TRIUNE OF LIGHT

Monthly Meditation Themes

 

At the beginning of every month, TRIUNE members receive an electronic newsletter which also includes a seed thought for meditation. If they choose, members are encouraged to incorporate these thoughts into their own daily meditation routines. Meditation themes are usually seasonal and/or address a specific topic or situation needing immediate attention. Please feel free to join us in meditative focus.

 

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October 2019

 

The month of October is represented in large part by the astrological sign of Libra the Scales, associated with balance, harmony and justice. If we look at or listen to even the briefest newscasts, however, it's difficult to ignore the lack of harmony and all the strife going on all over the world as we enter this already tumultuous month of October. Just a few examples include the clashes between police and pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong, the tug-of-war surrounding a "Brexit" deal in the U.K., and the polarized nature of the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump in the United States. And of course, with our immediate access to global news coverage and ability to express ourselves openly on social media, the personal opinions and emotions of the entire global population add to the weight of arguments on either side. Every few hours, it seems as though the global scales of balance and harmony precariously tip from one extreme to the other, threatening to topple over completely!

All esoteric teachings speak about the need for balance, not only on the personal level, but also in matters relating to the development of the human race as a whole. Helena Roerich, who brought us the Agni Yoga teachings, frequently spoke of this and the consequences which follow if we ignore the importance of maintaining balance. In a letter to one of her students, she once explained it as follows:

"Teros and Tamas must work like brothers. Teros is synonymous with spirit, motion or light; Tamas is synonymous with matter, inertia or ignorance. The life of the Cosmos is composed of the equilibrium of these two elements. The predominance in nature or in a human being of one of these elements leads to decomposition and final destruction. The necessity for equilibrium of these elements can be seen in all of life. Today, we can see most clearly in the life of entire countries and nations what comes of violation of equilibrium."

Very little can be accomplished on the physical plane to solve problems if the ethers are stirred into a frenzy of opposing thought-forms with no attempt at cooperation and a balanced and harmonious resolution acceptable to all parties concerned. So it would seem that at this particular time, our periods of meditation might be best used in helping to steady global thought patterns which are, in some places, careening out of control.

During the month of October and beyond, you may wish to concentrate on a specific problem area in your own country where a solution is needed, but is being delayed by polarized thought-forms and emotions surrounding that particular circumstance. As you settle into meditation, it may be helpful to first visualize the symbol of the Scales of Libra and fill your aura with the idea of harmony, strength, balance and cooperation. Imagine the scales perfectly and evenly balanced in the center, not moving at all, but maintaining a position of absolute justice,truth and harmony. Then transfer that imagery and feeling to the problem you wish to address, imprinting it and thus clearing it of all chaotic thought-forms and emotions. Then visualize an outcome that is true and correct, serving the best interests of all concerned.

 

December 2018

 

Here in the United States, November is when we honor our national Thanksgiving holiday, and the celebration continues into the festive December holiday season. Our thoughts at this time of year often turn to the themes of gratitude and giving thanks.

During these stressful and chaotic times, however, our feelings of gratitude are sometimes fleeting. Amidst daily tensions, it can be difficult to even recall some of our more subtle blessings -- those we may tend to take for granted, such as for the earth itself -- for the air and water and food this planet provides our physical bodies. The earth's sacrifices, which sustain our physical bodies during incarnation, provide our spiritual Selves a place to grow and develop and allow us to interact with others on the Soul level.

There's a beautiful saying by the American abolitionist and clergyman, Henry Ward Beecher, that touches on this. He said: "Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the Soul." It's interesting to note that in those moments when we do feel genuine gratitude, we can physically feel a tugging warmth in the area of the heart chakra, as though the emotion were truly springing forth from us, as Beecher described, to touch that thing or person for whom we are thankful.

It's easiest to be grateful for tangible, physical things that sustain our bodies. It's sometimes harder to show gratitude for the emotional qualities of another which sustain us, like love, loyalty or courage. It's harder, still, to count those spiritual blessings that we receive on the Soul level, which help us every moment on our true journey back to Oneness.

