“If anything disturbs your peace, practice having faith that divine grace is already actively at work restoring wholeness and well-being.

Then make any necessary adjustments in harmony with that insight.”
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, Spiritual Director, Center for Spiritual Enlightenment

Blue Lotus

August 30, 2020

An Ancient Guide To Inner Peace

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Now, instruction in yoga, in accord with an established tradition, begins."
~ The Yoga Sutras 1.1

Are you seeking a way to live free from the suffering of the mind and seemingly overwhelming circumstances? Would you like to develop your meditation practice? Are you interested in practical ways to live in a more spiritually conscious way? How could Yoga, living in wholeness, help us navigate through our lives right now?

The Yoga Sutras are one of the ancient Yogic texts that we study at CSE and BLC. They are a compilation of the most ancient teachings on Yoga and meditation in the history of the world. The Yoga Sutras are comprised of approximately 197 very brief teachings that are best experienced in deep contemplation with a teacher to help reveal their rich meanings. Each brief teaching, or sutra, can serve as a steppingstone on the path of reclaiming the essential inner courage, clarity, and integrity that can deeply support us now.

One of my favorite words in the Yoga Sutras is the very first word, Atha, which is translated as “Now”. But, to me, Atha means much more than “now”. Atha is an inner calling into this holy moment where Wholeness abides, even when we are too scared or stressed to experience It. It is the divine reminder that every moment is a holy moment in which we can choose to remember and live from the Source of life that is so much more powerful than our greatest fear. Atha is the 1st word of the 1st step into practical, ancient, time-tested teachings to consciously and skillfully live through the smoke and turbulence in our lives. Can you see how powerfully inspiring these timeless teachings can be? And, this is only an introduction to the first word in this ancient text!

During this time of incredible uncontrollable change and loss, join us in a yearlong study of the Yoga Sutras, beginning this week. Gift your Self time into this inner journey filled with rich remembrance, deep inspiration, and practical instruction on meditation and spiritually conscious living.

Study, meditate, and grow with others devoted to thriving in peace, love, and wholeness. Make this the year that we affirm and skillfully live in peace - in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds.

August 23, 2020

Spirit Is Stronger

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Whatever sorrow there is in life, whatever sickness there is, whatever hatred there is, whatever unrest there is, Spirit is stronger.

When we call it forth, the power of love will rise up to meet any difficulty."
~ Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian

Just when we thought we had reached our limit of uncontrollable change and incredible loss, the fires return - again. And, it is too much to take in all at once, so let's not even try. Let's stop listening to minds spinning in worry and stop reacting with bodies that are exhausted. In this moment of great unknown, what we need most is not more frenzied attempts to regain control over that which is beyond our reach.

Instead, let's just take a moment and rest these weary minds and bodies. Let us breathe and grieve into what has been lost. And let us breathe and realize what has survived. Let's practice compassion for ourselves and each other.

What does compassion look like through the masks, the smoke, and the relocations? It looks like small acts of self-care, kindness, naps, patience, calling loved ones, and connecting with someone or something beyond our losses. If you have not been affected by the fires, consider holding silent, loving space to listen to the stories of those who have. Compassion can involve offering support to another; carrying extra tissue for ourselves and each other; and praying into the Wholeness, that is the promise of Yoga, to hold, heal and guide us through these incredible times.

To all those who have experienced loss this past week, know that you are held in the loving prayers of thousands of people who grieve with you, love you, and hold you in the arms of unconditional Love. We bow to your courage and tenacity. May you find strength and hope as you navigate through this time of enormous change. Amidst so much loss, we pray that you glimpse moments when Love sweeps through your hearts, offering you comfort and remembrance in the Source of Courage and Love.

All are welcome to join us for a special meditation this Wednesday as we meditate, pray and rest in the inner compassion, clarity, wisdom, and Wholeness that still remains beneath all that has been lost.

Study, meditate, and grow with others devoted to thriving in peace, love, and wholeness. Make this the year that we affirm and skillfully live in peace - in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds.

August 16, 2020

Complete Well-Being

Paula Whang-Ramos

"The focus and resolve needed to dive deep in meditation is cultivated in the hundreds of ways throughout our day
that we resist and transmute the lower drives of self-will into more positive choices for complete well-being."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, 08/14/2020

In this tradition, when we meditate, we learn to gently and persistently focus these distracted minds on a specific inner point of focus. Each time we return our wandering minds to this point, we are deepening the neuro-pathways in the brain that help us enhance our concentration and decrease our distraction. And even more, we are unplugging from the controlling mind's fear and plugging into the wholeness of our true Self and our highest good.

