Meditation & Yoga Center:

CSE south county meditation center

June 25, 2023

Live In Hope, Faith and Love

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Begin now to live the life you hope for, full of faith and love."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, CSE Daily Inspiration 03-31-2023

I believe that most of us would like to live lives full of hope, faith, and love, right? But have you ever thought, “I will be more loving tomorrow after I get through this frustrating moment.” Or, “My hope and faith will be restored after I get what I want.” Have you noticed that when we do that, we are actually rejecting the abundance of love, the inspiration of hope, and the power of faith in the very circumstances in which we need them the most? When I do that to myself, it feels like I am trying to force the limitless abundance of divine grace through a straw.

Instead of trying to fit these eternal divine qualities into the limitations of the mind, we could choose to stop waiting for the circumstance to change before we change. We could choose to hold a higher vision of our essential worth as individual expressions of the Source of life. Again and again, we could intentionally expand the mind into the power and presence of love, hope, and faith, right where we are, in the messiness of the moment. We could rely on and deepen our daily meditation and spiritually conscious living practices to reveal the courage and compassion already within us to live the lives of hope, faith, and love that we all deserve right now.

Join us at Blue Lotus Center onsite (Wednesday evenings only) and online (Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Experience a time of meditation, study, contemplation, and divine remembrance with others devoted to realizing and thriving in our innate peace, love, and wisdom. Contribute to the realization of peace in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds. Beginning and experienced participants from all traditions are welcome at all gatherings.

June 18, 2023

Live In Soul Freedom - Now!

Paula Whang-Ramos

"We don't have to deny the world to live spiritually."
~ Mr. Roy Eugene Davis

Sometimes life comes at us fast. If we react to life changes from the mind, we might mistakenly believe that we will be "more spiritual" when earthly circumstances are more desirable. The mind thinks, "If only I had a different job or larger home or new partner or faster car or more money or less stress, then I could be more spiritual." However, in the yoga tradition, this story is not true.

In Yoga, our spiritual purpose is not to outwait life events that upset us. In Yoga, we live into these events as opportunities to mature our spiritual awareness. Rather than avoiding life challenges, we intentionally lean into our spiritual practice to inwardly open into the divine possibility that right where we are, amidst the confusion of the mind and the chaos of earth life, is Divine Wholeness, waiting to be realized and lived through us. We can acknowledge our fear, frustration and avoidance as a mental reaction that does not have to define us – unless we give it the power to do so.

Instead, we use that circumstance to build our inner spiritual integrity, competence, and faith as we listen and follow a deeper consciousness into the deeper Reality of Wholeness, and Its ever-present creative power and wisdom - right where we are. When we rely on our daily spiritual practice to inspire our daily thoughts, words, and actions, then we can open into the direct experience of soul freedom beyond the scariest story the mind can try to tell us. Instead of limiting us, unexpected life changes can be seen as powerful opportunities to live in soul freedom.

Join us at Blue Lotus Center onsite (Wednesday evenings only) and online (Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Experience a time of meditation, study, contemplation, and divine remembrance with others devoted to realizing and thriving in our innate peace, love, and wisdom. Contribute to the realization of peace in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds. Beginning and experienced participants from all traditions are welcome at all gatherings.

June 11, 2023

A Wisdom Guided Life

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Our direction in life is set by our power to choose. Let wisdom guide your will."
~ Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

I love the Bhagavad Gita, one of the foundational spiritual texts that we study at CSE and BLC. It symbolically depicts the power we have during moments in which we may feel so powerless. During those life challenges, will we shrink into our fears and defend our limitations, or will we open into inner wisdom reminding us of deeper Truths? And how does our emotional reaction or intentional response impact the quality and integrity of our lives after that?

The Bhagavad Gita reminds us of the divine power that enlivens our thoughts, words, and actions. And, we are blessed with the power to choose which thoughts, words, and actions we will use to express our lives. In divine wisdom, we realize that we are not powerless victims of unexpected change. Even during challenging times, we are still empowered with the choice to wisely, compassionately process these changes through the spiritual wisdom that indwells us all.

When our choices are guided by this Source of power, we can consciously use our thoughts, words, and actions to accept, grow and heal through challenging life circumstances. Every choice we make, consciously and unconsciously, impacts the direction of our lives and the footprint we leave on all life. When we inwardly listen and follow divine wisdom, then our choices can be an offering, a blessing, a healing, and an inspiration for us all.

PS - Join Yogacharya O'Brian for meditation and Gita study this Wednesday morning using the links below.

Join us at Blue Lotus Center onsite (Wednesday evenings only) and online (Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Experience a time of meditation, study, contemplation, and divine remembrance with others devoted to realizing and thriving in our innate peace, love, and wisdom. Contribute to the realization of peace in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds. Beginning and experienced participants from all traditions are welcome at all gatherings.

June 4, 2023

Hearing The Inner Call

Paula Whang-Ramos

"Self-discipline includes the courage to take a stand for what we know is right for us to have, or do, or be -
then the commitment to follow through, to do what we need to do."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

Sporting my new sun hat, I was recently enjoying a delicious meal at a local outdoor restaurant. At the large table next to me was an elder woman, eating with other adults and children, who looked to be family members. The scene brought back fond memories of family meals with my Grandmother. As the sun warmed the patio, the elder woman became increasingly uncomfortable from sitting in the direct sun, while all the others at her table were sitting in the shade. I could feel my own concern arise for her, as I watched her distress grow.

I had to refrain from boarding the “ain’t it awful” train of thought about this situation. I had to take a moment of inward silence to discern my role, if any, in this circumstance. Reclaiming my power in the moment, I walked up to the table and offered the elder woman my hat. Her face lit up and she immediately put it on. I was so grateful to have heard and followed as I was inwardly guided. And I was so happy to share my beautiful new sun hat to comfort someone's Grandmother!

When we experience troubling circumstances, it can be difficult to stop the wave of negative reactions that arise from within us. We have genuine concern for others and yet, we may feel powerless to respond. But we are not powerless. We have the power to use these difficult situations, and our reactions to them, as inner calls to walk the talk of the integrity of our essential Wholeness. Yes, it takes discipline to disembark the train of collective unconsciousness. And, when we do, then the wisdom-guided intelligence and open-hearted integrity that we all are, can inspire us to be the constructive change we want to see in the world right now.

Join us at Blue Lotus Center onsite (Wednesday evenings only) and online (Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Experience a time of meditation, study, contemplation, and divine remembrance with others devoted to realizing and thriving in our innate peace, love, and wisdom. Contribute to the realization of peace in our minds, our hearts, our families, our community, and our world. Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center welcomes sincere seekers from all backgrounds. Beginning and experienced participants from all traditions are welcome at all gatherings.

Blue Lotus

Inspirational Messages

“If anything disturbs your peace, practice having faith that divine grace is already actively at work restoring wholeness and well-being.

Then make any necessary adjustments in harmony with that insight.”
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, Spiritual Director, Center for Spiritual Enlightenment