We can include in our meditative periods this idea of gratitude and how important it is not only for each individual, but to the spiritual development of the entire human race. After examining the part gratitude plays in our own personal lives, we can then take into meditative focus the following thoughts, as they relate to our group work:

1. This incarnation is a blessed opportunity, for which I am grateful.
2. Discovering that spiritual work which my Soul intended is a blessed opportunity, for which I am also grateful.
3. Finding the particular group of Souls with whom I can share this work and spiritual journey is a blessed and joyful opportunity, for which I am grateful.

 

September 2018

 

Devastating Hurricane Florence is currently battering the southeastern United States with destructive winds and record-breaking flooding. This brings to mind yet again the problem of global climate change. With warming ocean waters contributing to the frequency and destructive intensity of storms like Hurricane Florence and the repetitive weather patterns we have been experiencing for several years now, the problem of global climate change urgently demands a solution.

We humans treat our planet like no other species ever has -- dumping garbage into our waterways, churning out polluting substances into the atmosphere, devouring precious, limited resources, paving over everything in our path, paying little regard to the long-term consequences to both the environment and the other species which also inhabit this space with us. This distinctly human attitude is examined somewhat in an article from Penn State Professor of Biology, Christopher Uhl, (The Root Cause of Climate Change, found on www.humansandnature.org), Professor Uhl included in his article the following Native American story:

"It came to pass one day, many moons ago, that the Great Spirit called together one representative from each of Earth’s creatures. When all the creatures had assembled, the Great Spirit asked each to step forward and declare his/her purpose for being. Deer—a four-legged—went first, declaring that she was put on Earth to run lithely through the forest and to participate in life’s great cycles of birthing and dying. Then came earthworm, who declared that his purpose was to mix and aerate and fertilize Earth’s soil. Next was a two-winged, who explained that her purpose was to dine on Earth’s fruits and in so doing to transport seeds over the land. And so it went, each being having utter clarity as to its purpose until the very end, when there was just one creature who had not spoken. It was the human, a two-legged. Timidly, he stepped forward and after stammering for a time, ashamedly confessed that he did not know his purpose. This admission astonished all the other creatures. Finally, the Great Spirit addressed the human with these words: “Don’t you know, beloved, that your purpose—the reason you are here—is to glory in the wonder of it all. Your purpose is to see the utter miracle and majesty of life and in so doing to dwell in gratitude and love for all that is!”

Isn't that amazing: "To glory in the wonder of it all...to see the utter miracle and majesty of life and in so doing to dwell in gratitude and love for all that is." How often do we stop, put aside our human arrogance and pride and realize what a tiny part of the whole we actually are? How often do we ask ourselves what more we could be doing to improve things, to right the wrongs we've inflicted over the centuries on other species and the planet itself? How often do we pay respect to the other life-forms on the Earth? If we tried to see things from their point of view, what a plague humanity must seem at times.

Recently, we've spoken quite a bit about the deva (angel) evolution with whom we share the world. The importance of humanity learning to cooperate with them is becoming more urgent. While many people truly care about the health of our planet and the other species which inhabit it, the devastation continues at too rapid a pace to keep up by simply waiting for legislation to pass or technology to mitigate damage already done. Understanding and cooperating with the deva evolution may be the only thing to finally bring about a permanent change for the better.

For the month of September, we can once again try to attune our hearts and minds to the deva evolution in meditation and attempt to make contact, to see, understand, and experience the world as they do, and cooperate with them in some way. As a seed-thought for meditation, we can turn once again to Geoffrey Hodson, who in writing about "Earth's Angelic Hierarchies" said a deva instructed him thus:

"The globe is a living being with incarnate power, life and consciousness. The Earth breathes. Its heart beats. It is the body of a God who is the Spirit of the Earth. Rivers are its nerves, oceans great nerve-centers. Mountains are the denser structure of the giant whose outer form is man's evolutionary field, whose inner life and potent energies are the abiding place of the Gods. The approach to Nature by modern man is almost exclusively through action and his outer senses. Too few approach her in stillness, with outer senses quieted and inner sense aroused. Few, therefore, discover the Goddess herself behind her earthly veil."

