“WHAT IF THERE WAS SUDDENLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GANESHA ONLINE SHOP?!”
by Brigitte Saugstad: https://goldenganeshart.com
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Tag Archives: hope
“Happy Diwali 2023!” 🪔Festival of Light
Posted in 2023, 21st century trend, art, creativity, Diwali, Ganesha, GoldenGaneshArt.com, happiness, Happy Diwali!, hope, India, inner freedom, joy, Kundalini, life, light, music, smile, talent, well-being
Tagged Brigitte Saugstad, celebration, Diwali, Ganesha, GoldenGaneshArt.com, hope, inner freedom, joy, life, music, smile
please, meditate
Yesterday my wife and I felt a deep peace filling our nervous systems and I heard the same from friends in various parts of the world. There is definitely a general change of frequency taking place on Earth which is fine tuning, but also exposing embedded corruptions, individually and collectively. For over forty years I’ve been advising others to develop subtly by meditating (long before most doctors discovered its usefulness).
Please take a few minutes a day for this. The only way out of all this mess created by human beings is in-and-up. Otherwise the shaking and quaking is going to be experienced more and more intensely, and the roots of the chaos in us cannot be replaced by harmony.
Lots of love,
Ed
Posted in 2022, 21st century trend, alert mental silence, benevolence, collective consciousness, dynamic inner silence, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, gratitude, hope, humanity, joy, Kundalini, life, light, love, meditation, mental silence, peace, silence, smile, thoughtless awareness, well-being, yoga
Tagged harmony, hope, inner, joy, life, Sahaja Yoga meditaion
40 years ago – Christmas 1981🎄📞📺⏳
I’ve enjoyed sixty-three Christmases with family and friends. Most of them were at home in the suburbs just south of Vancouver, and in the charming old heart of Vienna. A few were in rural India. One was in New Jersey, and one in North Carolina.
Although all of these occasions bring back colourful memories of abundance and joy, one of the most memorable happened when I was, internally and externally, quite down and out — at the bottom of a long dive that was about to transform into a steady ascent that is still bringing me higher and higher today.
Forty years ago, Christmas 1981 (before portable telephones, personal computers, The Internet, etc.) I was living in a ‘shack by the railroad track’, on the edge of a wealthy neighbourhood. At this time of my life I used to have my place open to parties with local peers on the weekends. On Monday I would cash-in all the beer bottles to buy a bit of food for the week.
My fridge was always empty (except for all the alcohol from Friday to Sunday). On this occasion I came back to my humble home late Christmas evening and opened the fridge for some reason. I can’t describe to you my utter surprise when I FOUND IT PACKED FULL OF EVERY IMAGINABLE FOOD! Although I tried to find out who did it, none of my many smiling friends would admit to doing the deed. I still don’t know.
When I moved back to Canada twenty years later, a mature married man who had traveled the world and enjoyed undreamed of wonderful experiences, it was about a year before I ran into one of the old crowd (back in the 1970s, a couple hundred teenagers, and then young adults, in North Delta). My heart sprang open and my chest was filled with gravity-defying mirth! Then that same day I ran into three more old buddies in various locations, between ten and thirty kilometers apart, something I consider nothing less than a miracle. (As a result I ended up organizing a reunion that brought about a hundred and fifty of us back together for a nostalgic gathering.)
One thing that life has taught me is that Friendship is the highest form of love (collective consciousness). Even in a family, if the members aren’t ‘friends’, there’s no real bond.
May the whole world become a family of best friends.
Merry Christmas 2021!
Lots of love,
Ed Saugstad
(more here: https://edwardsaugstad.com/reaching-the-top-reloaded/ )
Posted in 2021, Christmas, collective consciousness, Ed Saugstad, family, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, fun, gratitude, happiness, holiday, hope, humanity, inspiration, joy, life, light, love, party, smile, timelessness, togetherness, well-being, wonder
Tagged 1981, 2021, Christmas, friendship, gratitude, hope, joy
“Happy Festival of Light 2021!”🌞🎆
Posted in 2021, 21st century trend, art, Austria, benevolence, Brigitte Saugstad, creativity, Diwali, enlightenment, friendship, Ganesha, GoldenGaneshArt.com, Happy Diwali!, heart, hope, India, inspiration, life, light, love, smile, spirituality, talent, well-being
Tagged Brigitte Saugstad, ceramic art, enlightenment, Happy Diwali!, hope, joy, life, smile
“Happy Valentine’s Day!💗”
Posted in 2021, 21st century trend, Austria, Brigitte Saugstad, creativity, friendship, fun, Ganesha, happiness, hope, humanity, inspiration, joy, life, light, love, peace, smile, talent, togetherness, Valentine!
Tagged Brigitte Saugstad, creativity, friendship, Ganesha, GoldenGaneshArt, happiness, hope, love, Valentine's Day
“Happiness and Good Fortune, 2021!”
Wishing you all the best for the coming year!
