Source Seminars

Working Light of Smiles

Good Sunday Morning!

Last evening we had to go to a function for Den's law firm.  We usually skip all those AND this one was a Command Performance.  One of the Board of Directors of this non-profit legal services for the poor was hosting and Den and I were expected.  I can't say we were looking forward to it, what with packing for Bulgaria and all.  Mostly, it was a question of what we would have in common with the drinking, meat-eating folks focused on the Material World.

In the old days we may have felt uncomfortable among these wealthy La Jolla-ites and that had passed with our growing centeredness in the Real.  We walked into the mansion and as the host greeted us, noticed some religious banners on the wall.  As we admired these, the host mentioned he was very active in the Catholic Church, although his wife was a non-Catholic.  We engaged him briefly and positively on that topic and then moved on.

I always looked deeply and directly at each person with whom I was sharing, and endeavored to allow our souls to Connect.  People were effusive and incredibly responsive.  When one heard my daughter had the possibility of visiting Budapest, she waxed eloquent on why that absolutely must happen.

We discussed our trip to Israel with some Jewish folks and they were very receptive to feeling and hearing about our Connection to their culture and faith.

Finally, we ended up conversing at length with a woman who rather diffidently mentioned she was agnostic.  I told her I could honor that if she had never had a personal, experiential awareness of God.  Why should she be expected to believe in something that was as yet 'unreal' to her?  She mentioned how good it felt to be accepted without judgment.  She said she was a moral person who believed in assisting ALL mankind in any way she could.  She lived her compassion and kindness, in other words.  I told her that was estimable.  In our way of thinking (reincarnation) she was no doubt quite advanced because she had innate moral behavior as well as love and care for all.

I spoke about the Training and how we experienced the pure and perfect Beauty of each participant after the crud of the ego was stripped away.  This really surprised her...that we could see beauty in EVERYONE. 

At the end of the conversation she said she really enjoyed the depth of our sharing, as did we, and felt open to some of what was said.   She would like to feel the Faith her husband did in his active religious practice.  She just had never experienced anything to base it on.  I know she felt a spark of hope.

This morning I again did my bathing ritual, repeating my affirmations, poems, and prayers.  When I got to the Light of Smiles I realized that was exactly what Den and I practiced last evening.  That realization was wonderful!  I know now that whatever the circumstance or social setting, if we "work" the Light of Smiles, we will bring upliftment and happiness both to ourselves and to those with whom we interact!  

Loving you always, k

No Duh!

Good Morning!

I choose to thank those who responded yesterday in email and phone call, to my openness to suggestions regarding dealing with anger.  A most unique response came from my beloved chiropractor and meditation-posture specialist, Phil:

"I find that taking deep breaths (not extremely exaggerated; just deeper than normal) into my belly will help move the energy. This also gets me more into my body (and more out of my head)....Sometimes I’ll lie in bed breathing deeply for thirty or forty minutes before peace once again fills me. When time doesn't allow, I’ll do this deeper breathing into my belly as I am doing my daily tasks. At some point, the energy in me mellows. Breathing/pranayama helps move the energy so much.Taking a shower can wash off some of the energy. You already use affirmations, chanting, meditation, and bat-pillow work.
 
As you wrote, you know it’s a set up. That should help you relax some. And, as Master says, do your part and leave the rest to God."

I woke up today well before the alarm and drew a soothing bath.  As I lay there repeating "I and my ONE are One" a smile spread over my face.  The depth of that simple and thoroughly TRUE affirmation can dispel any dark thought!  Carrying around that statement in one's mental "pocket" is like having a small dispenser of PEACE at one's constant disposal!

I then slowly, thoughtfully repeated the poem "Samadhi" with complete absorption in the meaning of each phrase.  WOW!  It is as if "I and my ONE are One" is FULLY fleshed-out, in each sublime detail of what that short phrase contains/implies.

How had I forgotten the directives in "Light of Smiles" which I repeated next?  Concentrating on the actions stated in each line, there is no way one can carry any negative.

