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You’d think that human beings know everything there is to know about themselves already.
Guess again….
~(CLICK in between the blue and the yellow Easter eggs)~
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(and be sure to check out the video and the link underneath it at the page bottom)
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~(CLICK in between the blue and the yellow Easter eggs)~
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(and be sure to check out the video and the link underneath it at the page bottom)
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Posted in alert mental silence, Easter, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, grace, happiness, hope, India, Kundalini, life, meditation, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, wisdom, yoga
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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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Posted in 2012, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, heart, hope, humanity, innocence, life, love, peace
Tagged 2012, common sense, generosity, humanity, inner transformation, life, love, patience
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In Thailand, Buddhist monks have started taking to Sahaja Meditation to get spiritually deeper. The natural state of alert, mental silence that’s easily achieved with this method is proving useful in all walks of life. Here’s how it’s becoming popular in New York City high schools:
and with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder sufferers in Australia:
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Posted in enlightenment, health, Kundalini, life, meditation, mental silence, peace, school, smile, spirituality, Uncategorized, well-being
Tagged Buddhist monks, Sahaja Meditation, students, Thailand
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Posted in Christmas, friendship, heart, holiday, hope, humanity, joy, life, love, peace, smile, synchronicity
Tagged always, Christmas, communication, family, good will, humanity, love, oneness, social networking, togetherness
🙂
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Posted in enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, Kundalini, life, meditation, mental silence, peace, spirituality, Uncategorized, well-being, yoga
Tagged kundalini awakening, meditation, mental silence, peace
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This is a very special moment which I will share here.
I have no words to describe its profound significance and the deep emotions it has generated.
With love, Ed
http://www.freemeditation.com/news/2011/02/26/shri-mataji-nirmala-devi-a-truly-remarkable-path/
H. H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
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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
Howdy from Starbucks, Vienna! (where seldom is heard a discouraging word)
While waiting yesterday afternoon to pick up someone in centuries old ‘downtown’ Vienna, I decided to park and stroll around a bit. An unworthy but practical excuse (I needed to find a lavatory) brought me for the first time into the magnificent City Hall — surprising, as I’ve lived here for almost a quarter century. You’ll get an idea of how un-downtownish the heart of Vienna is by these photos I took spontaneously with my phone.
Back in my hometown in the Canadian (suburban) wilderness, you don’t normally come across such exquisite architecture. Vienna budding with eternal beauty for the eye and ear. But there are a lot of advantages we take for granted over in the New World, like the fact that our homeland has never been ravaged by World Wars. We don’t know what it’s like to hear bombs falling outside our bedroom windows onto Canadian soil. The collateral and subjective damage that caused children to grow up emotionally challenged can sometimes be seen in the eyes of the elderly over here. Let’s hope the new generations — East, West and in-between — pool all their energies into creating that which uplifts and preserves the soul.
You can spend hours and days discovering the aesthetic graces of Vienna. Most of the ancient beauty survived the cataclysmic aggressions of war, and the population is even getting friendlier as younger, more universal people take to the stage.
(And here’s a glimpse from my hotel room beside Woerthersee in Carinthia last weekend where I was attending an ancient Indian celebration … yeah, it actually does resemble a British Columbian lake)
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I started my day feeling a bit like this:
but after attaining the rejuvenating state of mental silence for a few minutes, I felt more like this:
Appearing on the same page, these incompatible images hardly give the impression that they emerged from the same hand, on the same morning. But my experience has shown me that just because I sometimes get into the mood of the fire-breathing dragon (drops new iPhone into toilet / hits thumb with hammer / spouse doesn’t listen properly), that doesn’t mean I have to wait for my rage to somehow fade on it’s own terms. When the attention is naturally turned inside by the spontaneous movement of the benevolent kundalini energy rising up the spine, the most unbearable beast can be tamed in the wink of an eye. By opening the hands, palms upward, and allowing the attention to rise up to the top of the head (where our connection to the all-pervading, creative Power opens) the many dormant, subtle heart functions blossom effortlessly, and we start feeling our self — our spirit — again; balancing our inner child (left sympathetic nervous system/right brain) and our inner adult (right sympathetic nervous system/left brain). A refreshing cool breeze rises from our hidden depths, lifting us to delightful heights. Who would’ve thought that we have everything ideally built in to get passed life’s brickwalls without having to smash our heads through them. The best part is, when we’re balanced and enjoying our true nature, the fun is contagious 😀
(The phone miraculously survived!)
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Posted in forgiveness, freedom, fulfillment, Kundalini, life, mental silence, peace, well-being
Tagged anger, dragon, forgiveness, kundalini
Posted in creativity, holiday, inspiration, life, nature, peace, well-being
Tagged Italy, life, peace, woodwork, working holiday
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
Posted in children, Christmas, enlightenment, forgiveness, fulfillment, grace, hope, innocence, joy, life, love, mother, peace, thoughtless awareness, Uncategorized, well-being
“Still crazy, after all these years.”
-Paul Simon
There lies, in the heart of every person, a seed of youthful enthusiasm. I experienced this at our mega-1970s neighbourhood reunion last weekend, where a couple hundred old friends all got together for the first time in over three decades. No matter how much time seems to glide by under the bridge, or how stiff and ‘mature’ we seem to become, all the heartfelt fun and optimism of our youth linger on inside us, camouflaged like a wide-eyed, baby doe on the edge of a shady forest.
The setting up of this event (and the ongoing Facebook reunion) has been a labour of love for the past eight months. More than an excellent hobby, it has proven to impact my life and those of life-long friends in a way that only reawakened friendships can. The human heart is a mysterious place, full of unexplored depths and heights. It is my belief, after almost thirty years of daily meditation and introspection, that, when enlightened, the heart can take us to our superhuman potential and the indescribable joy that inevitably accompanies that.
Getting together with old friends to reminisce and laugh may seem like a mundane function, but the relatively small waves of love that surface in our hearts are just the peaks of an infinite ocean – and if That can be awakened inside us, then the world will rapidly rise to a whole new level of enjoyment and harmony. There is a specific something in us that, when triggered, links our limited attention to the unlimited field of our spirit. It’s my intention to help beloved old friends, who were as dear to me as family long ago, to come within reach of this inner connection. I sincerely hope that many can feel that now, and will gradually discover all their buried treasure within.
Best wishes,
Ed Saugstad
http://70snorthdelta.wordpress.com/about/

