Inspirational Messages

Meditation & Yoga Center:

CSE south county meditation center

Blue Lotus

August 25, 2019

Surrender and Celebrate!

Paula Whang-Ramos

"The story of the Gita is our own soul’s journey. It is the journey we make every day, moment by moment, as we seek to live in harmony

with the divine influence. To live the spiritual life, we must resist the inner forces of desire and delusion that lead the soul into bondage

and surrender to the direction of the indwelling divine nature.”
~ Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian

Imagine living free from the tyranny of the distracted, judging, reactive, fear-based mind. Imagine living in the freedom of inner peace, clarity, courage, wisdom and love of the Holy One in all. Imagine our families and our communities and our leaders living and leading from these soul qualities.

How can we be this change we want to see in our world? This week, we have two opportunities to live into this question. First, join us this morning at CSE where we will explore how "surrender" and "celebrate" as spiritual practices can support us through challenging times. Second, join us at BLC this Wednesday when we begin our 3-week introductory course into the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita is the universal spiritual story of the journey of freedom from the mind's limited thinking into an abundant life guided by the Divine Wisdom that indwells us all. Newcomers and experienced students of the Gita are all welcome.

Meditate superconsciously with us at Blue Lotus Center. Awaken, study, and be inspired in a meditative community committed to reclaim and to live from the spiritual integrity and wholeness that we all are. Contribute to the realization of peace in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community and our world. Blue Lotus Center will be offering a prayer circle as part of our Wednesday evening meditation groups. I am also available for individual prayer support and Spiritual Direction/Counseling.Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds.

August 18, 2019

Practicing Self-Inquiry

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Self-inquiry: Because we are divine beings, we can experience and know Truth directly."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, The Jewel of Abundance, p. 157

Self-inquiry lives into the question, "What am I?" Am I my ever-changing thoughts and feelings? Am I the roles I play in relationships? Am I the job I have? Am I the status of my car or bank account? And, if I am defined by these characteristics, then what am I when they change? Answering this spiritual question at the level of the mind can raise more questions, confusion, and even frustration. Thankfully as a spiritual practice, Self-inquiry, or Self-study, offers a much more relevant and useful pathway into this question.

Self-inquiry seeks to reveal the true essence or core of what we are, beneath the roles, circumstances, and stories in the mind that change over time. When we realize and live from the essence of our True Self, then we can ground our lives in Its unchanging inner peace, love, wisdom, and joy - that do not change with the circumstances in our daily lives. From this deeper level of authenticity, we experience the gifts and grace of a more fabulously fulfilling life!

Join us this Thursday in spiritual community as we meditate and explore Self-inquiry, along with Self-discipline and Self-surrender, as fundamental practices for our upcoming Gita study.

Meditate superconsciously with us at Blue Lotus Center. Awaken, study, and be inspired in a meditative community committed to reclaim and to live from the spiritual integrity and wholeness that we all are. Contribute to the realization of peace in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community and our world. Blue Lotus Center will be offering a prayer circle as part of our Wednesday evening meditation groups. I am also available for individual prayer support and Spiritual Direction/Counseling.Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds.

August 11, 2019

Stand in Wholeness

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Notice how you talk about yourself and others. Let your speech express creative power and blessing.
You will notice real evidence of a changed life immediately, when you change debilitating habits of thought and speech."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, The Jewel of Abundance, p. 201

During times of great loss, we may feel powerless over situations that call for our attention. At this level of consciousness, we can talk ourselves into a learned helplessness that does not serve the highest good of ourselves or anyone around us. Fortunately, the experience of a feeling does not make it an eternal Truth.

The practice of Yoga offers an alternative way to embody the Wholeness in which we live, even during times of unexpected change and powerful feelings. One way we can access this Wholeness is to listen more deeply within for the Oneness consciousness that wants to be expressed through us. These are the courageous words of peace, healing, hope, possibility, compassion, spiritual resilience, and Oneness.

The manifestation of these divine qualities is rooted in our choice to consciously stand in the Wholeness that is uncompromised by our feelings and circumstances. We can choose to stop reacting from the limiting mind that focuses on what we cannot do. Instead, we can bravely listen into and actively participate in the divine conversation of Wholeness that already flows within us. And, when we choose to speak the Truth in love, then our thoughts and speech can be a healing balm for us all.

Meditate superconsciously with us at Blue Lotus Center. Awaken, study, and be inspired in a meditative community committed to reclaim and to live from the spiritual integrity and wholeness that we all are. Contribute to the realization of peace in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community and our world. Blue Lotus Center will be offering a prayer circle as part of our Wednesday evening meditation groups. I am also available for individual prayer support and Spiritual Direction/Counseling. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds.

August 4, 2019

Healing In Wholeness

Paula Whang-Ramos

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

Christian Bible Rev. 22:13

"I am the true Self abiding in the heart of all beings...I am the beginning, the middle, and the endings..."
Bhagavad Gita 10:20, 32

Last weekend, BLC's peaceful Gilroy community was shaken when violence occurred at the 41st Annual Garlic Festival. All of us at BLC offer our deepest condolences to all individuals and families affected by last Sunday's shooting. We continue to hold our entire community in prayer for peace and wisdom guided clarity during this difficult time, as the after-effects of this trauma continue to unfold.

This past week, I've listened to many who are trying to make sense of this tragedy. But it was the innocent, heartfelt reflections of a local teenager that took my breath away. As we grieved the incredible trauma and loss of life, this teen asked why news reporters and other adults repeatedly referred to the 3 victims of violence who died last Sunday. This teen recognized 4 individuals who died from violence, not 3, as "the shooter" also died that day. I was reminded that "the shooter" was not a highly trained terrorist or a foreigner from another country sent to harm us. "The shooter" was a local Gilroy 19-year-old young man who attended the same high school as this teen. And this teen wondered: How was it that this 4th loss of life did not count? How does this oversight effect other teens in our community right now, who may be experiencing desperation, confusion, and isolation? Where can troubled teens go to be heard and counted, and not be overlooked?

Out of the mouths of babes comes the perennial wisdom of all enlightened teachings. There is one Source called by many names that enlivens and connects us all. It is the Source of peace, love and wholeness that we yearn for in our lives. Our deepest healing emerges from within when we realize our interconnection and Oneness beyond our sense of separation. And, if we allow It, this Oneness consciousness can guide us through the difficult questions, isolation and grief.

Blue Lotus Center will be offering a prayer circle as part of our Wednesday evening meditation groups. I am also available for individual prayer support and Spiritual Direction/Counseling.

Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds.