Category Archives: innocence

my China interview, reloaded (中文翻译)

new, edited version of my recent Oakee Doakee, children’s books, interview 🌞


“Happy Easter 2021!”💐

“Happy Easter 2021!” 💐 (from us and our new ‘Family’!)
“Happy Easter 2021!” 💐 (our joyful garden Ganesha celebrating his 16th Easter with us!)

https://goldenganeshart.com

“But what should we do about it all?”

Celebrating the 98th Birthday of my spiritual Mother today 🌹
https://shrimataji.org

There are two main reasons for the present Chaos,
in which all corruptions are being exposed:

For all good people to turn to their
Spirit for ultimate fulfillment;

And for already balanced, sensitive and dynamic persons to develop their
power of Witnessing.
Simple.
Keep your mind clear and your
heart brimming with love.

“Happy Diwali…

…with lots of Love and Light to you and yours!”

https://goldenganeshart.com/ceramic-art/

Image

human instinct – Benevolence

interview of an old Canadian pioneer sahaja yogi

MEDITATE TO REGENERATE ☺️

New Year. New Decade. New Age?

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Dear Friend!

We’re about to enter the decade that history books will remember as the one that ushered in the END OF KALI YUGA, the Age of Darkness.
As we find ourselves moving more and more beyond duality we will soon discover all the precious treasures in ourselves and others.
 
So, HO-HO-HO! HOLD on to your hat and enjoy the sleigh ride 🛷
HAPPY NEW AGE! 😁 (Optimism is contagious 😉)
 
Lots of love💗
Edward and Brigitte
🌈🌹

Year 2020 will be the last one of the age of materialism…

“The biggest and grandest alignment comes on December 21, 2020 when Jupiter joins Saturn in what’s referred to as the great conjunction. “

“These grand conjunctions come every 20 years, but this meeting has extra gravitas. It marks the end of a 200-year cycle of unions in earth signs that’s brought the age of materialism, banking, capitalism and corporations.”

“December 2020 kicks off a new 200-year cycle of unions in air signs. What that will bring isn’t entirely clear yet, but early indications are that thought, philosophy and truth will prevail. This is going to be a big shift.”

 

human angels and the new Dawn

Here in the twenty-first century, moving amongst us are personages of past renown marked now not by outstanding appearance or popular appreciation, but by the inner treasures they radiate: universal benevolence and the germinating power of enlightenment.
A Sunrise approaches that will reveal all the sublime glory of life — not on any media display, but in the hearts of human beings.
Look within. That precious hour is upon us.

~Edward Saugstad

“We are indeed larvae, eating our way through Earth’s resources in a mindless, caterpillar fashion, but I believe that the imago is already beginning to stir within. When the ‘climate’ is right, it will break out not as some sort of super computer but as an organic being [collective consciousness] that will embody all of the Supernature and look back on technology as a childhood toy.”

~Lyall Watson

“Happy Easter!”

Behind every single resurrection there smiles the same power: Love
— may all your inner-upgrades be subtle and everlasting!

http://www.brigittesaugstad.com

“Happy Springtime 2019!”

http://www.brigittesaugstad.com

inner-most-child

🌺 each of us has a happy baby elephant inside 🌺

World Peace …

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… will naturally follow World Innocence

 

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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.)

https://www.facebook.com/edward.saugstad/media_set?set=a.10155257909416545.1073741890.583641544&type=3

Darlene, Eddie, Rick and Cheryl

Darlene, Eddie, Rick and Cheryl

Rick, Eddie, Darlene, Grandpa, Glenn and Cheryl

David and Glenn, Darlene, Rick, Cheryl and Eddie

Darlene, Eddie, Rick, Glenn and Cheryl

Rick, Mom, Nana, Glenn, Eddie, Darlene and Cheryl, Grandpa and David

Rick, Cheryl, Eddie, Glenn, Darlene and David

Eddie’s haircut, May 1965
(a month before the end of grade one, and still half a year before that special Christmas that marked the end of Dad’s long drunken absence)

Glenn, David and Eddie

Darlene, Mom, Cheryl, Rick, Eddie, Glenn and David

David, Glenn and Eddie

Cheryl and Darlene, Glenn, Eddie, Rick and David

Darlene, Rick and Cheryl (the ‘Big Kids’) and Eddie, Glenn and David (the ‘Little Kids’)

Cheryl, Glenn and David

Darlene, Mom and Dad, Eddie, Nana, Rick, Cheryl, David and Glenn

Eddie, Rick, Darlene, Dad, Allan, Mom, Cheryl, Glenn and David

Eddie, Rick, Darlene, Dad, Allan, Mom, Cheryl, Glenn and David

Rick, Allan, Mom and Nana

Allan and Cheryl

Glenn, David and Eddie

Allan, Glenn, Eddie, Don and David

Darlene, Dad, Eddie, Don and Rick

Rick, Cheryl, Darlene and Eddie, Dad with David, Mom with Don, Allan and Glenn

Glenn, Eddie, David, Allan and little Don

FUN CHAOS!

Eddie (Ed the Head) and Don

Allan, Glenn, Ed and Don

🎄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.)

https://www.facebook.com/edward.saugstad/media_set?set=a.10155257909416545.1073741890.583641544&type=3

Darlene, Eddie, Rick and Cheryl

Darlene, Eddie, Rick and Cheryl

Rick, Eddie, Darlene, Grandpa, Glenn and Cheryl

David and Glenn, Darlene, Rick, Cheryl and Eddie

Darlene, Eddie, Rick, Glenn and Cheryl

Rick, Mom, Nana, Glenn, Eddie, Darlene and Cheryl, Grandpa and David

Rick, Cheryl, Eddie, Glenn, Darlene and David

Eddie’s haircut, May 1965
(a month before the end of grade one, and still half a year before that special Christmas that marked the end of Dad’s long drunken absence)

Glenn, David and Eddie

Darlene, Mom, Cheryl, Rick, Eddie, Glenn and David

David, Glenn and Eddie

Cheryl and Darlene, Glenn, Eddie, Rick and David

Darlene, Rick and Cheryl (the ‘Big Kids’) and Eddie, Glenn and David (the ‘Little Kids’)

Cheryl, Glenn and David

Darlene, Mom and Dad, Eddie, Nana, Rick, Cheryl, David and Glenn

Eddie, Rick, Darlene, Dad, Allan, Mom, Cheryl, Glenn and David

Eddie, Rick, Darlene, Dad, Allan, Mom, Cheryl, Glenn and David

Rick, Allan, Mom and Nana

Allan and Cheryl

Glenn, David and Eddie

Allan, Glenn, Eddie, Don and David

Darlene, Dad, Eddie, Don and Rick

Rick, Cheryl, Darlene and Eddie, Dad with David, Mom with Don, Allan and Glenn

Glenn, Eddie, David, Allan and little Don

FUN CHAOS!

Eddie (Ed the Head) and Don

Allan, Glenn, Ed and Don

the War against Innocence

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Innocence is not the absence of something. Innocence is an essential and powerful state and energy. We have learned to split atoms and now live in terror of that. When will human beings learn to live in balance, without going to harmful extremes, destroying that which is precious and fundamental to thriving life?

Civilizations have collapsed before our time, due to rampant corruption of sustaining values. The clock is ticking once again …

Photo taken in Peru when 30,000 people marched to protest about sexual theory content in schools. The abusive material was subsequently removed from classrooms.

‘There were between 20 million and 36 million slaves around the world in 2015,
including 5.5 million children.’ (!)

https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/news/175171/trafficking-capital-where-thousands-of-children-are-trained-as-sex-slaves/

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Hope:

http://www.innerpeaceday.org/en/

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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.

fellowship-with-men

 

 

 

 

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 …)

innocence

 

 

 

 

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/

two-girls-with-blossoms-above

earth-kundalini

happy-meditating-oriental-child

chakra-modern

Shri Mataji enjoying

children-kundalini-awakening

heaven-is-here-on-earth

indian-children-meditating

http://www.innerpeaceday.org/en/

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Ganesha for 2016!

http://www.brigittesaugstad.com

getting to know and enjoy ourselves

A letter from a friend today:
We were invited yesterday by a charity group specialized in offering services to families (one of the oldest and most respected in our region) to their monthly event. We were the highlight and we meditated with about 25-30 people, parents and children. The children LOVED it. Many came from mental problems, nothing really disturbing, but evidently very heavy atmosphere: adults looked really sad and hopeless, some of them; children had ADHD (“my kid cannot sit still not even for two minutes”). Children, stayed for the entire program, fifty minutes, and they didn’t want to go outside to play. They wanted to talk to us. They wrote us thank-you cards and amazing feedback. We even have it on tape and hope the parents will agree to have it posted on the website. And the “two-minute-only kid stayed in meditation all the time. He told his parents that he wants to meditate in the car, that he never felt so calm and in control, that he was sooo stressed out from school and now he is happy. He asked us to come to his school because his teacher is under a lot of stress, then he told his mom to do this meditation because she is under a lot of stress. His mom could not thank us enough, and also the other parents. But the children, they were ANGELS, and the parents were worried sick about “them not being OK” 🙂

http://www.freemeditation.com

freemeditation-com

ahhhh, life on Earth — wouldn’t want to miss it for anything!

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😀

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“Feeling Happy!”

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Keep it real.

Keep it positive.

For you, in good humour….

 

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fairy tale beach wedding

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29 years ago today

on a tropical beach

there was a wedding….

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cheerful tunes :-D

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Here’s something exceptionally cheering from some
small friends of ours at an international school in Italy …
 
(allow a few minutes for the complete download,
then play on your computer or phone or burn onto a cd)
🙂
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*******************************************
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Image

sometimes I wish I could just hug whoever made this wonderful world

2012 … dawning of the Age of Common Sense?

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Love is that self-perpetuating force which renews everything, forever replenishing hope with spontaneous, living miracles. There will never be a scarcity of inspiring sunrises (illuminating clean air), budding roses (genetically unmodified), baby giggles (untainted by pornography), mirthful leg-pulling among friends (transcending racial prejudice), or generous helping hands in moments of need, as long as that precious force is allowed to thrive on Earth.

As soon as all the scales of malice and discontent have fallen away from human hearts, we will find out how good life can truly be.

Best wishes for you and yours in this historic year of inner transformation,

Edward Saugstad

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about Ganesha

By touching the mysterious elephant face, you will learn much that has escaped your attention until now …

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talk about SELF-HELP!

Mirror of History, on the wall,

Which is the coolest generation of all?

 

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are you an inner truth sleuth?

“The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.”
~ H. D. Thoreau
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My wife and I enjoy detective stories, especially those with humor, so it’s no wonder that we spend much of our precious time and attention investigating life itself. Although we have a lot of fun goofing around — talking in dialect, singing, dancing, spontaneous role playing, making funny faces — most of our conversations come out of our ongoing revelations about why we are the way we are, and what positive changes are going on around us. We’ve both practiced Sahaja Yoga Meditation every day for almost three decades, so most of what we feel is accurate, and if we get confused about ourselves, the condition doesn’t hold on long. But like most people in modern society, we’ve had to sift through mazes of childhood traumas to reach the state of solid health we’re in today.
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The problem is, most people don’t even know where to start when it comes to filtering reality from unreality inside themselves. If you consider sexual abuse alone, with at least one in four tragically affected, we’re living at a time when millions of human beings are staggering through life at a fraction of their capacity. That amounts to a lot of fear and insecurity. There are many who’ve managed to get a permanent fix on the point of light that leads out of the maze, and I sometimes feel myself part of an army of benevolent volunteers, many of them wounded healers, bravely opening the doors of hope for themselves and others. It pains my heart when I come across someone who is suffering, as he or she has a wheel dragging off the road without noticing or understanding why, causing chronic distress and self-doubt. When a person has been the victim of shocks in their childhood, they tend to become a control-freak, fearing the threat of losing themselves in spontaneous circumstances; avoiding fulfilling, creative processes. One often develops into a self-protecting, fanatical personality, who refuses to face certain inner complications, living in denial of these painful wounds. A tremendous amount of enlightened awareness, self-forgiveness and compassion is needed.
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There are many causes for these tragic pockets of inner darkness. I know three men, well known and respected in society, who lost their mothers when they were quite young (in two cases she simply gave her son away because he was an inconvenience, and one mother died). They are middle-aged now, and due to the fact that they’ve not been able to deal openly and clearly with their abandonment, they’re struggling for inner balance. Two of them have been very oppressive to their wives, who played the low esteem roles of suppressed objects all these years, sometimes suffering panic attacks. Each of these women, through deep introspection, meditation and research into common patterns of human behavior in similar situations,  gradually grew out of their corrupted roles, learning to forgive and love themselves and their husbands for what they really are, leaving behind all the guilt and confusion. This can come as a shock for the spouse, who is suddenly disoriented by the new, joyful, liberated personality of his other half, while still refusing to see that certain things are stuck, unseen, inside himself.
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I know a person with similar problems in a leadership position who sincerely believes that everything will fall apart without his participation, and I know others who panic because they feel they are victims of leaders who are ruining everything and somehow threatening their very existence. In these particular cases, both attitudes are based on haunting illusions. These are otherwise good and generous individuals, but they still haven’t faced all the handicaps from their personal pasts.
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I have relatives whose mother left them to ‘finally start her own life’. Both children became internally reclusive in their trauma, suffering untold pain, including illness (Bipolar disorder). Another girl I care about has found herself in the very destructive cage of malice between her divorced parents, living with their disgust of each other, neither of them having any time for her big heart and beautiful personality. A child isn’t meant to be burdened with these conflicts. She was recently left alone in her despair, and she fell, breaking her arm — this was not a coincidence. But she, like another young person who has seen two of his mothers permanently turn their backs on him, are part of a new breed of self-realized souls who seem able to bounce back with relative ease from deep emotional and genetic corruption. Each of them drew excited applause when they sang their hearts out independently on an international stage a few days ago. You can’t fake that kind of heart-power, and it announces hope for all the traumatized children of the world.
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When I went to an osteopath for the first time many years ago (I’ve been to several different ones, gaining various insights) I learned that childhood traumas are often stored in our organs. My wife and I have also picked up valuable information from various therapists using the Family Constellation method to reveal malignant attitudes arising from longstanding relationship complications in our families. More recently, with the help of a very sensitive, large-hearted kinesiologist (Applied Kinesiology), it was possible for me, after unearthing countless hidden problems from my past over the years, to zoom in on the original cause for the weakness in my stomach. My condition had already improved steadily through insights and healing while practicing Sahaja Yoga Meditation. And now, almost by chance, this specialist, having found that my body was exceptionally strong and healthy, hit on the point of my state as a newborn baby. When I mentioned that my mother had been an alcoholic with several other young children to care for, and had had little time and attention for me, both of us — the kinesiologist and myself — suddenly felt the traumatized state I had been in as a tiny baby. Her otherwise rosy, motherly smile paled, and my body started shaking from my stomach, as if I was too cold. I had no fear now, as I had already evolved to the extent that I could handle this new inner revelation, and was instead amazed by the important discovery.
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This is a very abstract matter to deal with*, but I was then able to use this knowledge the next morning in my meditation, by implementing my enlightened imagination to take my baby-self out for joyful strolls in the nature; or, when he was a bit older, to go hand-in-hand through Disneyland where we had lots of carefree fun; or to simply be involved together in my daily creative work routines. In short, bridging that threatening gap of insecurity and helplessness, and allowing sweet healing to enter in. On the part of the young me, I feel joyful and fascinated to be part of the fulfilling grownup adventures; and on the part of my grownup me stepping in to comfort and uplift little me, I feel like a benevolent superhero — what a great team! Later, I was able to meditate on the oneness between that tiny, abstract part of me and my present self, realizing that little Eddie has miraculously made it to secure health and happiness, and never has to fear again. (A few nights ago, I found a little blonde boy wandering, crying for his mommy in the dark parking lot of a campground. I picked him up, cheerfully reassuring him that we would find her, which we did a few minutes later. I can still feel his sweet, cuddly form against my heart, and the mutual comfort of that.) Every successfully conquered challenge in us opens up new healing pathways for all.
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For those who are not directly affected by these horrors, you can lend your stability and understanding. For the survivors, it’s freedom time my friend.
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A bit of my yet to be published life-story:
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*Healing Your Aloneness: Finding Love and Wholeness Through Your Inner Child – by Margaret Paul and Erika Chopich
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empathy