May we be the few who discover the Truth, in cooperation with the deva kingdom as The Brotherhood of Angels and Humanity.

 

April/May 2018

 

Climate change is undeniably affecting us all. We know that our planet undergoes climactic changes over time, has done so many times in the past and will undoubtedly do so in the future. However, we can't ignore humanity's current contribution to our rapid global climate change, through excessive pollution and misuse of resources. It's also important to note that crude, negative or violent thoughts of humanity are also affecting the planetary ethers. To a clairvoyant, these types of ugly thoughts can be seen contributing to the planetary dis-ease we are currently experiencing in unpredictable weather patterns. Fortunately, a change in behavior can begin to reverse this negative trend. The Agni Yoga teachings tell us (in Illumination II) that a "vital understanding of the power of nature will provide without magic a renovation of possibilities." 

Many people can feel a connection with the animal kingdom, Just witness the love most people have for their beloved companion pets. However, many of these same people simply ignore the plant life around them, as though trees, shrubs and flowers were part of an inanimate landscape surrounding them. But the plant kingdom is vitally alive and responds to human presence just as much as animals do. We just have to be aware of their subtle signals, which is their way of communicating.

To experience this, simply touch a plant -- really touch it. Hold a branch of a tree or shrub in your hand and be aware of its energy. Send your own loving heart energy to it, in the same way you might hold the hand of a beloved human friend. Stroke it, sending love through your palm chakra and the tips of your fingers. Connect to the plant with your mind. In return, you may feel the plant returning your feelings. If you truly concentrate, you may see movement of the branch or a subtle bluish/silver light around it, or the branch may seem to actually bend towards you. If you make a deep enough connection, you may even glimpse the ensouling deva (the animating life-force) of the plant or even receive a mental or emotional "message" of some sort from it. The results may truly surprise you.

For a seed-thought for meditation, we can consider these words from the theosophical treasure, The Voice of the Silence:

Help nature and work on with her; and nature will regard thee as one of her creators and make obeisance. And she will open wide before thee the portals of her secret chambers, lay bare before thy gaze the treasures hidden in the very depths of her pure virgin bosom. Unsullied by the hand of matter she shows her treasures only to the eye of Spirit -- the eye which never closes, the eye for which there is no veil in all her kingdoms.

 

 

February 2018

 

Our American President recently gave his first State of the Union address to the nation and the rest of the world. He spoke extensively about the need for immigration reform and stressed that without implementing more stringent immigration and border policies, our country would encourage the entry of criminals and terrorists intent on doing harm to U.S. citizens.

Obviously, it's a good idea to periodically revisit and, if necessary, revise all government policies, including immigration, to ensure they are functioning properly and meeting the demands of the day. Immigration reform is certainly something which can be explored by our government...if done in a compassionate, fair, non-discriminatory and bipartisan manner. The concerns that many people have about criminals and terrorists are understandable. In this age of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, all countries want secure borders which guarantee the safety of their citizens. This, too, is something which warrants attention by our leaders, if given in a reasonable, rational and unbiased manner.

However, when discussing and acting upon complex issues like these, it's vitally important to consider all sides of the debate and equally weigh all options, lest innocent parties suffer severe consequences best reserved for a limited few troublemakers. This is where the problem lies, for few people -- even leaders of nations -- are equipped to objectively and unemotionally make appropriate choices all the time. In the case of American immigration policy, there is a delicate balance between enacting stricter laws and hurting those who legitimately wish to be here in order to escape hardships experienced in their own countries. Those of us who are U.S. citizens know that unless we are members of a Native American tribe, we or our ancestors also came here from other lands, not wishing to do harm, but simply seeking a better life.

