January 4, 2026

Spiritualize The Mind

Acharya Paula Vandana Whang-Ramos

"When awareness returns to abide in the divine Self, consciousness moves from dwelling in the individual apartment

of the body-mind to the omnipresent expanse of infinite joy, creative possibility, and pure knowledge. It is possible anytime."
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, CSE Daily Inspiration 12/29/2025

New Year’s blessings and welcome to Blue Lotus Center's new 2026 program: Reclaim Inner Peace. Each monthly newsletter will focus on a practical quality of spiritually conscious living. Then every Wednesday evening, based on ancient, time-tested Kriya Yoga practices from the Spiritual Teachers in this tradition, we will experience how that spiritual quality reveals our innate inner peace and wholeness. Our focused month-long practice will support our daily meditation and spiritual practice to more consciously navigate life circumstances in deeper inner peace, clarity, and wisdom. So, let's get started and reclaim our inner peace now!

In January, we begin with spiritualizing the mind. Teachings from the Yoga Sutra remind us that our deepest source of suffering arises from a misguided mind that mistakenly believes we are the limitations of the mind/body. As the mind learns to follow soul wisdom through Kriya Yoga practices, we can directly experience our essential wholeness and the inner peace that naturally arises from Self-realization.

For example, in the Korean language, the root word for "Hello" and "Good-bye" is "in peace". A more accurate translation for "Hello" in Korean is "Welcome in peace." And a more accurate translation of "Good-bye" is "Stay in peace" or "Go in peace". These translations remind us that whether we are greeting someone, leaving someone or remaining behind, we are all IN peace all the time. There is nowhere we can go or be where we are not IN peace. This month, during our Wednesday meditation groups, we will practice Kriya Yoga techniques to spiritualize the mind to be a useful instrument to access our inner peace.

Additionally, all are invited to join us at CSE today and this week to welcome Yogacharya O'Brian and the new year in a spiritually conscious way. Let's welcome 2026 by intentionally, courageously, and joyfully taking this first step to abide in the inner peace of the divine Self.

“"Peace in our homes, community, and world begins with a vision of it, faith in it, and the commitment to realize it by working for it. Bring forth the light of peace by first experiencing it directly in meditation and then transmit divine peace to others.”

Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, Spiritual Director, Center for Spiritual Enlightenment

KRIYA Yoga MEDITATION Center:

CSE south county meditation center

Blue Lotus

Acharya Vandana's Inspirations