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Christmas Comfort

What would you do if you were two,
(You couldn’t even tie your shoe)
And you woke up that Christmas day
To find yourself in piles of hay?

Then, looking all around, you see
That you are not where you should be;
Not home in bed, so clean and warm,
But in a little cow/sheep barn.

Still in your pyjamas, you
Jump up when you hear moo-oo.
Then you see a mouse run by,
Rushing so, you wonder why.

Then you see the animals are
Gathering near a shining star
And you wonder how a star
Came so far into this barn.

So you walk so quietly
Through the hay so you can see
What they all are looking at,
Cow and lamb and mouse and cat.

When you get there, you push through,
Past the silent animals, who
Let you pass to see that Thing
That makes you want to laugh and sing!

“Oh, so sweet!” you sigh, as grace,
Glowing from the sunny Face
Of that Baby lying there,
Fills your heart with cool, fresh air.

In His giggle, you feel joy,
Enough for every girl and boy.
And when He kicks His tiny Feet,
You feel that love is now complete.

Just when you feel you’ve had your fill
The whole, wide world gets brighter still
As two soft and graceful Arms
Hold you – keep you safe from harm.

You look up and see the Smile
That seems to stretch for mile upon mile;
That Smile that lights the moon and sun,
And gives life to everyone.

And there in Mother’s lap you sleep
And know the promise She will keep,
That Her Son spoke clear and true,
To come as Comforter to you.

~Edward Saugstad 1999

festival of Light on the ‘spiritual Ganges of Europe’

Here’s my short film on the first annual Culture of the Spirit festival, where East meets West in a beautiful, rural river valley in Italy.

It’s been found that pure, absolute Spirit is in essence joy and love, that brings a rewarding sense of clarity to ones perception. This phenomena was felt by the hundreds of visitors and participants at this event, brought on by the subtle beauty and light of the performances and exhibitions, and intensified by the simultaneous collective experience.

A science presentation revealed that distant cells communicate with one another, and that this process may happen through the medium of light. If we are all ascending into a new, more transparent and joyful state of awareness, this may indicate that we are to be increasingly empowered to communicate by means of the light in and around us.

Could there be anything more beautiful and fulfilling than discovering whole new ways of sharing creative love on unlimited, powerful wavelengths, and perhaps to find our dormant brain functions spring to life with undreamed of comprehension of playful reality? We may have yet to discover what it actually means to be fully functional human beings. Even our genes, which are changed by mundane experiences and passed on to future generations, can now be constructively altered for our optimum spiritual growth by connecting ourselves to the deepest Vibrations, from which all life emerges.