On our TRIUNE web page under the section called Inspiration, we list the following quote from the Agni Yoga teachings:

First of all, forget all nationalities. Some await a Messiah for a single nation, but this is ignorant; for evolution of the planet can be only on a planetary scale. Precisely, the manifestation of universality must be assimilated. Only one blood flows, and the external world will no more be divided into races of primitive formation. -- New Era Community/Agni Yoga Series

TRIUNE is based on the principles of synthesis and unity and we work to build a future society based on the same. To enter a situation armed with a pre-conceived, negative view of other people -- whether immigrants or citizens of one's own nation, persons of color, those of different sexual orientation, members of a different economic status than one's own, etc. -- is counter-productive to these aims. As the Agni Yoga teachings state, the manifestation of universality must be assimilated if humanity is to move forward into the new racial type for which we are destined.

In our February meditations, let's send positive and productive energies into the ethers and the minds and hearts of the leaders of every nation. May they, in compassion and fearlessness, see the beauty and potential of all human hearts so they may always find reasonable, fair and productive solutions to the many problems with which we are faced.

 

January 2018

 

At a recent Sunday service at the local Unitarian Universalist church, the minister did a lovely meditation, which we encourage you to use as your January meditation theme. She first asked us to meditate upon what things we felt may have held us back in 2017 from being our happiest, most productive selves. This may have been something concrete like an illness or financial problems or simply a prevailing negative emotional attitude like fear, depression, anger, anxiety, jealousy, etc. Next, she asked us to write these things on a piece of paper.We then placed those pieces of paper in a bowl of water and watched them dissolve and eventually disappear.

She then asked us to meditate again, this time thinking about all the negativity we had just "dissolved" away in the bowl of clear water. Next, the minister guided us to set an intention for 2018 on something which would help us to move forward beyond any negativity to being happier, more fulfilled, more productive people. After that portion of the meditation, the minister handed out to everyone smooth stones on which we were asked to write a word or words describing our intention for 2018. This might be something like "be a more honest person," "stay calmer in trying situations" or "cultivate hope." She then suggested that we keep the stone in a prominent place, such as by our bedside or on our desk, where we could see it every day and be reminded of our positive intentions for the new year. We were also encouraged to physically hold the stone during our regular prayer or meditation periods as a constant reminder of all these things.

Try this meditation and see how it works for you. Feel free to share any comments with us at info@triuneoflight.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

December 2017

 

Best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a happy start to the new year.During the holidays, we often hear references to the "season of peace." After a tumultuous year, we all could use a good dose of peace and serenity, especially as we try to recharge ourselves for another year of work. TRIUNE member Sylvia Charlewood has written a beautiful and thoughtful poem about peace, and it is a fitting seed thought for this month's meditation periods. So please enjoy Sylvia's poem below and take it into meditation during this month of December and beyond. (Please note that Sylvia's poem is copyrighted and may not be used or re-distributed in any way without first writing us for permission at info@triuneoflight.org.

 

A Call for Peace
by Sylvia Charlewood

The time is ragged with worry;
no one is at peace,
no stillness or serenity
to be seen anywhere–
It is time to retreat,
to gather up all thoughts
and take them somewhere
safe, to pray. To greet
and to beseech the Deity
to whisper “Peace!”
into the ears of men,
and “Wisdom!” into women’s minds,
to all mankind, “Patience!”
It is a time for silence,
and to pray,
lest the noise of battle
overwhelm our day
with the gun’s rattle.
Come then, into the cavern
of deep Peace and Prayer,
Mind’s meditation,
solemn, deep,
where Deity is,
Who does not sleep;
but watches all men’s deeds -
and why they do them;
knows their needs.
Let us hem up the rags of time
with stitches fine,
perfecting it with Love,
below, above,
and make all neat –
with Peace.

 

 

September 2017

 

Here in the U.S., Labor Day marks the unofficial end of our summer and the start to the autumn season, with back-to-school for children and college students, the return of football for sports fans, and harvest time for farmers.

