May 2019

Meditation & Yoga Center:

CSE south county meditation center

Blue Lotus

May 26, 2019

Meditation For Inner Peace

Paula Whang-Ramos

"An illumined mind has the capacity to wisely make difficult choices - choices that require discrimination and willpower.
When we are calm and clear, we can decide to do what will provide long-term benefits, rather than taking "easier" shortcuts

that cost more later with diminishment of our well-being and disconnection from the soul."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, The Jewel of Abundance, pg. 238

I recall a story of His Holiness the Dalai Lama once being told that he had an extremely full and busy schedule one day. His Aide asked what His Holiness would like to do first on his long to-do list. As I listened to this story, I wondered how I might respond in that situation. My ego mind was ready to jump into action and say, "Let's get moving and get these meetings and tasks completed! The sooner we get started, the more we will get accomplished." But that is not what His Holiness was known to say. When asked what he would like to do first on his busy agenda, His Holiness replied that he would first meditate twice as long before stepping into his scheduled activities.

Our daily meditation practice offers an inner pathway into the clarity and calmness we need to consciously move through our busy, sometimes overwhelming, lives. When we meditate, we intentionally stop exacerbating stressful circumstances by reacting in stressful ways. Instead, we open into the inner stillness and peace from which clarity, calmness, and clearer insight about how to proceed can be heard by us. Instead of reacting to potentially stressful circumstances, His Holiness chose to respond by accessing an inner intelligence to joyfully guide him through this busy day. And the same inner peace and power that indwells His Holiness is available and accessible within each of us.

Meditate with us at Blue Lotus Center. Learn and live universal, holistic yogic lifestyle practices. 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. Individuals from all and no faith traditions are welcome at all gatherings.

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

May 19, 2019

Gratitude As A Spiritual Practice

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Simply look deeply into any relationship, or any situation, and ask what there is to be grateful for. There is always something.

When we find it, and call it forth, our heart opens and we become more receptive to the presence of divine grace at hand."
~ Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, The Jewel of Abundance, pg 241.

Gratitude is a beautiful spiritual practice that can lead us away from fear and frustration, and redirect us into the wholeness of peace, love and wisdom that is always available within and around us. The challenge is, that during those times when we are deep in fear and frustration, when we need gratitude the most, it can seem like an unrealistic dream. As we mature spiritually, we realize that consciously and unconsciously, we choose our reactions to circumstances. Consciously and unconsciously we choose fear, frustration and limited thinking, over abundant gratitude, peace, love and wisdom.

When we learn to use gratitude as a spiritual practice, we compassionately choose again. In those relationships and situations where we habitually react in ways that limit and harm ourselves and others, instead, we quietly listen into and assertively choose a conscious gratitude response that opens our hearts into the peace, love and wisdom that we truly want. Again and again, we offer this spiritual practice so we can free ourselves from our self-authored stories of limitation, and step into the inner light of this incredible life that we have be gifted.

Join us this Thursday for Living Peace group as we explore the spiritual practice of "Right Use of Vital Force" and dive into ways in which we can change our stories from sorrow to celebration. Learn and live meditative yogic lifestyle practices 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. Individuals from all and no faith traditions are welcome at all gatherings.

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

May 12, 2019

Live Intentionally

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Fortunately, yoga's spiritual practice for intentional living is doable at every stage of life - whether we are students, young adults,

new parents, middle aged, or elders...We arrange conditions within and around us to encourage the prosperous flow of energy in our life."
~ Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, The Jewel of Abundance, pg 104-105.

It is such a blessing to realize that the abundant wholeness of Yogic living is always available to us. Life commitments, family responsibilities, financial obligations, and even aging bodies are all welcome into the path of Wholeness. Not "instead of", but "in addition to" these life experiences, we can learn to adapt our thoughts, words, and actions to be more supportive of our highest good at any age or station in life.

Rather than seeing these life experiences as potential obstacles or reasons to delay our prosperity consciousness and prosperous living, classical Yogic teachings reveal how we can use these very circumstances to wake up into our innate Wholeness within and around us - right here, right now. So, let's not wait for something or someone in our lives to change before we joyfully claim and consciously care for these amazing and precious lives we are given. Let's intentionally live into the peace, love and wisdom that we all seek now!

Learn and live meditative yogic lifestyle practices 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. Individuals from all and no faith traditions are welcome at all gatherings.

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

May 5, 2019

Anchored in Unchanging Truth

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Be anchored in your innate wholeness.

That anchoring allows us to remain centered when powerful waves of change are moving through our life."
~ Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, The Jewel of Abundance, pg. 182-183

When our lives are going as planned, we can get carried away in the joyful energy of the mind's desires having been met in our new home or car or job. When we are faced with life challenges, we can get carried away in the worry and stress of the new health diagnosis or unexpected financial expense or change in relationship. In either case, we can increase our ultimate suffering by redirecting our vital force towards these changing circumstances and our reactions to them, as we step away from our daily meditation and spiritual practices.

As we mature in Yoga, our attachment to our happy and fear-based reactions serves as a call to unplug from these emotional states of mind. Instead, we redirect our attention and awareness within and into our spiritual practices so we can anchor our true joy, clarity, courage and peace in the Wholeness that remains Unchanged in the presence of all life circumstances. Because the truth is that most of us want more than temporary happiness or a temporary reprieve from fear and suffering. Most of us want to live anchored in the Source of happiness, fulfillment, courage and peace that is stronger and more eternal than any building or relationship or changing physical condition. And we can all have it - when we live the spiritual practices that keep us anchored within the truth of what we are. Will you take a few minutes to stop, sit in silence, and anchor yourself in your Self right now?

Learn and live meditative yogic lifestyle practices 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. Individuals from all and no faith traditions are welcome at all gatherings.

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