This meditative weekend generated unique inspiration that brings the promise of great things to come.

Meet you next summer in the Borbera Valley, the ‘Ganges of Europe’!

Note: Hold your hands open, palms up, while watching this film, and see what you feel.

(Hint: A cool breeze would be ideal – to actually feel Light!)

(p.s.~ Some of the artworks seen are from my wife! … Ceramic sculptures …)

http://brigittesaugstad.com

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inner silence = world peace

On May 9, 2009, an enthusiastic gesture for peace was made in Nicosia, Cyprus, as hundreds of artists and children worldwide had their ambassadors for peace – handmade elephants – displayed on both sides of the dividing-line checkpoint.
The two mayors of the world’s last divided capital embraced in friendship, a gesture showing hope for a future of peace. History was also made by three ‘enemy’ passport holders – students helping with the exhibition – being allowed to cross the island’s severely guarded, temporary internal border! It may not have been the joyful civic tidal wave that eradicated the dreaded Berlin Wall in 1989, but every drop counts when it’s to help quench the thirst for freedom of the innocent generations to come.

Another highlight of the day came as a local shopkeeper near the checkpoint gave the artist organizers access to his wireless Internet service, allowing us, via web-cam, to broadcast live to the international Schengen Peace Foundation conference taking place simultaneously in Luxembourg – from one end of Europe to the other on Europe Day! All the delegates in attendance applauded after seeing and hearing about the efforts being made, by adults and children alike, for the important cause of lasting peace over in Cyprus.
The following day, Mother’s Day, the peace-exhibition was invited to Jerusalem by an Israeli university professor. The elephants-without-borders are on the march!

With a little mutual forgiveness, and respect for the innocent generations to come, this world can become a beautiful home for everyone.

Here’s my video-collage of the event (music courtesy of Matt Malley, former Counting Crows bass player)

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on the lighter side of life

With the world sliding full speed into the gravest scenario since a meteor walloped it, wiping out all manner of species, we thank heaven for comedians (especially the Canadian variety). Only a highly evolved race can laugh at itself as it teeters on the edge of extinction. If we’ve taken ourselves too seriously at times, it’s only because we forgot to listen to the tiny Jim Carrey or Dan Aykroyd jesting inside. I mean, come on, did we really think we could defy all constructive perimeters of existence and get away with it indefinitely? We are indeed a laughable lot! Well, hopefully some eleventh-hour humble introspection and meditation will bring out the very best in each of us, and bring a rosy hue to the prospects for the coming generations.

fun 'n' games!My wife and I find ourselves constantly playing funny role improvisation (it’s probably out of survival instinct – the only way to survive if you both live and work under one roof!) We are living proof that only the body ages … the soul keeps getting younger and sillier. After I’ve had a particularly good morning meditation, I feel like a small kid in a universal Disney land, with creativity and mirth springing out of my every pore. We may think it would be highly irresponsible to let children run the world, but what about the children inside us, with the important advantage of all our years of practical experience and knowledge. Just add the wisdom, common-sense and benevolence of a child (okay, my two-year-old was also definitely not ‘benevolent’, but you know what I mean), and we could steer the ship of humanity into more peaceful waters.

As the desperate, tearful child said in a CNN interview this morning, after he and his mom lost their home to the Recession: “PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO START HELPING EACH OTHER!”

Where there’s the capacity and a heartfelt will, there’s a way.

ARMS RACE

trying to fathom the unfathomable

We just came home from a beautiful ceremony celebrating the short life of a dear friend, Anna-Radhika, who passed away nine days ago after sudden complications in her lungs. In evidence of this fifteen-year-old’s open and loving personality, was the large variety of adorers who came to wish her well on her outward journey. Apart from the many relatives from two distinct cultures – Austrian and Indian – there was a multitude of friends, and friends of friends. A whole school bus of classmates were present with tears of affection, enthusiastic recollections of life with her, and dozens of colorful balloons that they let playfully fly up to heaven with her. There have been a few great souls in history who have earned the respect of the masses simply through their inherent state of deep generosity, and their unconditional giving to others that which is essential and beloved to all: love. But it seems that more and more of these great personages are being born among us, to help lift us on our glorious way.

Before this funeral service, I had big aspirations to write about some important lessons we all need to learn in life, but I suddenly find myself as small and ignorant in this great, mysterious universe as every other mortal. How can anyone else know all the factors that determine the plot of another soul’s story? How many of us leave behind our present role to pass onto another stage in fulfillment of higher destiny; and who leaves unnecessarily, at the wrong time, by accident? Are there such things as accidents when it comes to birth and death, and what can we, as parents, do to ensure the subtle nurturing of our children? Someone told me last week that he had suffered chronic bronchitis till the age of sixteen. He could suddenly breathe freely for the first time in his life, as soon as his father and grandfather made up and started speaking with each other after years of mutual hatred. I’ve discovered late in life that my many moments of urgent desire to die, to leave, to run away from a horrible world of pain and frustration, came from scary feelings in my childhood when my parents were drunk and fighting, or simply not there for me in my darkness. I realized at some point, that I could never take my life, because, even though I didn’t like myself very much, I could never mercilessly hurt all the people who love me – that, I could never do. And now I see that my role here is still unfolding. But some do depart, what seems to us to be too early, and for a myriad of reasons that we may never logically understand.