In many parts of the United States, there are huge, corporate-run factory farms that stretch for miles and miles, usually on flat land. Here in Appalachian Pennsylvania, however, it's very hilly, with lots of closely situated ridges alternating with valleys. So we have many small, family-run farms, consisting of only a few acres. Rather than driving by large agricultural buildings, we're used to seeing cows, sheep and goats grazing in the fields, as we carefully watch out for any free-range chickens, ducks or geese that might be crossing the road. Our near neighbor, for instance, has a few sheep, cattle and some free-range chickens. He alternates plantings of corn with soybeans in the two fields next to our house. Even on this scale, though, harvest time every autumn is a big deal, with lots of festivals, fresh produce and flowers.

The idea of the harvest can be applied to many situations, including the esoteric work we do in TRIUNE. For example, sometimes we "sow" seed-thoughts about important esoteric issues which can then be "harvested" by those who are ready to receive and use such information. It is very difficult to gauge the outward "effectiveness" of any of our efforts in TRIUNE or any other esoteric organization for that matter. This type of work is always behind the scenes and out of the public eye. It requires a great deal of patience and perseverance, and we actually may not in this current lifetime ever fully understand the effects of the work we've done. Albert Schweitzer once said: "It is not always granted to the sower to see the harvest." And this is probably a good quote to keep in mind as we go about our daily and monthly meditations, our educational, healing and other service activities for the general public, and our everyday duties to our loved ones. We may not immediately see the harvest of our good works, but the harvest will eventually come, just as it does every September here on the farms of Pennsylvania.

 

March 2017

 

There is no denying that we live in a technologically-based society, and there is a great need for workers who are well-versed in such things in order to fill currently vacant jobs. For this reason, the new educational standard in our schools has begun emphasizing the study of technology, math and science in an attempt to steer students into these career paths. In many instances, major funding is going for STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) programs. Unfortunately, the downside to this current trend is that funding is being cut for subjects such as music, art, dance, theater, etc., and the importance of the study of the arts is receiving less attention.

Beautiful works of art in any form make life more enjoyable here on the physical plane. Perhaps a work of art in some form has helped you personally in some way, such as when you were ill or perhaps consumed by grief. But the importance of the arts is not limited to the physical plane. A background in and appreciation of the arts in all their forms is essential for the well-rounded spiritual education and development of children and adults alike; and it should not end when the school years do, but rather should continue for our entire lives. Why, for instance, would beautiful hymns and music have been used in religious services over the centuries, if not because they are so uplifting and necessary? The same holds true for the inspiring works of religious artwork -- paintings and sculpture, for instance -- that we see in cathedrals, etc. and the magnificent architecture itself of churches, temples and mosques.Steeples and spires pointing heavenward are no mere accident. Art in all its forms plays an important part in the development of one's spiritual identity, bringing out one's intuitive nature and ability to reach beyond the mundane to the higher planes of consciousness.

Theosophist C. Jinarajadasa wrote an essay called "Art the Liberator," in which he described the importance of art in our lives and the need for those who are able to keep reminding us of that point.

Life in many ways appears a tragedy; but as from the ugly mud of a pond the lotus rears its head, so does beauty reveal its mystery out of every occurrence in life. But there are so few to teach the way to that mystery. The creative artist does his best. Each poet, dramatist, singer, composer, painter, sculptor, architect or dancer tries to tell us of the mystery...when they are at their highest creative mood.

For the month of March, therefore, let's meditate upon the idea of art and spirituality, perhaps using Jinarajadasa's quote as a seed thought. And if, as a result of your meditations, you come up with an original poem, essay, piece of visual art, etc., feel free to send it to us for possible inclusion on our website.

 

February 2017

 

We are experiencing a great deal of chaos right now. Every country in the world seems to be in a state of flux right now, with many turning inward, contracting and reverting to a strong sense of nationalism. There is a global feeling of pulling back, closing up borders, and looking out for one's own interests, to the exclusion of all others.

Naturally, there is nothing wrong with national pride or concerns about national security issues or where one's country can find the resources to support great numbers of refugees and immigrants, while still meeting the needs of one's own citizens. These are all practical matters which need careful attention and the implementation of detailed plans of action. However, a persistent mental attitude of turning inwards upon oneself is counter-productive in this age when we need to be expanding outward and thinking on a global rather than nationalistic scale.