Posted in freedom, friendship, fulfillment, humanity, joy, life, love, meditation, peace, people, well-being
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 …)
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Posted in art, creativity, enlightenment, humanity, India, innocence, life, meditation, nature, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being
Tagged Borbera, culture, festival, Italy, light, music, Sahaja Yoga
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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Posted in creativity, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, Ganesha, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, peace, people, synchronicity
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.
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.

Posted in children, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, meditation, peace, well-being
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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Posted in art, children, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, Ganesha, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, peace, people
There’s more to life than meets the eye –
Discover the very best about yourself. Life is just beginning:
~ click on the sleeping elephant ~
and have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!
– Ed
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Posted in enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, hope, joy, life, meditation, peace, spirituality, well-being
Tagged enlightenment, fulfillment, life
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)

Posted in freedom, fulfillment, grace, hope, innocence, life, love, mother, peace, spirituality, well-being
Every age has its greatest discovery. The greatest of all is inside of us.
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Posted in books, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, hope, humanity, joy, Kundalini, life, meditation, peace, people, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being, yoga
Tagged Ed Saugstad, Gail Lynne Goodwin, Inspire Me Today, interview, life, public
I don’t know if you’ve ever felt that amazing, soothing cool breeze that flows out of the hands and top of the head after self-realization, but it isn’t just another interesting thing. I’ve known people who’ve felt it clearly and been benefited immensely by the fact, and then somehow forgotten or ignored it.
If you ever get the lucky chance to feel this connection to your subtle self, INVESTIGATE! …
“Hey! Why can I feel a joy-giving coolness flowing from me? It’s obviously not someone doing something to me because I can feel it when I’m alone (and the air-conditioning’s not on). Is there a history behind this phenomena? What is it good for? Can it be increased?”
Our attention is normally sucked so intensely outwards and towards distracting thoughts, that we don’t even know how to watch and enjoy our Selves. Thanks to the revolutionary fact that any human being can now feel the subtlest, life-giving energy that exists everywhere (and no longer just a few enlightened souls), we are in an unprecedented position to manifest all the ideal qualities that can create an existence that truly – well – truly ROCKS!
After meditating this morning, I felt permeated with a sweet, baby-like softness that made my perception clear and my heart sing. The Vibrations were emitting like a seaside breeze. In this state, it’s possible to put the peaceful, steady attention on any problem and spontaneously recognize colorful, doable solutions.
Year after year, it gets better, like an irrigated desert where new life increasingly sprouts into form.
What to say.
Better check it out.