Finally, I dwelt on the power and beauty of The Affirmation for General Healing.  As my physical bath was complete, so was my mental bath!  Body and mind had soaked in the warmth, the nurturing, the purification of the best Nature and Divine Man has to offer.

How had I forgotten my own mighty little mental arsenal ever at the ready to dispel any anger, darkness, mood?  NO DUH!

I am off to the Temple three hour meditation and morning of Service there.  This will solidify the reconstructive work so sweetly begun!

Loving you always, k

 

Dealing with anger

Good Morning!

My intention is to dash this off before taking my daughter to the airport as she begins her 4 month journey to Self-Discovery in Europe, of which Core IV is a starting off place.

I have been noticing anger coming in more recently and I believe part of it stems from the sugar/junk food that has also been creeping into my diet.  I am unsure of the etymology of either trend AND I am resolved to lead myself in a better direction TODAY!  Sure glad I had my bat and pillow yesterday though!

I woke up deeply 'choosing rest' and noted how my mood turned around after several affirmations and Good Mornings.  That practice is a Keeper, all right.  I also noted that I was enthusiastic about writing to you.  I realize there will be no writing whilst we are giving Core IV and I will miss our Connection.

I have been working with a situation that has been pushing my buttons around "fairness".  Now that I consider it, this must be one strong source of my anger.  I have felt "set-up" unfairly around a certain state of affairs which has had negative impact.  Regretfully, I will be in close association with those I feel were responsible for this for an extended period.  I certainly don't choose to be continually triggered and experience the resulting anger, judgment, distaste.

So, what I have been endeavoring to do is reframe the situation.  I have said to myself it was "my karma", perhaps I owed these individuals something from a former lifetime and this is " payback".  I also have been honing in on the probability (actually surety) that since this "fairness" thing is one of my unresolved Core Issues, the whole thing was created by my Teachers to assist me to GET OVER IT!!

Today I choose to do The Work on those involved as well.  A Core Belief sheet is apropos as well.  Beyond that, I am currently at a loss.  I have been praying for those concerned for some time, and I have placed them on the Prayer List.  I will pray more and better!  The Affirmation for Psychological Success from Scientific Healing Affirmations is also a fine match for these circumstances.

I am most open to any other ideas you may have to offer.  I intend to get clear and the sooner the better!

Loving you always, k

Interiorizing the Consciousness/Life Force

Good Morning!

I feel like I outwitted my ego this morning.  We have much on our plates as we leave for a Core IV training to Bulgaria on Tuesday and had another call scheduled from Bulgaria this AM.  In the past this has played havoc with my meditation schedule and my ego becomes more and more resistant as I engage in the day's demands.

This morning I woke up and did my usual Upon Awakening routine.  I changed it up a bit and noticed it didn't matter in what order I did the longer affirmations.  They still have that spiritual punch!  I also noted how happy it made me to say "I and my ONE are ONE."  This is an absolutely TRUE statement and the more it is repeated, the more assured one becomes of it's verity.  I also like the fact that it testifies to the absolutely positive state of every soul's final outcome.  Do you realize each of us, ALL of us, will end up in bliss?!!!  Whether it's this lifetime, 1,000 lifetimes, or 100,000 lifetimes, we ALL will end up with a Happy Ending to the story of living!  I realize there really is NO ending...and yet, this difficult part of our story...where we falsely believe we are separate from Our Source and thus Our Happiness...will be over once and for all!  That realization makes me so happy that I actually believe there could be no depression for anyone if they repeated that short affirmation until the depth of it's meaning permeated their Consciousness!

As I lay there I considered the true purpose of my techniques of meditation.  Each one is really to get the Consciousness, the Life Force, into the spine!  My technique of Concentration and my technique of Meditation both are "jamming" the input of outer thoughts...which would lead my Consciousness back into the External.  Kriya, most of all, creates a magnet in my spine which attracts my Life Force and Consciousness.