Esoteric wisdom teaches that we are not alone in the Universe. Our tiny planet and population are just one of many such civilizations in existence on different planes and different planets in myriad celestial systems of the Universe. Humanity is now at that stage of evolution where we must begin thinking of the, as they are called in the Agni Yoga teachings, "far-off worlds." If, on the other hand, we continue on a path of contraction, we ignore the vast opportunities which lie ahead for the human race, beyond the confines of our solitary planetary existence.

Also, there is a very real danger that, through carelessness and selfishness, we humans could literally destroy our beautiful planetary home. Should that happen, "only exceptional groups of earthly humanity could enter the higher planets to continue their evolution in new, beautiful conditions," states Helena Roerich in a letter to one of her students.Millions of years would need to elapse before new, suitable forms and bodies on a new planet would be ready for the remaining vast majority of humanity seeking to complete their cycles of physical incarnation. What a shock this would be to those who have never given thought to the far-off worlds.

Thus, in our meditations during the month of February, let's concentrate on this thought of the value of expanding outward, rather than turning inward; of reaching beyond the confines of our small world to the higher worlds and the distant planets and civilizations with which we will eventually associate. And let's send these energies and thoughts into the ethers and the minds and hearts of every citizen of Earth.

 

January 2017

 

2016 was certainly a frenetic year of activity on the global scene, and it seems we have our work cut out for us in this new year. The general atmosphere right now is one of change and uncertainty, and it is up to the co-workers here on the physical plane to maintain steadiness and continue to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise to help on humanity's racial and spiritual progress. The task may seem daunting, especially at this moment when international relations seem so tenuous and fragile and much of humanity feels confused and even frightened. However, we are encouraged to not lose heart, but simply to continue to do the best we can to help on the work of the Blessed Ones who watch over the progress of the race and the health of the planet.

In the Agni Yoga teachings (Leaves of Morya's Garden), it is said: "Help build My Country." The work of doing so is certainly not easy, and it is sometimes tiring and even discouraging to keep on with it. We may even be tempted on occasion to give up the exhausting task completely, but the Teacher encourages us to press on in courage and faith.

It has been told that there will be instances which require courage, that there will be sharp precipices which can be crossed only in the Name of the Teacher. They will say, "It is warm by the fire." You will answer, "I hasten into the cold." They will say, "Fine is the fur coat." You will answer, "Too long for walking." They will say, "Close the eyes." You will answer, "Forbidden on watch." Be steadfast not only during the time of Communion with me, but also when you are left to your own devices, because only then is the resourcefulness of the spirit forged."

Our work and cooperation with the Divine Plan is so greatly needed here on the physical plane, and the Master assures us that the help and strength of the Blessed Ones is never far away. "Unutterable are the Forces which serve you." If we look closely and pay attention, the signs are always visible.

When the raindrop taps upon the window -- it is My Sign.
When the bird flutters -- it is My Sign.
When the leaves are borne aloft by the whirlwind -- it is My Sign.
When the ice is melted by the sun -- it is My Sign.
When the waves wash away the sorrow of the soul -- it is My Sign.
When the wing of illumination touches the harried soul --it is My Sign.

 

October 2016

 

It's autumn here -- harvest time. The local farm stands are filled with delicious, seasonal items like apples and pumpkins, and a harvest or "in-gathering" festival is held somewhere every weekend. While we usually associate the harvest with produce, we can also think about it in other ways.

It's next to impossible to watch a newscast these days without feeling fatigued. There is certainly enough activity of a negative and depressing nature in the world to make us all weary of continuing to "fight the good fight." But when the weight of the world's problems seems heavy, it's helpful to look back through the years and explore just how far the human race has come. Despite the odds, humanity has made considerable progress and accomplished an astonishing amount of good. Though there is still much difficulty and suffering throughout the world needing attention, our "harvest" in this regard has actually been very plentiful and should give us reason to remain optimistic as we continue our work.