Best wishes, Ed and Brigitte
Posted in 2021, 21st century trend, benevolence, Brigitte Saugstad, creativity, dreams, Ed Saugstad, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, fun, Ganesha, Hanuman, happiness, hope, humanity, inspiration, joy, life, light, love, smile, the new Roaring Twenties, thoughtless awareness, timelessness, togetherness, well-being, wonder
Tagged 2021, fun, Ganesha, Hanuman, hope, humanity, inspiration, joy, life
SELF-ISOLATION/RECREATION, DAY 5
Posted in 2020, don't panic, Ed Saugstad, fun, gadzooks!, health, hope, inspiration, life, nature, self-isolation, smile, well-being
Tagged corona, home, hope, self-isolation, wellbeing
awaiting the dawn of music
My existence has been a silent song
awaiting the dawn of music 🦋🎶
Posted in creativity, dreams, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, grace, happiness, heart, hope, inspiration, life, light, music, smile, Uncategorized
Tagged enlightenment, hope, music
Life is a journey
.
Long, long ago in Canada, when I, as a small child, was hiding in my bedroom listening to the drunken fights of my parents; or, at fifteen, hurrying terrified through a dark suburban neighbourhood seeking rescue as my first massive dose of LSD ripped through my brain; or, as a young adult, begging for coins on a city street or curled up on the concrete under newspapers, trying to catch glimpses of my unreachable dreams,
I could never have suspected that I would someday be enjoying a good book in the living room of my homestead on the other side of the world, loved and respected and at peace with my soul and the universe.
It all comes from within us, every bountiful drop of life manifesting.
Seek the silence of the present moment whence abundance springs.
Union is the key to the front door.
Life is a journey.
Step out of the pain shadows into the comforting light
And always carry your true home in that beautiful heart of yours.
Victoria:
‘We were reminiscing about Cabella. Our daughter Joy said “For us children, Uncle Eddie was King” and “When I grow up I’m going to follow his tradition of making all the children happy.” Then she told us about the coins you used to bury in the sandpit and how they found enough to buy an ice cream, and other lovely stories and memories.’
Posted in 2018, dreams, Ed Saugstad, freedom, heart, hope, life, light, peace, silence, smile, thoughtless awareness, timelessness, well-being, yoga means 'UNION'
World Peace …
Posted in hope, innocence, life, light
Tagged hope, life, world innocence, world peace
Merry Christmas! (the Evolution of Eddie)
I was born into the realm of the Wild West when Elvis was king, at the height of social freedoms which were slipping steadily down into the mists of abandon. Unlimited alcohol and tobacco consumption were a household norm for many families, with few or no suspicions about their ill effects — gross and subtle.
My first eight years took me along an often bumpy road, with the scary shadows of evermore chaos lurking just around the next bend. But there was also love. I grew up with some delightfully humorous and caring souls. My best memories still shine from those joyous occasions when we, once a year, exchanged presents, had fun together, and temporarily forgot all our fears and worries: Christmas Days!
Just before my eighth Christmas in 1965, my Dad returned home, sober, after a four year absence. From that time on, everything seemed to get more prosperous and abundant — including the number of siblings. Within another three years we would be eight brothers and sisters celebrating at home together!
I was then blessed to live through a period of wealth and wellbeing that most children in the world will never know. Looking back at my long climb as a human being, I recognize how very lucky I’ve been this time around.
May the liberating Innocence, that we call Luck, fill the hearts of good people, everywhere.
Wishing you and yours Love and Light at this special time,
your friend in this abundant moment,
Ed
(We were, oldest to youngest: Dad, Mom, Darlene, Cheryl, Rick, Ed, Glenn, David, Allan and Don. Christmases were also celebrated at Nana and Grandpa’s place, Mom’s Finnish parents. Almost half-a-century later we would be three more, Tia, Karen and Cliff, senior siblings divided from us by Dad’s first divorce.)
Posted in children, Christmas, family, friendship, fun, happiness, heart, holiday, hope, innocence, life, love, party, smile, togetherness, well-being, wonder
Tagged Christmas, Eddie Saugstad, family, hope, togetherness
🎄Merry Christmas!🎁 (the Evolution of Eddie)
I was born into the realm of the Wild West when Elvis was king, at the height of social freedoms which were slipping steadily down into the mists of abandon. Unlimited alcohol and tobacco consumption were a household norm for many families, with few or no suspicions about their ill effects — gross and subtle.
My first eight years took me along an often bumpy road, with the scary shadows of evermore chaos lurking just around the next bend. But there was also love. I grew up with some delightfully humorous and caring souls. My best memories still shine from those joyous occasions when we, once a year, exchanged presents, had fun together, and temporarily forgot all our fears and worries: Christmas Days!
Just before my eighth Christmas in 1965, my Dad returned home, sober, after a four year absence. From that time on, everything seemed to get more prosperous and abundant — including the number of siblings. Within another three years we would be eight brothers and sisters celebrating at home together!
I was then blessed to live through a period of wealth and wellbeing that most children in the world will never know. Looking back at my long climb as a human being, I recognize how very lucky I’ve been this time around.
May the liberating Innocence, that we call Luck, fill the hearts of good people, everywhere.
Wishing you and yours Love and Light at this special time,
your friend in this abundant moment,
Ed
(We were, oldest to youngest: Dad, Mom, Darlene, Cheryl, Rick, Ed, Glenn, David, Allan and Don. Christmases were also celebrated at Nana and Grandpa’s place, Mom’s Finnish parents. Almost half-a-century later we would be three more, Tia, Karen and Cliff, senior siblings divided from us by Dad’s first divorce.)
Posted in children, Christmas, family, friendship, fun, happiness, heart, holiday, hope, innocence, life, love, party, smile, togetherness, well-being, wonder
Tagged Christmas, Eddie Saugstad, family, hope, togetherness
2017!