When an apparently happy, healthy person stops breathing, due to an otherwise manageable condition, we may well wonder if they were trying to tell us something. In such a dramatic exit there may be an ardent plea to the world: Never forget to live each breath with heartfelt enthusiasm! You too are special.

Anna-Radhika9 August 1993, to 23 April 2009

Anna-Radhika ~ 9 August 1993, to 23 April 2009

(Our condolences go out to the suffering heart that was one with her. No earthquake or hurricane can compare in ferocity to the grief of a mother that has just lost her only child.)

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world peace begins in each heart …

Despite the fact that the world family is growing closer and closer together in communication, love and understanding, there are still certain hot-spots on our planet that require patient, collective attention. One such healing wound is called Cyprus. In mid-January, 2009, the voices of a few international artists and enthusiastic children brought cooling balm in the form of ‘Elephants for Peace.’ This was the beginning of a world-tour art/peace project created by German artist and historian, Rose Marie Gnausch, and the Art Initiative Naturalmente RoMa.

My wife and I were honored to be present for this inauguration, to be able to share our creative talents for such a noble cause, and to meet so many local, influential people whose hearts are set on peace for future generations. The next event in Cyprus will be along Ledra Street in Nicosia on both sides of the border – May 9 and 10, for the one year anniversary of this border opening – before the growing exhibition moves on to other countries. Here’s my little film collage of the initial ‘sprouting’ (higher resolution, 480p,  can be selected at the bottom after you start)

if that doesn’t work, go to this address and wait a few minutes for high resolution streaming before playing:

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Mom ascending

When I received the sad news this morning, I felt – believe it or not – a gentle lightening of the heart, an enthusiastic happiness that had nothing to do with my personal loss of the mother who raised and loved (loves) me. After a few seconds of meditation, I realized that I must be feeling what she is presently feeling: a dynamic, delightful freedom; a breathtaking view of life from high above life; a baby-like mood of spontaneous creativity and endless possibilities.

We weep in self-pity.
Congratulations Mom for all your achievements, and all those yet to come – enjoy the higher life for us, also!
(It’s just too bad that you can’t send postcards, but love has its own lines of communication)

With love, your son,
Ed

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E. May Saugstad

24 March, 1930 ~ 9 December, 2008

(Mother of Darlene, Cheryl, Rick, Ed, Glenn, David, Allan and Don)

Mom in Heaven

“Christmas greetings”

The Coming of the Three Kings

follow the star

Oakee Doakee lives!!!!!!!!

After countless hours, days and weeks of sleepless labor

Oakee Doakee has arrived at last!


If you know anyone who’s looking for a new kind of

children’s adventure book

check out my recently published creations … 😀

~ click to zip over to Oakee’s place! ~

the next generation

A little girl from my hometown spills her heart to the United Nations

don’t dry out

Mother: “Never mind, dear. You’re too young to understand the difference between heaven and hell.”

Child: “I know the difrinz! Heaven is where you have lots of love and fun, and hell is where everybody just stays serious.”

laugh all the way to heaven

in the Land of Light

Cool Hands

Radiant Mother Earth

On my way home today from my twenty-first pilgrimage in India, loving hand workI suddenly became aware of the renewed lightness of my body. Not that I had lost physical weight on the journey, but it was clear that I had left behind heavy, invisible waste which has been replaced with a light, soft breeze of Vibrations. It never fails to amaze me how that country, known by some as the Kundalini of the Earth, emits this subtle, enlightening Force. And it’s not just the refreshing change of pace that a vacation brings. I’ve traveled a great deal and found, as have many others, that this part of our planet, including the Himalayas, the Birth Houseis apparently the only place that has this divine quality to this intense degree.breath-taking Mother Earth

Next time you want to really lighten up, take a trip to this magical, ancient land (avoiding the heavy tourist-ized and religious-ized locations). Spend some time attentively absorbing that which the super-charged natural elements there have to offer. You will learn something new and valuable about your Self.

India by Night

Continue reading

You

Windows to Innocence

Beyond the windows of your eyes,
Your soul abides in sunny skies,
Bathing in the light of love
That pours down sweetly from above.

That is the way it’s supposed to be
When a soul is clear and free,
But on the unmapped sea of life
Inner storms bring pain and strife.

