reflections on reflections

With the consideration of the diversity of life conditions that are to be born into on this Earth, I feel incredibly blessed with the opportunities I have available to me in this life, which allow me to actualize my dreams and visions, holding the intentions that my life's activity may somehow make the world a better place.
In previous writings I have shared with readers my musical journey and some of the insights that have come to me.  I write all these words with the hopes of inspiring others, and in doing so my own life's purpose becomes clearer. We are all indeed witnesses to each other's journey and I can be my own witness as well. If I can stay centered in my own truth and life path, also be an observant witness of other's truth, then there's always something that can be learned and taught. We are all students and teachers of life. Coming from a place of humble centeredness, there is no need for feeling inferior or superior. When we can see each other's lives as reflections of ourselves and our human potential, taking responsibility for our thoughts, words and actions, in the knowing that there is ALWAYS more to learn and more growing and transforming to do, we can live our lives in a dynamic way that fosters a more easeful journey.  With the clarity of our personal aspirations we have something to strive towards. Asking yourself: What is it that my spirit really longs for? Am I feeling my needs aren't being met somehow and if so what can I do about it?…
to be continued??

Easter in Puna

Aloha and what a beautiful day it is.  I awoke to the sound of chickens clucking outside my door, laying their eggs in the nest I made for them. Before getting out of bed I had already stretched thoroughly with my practice of "bed yoga."  Then I proceeded to the morning ablutions before having my tall glass of lemon water. Since it is Easter today I was drawn to reading Yogananda, which seems to have become an Easter tradition for me. That was inspiring as always. I also took some time to reflect on how blessed my life has been thus far, and recalled my memories of childhood Easters spent at my grandparents house in Cupertino California with all my cousins.
I went for a walk outside, feeling drawn to this special tree that I have built a relationship with over the last few weeks. Its a norfolk pine. Very beautiful evergreen tree. This tree had been my companion and center of grounding during my first san Pedro ceremony. I decided this place was also the perfect place to return to this morning to make an offering and give thanks to this land and the spirits of this land that have held me here so sweetly. Then I walked to the mulberry trees. By now, the chickens were already following me. We have a new routine, you see. They LOVE mulberries and so as I am picking them to eat, some are falling off the tree and they are sure to gobble them up. Some of the bolder girls will snatch them from my fingers, in mid-air.
Vishaka and I just decided we will go to Polestar, a Yogananda community up the road, for an Easter service. I remember years ago I went to an easter service in Encinitas. Today I will by-pass ecstatic dance for a more quieter and calmer morning celebration of life and resurrection of the Spirit. Aloha Ke Akua!
I will end this with the words of Paramahansa Yogananda:

Behold thine immortal Self resurrected with Christ in the illuminating Light of Christ Consciousness, present in every soul, every flower, every atom. Be One With Christ Consciousness When we open our inner eyes of soul wisdom, we behold the omnipresent Light of God. Within this Light is the consciousness of Christ, the "Son" or pure reflection of God present everywhere in the universe. This Christ Consciousness, the Infinite Christ, is God's intelligence and love knocking on the closed eyelids of our souls, urging us that all we have to do is look to this Light within and we shall see all ignorance and diversities vanish. To him who has opened his inner eye, everything is One. Resurrection means that the universal Spirit present in all creation as the Christ Consciousness is constantly being resurrected − awakened or manifested − in everything. Whenever you do away with ignorance and think good thoughts, Christ is being resurrected within you; that is, the Christ Consciousness that was fully manifested in Jesus is awakening within you.      Resurrection is not the power of Spirit in the body of Jesus only; Spirit is in everyone. Nor does man have to die in order to resurrect Spirit. The physical resurrection of Christ was only part of the lesson of his life. Every time you give up a weakness and feel happy in being good, Christ is resurrected anew. You can bring Christ Consciousness within you right now. Resurrect your calmness from beneath the soil of restlessness; resurrect your wisdom from the enshrouding earthliness of ignorance; resurrect your love from beneath the sod of mundane human attachment − with its limited love for family, society, and country − to divine love for all.  To find the real Christ you must expand your consciousness as Jesus did....The physical way of practicing what Christ taught is to behave toward all as the children of your own Father, and the spiritual way is to meditate until you feel the vast joy of God through the Christ Consciousness. Universal brotherhood will not come until, by deepest concentration and devotion, you stand aside from all your restless thoughts and feelings and sit in the temple of your soul, wherein the vast joy of God expands and engulfs this world, and you realize there is naught else but That. The Resurrection of Jesus in Light of Kriya Yoga We understand resurrection in its true sense when we comprehend the yoga science that clearly defines the underlying principles by which Jesus resurrected his crucified body into the freedom and light of God....      Jesus' resurrection was little understood, and much disbelieved even though he made himself visible to hundreds of people − not only to his close disciples. In those days they comprehended only that Jesus was dead and then he was alive, but they did not understand the science and art of ascension and resurrection, as is defined in the timeless scriptures of Yoga. No other science has detailed the descent of the individualized consciousness of God as the soul into man and its evolutionary and spiritual ascent back into Spirit. In this modern age, Kriya Yoga has been brought forward after being lost in the dark ages, as a definite method to hasten the spiritual evolution of human consciousness and open the inner cerebrospinal pathway of ascension. Prayer and Affirmation for Easter Morning  "Heavenly Christ, saturate our consciousness with Thy consciousness. Give us a new birth in Thee."   Affirm and feel:   "Heavenly Father, awaken me in Christ Consciousness. Christ and I are one.  Joy and I are one.  Peace and I are one.  Wisdom and I are one.                          Love and I are one.  Bliss and I are one. Christ and I are one. Christ and I are one. Christ and I are one."