Blue Lotus

Inspirational Messages

“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

Meditation & Yoga Center:

CSE south county meditation center

December 26, 2021

Grace Abounds In All Moments

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Grace is the irrepressible activity of Spirit inherent in all of life.

It continually supports spiritual awakening and the fulfillment of divine purpose.
It is supporting you in this moment - look for it and cooperate with it."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, CSE Daily Inspiration 04/01/2021

Early one morning as I was driving to CSE in San Jose, very dense fog obscured my view. The sky and the sun were completely hidden. As I neared CSE, a giant, fabulous cloud formation emerged like a huge mountain, surrounded by endless blue sky and brilliant sunlight. Their formidable power and presence took my breath away. And then, just as quickly as they appeared, the cloud mountain, the sky, and the sun disappeared again, as the dense fog returned.

I love those moments when I directly experience the eternal presence and unlimited divine creative power of the Source of life. I find these moments especially valuable during times when it can be too easy to get lost in the fog of our worries, stress, and endless adaptations to "new normals" in our lives. The irony of living lost in our fog is that it can lead to the wrong thinking that the sun will never shine again for us, when in fact, the sun never stopped shining. Instead, we wrongly concluded that, because we could not see the sun, then it no longer existed, at least for us.

Like the sun, Wholeness is always present in our lives, shining Its divine grace into every thought, word, action, situation, circumstance, and relationship. Wholeness offers peace, clarity, hope, inspiration, courage, healing, and love to guide us through our lives. For us to realize and to live from the power and presence of this divine grace, we are called to mature our inner spiritual vision beyond the fog of mental uncertainty and emotional reactivity. Instead, we intentionally open into and actively seek the ways in which divine Wholeness is expressing Itself in our lives, right here where we are. As our inner vision matures, then we can see and follow the fabulous, endless, formidable expressions of the divine power and presence of grace in our lives right now.

Meditate and study Yoga with us at Blue Lotus Center. Study, grow, and celebrate 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.

December 19, 2021

The Power of Divine Love

Paula Whang-Ramos

"While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son

and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn."
Christian Bible, Luke 2:6-7

In the Christian Bible, the actual birth of Jesus the Christ is told in only two sentences. And in them, no mention is made of the divine blessing bestowed upon a mother at full-term pregnancy and her baby, for them to survive the stress and trauma of traveling approximately 85 miles on the back of a donkey, unprotected from the elements, only to give birth in an extremely unsanitary birthing area. The spiritual significance of these two sentences could be easily overlooked if processed at the level of the mind. In my experience, Divine Love can also be like that in our daily lives. Its power, Its presence, and Its ability to transform and bless our lives can be easily overlooked if we are too busy living from the mind.

Alternatively, if we listen in to the wisdom between the words of this Bible story, then the eternal power and presence of Divine Love can be heard from within us. Perhaps Mary's life symbolizes our lives - full of huge responsibilities; difficult, unexpected journeys; and tasks for which there appears a lack of resources. Perhaps the unborn Jesus symbolizes the unshakable, eternal Divine Source of love and wisdom that indwells us all and waits to be birthed by us. And amidst the blessings and challenges of our messy mangers is Divine Love, ready to live through us right now.

When we live through the spiritual lens of Divine Love, we open into Its grace, courage, strength, compassion, forgiveness, patience, and creative presence. We can appreciate and enjoy our earth lives, conscious of this deeper Source of divine potential within and around us. During these holy days and beyond, may we open into Divine Love and allow ourselves to be consciously carried in Its grace of unlimited divine possibility.

Meditate and study Yoga with us at Blue Lotus Center. Study, grow, and celebrate 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.

December 12, 2021

Be Restored During The Holidays

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Christ was born in the cradle of tenderness.

Greater than the destructive force of hate is the compassionate power of love.

Whatever you say or do to others, let it be with love."

Paramahansa Yogananda, Journey To Self-Realization, (1997) p. 173

On December 23, 1934, Paramahansa Yogananda, a beloved Spiritual Teacher in our tradition, shared this inspiration at a Meditation for the Holy Days gathering. Yogananda offered this special day as a spiritual remedy for the increased mental stress and earthly materialism that he witnessed during our country's Christmas season - 87 years ago. At his meditation center, Yogananda offered extended periods of meditation and inspiration to return within for the direct experience of the peace and power of Christ Consciousness, divine wisdom, that indwells people from all and no faith traditions.

Join us this week at Blue Lotus Center, and next week at CSE, for Meditation for the Holy Days, as we accept Yogananda's timeless invitation to return to the Reality of peace, love, and Wholeness that indwells us all. Take time away from the outward focus of the holidays and turn within to the divine love and wisdom of these holy days. Allow your Self to be restored in this holy season of hope, instead of holiday hurry; of faith, instead of frenzy; and of tenderness, instead of tension. Experience the birth of awareness into the inspiration and wisdom of the Christ Consciousness within you.

Beginning and experienced meditators are welcome. Join us for all or part of the evening.

December 5, 2021

Make A Spiritual Effort Now

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Human conduct is ever unreliable until man is anchored in the Divine.
Everything in the future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now."
~Swami Sri Yukteswar, Autobiography of a Yogi (1969), pg. 122.

Swami Sri Yukteswar is Paramahansa Yogananda's Spiritual Teacher. In this well-loved quote in our tradition of Kriya Yoga, Sri Yukteswar calls us to mature beyond the mind's ever-changing desires, emotions, and opinions, as he directs us to live into the Divine Wholeness that is ever-present around and within us. He encourages us to recognize the power of even our smallest steps each time we turn away from the tyranny of the mind, and towards the indwelling wisdom, peace, and joy that we all seek now.

Additional inspirational teachings and wisdom stories from Swami Sri Yukteswar are found in Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. This classic book has opened the hearts of millions of readers to the power of Kriya Yoga, the peace of meditation, and the inner pathway to the Divine Wholeness of which Sri Yukteswar speaks. For example, it is said that when Mr. Steve Jobs made his transition, this was the only book on his iPad. And, at his memorial service, he prearranged for hundreds of copies of Autobiography to be distributed to all attendees. More locally, we know that many meditators were inwardly called to CSE or BLC after reading this heart-opening book.

This month, CSE and BLC honor the 75th anniversary of the publication of Autobiography of a Yogi. Join Yogacharya O'Brian at CSE next Sunday morning for a special Satsang "Yogananda's Pilgrimage to Mastery". Join us at BLC each Wednesday evening, when I offer inspirations from Autobiography during our meditation groups. Gift yourself a delicious drink of spiritual nourishment and join us in reading or re-reading this life-transforming classic as we honor and celebrate the divine gift of freedom, made available to us all through Yogananda's life story.