I realized one of the reasons I "see" less light, etc. at my Spiritual Eye, or have less "spiritual experiences" of related nature than others I know, is because I do not successfully get most of my Consciousness/Life Force into my spine!  I still have a lot of energy moving outward into the Fraud World.

I realized that although I take to devotion, prayer, affirmation like a duck to water, this merely prepares the ground, so to speak, for the most part. (There are sometimes exceptions.)  They get me Consciously engaged in the spiritual...yet they don't necessarily remove my Life Force from the external.  They work to motivate and inspire me to do so, yet don't really get the job finished.

This perspective shifted the way I did each of my meditation techniques this morning.  I did them with the outlook that I was transferring my Consciousness and Life Force into the spine.  Wow...what an assist!

I also never got out of bed...I chose to avoid the pull of all the demands of today.  I completed my lengthy meditation and THEN I got up!  Just in time for the phone call.  That was the way I tricked my ego!

Interestingly, I noticed my experience of the Spiritual Eye was much brighter and more defined than average.  The experiment worked!  More Life Force/Consciousness in the Spine equals more experience of the Spiritual dimensions.  This is exactly what the purpose of meditation is!  We begin to realize from experience that the REAL World is the paradise within!

Lovingly you always, k

Making the most of a special day!

Buddha Day

Good Morning!

I have been away at Inshallah for Part ll of the Journey.  Definitely there were wonderful things to share...just no time to write! Each one of us came out from the training so much closer to the Divine...and that had been my prayer!

Today is the Celebration of the birth of Lord Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama, as it is the first full moon day in the month of May, which is when He was born.  Such full moon days are very powerful, rewarding times to meditate, and this one blessed with the auspicious blessings of such a Great One, will be particularly beneficial.  Make the most of it!!

I arose to my Good Morning's/I love You's and my four affirmations.  Trust me...the benefit of awakening with Connection to the Great Ones and immediate Divne Words flowing in one's head is immense!  Please give it a try!

I bounded out of bed to do my Yogic Eye Exercise with the rising sun....no sun, overcast and rainy.  I saw that as a gift as my morning is already packed with a call from Bulgaria, etc.  I now had a bit of time to write you!  Once at the computer I found a beautiful email from a Source Grad commemorating the death of his dad, and reminding us each to express our love to parents and those close to us.  Such reminders can never come too often and I was grateful.

May each of us pause a moment and reflect on this bountiful day which has SO MANY boons to offer: the Holy Day of a Great Saint and the concomitant impact of millions of devotees in worshipful Remembrance, the Full Moon, the impact of both on our meditations, and the reminder to love one another in expressive ways.

Loving you always, k

Prescription for a bright day!

Good Morning!

I don't care how much sleep you did (or didn't) get, how tough external things may be, what your mood is....TRY THIS!

IMMEDIATELY upon waking, begin the simple affirmation: I AND MY ONE ARE ONE!  Just for a moment, consider this thought.  Is it not the most sublime, uplifting, cheer-bringing thought in the Universe???  Methinks so!

Just repeating this incredible Truth should be enough to begin turning your face and heart to the bliss you ARE and DESERVE!!  One day each of us will truly REALIZE that thought.  It is our Divine DESTINY!

Then, say a cheerful GOOD MORNING to whomever you personally feel is guiding and shepherding your spiritual life.  Great Ones, Saints, Saviors, you get the picture!  If you choose to throw I LOVE YOU in there as well, do so!

Regarding the next part, of course, it is much more effective to do such from memory AND if you have not memorized the following grab the book containing such, or print it out from past blogs, as I have posted each one.

Here we go:

Repeat Samadhi, (from the original edition w/ maroon-cover, of Whispers from Eternity) tasting each divine word and reflecting on the incredible meaning of this State of Consciousness.  You WILL experience each delectable line!  It is only a matter of time, and how long until you do depends on how you CHOOSE to live each moment, hour, day, month, year of the rest of your life!!

IF you decide to trip through the tulips of the Fraud World non-stop, you may even put this incredible experience off to another or (oh, no!) several or many more lives.  THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

Notice how your Consciousness has already changed and become SPIRITUALIZED.