My dear blog has fallen into the shadows of neglect. Let’s see if we can remedy this.
My first beam of light here in … 2017 already!? … has to do with our current world sit-u-eh-shun.
Keeping it really simple: There are only two wrong turns in life: one is left, the other is right.
Psychologists used to believe that everything was piled up on top of each other inside of us — that we had to pass through the subconscious and all kinds of other gobbledygook in order to rise up to our higher, ideal selves. Well, as it turns out, we’ve got the past (conditionings) and emotions running in our left sympathetic nervous system, all our future projections (ego) in our right sympathetic nervous system, and a beautiful ascending waterfall of evolution smack-dab in the middle: the once mysterious parasympathetic/autonomous system.
If you look around (and in the mirror) you’ll find that most everyone — with the exception of most babies, maybe — is being led around by those carrots-on-strings that are our thoughts streaming from one extreme and/or the other. Very rarely do we encounter peaceful souls who know exactly who and why they are, and are satisfied with that. The whole jumble in most of us is now becoming increasingly transparent in world affairs. Unless and until we can naturally zoom into central focus mode, that mega-mess is not going to fade away. It will only continue to get worse until we click and fine-tune into the center of ourselves. That’ll reveal that reality is not noisy after all, unlike most of our previous identifications.
I put a helpful link at the end of this post (a technique I can sincerely vouch for after almost thirty-five years of daily use) but first I’d like to share this insight from the I Ching about our collective 2017.
In this new (very, very temporary!) Trumpish age, people, lost in their own self-mistrust and misleading ideas, tend to mistrust others more and more. The big picture changes then to Innocence, a quality, by the way, that never actually leaves a human being, but simply becomes buried and ignored deep inside. Every one of us is empowered with the instrument and all the natural means to reawaken this universal quality. It’s not a manmade procedure, but something builtin, ready and waiting for our desire and attention to trigger it.
Be alert and quiet, and you will discover that the present moment is bigger and more abundant with amazing possibilities than you have ever imagined.
THE JUDGMENT
FELLOWSHIP WITH MEN in the open.
Success.
It furthers one to cross the great water.
The perseverance of the superior man furthers.
True fellowship among men must be based upon a concern
that is universal. It is not the private interests of the individual
that create lasting fellowship among men, but rather the goals
of humanity. That is why it is said that fellowship with men
in the open succeeds. If unity of this kind prevails, even
difficult and dangerous tasks, such as crossing the great water,
can be accomplished. But in order to bring about this sort of
fellowship, a persevering and enlightened leader is needed
— a man with clear, convincing, and inspiring aims and the
strength to carry them out. (The inner trigram means clarity;
the outer, strength.)
THE IMAGE
Heaven together with fire:
The image of FELLOWSHIP WITH MEN.
Thus the superior man organizes the clans
And makes distinctions between things.
Heaven has the same direction of movement as fire, yet it is
different from fire. Just as the luminaries in the sky serve for
the systematic division and arrangement of time, so human
society and all things that really belong together must be
organically arranged. Fellowship should not be a mere
mingling of individuals or of things — that would be chaos, not
fellowship. If fellowship is to lead to order, there must be
organization within diversity.
THE LINES
Nine in the third place means:
He hides weapons in the thicket;
He climbs the high hill in front of it.
For three years he does not rise up.
Here fellowship has changed about to mistrust. Each man
distrusts the other, plans a secret ambush, and seeks to spy on
his fellow from afar.We are dealing with an obstinate
opponent whom we cannot come at by this method. Obstacles
standing in the way of fellowship with others are shown here.
One has mental reservations for one’s own part and seeks to
take his opponent by surprise. This very fact makes one
mistrustful, suspecting the same wiles in his opponent and trying
to ferret them out. The result is that one departs further and
further from true fellowship. The longer this goes on, the
more alienated one becomes.
(then changing to …)
Ch’ien, heaven, is above; Chên, movement, is below. The
lower trigram Chên is under the influence of the strong line it
has received from above, from heaven. When, in accord with
this, movement follows the law of heaven, man is innocent
and without guile. His mind is natural and true, unshadowed
by reflection or ulterior designs. For wherever conscious
purpose is to be seen, there the truth and innocence of nature have
been lost. Nature that is not directed by the spirit is not true
but degenerate nature. Starting out with the idea of the
natural, the train of thought in part goes somewhat further and
thus the hexagram includes also the idea of the unintentional
or unexpected.
THE JUDGMENT
INNOCENCE. Supreme success.
Perseverance furthers.
If someone is not as he should be,
He has misfortune,
And it does not further him
To undertake anything.
Man has received from heaven a nature innately good, to
guide him in all his movements. By devotion to this divine
spirit within himself, he attains an unsullied innocence that
leads him to do right with instinctive sureness and without any
ulterior thought of reward and personal advantage. This
instinctive certainty brings about supreme success and
“furthers through perseverance.” However, not everything
instinctive is nature in this higher sense of the word, but only
that which is right and in accord with the will of heaven.
Without this quality of rightness, an unreflecting, instinctive way
of acting brings only misfortune. Confucius says about this:
“He who departs from innocence, what does he come to?
Heaven’s will and blessing do not go with his deeds.”
THE IMAGE
Under heaven thunder rolls:
All things attain the natural state of innocence.
Thus the kings of old,
Rich in virtue, and in harmony with the time,
Fostered and nourished all beings.