We can think back to what conditions were like in developed countries, say, just one hundred years ago. Workers, including children, struggled in harsh and unsafe conditions of near-slavery; air and water pollution were rampant; issues like domestic violence and animal cruelty had hardly been acknowledged; education and health care were unavailable to the majority of the population. Yet in little over a century, humanity has not only addressed these and greater problems, but is also actively working to implement the changes needed to globally eradicate them. A sense that we are One Humanity, each responsible for the other, is slowly taking hold. Selfishness is giving way to compassionate inclusiveness; and while progress may seem painfully slow and unsteady, it is sure.

There is a Bible entry in Galatians: "Let us not grow weary of doing good; for in due season, we will reap." This may serve as a seed thought for our meditation periods in October. May we express gratitude to our Creator not only for the bountiful harvests in our own lives, but also for the strength and resolve to patiently serve others.

A bounty of Peace, Love, Light and Gratitude to all.

 

August 2016

 

The summer Olympic Games will soon be starting in Rio, Brazil. Despite any controversy that inevitably surrounds such an event and the athletes who take part, the Olympics always provides a time of great joy and sense of global cooperation. The opening ceremony, with its parade of nations, is always a particularly moving time. It's a delight to see the excitement and pride on the faces of the athletes, as they enjoy the special honor of representing their home countries while the entire world watches. The tiniest to the largest and most powerful countries all equally share their time of recognition and appreciation in the eyes of the world. To witness so many people voluntarily coming together in such a spirit of respect and good will touches us all in a very special way. It seems to be a reminder of our innate Oneness and a vision of what everyday life on this planet could and should be -- every single day -- not just every four years.

While all the pageantry and exciting sportsmanship of the Olympics takes place, the sad reality of so much suffering, hatred and injustice in other parts of the world continues. This, too, is a reminder to us; a reminder of the terrific imbalance we are experiencing on the planet and our duty to repair that damage. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said: "Every individual has a responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction. Good wishes are not enough; we must become actively engaged."Of course, not everyone has reached this point of understanding, and so the balances are constantly tipped in one direction or the other, causing great distress and consternation to all life on Earth.

The dictionary describes the word "balance" in the following ways:

1. An even distribution of weight, enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.
2. In art, harmony of design and proportion.
3. A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.
4. A counter-acting weight or force.
5. As a verb, to keep or put something in a steady position so that it does not fall.

Let's meditate upon the idea of what balance means to the health of the planet and its inhabitants and what we can do to restore and maintain that balance. During our meditation periods, we can think of how the above definitions relate to all the various situations, people and activities upon the planet today and how we might use our knowledge and experience to relate to and understand these. What can we do to "steady and upright" that which is faltering? How can we, for instance, bring "harmony of design and proportion" to all parts of the world? We can open ourselves to contacting the very finest and most subtle vibrations in the ethers, sensing where and when there is an imbalance somewhere on the planet. Then, filling ourselves with the energies of synthesis, beauty and love, we can seek to restore balance where it is lacking.

In the Bible in Proverbs, it is said: "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord; but a just weight is his delight." The Fountainhead Source of all Creation, by whatever name we choose, wants humanity to be happy, healthy and in balance with all other life forms and the planet itself. May we be worthy co-workers in this endeavor.

 

June 2016

 

Here in the United States, much of our news coverage is being taken up by preparations for our upcoming Presidential election in November of this year, when a new person will become the face of our country to the entire world. Naturally, thoughts about "leadership" come to mind. Many difficult global issues face us at this time, and people of all the countries of the world are anxiously looking to their own national leaders for guidance and reassurance during these uncertain times. If we closely examine the true agendas of all the global leaders, we have to wonder if they (and those who wish to be their successors) are up to the challenge.

There are many resources devoted to the study of what makes a good leader, but all seem to include the same, basic traits. An effective leader naturally garners the respect of those he or she leads, not simply because of personality traits, but because of their innate abilities and how they go about using them. He or she engages others and respects the opinions and accomplishments of those they lead. They give credit where it is due and are not afraid to admit their own mistakes and infallibility. They are transparent and honest in their undertakings and hold themselves accountable if they are wrong. They choose a life of leadership because they want what's best for everyone, not simply as a means to their own security and success. They see leadership not as an opportunity for personal gain, but as a responsibility to help or guide others and make the world a better place. They are strong and confident, yet always remain genuinely humble. If we use just these few examples as a baseline, then we must ask ourselves just how many of our current global leaders and their potential successors really live by these standards.