Unexpected internal coolness on a hot Lebanese day
~ self-realization in Raouche, July 2008 ~
Posted in enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, Kundalini, life, meditation, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being
Tagged cool breeze, enlightenment, life

Oh, hi – so glad you could drop in!
I was just doing a bit of surfing and was overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of messages out there. Unfortunately, those trillions and zillions of statements don’t always steer a person in a constructive direction. The web of words can be our downfall, as our history has so clearly pointed out. If we can just climb up to a higher vantage point to get our bearings, then our life takes on a meaningful pattern and we can head out in the right direction.
As May 5th becomes a specially significant anniversary in the lives of more and more self-realized persons, I would like to offer my best wishes (pure desire) to you on this most illuminating of days. May you have the personal, golden opportunity to reach into the Source – into the Silence – where peace and clarity will recharge your worn batteries. Welcome to the soothing Sahasrara.
As-Salamu Alaykum

Posted in blogging, enlightenment, life, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, Uncategorized, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged Add new tag, enlightenment, life, peace
enthousiasmos, from enthous ‘to be one with a god; inspired’
I spent the first half of my life half alive. Looking back down from the high hillside of middle age, I begin to really appreciate the inner security that has come with years of daily meditation and introspection. Twenty-six years ago today I stepped out of a self-dug
grave and made my way steadily into that sunlight which shines deep inside each of us. There have been many milestones on this path; solid, comforting indications that inner progress has been made and maintained.
Like the nightmare I had recently – a real classic, subconscious horror-thriller. I was in a haunted house, actually descending into it’s bowels in a dark elevator with an unseen monster gripping my throat. (The result of a bit of undigested pizza, or the b-movie I watched before sleeping?) I don’t know about you, but when this sort of slide into the extreme left ballpark sometimes occurs, the inevitable result is always sheer panic and helplessness. Imagine my surprise when I heard myself casually remark, C’mon – gimme a break, will ya’? as the vicious creature whimpered away and the lights went on. Somehow, you just suddenly realize that a high percentage of your inferior attitudes (and ensuing aggressive frustration) is in fact just fog giving you a false impression about yourself. Through the peaks of clarity reached with regular meditation, and recurring indications of being established on ever higher levels of stability, your true, lucky state of being becomes obvious (outshining those occasional glitches that blur the inner widescreen, high-definition view of your self.)
It’s amazing to feel how quickly the enthusiasm
for living life to its fullest increases as soon as the troubling illusions of self-doubt vanish in the light of your true Self. Agreed, it takes some time to establish the stability of this clarity, but getting there is practically effortless – it just takes some patience and a turn of the key to get the process rolling; and then a keen inner eye to discern what’s real. The automatic, benevolent attitude is then your new Mercedes-Benz for traveling on to unexpected, inspiring landscapes.
(Sketches by Ziya Dikbas – inspired by my recent, inner-breakthroughs) 🙂
Posted in enlightenment, freedom, hope, life, meditation, peace, spirituality, well-being, yoga
Tagged life, meditation, well-being

at and amazing privilege to attend an unprecedented event in the center
of India. On the 2008 spring equinox, just as fellow-human beings all over the world coincidentally enjoyed their annual religious celebrations ~ which happened to fall on the same day this year ~ I found myself surrounded by thousands of joyful faces out in an
the atmosphere
of mutual affection seemed to bring out the real insides of the countless doctors, students, lawyers, artists, accountants, social-workers, secretaries and all the other international visitors gathered there to honor the highest that we know: the spirit of unconditional love put into practice.
the prime minister of Canada.

Posted in children, enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, mother, peace, poetry, spirituality, well-being, wisdom, yoga


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

quickly relieve the body from harmful imbalance and tension. One need not have a degree in medicine to heal many of the simple complications that trouble us. There are of course a wealth of other useful methods, but the two important things that we need to begin are the sensitivity to subtle vibrations, and frequent freedom from thoughts, both of which come naturally through self-realization (awakening of the kundalini) and regular meditation to maintain the yoga, union.Posted in enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, joy, life, meditation, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged kundalini, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, secret, thoughtless-awareness
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.

Posted in children, enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, fulfillment, Ganesha, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, mother, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, Uncategorized, well-being, wisdom
Tagged childhood, Christmas, motherhood
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.”
Posted in enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, meditation, mother, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged enlightenment, Jeeves, kundalini, meditation, self-realization, Wooster
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.)

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Posted in children, creativity, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, meditation, mother, peace, poetry, smile, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged love, poetry, self-realization, spirituality
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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Hum-dee-dum, tra-la, tra-la . . .
Now, where were we – oh, my gosh! Is it so late already? Almost eight years passed the twentieth century? How time does fly when you’re having fun.
When I was young, I earnestly believed that a pandemic of fun could save mankind. Funny – now that I think of it – I still do, although my outlook has become somewhat more refined. The youthful images of reckless abandon have been replaced by a majestic movie in which every person shines with a child’s countenance, bubbling with the champagne of wise innocence. In this age of global communication and friendship across all borders (let’s just ignore the racists, fundamentalists, fed-up-ists, megamerger-swallowtheworld-industrialist-capitalists and political-power-activists for the moment) we find the ideal setting for the kindergarten birthday party utopia, where care is no longer an ulcer-giving demon in the back of the mind, but a magical, benevolent whim that spontaneously brings luck to others. By ‘fun’, I’m of course referring to the stuff that shines from the pearl of joy, not its wannabe, temporary copy that sometimes emits from the fickle happiness/unhappiness coin. (More on that somewhere below: Just scroll down this site to investigate.)