In springtime when thunder, life energy, begins to move
again under the heavens, everything sprouts and grows, and
all beings receive from the creative activity of nature the
childlike innocence of their original state. So it is with the
good rulers of mankind: drawing on the spiritual wealth at
their command, they take care of all forms of life and all forms
of culture and do everything to further them, and at the proper
time.
(I ‘performed’ in an old primary school here in Vienna for over a hundred children recently, reading from my books, meditating a bit and partying with my Roland Handsonic. We had lots of fun communicating, dancing and playing music together. My friend, who’s a teacher there, told me a few weeks later that the mood and vibrations of the school had been surprisingly improved by that event. Many children were more cheerful afterwards — the mother of an autistic child was amazed to find her child so balanced and happy — and my friend felt light and cool entering the school each day! Click on the following link to enjoy more experiences about Sahaja Yoga meditation …)
http://www.innerpeaceday.org/en/
http://www.innerpeaceday.org/en/
.
Posted in 2017!, alert mental silence, enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, happiness, hope, humanity, I Ching, Inner Peace Day, innocence, joy, Kundalini, life, love, meditation, peace, Shri Mataji, silence, smile, thoughtless awareness, well-being
Tagged ascent, hope, Inner Peace Day
Christmas 2020
November 10, 2016 in 2020, Christmas, courage, freedom, hope, inspiration, life, smile, togetherness
Tagged Bernie Santa, Christmas 2020, hope, smile
suffering—depth of heart
.
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
― Kahlil Gibran
.
Posted in alert mental silence, courage, heart, historic 2016!, hope, humanity, inspiration, life, peace, police brutality, silence
the world needs more good vibes
.
This is a survey that I recently filled out for a Czech university student:
Hello, this survey was created to collect some information for my final work at school. Thank You for Your time and help. Anna
1. Are You male or female?
Male
2. How old are You?
Over 40
3. How long have You been practicing Sahaja Yoga meditation?
Almost 34 years (every day)
4. Were You born into a family practicing Sahaja Yoga meditation?
No
5. How often do You meditate?
I reach thoughtless awareness (meditation) many times a day
6. Did Sahaja Yoga meditation lower Your stress?
Yes
7. Did Sahaja Yoga meditation reduce some of Your negative personality traits?
Yes
8. Are collective Sahaja Yoga meditation activities important for You?
Yes, a lot
9. How do You participate in Sahaja Yoga meditation? (more answers possible)
I meditate alone at home
I attend seminars in my country
I attend seminars abroad
I attend programs
10. If You used to be a smoker, did You stop smoking with Sahaja Yoga meditation?
Yes
11. Had You ever been addicted (to alcohol, drugs, internet…)? Did it stop when You started practicing Sahaja Yoga meditation?
Yes
12. Is there a difference during Your day, when You were able to get into thoughtless awareness from the days You did not manage?
Yes. If I don’t attain thoughtless awareness often the stress and noisy thoughts build up in me. These dissolve very quickly in the thoughtless awareness state.
13. How did You get into Sahaja Yoga meditation?
A friend found it then told me. (I was one of the first regular 15 or 16 Sahaja Yoga meditation practitioners in North America in 1982)
14. How did meditation help You?
It has improved my life completely and improves it daily, in every way.
15. Try to describe how big importance Sahaja Yoga meditation has in Your life.
It is the most important happening in modern times, not just for me but for everyone, worldwide. Here is the last paragraph of my online testimonial, read already by hundreds of thousands of people:
“In these few years I have met countless individuals from all walks of life — from London to Calcutta and from Moscow to Los Angeles — who have lived this miraculous metamorphosis and are using this natural power to transform themselves and others. It is my sincerest desire that anyone who reads these words will not judge the message mentally, but will make an honest, scientific investigation into the historic subject which now faces them. If their desire is pure and their determination for revealing the truth is undaunted, I have no doubt that they will also achieve this magnificent inner-awakening which is dawning to the human race.”
16. Did Sahaja Yoga meditation help You with some psychological disorder? What disorder did You have? How did meditation help You?
I was completely damaged by heavy recreational drugs (taken from age 14 to 24) and from a traumatic childhood. I was anti-social, unhealthy and miserably lost in life. Now I am a dynamic, popular global writer, artist and musician, loved and respected by those who come to know me.
17. Did Sahaja Yoga meditation or something related to it cause something negative to You?
It’s impossible for Sahaja Yoga meditation to harm a person. It is a completely natural, gentle and benevolent inner process. Only human beings can harm themselves and each other.
18. Did You feel any new sensation after You received self-realization?
My whole perception changed: clearer, more focused, more peaceful, lighter, more loving — and I am able, on my newly enlightened nervous-system, to feel the flowing divine Vibrations, like a cool breeze, that is only felt emitting from something or someone auspicious, constructive, beautiful, innocent and eternal. (The key to collective consciousness.)
19. Why do You meditate?
Meditation is not a hobby or pastime. It (thoughtless awareness) is a unique, essential state like waking, dream-sleep and deep-sleep. Anyone who does not attain meditation is living a fractured, unfulfilled life.
20. How is Sahaja Yoga meditation different, according to You, compared to any other meditations/religions/spiritual paths?
Sahaja Yoga meditation awakens the natural energy inside us whose only purpose is to connect us to reality, the pure, beautiful all-pervading Spirit. That is meant to be the very most basic and essential process of all spiritual paths.
