is the training ground for intentional living. It is a demonstration of how we order our priorities. This is one of the reasons why meditating first thing in the morning is useful. When we do, we affirm that our conscious relationship with the Infinite is the foundation for everything else.

Distractions do arise. Our scheduled meditation may be occasionally interrupted by obstacles like travel or even illness. What then? Quickly and efficiently begin again. Remember that your practice builds momentum. Even if you miss a session, that momentum can still be experienced when you return to your practice. However if you miss a session and allow that to erode your commitment, you will lose momentum and have to start again. Once we experience the benefits of daily practice, we are naturally drawn to it. While there is always a need to be intentional, once our practice is established, the momentum of positive reinforcement contributes to ease in maintaining it.

Think About It: Recent research at Harvard University reported that a group of meditators, spending an average of 27 minutes each day practicing mindfulness exercises, showed increased gray-matter density in the hippocampus region of the brain. This area is known to be important for learning and memory, and is associated with self-awareness, compassion, and introspection.

—Reported in the Harvard Gazette

Be Inspired: The heart [the soul], once it experiences awareness of its Source, if nothing diverts it from this communion, sinks deeper by an insensible process of revelation, till it is wholly in God.

–St. Francis de Sales

Day Nine: Who Can Stop the Mind?

2011-10-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

Those who take up the practice of meditation inevitably come to the question: how can I stop my mind? When we sit to meditate and turn our attention within, we are surprised to discover how active our minds really are—waves of thoughts flow endlessly, jumping from one association to the next in fantastic leaps like waves on a stormy sea. The challenge is not so much the endless nature of thought activity but that our attention and awareness follows those thoughts, gets involved with them, and then we become distracted from our intended focus. What to do about this perennial problem? The answer is counterintuitive but simple.

Instead of trying to suppress or stop the thinking process, we ignore it. As a meditator you’ve probably already noticed that the more energy you put into trying to stop your thoughts, the more thoughts are produced. Thus, the sages discovered the best method for quieting the mind is to use the mind in a different way. Rather than trying to stop our thoughts, we use the power of the mind to concentrate on a single thing. This single thing can be something as simple and as readily available as the breath, or a mantra. When the mind is employed to concentrate on one thing, the restless activity of random thought subsides by itself. We don’t try to suppress or stop thought activity, we simply redirect our attention and hold it there. Concentration on a single point is the key. Concentration is the key but it is not the goal. Meditation, and more precisely, the direct experience of the Self that superconscious meditation can provide, is the goal.

Once we become proficient at concentration, we can observe how thoughts settle and the mental field becomes clear. Then we let go of the tool of concentration and enter into meditation by allowing our awareness to expand within. We may initially attend to a more subtle focus of attention such as inner sound, energy, or light as the mental field continues to be clarified, but ultimately, our awareness expands to rest in pure existence-being, beyond any thought or even a subtle object of perception.

We don’t stop the mind in meditation; our awareness expands beyond it, into the infinite field of superconsciousness.

Think About It: In meditators alpha [brain wave activity] remains present, and non-reactive regardless of external stimuli. In essence the reactive pathways in the brain are quieted and the sense, or location of influence, shifts from an outer to an inner cause. This shift correlates with improvement in the immune systems function and greater regulation in both under and over acting immune problems.
—Martin Wuttke

Be inspired: You can only apprehend the Infinite by a faculty superior to reason, by entering into a state in which you are your finite self no longer—in which the divine essence is communicated to you. It is the liberation of your mind from its finite consciousness. —Plotinus

Day Eight: The Power in a Pause

2011-10-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Yoga philosophy provides a model for understanding ourselves in our fullness. It helps us investigate, and see for ourselves, who we really are as spiritual beings expressing in the world through the vehicles of the mind and the body. To always be aware that we are the conscious Self, to be anchored in spiritual realization, even while active in the world—this is the goal of yoga.

We have the power to observe the body, the senses, the mind, the emotions, and the intellect. Since we can observe those functions, we can discern that our essential nature is distinct from them. Anything that we can observe must not be what we are. Thus the great way of spiritual inquiry naturally arises in us: Who is this “I” that observes our thoughts? Is conscious of feelings and sensations? Who is it that inquires? When we peel back the layers of our experience, we always find that one, ever-conscious, unchanging Reality at the core. That is what we are.

Not only does this practice of contemplative inquiry bring insights into our essential nature as Supreme Consciousness, it also is a great aid to living in and from that perspective. The combined practices of superconscious meditation and contemplative inquiry help to create more energetic distance between us and our thoughts and feelings. We are better equipped to first observe them, and then respond to them. This is an important contrast to being erroneously identified with thoughts and emotions and letting them unconsciously determine our reactions to situations. Spiritual awareness gives us the great gift of the pause—a moment where we can observe what is arising, inquire into it, and then choose an appropriate response. This is freedom.

This pause of mindful awareness will naturally arise as a benefit of our spiritual practice but we can also cultivate it. This is especially helpful in areas of life where we want to change habits that no longer serve us or break away from old reactive patterns. Instead of helplessly watching ourselves engage in that habit or get emotionally triggered, we can engage in the power of a pause. Here are five easy steps to discover the power in a pause:

Identify a situation where you have been acting out a habitual pattern, or find yourself vulnerable to reacting to certain people or circumstances. Start with something small so you can experience success and learn how it works. This could be something like checking your email too frequently, mindlessly watching TV, snacking when you are not hungry, or the tendency to get upset by someone’s remarks.
Decide now that before you engage in that habitual behavior, or respond to a challenging situation, you will pause for a moment of introspection.
Shift your awareness into the depths of your being. Remind yourself that you are That which is observing and you can now chose to respond in the highest way.
Think about the outcome you desire in the situation: a healthier body? More peace of mind? A more loving relationship?
Choose the response that is consistent with the outcome you desire.

It doesn’t take much time with this practice to become aware that energy is contained in that conscious pause and that energy is powerful. We can use that energy to build the lives we want to live.

Think about It: The average American will spend about 3 hours per day watching television which adds up to 15 hours a week. If a person spends about 9 hours sleeping, then at least one day's entire waking hours each week are spent watching TV. –Ron Kaufman

Be Inspired: Realize the Self to be distinct from the body, sense organs, mind, intellect, and the myriad aspects of nature—as the witness of their functions, as a king views his kingdom.

–Adi Shankaracharya