Things were a lot different back in the days of my great-grandfather, Reverend Christian Saugstad. Not only were those guys bereft of Internet, I don’t think even fun had been invented yet! Imagine leading your followers over one-and-a-half thousand rugged miles to a new, puritan home in the wilderness (from Minnesota to British Columbia). That was hard work back in 1894; no jumbojet-getaway! But I’m sure they experienced something resembling fun after the men spent the first fall and winter on the freezing coast chopping trees, shoveling snow and building log cabins, and then all their wives and children ferried up from the capital in the spring thaw. Well, I guess if reincarnation is the norm, we all bin there; dun that. I ain’t sayin’ that the plastic smell of computers is more inspiring to collective understanding and integration than a five hundred year old cedar rainforest, but the invention of mass-communication terminals and networks have brought us a long way in appreciating each other. Old Rev. C. didn’t even want his people to marry non-Norwegians, not to mention Muslims, Hindus or Jews (although they did somehow manage to get in among the more enlightened aboriginals).
His son, my grandfather the sea captain, was more evolved in this respect. He brought home his bride from Devon after WW1, Norwegian or no. Why, she wasn’t even a conformed Christian. Surviving witnesses in the old Vancouver neighbourhood may still recall the public argument she had one day across the picket fence with Mr. Bible-Thumper next door, insisting that reincarnation of human beings is a natural and inevitable process (“and-you-can-jolly-well-put-that-in-your-pipe-and-smoke-it!”). And that was well before the New Age Revolution began in the sixties. Um . . . Grandma’s reincarnation> Devon> Sea captain> Indians> the old Rev.> . . . ah, yes – the Internet: It’s obvious to me, after twenty-five years of daily personal subjective, and international objective experience in Sahaja Yoga, that this new level of global communication is a result of an accelerated inner process of collective consciousness. Naturally, these deep, evolutionary, spiritually powerful, expanding awareness thingies do tend to find ways of manifesting appropriate tools, so it’s no wonder that super-fast, super-portable, super-affordable gadgets and systems have sprouted into common use for the greater goodness of getting everyone universally chummy. I’m also convinced (und ich wuerde meinen rechten Arm darauf verwetten) that as soon as all this evil and bullying and perversion and smug complacency has been played out, that wave of – yes, in your face – LOVE is going to wash over the stage, and we’ll be in for one hell-of-a (oops), I mean, one wonderful show!
You may sayyy I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one . . . And whatever desire you hold on to, is the direction you move toward. It seems we’re shifting into a whole new mode*.
(Stay tuned for further fun ‘n’ fascinating features . . .)
Now, I really must get back to my wood chopping. (I do find it fun!)

(And I truly do admire the seeking spirit of my fore-fathers/mothers, including my own parents, whose appetites for shared goodness and truth, in times of such pervading spiritual darkness, have been encouraging.)