21. Is there anything more You would like to say? Here is Your opportunity:
from: https://edwardsaugstad.com/reaching-the-top/
“Just over three decades ago, on Tuesday, April 20th, 1982 to be exact, I stumbled up out of a dark place and found myself filled with a permanent light and focus. I still can’t believe my luck. . . . I was born into a large family in a city in Canada. My parents were then chronic alcoholics and most of my memories, which reach back as far as my third year, are dark and fearful. I and two younger brothers were raised mostly by our older sisters. Our parents often fought. When my father left the family he was replaced by a man who I deeply feared as he treated us harshly and sometimes beat my mother. Twice, as a small child, I badly broke my right elbow. The second break was so severe that I almost lost my arm. My mother was not there that time to comfort me as she was being kept in a mental hospital, withdrawing from alcohol addiction. Throughout my early school years …”
Posted in alert mental silence, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, happiness, health, hope, humanity, joy, life, love, meditation, silence, smile, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being, yoga
Tagged freedom, hope, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, Shri Mataji
the Force within
.
Will we learn to use the Force
(that’s actually already in us)
in time? ….
https://edwardsaugstad.com/2007/05/17/the-force-that-doesnt-force/
.
.
Posted in courage, enlightenment, heart, hope, humanity, Kundalini, life
Tagged courage, enlightenment, hope, humanity, the Force within
enough of war – time to move up…
.
Can we really finally do it?
Are we ready?
Let’s try love for a change!
https://legendsofthelight.bandcamp.com/album/song-called-life
.
Posted in enlightenment, hope, joy, life, love, smile, togetherness
Tagged Expo 2015, hope, Innate Union, Legends of the Light, life, light, love, Sahaja Yoga meditaion, Song of Life, togetherness, world peace
never stop dreaming
March 18, 2015 in art, creativity, fun, happiness, heart, inspiration, joy, life, love, random, smile, talent, well-being, writing
Tagged adventure, creativity, dreaming, happiness, hope, live your dream
A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS GREETING!
.
“May the whole world soon enjoy the soothing state of alert thoughtless awareness, when everything flows with equilibrium, and there is no pressure of ego and conditionings on the shining heart. When this time comes, and it will, unnatural corruption and suffering will fade away in the natural light of wisdom and benevolence. Let it come!”
.
Posted in alert mental silence, Christmas, enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, heart, holiday, hope, humanity, joy, life, meditation, peace, thoughtless awareness, togetherness, Uncategorized, well-being, wisdom
Tagged alert mental silence, Christmas, freedom, friendship, happiness, hope, joy, love, silence
changing the world, one heart beat at a time …
.
As mentioned in the last two posts, a dear friend of ours from France has been poised to triumph in the national TV singing contest there. Well …
HE WON!
The actual events and interviews speak for themselves.
WHAT A GREAT FEELING!
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Permanent link to all translated videos of The Voice 2013, France:
(here, the Finals — allow a few minutes for video streaming)
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http://edsaugstad.com/YoannFreget/TheVoice2013-Finals.html
~CLICK~
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and:
Here’s an article in “Le Parisien” (major French newspaper):
Vincennes’ mayor put posters “Vote Yoann” on the walls of the town, on the walls of the schools, and organized a support evening! (before the contest finals)
~click on Yoann~
and:
In another newspaper interview (before the finals) Yoann explained that he’s not sure why he won over his old friend and teacher, Emmanuel Djob, but that the people voted that way, and maybe because he (Yoann) gave love from his heart, and maybe because coaches Jenifer and Florent Pagny were also supporting him; and that he does not get stressed or nervous because he practices meditation regularly, and music is an extension of his self, making no difference if he sings alone or in front of thousands, and seeking to perfect, not just the skills, but to go deeper to reach the true self; and this approach to singing is not restricted to one culture or religion, but can express all aspects of spirituality; and he will continue to sing, and someday hopefully create a music school in Paris. (In one more article, it’s mentioned that he meditated with other contestants, helping to calm their stress.)
a few months later,
Yoann’s first single:
and:
A short video-compilation, ‘Love/Courage/Innocence’:
http://edsaugstad.com/YoannFreget/Love-Courage-Innocence.html
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Posted in courage, creativity, fulfillment, fun, inspiration, joy, life, love, meditation, music, people, smile
Tagged freedom, Garou, gospel, hope, inspiration, joy, love, stuttering, success, The Voice 2013, Yoann Freget
grooooving with Yoann Fréget!
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In a few days, The Voice Finals videos (with English translations) will be ready!
But, in the meantime, Ed’s getting restless
(waiting for the translators to finish) …
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Posted in creativity, fun, inspiration, life, music, people, smile
Tagged Ed Saugstad, freedom, happiness, hope, music, soul, Yoann Freget
sahaja yogi Yoann wins The Voice SEMIFINALS!
http://edsaugstad.com/YoannFreget/TheVoice2013-Semifinals.html
Shri Mataji (Nirmala Srivastava), founder of Sahaja Yoga meditation, once told sahaja yogi Matt Malley, former bass player of the world famous Counting Crows band, that if he puts his attention on the kundalinis of the audience, it’s much better than just focusing on one’s own performance. He often tried it, finding that his eyes would become cool and his heart filled with love, ‘watching’ everyone’s pure spirits. Giving creatively to an audience from your heart can have amazing results. What the world needs now, is love, sweet love.