Now, repeat Light of Smiles from Metaphysical Meditatons to get your psycho-emotional state tuned to the Joy Channel.  When this incredible paen is running through my Consciousness, I notice I get all happy and smiley.

Finally, end with The Affirmation for General Healing from Scientific Healing Affirmations.  Your physical, mental-emotional, and spiritual well-being are ALL served with this amazing series of thoughts!

I choose to say that I followed this exact prescription this morning and I emerged from my bed with a huge smile on my face, faith and courage in my heart, and tremendous love and enthusiasm for my day, my life, and my GOD!

Loving you always, k

Birthday Celebration

Good Morning!

As I was experiencing the exquisiteness of last night's Commemorative Service for Swami Sri Yukteswar,  I thought, "How can I possibly communicate what I am experiencing...and transmit the effect it is having on me?"

It's true...I don't really know how to share it all with you.  I could use some words I guess: sublime, exquisitely otherworldly, life-changing, soul-permeating.

I keep thinking that surely after THIS time nothing ever could be better.  Then the next time I go to Escondido it IS better.  How can that even happen?

We arrived early and sat really close with the giant photo of SY in direct line of sight.  The leader, per usual, was amazingly prepared.  I figured out something about that phenomena at least.  These are usually lay folk who get to do this maybe once or twice a year, so they hold it as a huge privilege.  They go all out to offer the very best they can...because it is such a rare chance to even do this.  So time after time they deliver absolutely over-the-top service leadership.

Then there was the kirtan.  I truly have never heard anything like this in my life.  It has taken kirtan/chanting to a whole new stratosphere.  The leader was so subtle, so facile with his instrument and his direction, that the music actually took one deeper and deeper into the SOUL.  He would just play one note for awhile, then very softly layer in another...then another.  The rest of the group followed suit and very delicately built this musical rhapsody that was ASTRAL.  We all left earth far behind...and traveled to the Land beyond our Dreams.

The fulsome Presence of Sri Yukteswar was staggering.  Tears were rolling, on and on.  I felt embodied...I don't know how else to explain it.  My whole being was filled with the Presence of the Divine...and the utter Divinity that IS SY.

Dennis turned to me on the drive home and said, "It's just what we said before.  There is nothing, no place, no experience, no anything, that could possibly be finer and more desirable than the experience tonight!"

And I thought to  Sri Yukteswar,  "I wish every day could be Your birthday!"

Loving you always, k

Some days are just GOOD!

Sri Yukteswar's Birthday

Good Day!

 It was a breeze getting up for the six-hour meditation on this special day for my Beloved Sri Yukteswar.  Our family tabla player was supposed to come as well yet there was no sign of him.  Perhaps Taj and I would be doing this one alone.  I smiled because that did not daunt me a bit.  I was already glowing from the Graces abundantly provided on sacred days like this.

Just before 4AM Charan pulled in and we made wonderful kirtan before diving into meditation.  We broke half-way and chanted some more and I could feel the presence of my Sri Yukteswar.  I just sat there at the close of 6 hours feeling surfeit...full....complete...and incredibly peaceful. 

Today will continue to be a very good day, I know.  The sun is finally out again and my sunbath was energizing.  I am fasting and the grapefruit juice is sweet and good.

We will go this evening to Escondido for the Master's service, my family and I.  I look forward to more singing to God and Guru, the service itself, and additional meditation. 

I feel like I am not on Earth today.  I feel as if I am in some sublime astral realm of peace, harmony, and goodness.  When the inner takes precedence over the outer, when the hours are spent with the Divine, Earth becomes Heaven indeed!

Loving you always, k

First things First

Inshallah

Good Sunday and Happy Mother's Day!

I have been hanging in there with the "engaging the will" thing and it's been paying dividends of happiness and joy.  Yesterday I went to Mass alone while the others chose various other options like coffee and naps. 

We found out the local Idyllwild Fire Dept. offers a vegetarian option at their Annual Spaghetti Dinner and participated.  I thought that was absolutely amazing!  It was really good too and the local color was fun.