Posted in blogging, enlightenment, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, meditation, mouse, nature, peace, people, spirituality, Uncategorized, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged Bella Coola, British Columbia, collective consciousness, Internet, love, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, Saugstad
There are a lot of concepts about meditation. But for those who’ve experienced the real thing, it’s obvious that meditation is the state in which all limited concepts are exposed for what they are, and a new kind of insight becomes the norm.
Meditation is the state of thoughtless-awareness reached when the human attention rises above the mental turmoil to perceive everything as it really is, above thoughts. This state allows one to experience in a direct, actual way, without the filter of conditionings and projections. That may sound over-simplified and unlikely, but it is in fact a very natural, essential evolution of our consciousness.
Even after twenty-five years of daily moments of meditation, I’m still often surprised and delighted by my personal experiences, which sometimes come unexpectedly and in new, varied ways. One becomes aware of the subtle ‘vibrations’ that emit from persons, places, things or occurrences. The other day I sat behind a mother playing with her laughing baby on a public bus. My mind was filled with clear silence, and my body became light, joy-filled and pleasantly cool. In contrast, as I later strolled along the sidewalk and passed two angry motorists exchanging hot words over a minor accident, I experienced a short but vivid wave of heat, tension and noise inside. On such occasions, I usually take a moment to direct the very subtle, cool vibrations, that indicate and can even activate a deeply healthy and constructive state, into the fray, so to speak. This can be done with a simple implementation of the attention, or by using the hands. Once, when confronted by a raging clerk who had grown impatient with my innocent questions, I simply asked her to hold out her hands, palms up, to see what she feels. Taken aback by my request, she spontaneously complied and shortly replied that she felt waves of heat pouring out of them. I put my hand above hers, mentioning that we all have a special energy in the sacrum bone at the base of the spine, which easily rises at contact with certain cool, subtle vibrations, clearing stubborn obstacles to our well-being.
Suddenly, her hands emitted a soft, cool breeze, and her tense face broke into a lovely smile. She then felt the same cool wind coming out of the top of her head, indicating that this energy, kundalini, had risen up the spine to the fontanel. We were mutually grateful for this wonderful moment, which had bonded us in a way previously unknown and unreachable to average human beings.
In the simple practice of Sahaja Yoga meditation, which I and my family have enjoyed daily for over a quarter century, a natural process unfolds within the body, expanding the normally dwarfed human awareness. This is easily verifiable by anyone with an honest inclination to feel truth – and I don’t mean emotionally. Once the human nervous system is enlightened, it’s possible to literally feel the difference between goodness and harmfulness, constructiveness and destructiveness. It’s the closed, biased circuit of our personal thought processes that keeps us in the shell of insecurity and ignorance. The benefits I’ve experienced and seen would (and inevitably will) fill a book. I find it shameful – indeed tragic – that a handful of malicious persons invest their time in defaming this unprecedented, universal gift, thereby misleading earnest seekers. It’s an old story, I guess. History is full of the scars from dark hearts which couldn’t stand the light – individuals who cleverly don the robes of would-be righteousness. It’s always been easier to rally under the banners of hatred and suspicion, than to proudly plant the flags of common goodness. At last we’re able to equip ourselves with the inner tools to perceive reality and establish clarity. Now that we all stand on the threshold of a beautiful, new opportunity, I sincerely hope that you will recognize the difference when your moment comes.

You can try, just now.
Open your hands, palms upward, and ask quietly in your heart
for your Self-realization.
You can close your eyes or else look at the picture above this text.
Within a few seconds you should feel something in your hands
and on top of your head.
Take a few moments to enjoy this change.
This is the beginning.

Posted in enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, meditation, peace, people, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, Uncategorized, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged Sahaja Yoga Meditation, self-realization, thoughtless-awareness, Vibrations

I was visiting friends the other day. Their daughter, who I know since babyhood, just graduated from high school. She is now tall and smart, but just as much a free-spirited child as she always was. She has always nurtured her spiritual ascent, meditating regularly to enjoy the daily inner clearing and centering effect that this inbuilt connection, this sahaja yoga, has on her. Her classmates never showed any particular interest in her. But on the last day of classes, she was approached by the other girls who had been shocked to hear that she was not going with them on the graduation field trip. She was moved to tears when they started crying with dismay at the prospect of never seeing her again. They probably didn’t know themselves why they were so overwhelmed with emotion at this loss. The subtle vibrations that emit from such a person, like a comforting, familiar fragrance, sooth the energy centers and channels in others. This is not a theory, but a well documented phenomena which has been occurring with increasing frequency. I remember when another born-realized toddler made friends with an elderly lady on a return flight from India. Leaning against her knees, he sweetly smiled up into her face, radiating joy and thoughtless awareness. Then he played nearby, sometimes involving her in his games. By the end of the journey, the woman was beside herself with mirth. As they wheeled her from the plane, she was heard to exclaim, “I don’t know what has come over me. I feel so good!”
Such is the nature of the higher state we are approaching – a state of boundless benevolence that benefits everyone, regardless of race, age or social class. Its range of influence is limited by only one factor: human free will. A person with an honest and humble desire to attain freedom from blinding conditionings and misleading ambitions – one who feels, or at least hopes, that there is something more to life than what we’ve known so far – is destined to attain this treasure. It’s easy to reach, but sometimes a challenge to maintain in this chaotic world. At work and school we have to engage our brains in mundane, and often frustrating, routine. And the landslides of thoughts that bury our attention don’t vanish of their own accord when we come home to rest*. This key to freedom from random mental chatter is only ours to use when it once rises from its hiding place at the base of the spine to open the highest door at the top of the head. With minimal daily effort of the newly enlightened attention, you can permanently escape the burdens of the past and future, and settle into the playful present. If this is such a universal principal, why don’t we learn it in school and practice it in the workplace, you might justly ask. This knowledge and technique is now being implemented in many such institutions, but you know what they said about the early inventions of radio and television (and the later innovation of Apple digital devices): amazing, but will they ever be accepted into common use? Sometimes we humans stick to the old familiar and try to ignore the improvements we could embrace. May the essential joy and inner peace become the familiar that we get hooked on, leaving behind the dead-weight and noise that holds us down. Absolute freedom is just a breath away.
(*In sleep we can step out of this mental traffic, but the third state, that of meditation, is by far more deeply nurturing and liberating, in a permanent way.)