Van Morrison on alert, creative mental silence:
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Posted in alert mental silence, creativity, enlightenment, happiness, heart, humanity, inspiration, Kundalini, life, love, music, smile, spirituality
Tagged alert mental silence, hope, inspiration, kundalini, love, singing, The Voice, Van Morrison, Yoann Freget
above the pain, there is light
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This is for you, if you’re not looking forward to another year on Earth.
For what it’s worth, you are loved.
Hold on.
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Posted in 2013, courage, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, hope, life, love, togetherness, well-being
the revolution of our evolution
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Here was an evening of outstanding creativity and inspiration,
a moment of surprising light
in dark times …
Every age has its greatest discovery.
The greatest of all is inside of us.
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Posted in 2012, alert mental silence, courage, creativity, enlightenment, freedom, friendship, fun, hope, inspiration, joy, life, love, meditation, music, party, smile, spirituality, synchronicity, togetherness, well-being
Tagged generosity, hope, joy, music, Paris, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, Shri Mataji, youth
in a world full of danger and pain, there are precious pockets of paradise
November 10, 2012 in freedom, friendship, fun, happiness, hope, inspiration, life, love, smile, togetherness, well-being
meditation: no longer just a fad-2
..
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Posted in alert mental silence, happiness, health, life, meditation, thoughtless awareness, well-being, yoga
Tagged hope, meditation, mental silence, peace, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, stress, well-being
taking a moment to look back, before moving optimistically forward
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I would begin 2012 here by remembering someone special, known simply and affectionately as Mother by millions, who helped to make our world a better place for all of us to live in. We all move forward united by that which is forever indestructible: the spirit of love.
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
21 March 1923 ~ 23 February 2011
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don’t give up on ‘your’ creativity
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Enjoying the unlimited source of genius:
Now go create with a light heart!
😉
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Posted in art, blogging, books, creativity, freedom, genius, heart, hope, inspiration, life, music, writing
Tagged creativity, genius, hope
meditation and collective consciousness
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Our world is in a rapid state of becoming, affected by each step and breath we take. What can we do to ensure that it evolves into something wonderful for generations to come?
As we enter a new year full of disappointments and encouraging surprises, here’s something important to bear in mind — and heart.
(CLICK on the image of meditation)
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Posted in enlightenment, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, joy, Kundalini, life, love, meditation, mental silence, peace, spirituality, synchronicity, well-being, yoga
Tagged collective consciousness, collectivity, enlightenment, hope, kundalini, life, mental silence, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, self-realization
tears of joy
Despite all the depressing, money-making headlines, you can easily find inspiring things happening between people the world over. Here are two distant examples of people giving joy to people. The first took place recently on the edge of the wild Canadian West Coast rain forest, where my youngest brother kept a secret from his beloved for years (that he was planning to propose to her when they finished their new house), and suddenly sprung it on her at the house-warming party in their new waterfront homestead. The second comes from China, where some old friends, forming an international group of musicians, did a free concert tour for the love of simply sharing joy with fellow human beings. In both cases, we discover that our eyes can also leak when the heart is overflowing (not just when it’s empty) …
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You have a nice day, okay?
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before the last flicker of hope goes out
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It’s hard to get used to the fact that the older you get, the more often people you know disappear from your life, passing away forever into the unknown. So it’s all the more tragic when someone you love – someone young, beautiful and full of enthusiasm for life – suddenly falls by the wayside, suffering the darkness of an emotional living-death. No one in any society should be left behind, committing social-suicide and losing all hope for fulfillment, unnoticed by anyone. If you happen to know S.D. and notice her sudden absence from Facebook and other, more intimate, social circles, please send her some love – even if indirectly, as a sunbeam of prayer. I’m afraid winter has entered her generous heart, and she no longer sees her way in the world she has known. Maybe she just needs a break …
Hoping for the best,
Ed
(p.s.~ Her birthday is coming up soon)
Another friend, who sometimes called out about her distress with life’s unfairness, also recently left abruptly, but more definitely:
“I must have my ‘Invisible Cape’ on again….. no one sees me…no one hears me… yup, invisible…” (Last Facebook entry of L.P. before she died of a heart attack, age 50, on the 7th of May, 2010)
Love is a powerful river. You can’t stop its flowing.
It will always find its healing way to you … if you let it in.
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Posted in friendship, fulfillment, hope, life, love, peace, Uncategorized, well-being
Tagged friendship, hope, life and death
Dad has moved on
Eric Saugstad (not to be confused with the other famous viking, Eric the Red) was the name given to a great old soul that I had the honor of being related to. He was my father, and although we spent relatively little time together, all the time my brothers and I spent doing things with him was always quality time.
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Dad was a sensitive and dynamic person with lots of charisma. There was plenty of seeker-spirit in him. His Dad’s dad was a pioneer reverend who brought his flock over one-and-a-half thousand miles to establish a healthy new life in the British Columbian wilderness (in Bella Coola ~ see more below*). And he also had truth-searching genes from his mom, who was not at all satisfied with the spiritual norms of her day, and wasn’t the least bit afraid to share her progressive views. But it’s not always easy being big-hearted, as it often means feeling big hurt. He lost his father when he was small, and his big brother some years later. When he started working as a taxi driver in his late teens, he was shocked to find himself in a society that lived much lower than his high ideals, in which he was forced to drive customers to prostitutes, and always carry a bottle of whisky in the car as payment to corrupt police officers who pulled him over. He started drinking to numb his dismay.