High above each storm, a star
Shines to show you who you are:
Not this head and not this hand;
Not the owner of this land;

Not this angry shrunken heart
Feeling like it’s torn apart;
Not the one whose thoughts bring noise
Never knowing peace or joy;

Not the child that fears the night;
Not the man that wants to fight;
Not the woman, alone and sad;
Not those thousand dreams gone bad.

High inside, but within reach,
There waits a pristine, sun-lit beach,
That graceful shore of your own spirit –
Listen now, and you will hear it.

Open your hands and feel your breeze
That softly blows through inner trees,
In the Country that’s your own
Where seeds of happiness are sown.

It’s only just a breath away.
Once you reach here, you will stay;
For here is where your life will start,
And soul and joy will never part.

– Edward Saugstad 2008

blue lagoon meditation

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when the heart takes to flight

As mentioned at the beginning, the human heart is a veritable treasure chest of wonderful surprises, still lying buried under our layers of conditionings and projections. When the subtle key rises up the spine to unlock the gate at the top of the head, we start a new, enriched life full of the treasures of joy and spontaneity. Once released from it’s bonds, it will fly you on to beauty undreamed of. . . .

the flight of a freed heart

pure desire

pure desire
There once was a child
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.
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There once was a child
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.
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There once was a child
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.
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– e.s.
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this morning in Venice

Kundalini Awakening
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.
timeless water
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.
the Mysterious Connection
(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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season’s greetings

Hi . . .
This is just a little Christmas greeting – taking an opportunity to wish you well at
a special moment in time. For some, this particular moment won’t seem significant, that is, if you find in yourself no particular reason to especially enjoy the birthday of Jesus Christ, possibly because of other religious beliefs or out of disdain for the materialistic attitudes it brings out. Personally, I also respect and enjoy the special days set aside to honor others who deserve our admiration and gratitude: Buddha, Mohammed, Nanak, Moses, Krishna, Lao Tse and the many more who came, in indescribable compassion and wisdom, to guide us on the long road.

But I take this moment to honor the universal child in us – Shri Ganesha and Lord Jesus – with the sincere hope that we may all soon enjoy the unlimited joy and clarity that only a balanced child can know. And I honor universal motherhood. There are many who look forward with dread and insecurity. When I look forward, I look also inward, and I know that there is much to be enjoyed coming our way. That’s not a hunch but a certainty. I wish for you this comforting light, not just at this moment, but for always. It’s growing in our midst, uniting and strengthening us. The road leads to inner freedom. That is the wondrous beginning.

Vibrating Sky

your horoscope for today:

Baby Elephants

beyond ego pumpering

Did you know that you have a built-in Jeeves – a compassionate and intelligent butler who can gently lift you out of any tangle? By Jove – by Jeeves – you do indeed! It’s been rumored that we are using only a fraction of our brain power. Some think that by pumping and pampering (pumpering) of the ego, we can ascend to greater heights of skill in dealing with life. This line of thought leads to a solid dead-end. The only way to unleash that vast potential is to activate a specific energy at the base of the spine, whose purpose it is to rise up and open the pearly gate at the apex of the brain, thus connecting said brain to the power that created it. The more this energy is strengthened through appropriate meditation, the more this connection is expanded, and the more our brain is enlightened. In fact, our whole nervous system then becomes increasingly aware of subtler phenomena, and the dignified genius in us generously supplies answers to life’s many complications. You don’t have to be Bertie Wooster to have access to the ideal solver-of-problems. You become your own indispensable, wise best friend.

You: “Jeeves! What on earth am I to do about this incessant mental rambling?”

Your-Own-Inner-Jeeves: “Sir?” (or “Madam?”)

“This unsolicited, unproductive thinking, Jeeves! Is there no stopping it? Is humanity to be driven off the brink of its remaining sanity by this relentless inner train?”

“There is a simple way to ascend comfortably above these disturbing trains of thought, Sir.”

“Well, out with it, Jeeves! What is this satisfying, cerebral secret that you’ve been withholding from the waiting world?”

“The answer is simultaneously simple and profound, Sir, and readily available to anyone, from any walk of life – it sleeps in each of us at the base of the spine.”

“Do you mean to insinuate, Jeeves, that my Aunt Agatha, among others, is presently sitting on the solution to mankind’s greatest problem?”

“Indeed, Sir. In fact, no single person on the planet is exempt from this common trait. Os sacrum, or hieron osteon, the ‘sacred bone’, was so named by the early Greek mystics because of the enlightening energy coiled there, necessary to connect the individual awareness to the all-pervading power that created us.”

“And you have proof that this benevolent something can free us from the noise within, thereby lifting the willing subject into a sort of golden, wise halo of silence?”