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Posted in children, creativity, enlightenment, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, meditation, peace, people, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, thoughts, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged enlightenment, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, thoughtless-awareness
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
God dreamed,
And in Her dreams She saw
The Perfect Form
To reveal Her Love:
In soft
And tender, rosy limbs;
In gentle, curious,
Tickling buds;
In plump
And soothing curves that glow
With generous, happiest
Harmony;
With bright
Caressing, sunny eyes,
And ears to hear
What’s pure and dear;
With tiny,
Shiny lips and tongue
Which taste and sing
And breathe sweetness.
Into
One simplest, gracious Form,
The Best from God
Was humbly born.
And with
Each murmur, smile and wink,
The Mother’s Heart
Did bound and leap!
With each
Fumbling, curious grasp,
The Mother’s Voice
Was heard to laugh!
And when
That Child was sleeping sound,
The Mother’s tears
Of Joy ran down . . .
No flower,
No hill, nor moonlit sea
Can match that deep
Serenity.
Those soft
Eyelids, so calm in sleep,
Do lull to peace
The whole world’s grief,
As, cool
And clear, comes from Above,
That heartfelt Sigh
Of Mother’s Love.
– e. e. saugstad, 1996
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Posted in children, creativity, Ganesha, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, mother, peace, poetry, smile, spirituality, thoughts, Uncategorized, well-being, wisdom
The two most crippling attitudes in our so-called advanced culture are guilt and un-forgiveness. These are the two sides, one dark and the other glaring, of an unlucky coin. The more guilty and insecure we feel, the more we try to justify our existence through unnecessary aggressiveness. On returning home to Vancouver after fifteen years in Vienna, I was surprised to discover how many old friends had completely stopped talking to certain family members because of some minor disagreement between them. When a sliver of inferiority is imbedded deep inside of someone, it’s impossible to maintain the flow of love that would normally generate in the heart. (The internal energy center in a human being that is directly handicapped by guilty feelings, the left vishuddhi chakra, is located just above the heart.) This is how most marriages shatter. When your own unconscious image of yourself is that of a kicked dog, it’s difficult to feel the goodness in others. Once the raging motor of ego kicks in (right agnya chakra), the chances of slipping back into a natural state of benevolence are not likely. Wouldn’t it be great to have a button to push, that would shift your machine back into a smooth gear? You have one.
There is a benevolent, motherly energy in each of us that, once awakened, nurtures the intricate affairs of our subtle insides. With the simplest sincere wish to know ones true self, combined with the slightest contact with the subtlest vibrations, the subatomic building blocks of Creation which can be felt via the human nervous system as a cool breeze, one can instantly reach the state in which we are linked to the all-pervading power that will constantly recharge our worn batteries. You change from a closed, stagnant system, to a plugged-in instrument with all the same valuable attributes as that unlimited Source. This is the first button. Then you get a whole range of active keys and switches that were previously only dormant.
One of these keys is that which selects a healthy, constructive self-image. Normally, an affirmation or prayer is something spoken (with good intentions) into a disconnected phone. After self-realization, you have your own, personal connection to the inexhaustible reservoir whose nature it is to answer promptly and fix without cost – more efficient and user-friendly than the best on-line device! I’ve been married for twenty-one years, and sometimes I’d like to give my wife a brain transplant when she’s disagreeing with me. Sometimes we walk away angry. But, with a childishly simple correction of the vibrational imbalance, fun and humor can be instantly restored. (And when I’m driving, there are moments in the line of fire of an aggressive motorist when I wish I had a James Bond car that fires rockets. But, with a wave of the hand and a gentle re-orientation of the attention, the cool, calming balance washes in, dispelling the fiery illusion.) It’s very easy to decode subtle obstacles to well-being with an enlightened nervous system. As soon as the inner festive tree-lights are turned on, all your beautiful decorations are discovered. It only takes a few minutes a day of regular meditation to feel and learn how to use all the inherent tools that are built in. The key that removes unnecessary feelings of guilt has many options, and can lift you out of countless complex dead-ends. The same with the switch that deals with your sometimes naughty Mr. Ego. These methods are possible because the hands and the attention become powerful instruments that are capable of directing these vibrations to correct any troublesome problem. Sounds too easy? When you’ve tasted the juice of thoughtless-awareness, a fruit like no other, you’ll never go back to cheap soft-drinks. Just try it and see what happens after you’re connected. The difference will overwhelm you.
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Posted in enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, innocence, joy, life, love, meditation, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged chakra, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, self-realization, spirituality, thoughtless-awareness