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Apparently he was an excellent violin player, till he broke a finger in his mid-twenties. We never got to hear him play, but he made sure that we all had ample opportunity to express the music in us. My little brothers and I got the best piano teacher in Vancouver in the late-sixties, who was able to unlock our talent. (I completed eight grades in just three-and-a-half years, receiving mention in a newspaper for achieving the highest mark in the city in grade one piano.) Despite the demanding schedule with his successful real-estate company, he made sure that we got to our lessons, all the way over in North Burnaby, every Tuesday evening (whether we had practiced enough or not!)
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Like everyone, Dad had ups and downs in his life. It was great enjoying some of the peak moments with him. A few of the really fun things I remember were: when he returned to us just before Christmas when I was eight (he and Mom had simultaneously decided to quit drinking) after a five year absence; moving up to our fantastic new house in the adventurous, forested North Delta community; getting an island cottage up at Buccaneer Bay, and two boats to travel in; owning the first Citroen Sports Maserati in western Canada; (really cool stuff to fun-loving boys!) and, generally, his happy-go-lucky attitude that helped make a lifelong optimist out of me.
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I know he’s not really gone, but I’ll still miss him. It was very special for me to hear that he smiled when they read him the note that I sent with a bunch of pink roses, just a few hours before he passed away halfway around the world, in Burns Lake:
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“Dear Dad/Grandpa,
There is never good-bye. Life goes on and on, growing and shining in ever new, beautiful ways. We will meet again. You can bet your life on that.
Until then, with lasting love,
Ed, Brigitte & Lincoln”
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Eric Forbes Saugstad
19 October, 1927 ~ 26 March, 2010
survived by his beloved wife and best friend Linda, his children Tia, Karen, Cliff, Edward, Glenn, Allan, Don, and his children by marriage Wayne, Pamela, and Chrissy, and Darlene, Cheryl and Rick, as well as many grandchildren
(predeceased by his son David)
Tribute to Eric:
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Posted in freedom, friendship, hope, life, love, spirituality
Tagged death, Eric Saugstad, father, hope, life
do you know what your child is feeling right now?
Eight weeks after my fifteenth birthday I swallowed a massive dose of LSD and went temporarily insane. I still sharply recall the feeling of sheer terror when I realized that I was losing my mind. The demons moved in to possess my soul and I was plunged into a sadistic hell; my mind on fire and my heart torn to pieces in my chest – and then weeks of utter emotional darkness. Nine years later, hard drugs and alcohol had almost extinguished what remained of the small, comforting light somewhere inside me, but at one point a motherly hand reached down deep into the vacuum that was my life, and pulled me lovingly up into the fresh air and sunshine. When I see photos of myself as a teenager, I’m surprised to see how young and vulnerable I looked. I had thought that I was grown up and master of my world. How very sad to be so completely lost in the midst of a civilization that is supposed to be advanced.
I come from a broken home – not in the sense of bombs exploding and loved ones killed by war or hunger, like some children; but an almost mundane, commonplace sort of broken home: one cracked by Drunkenness and Divorce. My parents are lovely people; sensitive and kind. But sensitivity has not been a virtue cherished in our society. Escape into intoxication has rendered most of us numb to the terrible norms of our lives – child abuse, mockery, violence and the like.
I’ve been clean for almost twenty-six years now. In this time, I’ve reached peaks of joy and clarity that I didn’t believe were available to normal human beings like myself. When you feel the presence of that person beside you on the bus, or you hurriedly brush past your child or spouse, ask yourself what they might be feeling. Could they be in a desperate state of inner need? And should they require your loving attention, would you have the capacity to quench their burning thirst? It’s up to each of us to attain the beautiful Unlimited in us and share it as unconditionally as possible. It’s time to find out just how amazing we really are.
Posted in children, drugs, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, hope, humanity, joy, life, love, spirituality, Uncategorized, well-being
pure desire
There once was a child
Who played with a ball
And thought of the children
With no ball at all:
Who played with a ball
And thought of the children
With no ball at all:
He picked up that ball
And gave it a kiss
And for every poor child
A ball he did wish.
And gave it a kiss
And for every poor child
A ball he did wish.
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There once was a child
Who looked at the sky
And seeing the dirt there
She started to cry:
Who looked at the sky
And seeing the dirt there
She started to cry:
She reached out her arms
Hugged sky to her heart
And prayed that the people
Stop sending up dark.
Hugged sky to her heart
And prayed that the people
Stop sending up dark.
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There once was a child
Who dreamed in the night
That God is inside us
With comfort and light,
Who dreamed in the night
That God is inside us
With comfort and light,
And when the time comes
For the Mother to rise
All the problems will end
In the love from our eyes.
For the Mother to rise
All the problems will end
In the love from our eyes.
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– e.s.
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Posted in children, enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, mother, peace, poetry, spirituality, well-being, wisdom, yoga
this morning in Venice
Looking out from our hotel in Venice this morning (where my wife participated in an art exhibition), I noticed a classroom full of Italian children through the window across the way. We had just spent the previous evening strolling through famous museums where the intense expressions of human souls have been on display for tens and, in some cases, hundreds of years. The ever-present thirst for growth and becoming was stirring. Now watching these children play and study, I was moved by the contrast between this striving generation’s vast creative potential and will to shape our future, and the watery foundations on which we were presently all resting.