“Indeed, Sir. It is a purely natural phenomena which occurs spontaneously when this Kundalini energy awakens due to contact with the subtlest of universal vibrations, manifested, causing her to gently rise up the spine to the fontanel, thus opening the door to collective consciousness. This evolutionary breakthrough was available to very few in the past, but it seems that we have all reached an important threshold which allows anyone to ‘dance liberated into the light’, as the poet so aptly put it.”

“So you’re saying that the moment I make the magic wish to ascend beyond my miserable, human bonds, I’ll be ready to pass by a smiling cherubim radiating these fine vibes that will inevitably cause my being to lift off like a Nasa space-shuttle at the end of count down?”

“The experience is somewhat subtler than that, but you have the gist of the matter, Sir. It is the promised yoga, that is, union. May I demonstrate?”

“Demo away, Jeeves! I have cast my wish into the fountain of hope. What do I stand to lose?”

“What indeed, Sir? Place your hands, palms upwards, comfortably on your lap. You may close your eyes, and sincerely, in your heart, ask the universal Mother for your Self-realization.”

“Ask the what for my what?”

“Addressing this Kundalini energy, Sir, simply request that you may know your true, universal nature. I will expedite the process by lifting my open hand parallel to your spine to a point above your head. This will help the Kundalini to rise in response to the familiar vibrations.”

“As I’ve always conjectured, Jeeves — so you are an angel!”

“No more so than any other Self-realized person, Sir. Are you feeling anything yet?”

“I am. My goodness, you know? I really am . . . This is even better than whiskey, Jeeves. Have I lived all these years without knowing joy? I feel, well, I feel as light as a feather, as focused as a hawk, and . . . what is all this breezy coolness? It’s pouring out of my hands, and the top of my head feels like a fountain! May I open my eyes, or will it all fade like a beautiful dream on waking?”

“You may open your eyes, Sir, and I can assure you that it will not fade away. These are the Vibrations of which I spoke. They are the powerful Breath of Life which have been referred to throughout history in various cultures and religions as the Chi, Ki, Chaitanya, Prana, Ruach, Ruh, Pneuma and Spiritus, as well as the Wind of the Holy Spirit.”

“This is marvelous! Only a laughing, well-fed baby cuddling at its mother’s warm breast could know how I’m presently feeling! Who was it that rejoiced about the coming Age, calling every breeze sacred incense, Jeeves?”

“That would be Lionel Johnson in Vita Venturi Saeculi, Sir. ‘Let green woods wave thee welcome, and blue seas laugh welcome, and each breeze be sacred incense round thee: peace appear through crystal atmosphere, impassioned, perdurable, omnipotent; given by God, not lent, foretaste of Heaven, ere Heaven be all in all, come to the vexed world’s call!’

“That’s the one! Yes, I’m gushing with goodness – woods and waters – maybe a bit like those bliss-sharing Kalpa-thingy trees in the Indian proverb!”

“You must be referring to the passage from the Gyaneshwari, Sir: ‘Such men/women are the moving forests of Kalpataru trees. They are mines of wish-granting living jewels. They are vocal oceans of nectar.’ It is but one early description of realized souls, Sir.”

“All this enlightening has made me thirsty, Jeeves. Would you be so kind?”

“Certainly, Sir. Would you like your usual whiskey and soda?”

“Not today — I don’t want to come down. Bring me pure water. This new connection can use some meditative nurturing. I think someone has just answered my prayers.”

‘Holy mother, hear my prayer, somehow I know you’re still there. Send me please some peace of mind; take away this pain.’

“Shakespeare?”

“Eric Clapton, Sir.”

“Thank you, Jeeves.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Sir.”

 

Hear us, hear us, hear us, sweet Age to Come! Our hearts prepare thy home :-) L.J.

wireless mouse

wireless mouse

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Child of Love

Have you loved your Heart this day?
Held it like a tender Child,
Beheld pure Innocence at play,
Shared Its laughter, bold yet mild?

Have you turned your eyes within?
Seeing Goodness spread Its wings,
Breathing deep the cool, soft Wind,
Thanking Love for all good things?

Have you felt Her Lotus Hands
Carress the Child who dwells within,
Bathing It in Amrit sweet,
That flows as joy from Love’s Ocean?

Have you loved your Heart this day?
Have you sung Its Song of Bliss?

Take this moment now to pray
That we may all now share in This.

– Edward Saugstad 1985

(This poem ‘came’ to me in a special location, overlooking the North Shore Mountains in downtown Vancouver, one day when I worked in the city streets there. I stopped and sat down on a bench, located about where the heart of the Ganesha would be in this photo, and jotted down these soothing lines. For some reason I always felt my heart open and my attention become calm and clear when I passed through this area, despite the city congestion.)

StanleyPark Ganesha

Earth Baby

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the Age of Woman is overdue

men as rulers – bullies of the planet – have overstayed their welcome

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/world/africa/07congo.html?th&emc=th

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/world/asia/08burn.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha1

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