We are entering the Age of Miracles, a time when the word miracle loses its familiar meaning – a time when the full potential of human beings is realized and that wondrous splendor spills out to enhance all living experience. (For some, this statement will produce the following reaction: ho-hum, I think I’ll click over to eBay for a cheap camera. Another might rave: yeah, far out, it’s all, like, so WOW! Most – hopefully – will take a moment to peek inside themselves to find out if any hidden treasures lie buried there.)
We’ve heard all the apparently fantastic proclamations: The day of the Last Judgement is nigh; the Comforter and Counselor is coming; watch for the time of Kiyama; the New Age of Aquarius has dawned. . . . Is the highway we’re driving down leading to something permanently better, or just to bumpier disappointment?
Something essential gets overlooked in most of our presumptions about our collective future: whatever shape it takes depends on what’s happening inside each individual. If everyone’s banging their heads against the Wall of Life, the future is bound to be a headache. If everyone is running in circles and complaining about it, we’re definitely in for a dizzy, grumpy trip. If, on the other hand, we can find out if there’s something important inside of us that has till now escaped our attention – something positively revolutionizing – we could be greeted by a very promising landscape indeed. The problem is, the solution seems too simple for our complicated insides. Looking around, we see worrying results of that inner fragmentation. Internal integration is the key.
A good heart (considered by some as a sign of weakness) is a good start, but even benevolent intentions can only take us so far. Still missing is that jump to light-speed that takes us instantly from confusion to clarity. The Force is with us, but how to tap its precious resources? Believe it or not, it’s a natural, built-in germination. Unlike most natural things, it can’t be exterminated through human folly. It’s born of Love, the most powerful force in the universe. It’s tangible. Take a look – it’s inside you.
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Posted in enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, grace, hope, humanity, joy, life, love, meditation, peace, people, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged age of miracles, self-realization, spirituality, well-being
Over forty summers ago, at the neither-here-nor-there age of fourteen, I picked up my bongos, stuck out my thumb, and followed the long-haired trail of freedom through Western Canada. My middle-class traveling companions and I ended up in the middle of a hippy community in a public park in central British Columbia.
One sultry evening, a long, cool black man showed up introducing himself as John Lee Hooker’s brother – they were in town for an upcoming concert. He took out his guitar and played to the awestruck gathering. Unfortunately, I sat down nearby and pounded on my bongos. Despite the gentleman’s encouraging smiles in my direction, my wine-drenched mind just wouldn’t allow me to keep pace. (The following morning, an acutely annoyed banjo-playing hippy, who had also tried accompanying the star guest in the park, threw a beer bottle at me when I picked up my bongos to tap along.) This was my early introduction to a liberal, but not entirely liberating, life-style. I went in and out of hippy circles over the following decade, eventually cutting off my freak-flag (long hair) and escaping out of alcohol and drug abuse. (When my fourteen-year-old son recently put his hand on my shoulder and declared, ‘wouldn’t it be great if we could go back to the sixties!’ I couldn’t keep my lip and eyebrows from curling in honest resentment to the sentiment.)
I didn’t become a corporate executive, military commander or gambling-empire tycoon (I prefer working with my hands – wood is nice), but the wild ways of the beautiful children of nature also didn’t draw my allegiance. It’s funny how life’s many complications actually come out of two simple mistakes: right turns, and left turns. Did you know that your governing nervous system is made up of a distinct left and a right side? I say governing, because we’re normally victims of our pendular moods – domination of the left and right sides of our brain (ego and superego). There’s also something very important and little understood called the para-sympathetic, which automatically animates the various functions of the body. After self-realization, this benevolent caretaker glides in, like a first-class customer service, to make life more fulfilling. From this point on, you become your own *manager, gravitating always to the optimum *center, for maximum efficiency and enjoyment. (*not to be confused with corporate manager, and political center!)
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Just to set the record straight: Hippies and other social drop-outs are not always left-sided; and public leaders are not always right-sided. I’ve seen ambitious hippies playing a marathon world-domination board-game, which made me glad that they didn’t really hold the reigns of power; and I’ve met a couple of military officers (Russian and Indian) who write poetry and pray for world peace.
(Here in Austria, there are some pretty intense vibrational elements from the two extremes, from Nazi attitudes to Freud and Catholic ghosts.)

