October 25, 2020

Charting Your Course For Peace
Paula Whang-Ramos

"Above all, be steadfast in meditation. It is the boat that carries us across the river of delusion

and keeps us from being lost in the whirlpools of anxious thought.”
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, 10/24/2020

With all that is going on around us and within us right now, it is very easy to get lost in the whirlpools of anxious thought. If we do not step out of that pool, we can begin to believe that our anxious thoughts are accurate depictions of Reality. And, if we engage others in conversation from this level of consciousness, then we can unknowingly entice them to join us in the river of delusion.

In Yoga, we know that our daily meditation practice offers a course correction for our boats of consciousness. In meditation, again and again, we redirect the inner rudder of our attention and awareness into an inner divine intelligence, clarity, and peace that indwells us all. As we repeatedly redirect ourselves deeper within, the inner flow within us begins to shift away from the shallow currents of mental, emotional, and societal reactivity. From the deeper inner current revealed in meditation, Truth can be heard by us, and call us to express It for the highest good of all.

As we step into this historical time for our country, I invite all to join us at CSE and BLC for meditation. And join the BLC community this Thursday for meditation and study of the Yoga Sutras, the oldest teachings on meditation and yoga. Begin or deepen your daily meditation practice with us. Step out of the river of delusion and anxious thoughts and live from the inner ground of Truth and peace that we all need and deserve now.

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.

October 18, 2020

Realize Wholeness Now
Paula Whang-Ramos

"We cannot escape wholeness, yet we can fail to recognize it.

Spiritual awakening is the realization of wholeness, beholding the One in all."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, Live In The Soul p. 59

Whew. For the past 7 months, we have been living in a way that we could not have imagined 8 months ago. From one perspective, it may seem that this way of living is the worst thing that ever happened to us. And, for some of us, a high price has been paid in the health and safety of ourselves and our loved ones.

While it may be difficult to maintain our daily spiritual practices, I find that these are the very times when it is most useful to lean in a little deeper to receive the peace, compassion, and clarity that is so needed to navigate through now. Because, if the teachings of Yoga are true, then the Wholeness that supports us when our lives are going well, is still present when we are navigating uncharted waters. In fact, it is in those choppy waters of daily life that I find it useful to STOP flailing around in the unknown currents of my mind and life circumstance.

Instead, I like to take a moment to actively look for the ways in which Wholeness is revealing Itself right now. And with a softer gaze through spiritual eyes, I can appreciate those small but mighty ways in which Life is revealing Its power and presence in this moment. I see it in the hope of my mother's "Christmas" cactus that is beautifully blooming in October. I feel it in the love call I receive from my beloved cousin, just when love is most needed. And I know it in the joy of waking up to CSE's Daily Inspiration from Yogacharya O'Brian, offering just what I needed to hear to start my day.

The distracted mind makes it so easy for us to react in fear to all that has been lost over the past 7 months. Yoga offers a different consciousness in which we can choose to take a moment and realize the inner strength and force for living, adapting, and thriving that also continues to reveal Itself every day. Yogacharya often reminds us that It is this Wholeness in which we live and breathe and have our being. It is always available for us to choose to actively look for, return to, and live from - again and again. How do we learn to redirect our attention and awareness from the mind's worry and fear into the Wholeness that is supporting us right now? You know the answer...Meditate!

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.

October 11, 2020

Surrender Into Wholeness

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Three ways to stay centered: surrender, surrender, surrender."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian 09/27/2019

When we think of "surrender", we may think of quitting, losing, weakness, or the forced relinquishment of our power. During challenging moments, we may mistakenly think of it as giving up on the activities, relationships, and responsibilities in our lives. From this perspective, it seems that surrender would decrease, not increase inner balance. How could surrender help us become more centered during these turbulent times?

In Yoga, surrender does not involve shutting down or giving up on life. Rather, spiritual surrender can open us into the fullness and blessings in our lives. This practice helps us access and live from the peace, power, clarity, courage, and love of the Source of life, that indwells us right now.

In Yoga, the spiritual practice of surrender calls us to give up only one thing. We are called to surrender the illusion that we are less than whole. Again and again, we release our well-worn personal and societal stories of suffering, brokenness, and isolation. We expand our inner space into divine possibility when we release this wrong thinking. And, in that inner space, the Wholeness that we are, can be directly revealed to us.

The spiritual practice of surrender is a daily process. Throughout the day, we return our consciousness into the unchanging Wholeness that is not intimidated by bullies, swayed by popularity polls, weakened by illness, or afraid to stand for Truth. When we surrender into Wholeness, we access Its inner courage, clarity, and integrity because we are living from the Source that enlivens and inspires us into being. During these challenging times, how can we remain inwardly balanced and centered? Surrender, surrender, surrender. And how can we UNplug from the mind and rest in our balanced soul center? Meditate, meditate, meditate.

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.

October 4, 2020

Living From Our Calm Center

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Meditation is key to opening our own mind to higher inspiration...Even now, especially now,
life can be lived from our calm center of inner power and divine dignity."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian 09/27/2020

When we spend too much time and energy trying to keep up with ever changing external circumstances and expectations, it can be easy to forget that we have an inner calm center of power and divine dignity. In our over involvement with the mind and all its stories and opinions, we may falsely believe that inner peace and higher wisdom doesn't exist within us. We may even begin to accept chaos, confusion, fear, and powerlessness as our lot in life. Yikes. Rather than telling ourselves that scary story, how about trying meditation instead?

In Yoga, the inner calmness, power, and clarity revealed through meditation is our true nature. When we cannot remember or access this inner wisdom and integrity, it is often because we have wandered too far into the mind, and away from the essence of our being. Meditation is the ancient pathway that helps us return within, so we can rest and be restored in the inner calmness, peace, power, and wisdom that we need to navigate through current daily circumstances.

Join us this Thursday evening for "Learn to Meditate" class. Begin or refresh your meditation practice. Learn the 4 basic steps of meditation, based on the most ancient teachings on meditation. Experience group meditation. Gift your Self time in the inner wisdom that waits to be heard by you.

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.

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

Blue Lotus

Meditation & Yoga Center:

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