Our family watched a spiritual movie last evening on an incredible Catholic mystic.  We all noticed the positive effect it had upon us.  Such choices really make a difference. We did our EE's, etc.and then went to the training room for a rousing kirtan and meditation.  The influence intense chanting has on meditation is striking.  As you keep repeating the chant over and over, the sacred sanskrit words permeate your Consciousness and uplift it.  All random thought is also chased away and the mind is made steady and receptive to meditation.

I noticed not an ounce of fatigue and kept meditating on and on.  After, I realized I had not studied my Lesson for the day.  I thought I would just double up today and yet, why???  I wasn't 'choosing rest'.  It was easy to complete that commitment as well.  I slipped in bed around midnight with the agreement in place of meeting up with the family for EE's early on the 2nd floor deck.

The family enjoyed another rousing kirtan this morning and we had our longer meditation complete before Mass.  Everything just felt SO GOOD by making Higher Choices.  Joy! Joy! Joy!

We may now take a stroll among the Lilacs.  We have decided on another Kirtan and meditation instead of dining out for Mother's Day in Idyllwild.  First things first means God always has Center-stage....and we always have our ever-growing Peace!

Loving you always! k

ENGAGING WILL

Inshallah

Good Morning!

I was meditating for 4 hours every day for about 3 and a half years.  It was totally will-driven.  I decided I should step into longer daily meditation if I was choosing Liberation in this very life-time.  Within a short period near the end of that time I was advised twice to meditate LESS by ministers.  The first time I just ignored it and thought it quite strange advice.  The second time I could feel the ax-blow to my will and my commitment and soon after I stopped that practice.

For a while I still meditated quite a bit daily and most of the time I did both Kriya l and 3/4.  However, my mind starting working me and I no longer had the big push of my former unalterable commitment to fall back on.  I saw days when I was meditating much less...and a couple where I barely did my vowed Kriyas twice. 

I was well aware of the effect on my life.  I was less Connected albeit in some ways more relaxed.  I also felt pretty confused as to my next step.  I waffled along for awhile....rarely meditating as much yet sometimes quite a bit.

Here I am at Inshallah which always provides me insight and spiritual Guidance.  Lesson Study underlines the requirement of ever deeper, longer, thirsty Guru-given meditation. 

I began feeling desparate regarding my resistance to meditating more.  It was strange, because when I did I always loved it.  It was just a matter of getting my butt in the chair!

Finally I began soulfully praying for assistance to overcome my resistance.  Last night I had a vivid dream about WILL.  I was instructing someone else  and I was saying that I knew I had a strong will.  I chose to use it because I did not choose for another aspect of my being, other than my Spiritual Self, to be in charge. 

I awoke and realized I was speaking to myself!  I DO have a strong will...I have chosen not to engage it recently in terms of length of meditation.  I got up immediately and began my morning routines.  I was down in the training room early and I meditated for close to three hours...and it was JUST FINE!

This has really taught me much about my own will.  It is not a question of having the will to do the right thing....it is an issue of ENGAGING the will to do so!!

I know I can truly do whatever I put my mind to....it's utter b.s. that my senses, or desires, or whatever are stronger.  I just give them the reins and step back from my own nobility.  I KNOW the right/wise thing I should do all the time...I don't have to "try"...I just have to DO!

I also realize it was reading the Lessons that made me REMEMBER...it is ALWAYS wise to have the Great Ones' input!!  Our environment IS very important.  We MUST pack it with teachings, readings, people, places, and things that REMIND us of the TRUTH of WHO WE ARE!! (Also, we must be willing to systematically remove that which leads us in the wrong direction!)

We are Children of the ONE...we CAN do ANYTHING.  It is up to us to choose those actions and environments that WILL AWAKEN US FULLY  to the Incredible, Unlimited, Immortal, ALL-Powerful and Perfect beings we are. 

Let's stop living small and GET ON WITH IT!!

Loving you always,  k