Posted in creativity, enlightenment, freedom, friendship, fulfillment, hope, humanity, joy, life, love, meditation, peace, people, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, well-being, wisdom, yoga
Tagged hippies, John Lee Hooker, self-realization, spirituality

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

One fine morning, down the street,
An elephant I chanced to meet:
“Good day,” I said, and trying to pass
Spoiled my shoes in the dewy grass.
(For he filled the sidewalk, where
He stood without a thought or care.)
“Excuse me sir, I’m late for work!”
I shouted up, a bit berserk.
“If I’m not there by half-passed eight
“I’ll loose my job for being late!”
(But he pretended not to hear
And simply smiled from ear to ear.)
“What’s wrong with elephants these days?!”
I cursed, my liver now ablaze.
“Don’t you watch the stock-exchange?!”
“Time is money! Life is change!”
(He waved his ears and gave a yawn
And nodded to the rising sun.)
“I’ve sweated all my life to be
“Important in the company!
“No elephant will make me stop
“My ardent race to reach the top!”
(With his trunk he picked a rose
And pushed it up against my nose.)
“Listen here you thoughtless brute,
“Perhaps you think you’re being cute,
“But you’d better face the fact:
“You’re holding evolution back!”
At this remark he seemed to grow
And over me, a shadow throw;
A shadow cool and comforting . . .
I wondered what was happening.
Just then I noticed in his eyes
A clear blue depth, like endless skies.
And did, or did I not there see
All life, all hope, all destiny?
Suddenly I seemed to wake
And gave myself a good, strong shake.
“What is . . . where am . . . how did . . .?” said I.
“Where is that god who made me cry?”
(Then wiping tears from both my eyes
I stepped back in great surprise.)
For there before me on the walk
A little child stood looking up.
With head just slightly to one side
He sweetly watched my melting pride.
(I felt embarrassed by his gaze
Which read me like the sun’s pure rays.)
With smile playing on his lips
He quickly turned, and off he skipped.
Was it my heart that, by his whim,
Ran that day along with him?
~
That was a long, long time ago.
And though today I’m gray and old
I feel that child within me still.
And gratefully, I always will.
– Edward E. Saugstad, Cambridge, summer of ’87
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Posted in children, creativity, enlightenment, forgiveness, freedom, fulfillment, grace, hope, innocence, joy, life, peace, poetry, spirituality, Uncategorized, well-being, wisdom
Tagged enlightenment, innocence, poetry

The human heart is a highly underestimated instrument. It’s quite famous for pumping blood – sometimes uncomfortably fast or slow. It is indirectly responsible for countless love songs and romance novels. It is the source of unforgettable emotional stimulation, i.e., the ecstatic falling-in-love, and the somewhat less agreeable heart-break (falling-out-of-love). And it is universally notorious for the part it plays in the guaranteed end, when, with dramatic finality, it stops, to usher in the mysterious state of death. But what do we really know about our precious hearts?
Without getting too esoteric, there is a simple way of getting to really know your best friend, that rhythmic pal in your chest that channels life and love. The first important step is to establish the actual connection with your self. That sounds like a lot to do, especially if you’ve read countless spiritual self-help manuals. In fact it is easy, quick, and infinitely enjoyable, and happens spontaneously when a certain benevolent energy, designed and provided exclusively for that special purpose, eagerly rises from the ‘sacred bone’ at the bottom of your spine to the fontanel bone at the top of the head. But don’t take my word for it; try it for your self. (For the Web-disoriented, that was a hint to click on the underlined phrase, try it 😉 )
Now, once you’ve gotten to that all-important link (no pun intended) with your self through the awakening of kundalini and it’s subsequent ascent up to the sahasrara chakra, there opens up for you a whole new realm of hither-to unexpected possibilities. You will inevitably find, through the simple, regular practice of sahaja yoga meditation, the proof in the universal pudding that you are much, much more than you ever guessed you are. As the limited human attention steps out into the endless fresh air of pure, unlimited Spirit (as your kundalini spontaneously opens the seventh center at the top of your head), an amazing thing happens. Your heart, a normally clouded mirror, starts to clear and catch more reflection of that joyful sky or sea of absolute love that, although supporting all life, is usually just beyond our perception. Through the carefully designed instrument of your central nervous system, your spiritual modem, you get a first concrete glimpse of the Divine Internet. Don’t be surprised to discover that there is no noise and chaotic chatter there: that connection will fill you with beautiful Silence, the source of all creativity. And That is your very own.
Oh, yeah – this was supposed to be about joy and emotional intelligence. But reading about joy is about as en-joyable as being told about a delicious club sandwich – it just doesn’t hit the spot. Joy has to be lived – and emotional intelligence inevitably follows. Try it. You’ll love it.
(Spirituality = Inherent Joy. It is not a commodity to be bought or sold or in any way controlled by a third party! It can only be a direct connection.)
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Posted in creativity, enlightenment, freedom, fulfillment, grace, hope, innocence, joy, life, love, peace, spirituality, thoughtless awareness, Uncategorized, well-being, wisdom
Tagged emotional intelligence, heart, joy, kundalini, Sahaja Yoga Meditation, spirituality