The thought that this charming, ancient city may some day be a ghost-town with the indifferent tides of time rotting its foundations and peeling away its fine tapestries, awoke in me a deep resolve to help reinforce the foundations of our race. If there was ever a moment in history to fully awaken and share the permanent treasure of enlightenment, then surely that moment is now. A time when the beautiful white light of Spirit can shine through the colorful prism that is each person, enriching every culture. With the trigger for activating this unprecedented leap in our evolution just waiting in each of us for our heartfelt attention, it is so important that we communicate the light we find within, and help each other to climb up to the secure heights.
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We have passed through centuries of unbearable injustice and brutality, but still we return again and again with hope in our hearts. May not the long hope of a single soul prove fruitless.
(For all those who clearly feel this connection, the haunting mystery of life has been replaced with lasting delight. Neither church nor temple can house that direct connection which lives in every human being.)
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Posted in children, creativity, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, meditation, peace, spirituality, well-being
Tagged hope, humanity, kundalini awakening, Venice
the bully and the ghost
The Earth where we live is a very old place.
She has seen many things come and go.
From the left to the right, and right to the left,
The people have moved, fast and slow.
Here is a story about someone who’s left,
And someone who went very right.
And how, when they met, everything for them changed
And they came to the center of Light…
There once was a boy called Billy the Bull
Who walked with his nose in the air.
And when someone tried to show him their love,
He said that, “I really don’t care!”
But deep down inside Billy cared very much
And he wanted to show that he cared;
But when he was small he was hurt and abused,
And now he was angry and scared.
Every time big, bad Billy went out in the world
To find someone small to pick on,
He hid in his heart a big ocean of love,
And wished that the hate was all gone.
One lonely night, as he lay in his bed,
Billy felt he’s the worst in the world.
And as he sat up to shout out his shame,
He saw the small shape of a girl.
“What – who are you?” asked the boy in the dark.
But the little white shape hid and cried,
Till he walked ‘cross the room and sat on the floor
And told her to sit by his side.
There in the dark, on the cold bedroom floor,
Sat the bully and the white fairy.
Billy was trying to stay calm and strong,
But really he found her quite scary.
“You need not fear me”, came her quivering voice,
I’m a soul who has gone from this Earth.
When I was alive I was treated so bad
That I left, for I had little worth.”
And as she moved o’er, as if to fly off,
Billy begged her to stay and cheer up.
“Just because you were hurt, it’s no reason to die.
Why didn’t you fight and bear up?”
“You think it is better to fight like a fool?”
Asked the shimmering shape by his side.
“It is better to run and hide from the world,
Than show off your hate and false pride.”
“What do you mean? Running off is for fools!”
But before he could say any more
The room filled with golden, grand, sunny, warm Light,
And the children were filled with great awe!
Before them, a Boy with an elephant’s head
And the crown and the jewels of a king,
Stood smiling and shining like sun on a stream
With joy and sweet love o’erflowing.
“Take not to heart, all the pain that you’ve lived.
The dark ages of fear are to end.
For, coming to Earth, is the Mother’s sweet Realm.
All the wounds and dark thoughts, She will mend!”
“Little sister, fly up now and wait till you’re called.
A dear family is waiting for you.
You’ll come back, a baby in loving, warm arms
In a world with hearts clear and true!”
“And my brother, you’ve also been lonely too long.
Come with me and I’ll show you the times
That are coming to Earth, when innocence shines,
And all heart-songs, together, will rhyme!”
And up they did fly through great, wondrous dreams,
Till the whole world was laughing with joy.
Then down Billy bounced, into his soft bed,
Where he cuddled his favorite of toys.
When he awoke, with the sun in his eyes,
He looked out to see the new world.
Deep in his heart he saw, for the first time,
New hope shine for each boy and girl.
– Ed Saugstad
Posted in children, enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, Ganesha, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, mother, peace, poetry, smile
Tagged children, enlightenment, grace, hope, humanity, poetry
the case for Innocence
Natural Innocence, like absolute Love, is the very foundation of life. It can’t be destroyed, only clouded over in one’s awareness. There are those who would accuse Innocence of being a limiting state that should be grown out of. In fact, it is of the Essence, and a priceless asset to every living thing. It is the fragrance that makes life worth living. If its light is smothered in us, we lose the vitality, the spark of joy, that fills our life with meaning.
I’ve worked on city streets and seen old children, working in the sex trade, hanging on corners with shriveled skin and hollow eyes, like burnt tree trunks in a once lush forest. There are religious organizations that would have us live in states of guilt and darkness, or of egoistical pride and fiery aggression, and the world seems to be run now by ravenous corporations bent on monetary profit at any sacrifice. Most of the daily bad news that bombards us is the result of, directly or indirectly, the decline of Innocence. But Tagore wrote: “Every child born brings the message that God is not yet discouraged of men.” We’re (still) in luck.
Innocence lives in each of us, and supports us, emanating from our Mooladhara center and our heart. We love to hear a child laugh (if we’re not too stressed); to see a puppy play, or the sun rise on a landscape, and sometimes we miss that certain something that seemed to have died in us when we left childhood. It didn’t die, and it is easily unearthed. There’s a simple experience that can be reached effortlessly by any human being, that allows that essential light to shine powerfully inside of us. It’s not a pay-for formula or a trick of the mind. It’s something built-in and it’s waiting, like a present on your birthday. It’s time to open it.
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Posted in children, creativity, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, Ganesha, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, meditation, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, thoughts, well-being, wisdom, yoga