In meditation, the chosen point of focus is in our higher states of consciousness. When we focus on these higher states, we open into deeper inner peace, wisdom, clarity, and insight that is less accessible to us when our minds are undisciplined and distracted. In meditation, we can rest in this unshakable inner peace that is not compromised, diminished, or scared of any stressors that we face today. In addition to the direct experience of inner peace, meditation offers another powerful benefit that we all need now.

The peace, clarity, and intuition experienced in meditation can continue to inwardly guide us through the blessings and challenges of our daily life. Our meditation practice reminds us that we have a choice to consciously respond, instead of emotionally react, to daily stressors. Instead of reacting in fear, anger, avoidance, or judgment during challenging moments, we can breathe into the peace, clarity, and wisdom experienced in meditation.

As we learn to live from the inside out, our skillful daily life choices can sweeten and deepen our sitting meditation practice. And, our daily meditation practice can increase our inner accessibility of peace, clarity, and hope in our daily lives. This beautiful way of being in meditation and conscious living in our daily lives, cultivates a powerful life, grounded in divine possibility. But don't take my word for it. Join us for meditation and experience this freedom for yourself.

Study, meditate, and grow with others devoted to thriving in peace, love, and wholeness. Make this the year that we affirm and skillfully live in peace - in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds.

August 9, 2020

Believing Is Seeing

Paula Whang-Ramos

"To facilitate spiritual growth, we should accept on faithvthe teachings of enlightened people evenvif what is taught cannot immediately be understood.
Useful knowledge will then be acquired andvcontinued inquiry will improve comprehension."
Mr. Roy Eugene Davis, The Eternal Way: The Inner Meaning of the Bhagavad Gita, pg. 252

When we view possibilities from the level of the mind, we may think "Seeing is believing." When I see proof of Wholeness/Spirit/God, then I will believe it. In the Kriya Yoga tradition, the spiritual perspective offers a different view, "Believing is seeing." Until I believe that something is possible, I will not even be looking for clues to its manifestation or existence. If we did not believe that a human could walk on the moon, then we would not have opened into the creative possibility of how it could come to be true. If we did not believe that 71 tons of aluminum, titanium, fuel, and 220 chairs could defy gravity, then we could still be driving and sailing around the world, instead of flying in passenger jets. The truth is, even a person of no faith can envision possibilities for a better life, even though it may not yet be manifested in our earth reality.

Do you believe that peace is possible in our world? Do you believe that harmony is possible in our country? Do you believe that inner peace and harmony are possible within you and throughout your life right now? During this challenging time, couldn't we all benefit from a little faith that peace and harmony are possible? Opening into this possibility can invite deeper inquiry to manifest this much needed reality in our lives and in our communities.

To begin or deepen your journey into what is possible in your life and in our world, join us for meditation this week. All are welcome this Thursday for "Learn To Meditate", when we will meditate and offer instruction to set up or refresh your daily meditation practice in your home now. And, if you are waiting for proof that you can meditate, then consider the possibility that your inner True Self already knows how.

Study, meditate, and grow with others devoted to thriving in peace, love, and wholeness. Make this the year that we affirm and skillfully live in peace - in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds.

August 2, 2020

Practicing The Presence Of Grace

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Our attention is the rudder that drives the ship of our soul through the waters of life and determines our destiny."
~ Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian,
Daily Inspiration 07/07/2019

With all the unexpected and undesired change over the past months, it is natural for the mind to focus on what we have lost. And, for some of us, the loss has been enormous. But I find that focusing only on what was lost can serve to increase, not decrease, our frustration, stress, and sense of powerlessness.

A simple remedy that has opened my heart and deepened my peaceful breath is to simply stop, and actively notice what still remains. Each morning now, I spend a little time in our small garden. I realize that through it all, the hummingbirds still come by for their daily breakfast. The blue jays still arrive for their daily bath. And the little succulents that I recently planted are beginning to grow. Does noticing these grace filled acts of nature lessen the risk of contracting COVID-19, or assure jobs for everyone who needs to work, or cure the collective consciousness of the suffering it too easily tolerates? No, no and no.

However, by taking this simple, sweet time in nature each morning, I am reminded that all is not lost. There is still much that remains that invites me to take a step back and see a larger picture of life in which we still live. While we have experienced much loss beyond our control, we are also continuing to experience countless ways in which the Source of life continues to express Its presence in our lives right now. And, I am reminded that, contrary to the mind's story, everything beyond our control is not a horrible loss or unimaginable change. In truth, most of what happens within and around us can still bless and inspire us into a deeper vision and wisdom from which we can gain hope and inner strength to navigate through the unexpected changes that we do face.

Study, meditate, and grow with others devoted to thriving in peace, love, and wholeness. Make this the year that we affirm and skillfully live in peace - in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds.

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