In Applied Wisdom (Lucille Cedercrans), it is said: Leadership is the ability to inspire a Divine idea or a grouping of ideas, and in turn to inspire a following, not of the person, but of the idea....True leadership is always a result of Divine Inspiration.

All the world's spiritual teachings contain references to Divine Leaders and honor those here on Earth who try to carry on that tradition of pure and spiritually- inspired leadership. With so many critical issues facing us at this time -- global warming, pollution and the loss of species; the proliferation of once-eradicated diseases and the appearance of new ones; terrorism and continued warfare; crime and brutality; income inequality and poverty; racial, ethnic and religious tensions, to name just a few -- we desperately need a return to Divinely inspired leadership in order to find lasting solutions.

Our leaders should understand that their positions are Divine gifts, given to them to enhance the lives of everyone on the planet and to ensure the health of the Earth and all her species. For the month of June, therefore, let's ponder this issue of Divine Leadership in our meditations. We can send helpful thought forms into the ethers and the minds and hearts of all who would be leaders and policy makers of all the nations of the world. As a seed-thought for manifesting those thought-forms, we include a proverb from our TRIUNE website:

Be humble,
for you are made of earth.
Be noble,
for you are made of stars.
-- Serbian Proverb

 

April 2016

 

After experiencing snowy, cold winters, we northerners always enjoy the beginning of spring very much. January 1 may be the start of the new calendar year, but April 1 always feels like the REAL start of the year. Maybe it's because we can get outside more now, and this creates a feeling of expansion after months of being mostly indoors. Daylight hours are longer, so we feel less rushed and are able to take advantage of the light to get more things done. It's also the start of the gardening season, whether it's vegetables and herbs or flowers and shrubs. Everything about life feels bathed in a "newness" that prompts a fresh start and a moving forward to brighter possibilities. It is a very optimistic time of year.

Humanity as a whole is desperately in need, metaphorically speaking, of a bright and cheerful spring season.We need to completely wash the slate clean and begin anew. The old ways of doing things are certainly not working anymore. Every day, news casts from around the globe remind us of this sad fact. Sharing, equality, freedom and liberty, cooperation, kindness and compassion for every living being on the planet can no longer simply be pleasant notions; they must become a part of our reality if we are to continue as a species. We all must accept that feeding, clothing, housing, educating and employing our brothers and sisters everywhere is everyone's responsibility. If the politicians, current global leaders and those in charge of global resources won't do it, we will have to find another way. Only through sharing can we save ourselves from ourselves.

In New Era Community, an Agni Yoga book from 1926, we are reminded of the importance of living not as isolated individuals, but as members of a community of Souls incarnated here for a purpose and responsible for each other:

He who affirms the Community contributes to the hastening of the evolution of the planet. Each and every petrifaction and immobility signifies a return to primitive forms. Pay attention to the history of the past; you will perceive clear jolts of progress, you will see graphically that these jolts coincide with manifestations of the ideas of community -- cooperation. Despotic states have been destroyed, attainments of science have been secured, new ways of labor have arisen, benevolent boldness has shone forth when the banner of cooperation was unfurled. If humanity had thought more often about cooperation, it already long ago would have entered into universal understanding of the Common Good.

In our meditations for the month of April, therefore, let's concentrate on the idea of bringing about a fresh, new change for the entire race and all the other beings which share this planet. Let's envision the Community we wish to be.

 

March 2016

 

Here in the United States, we will soon be choosing a new President. Right now, we are in the middle of the "primary" season, where potential candidates put forth their platforms of ideas and generally present themselves to the American public, in hopes of securing their political party's nomination as their choice to run for election of President in November. It has been most enlightening to follow the maneuvering of the potential candidates as they make their way through the country on various speaking engagements.

As usually happens in election years, some of the candidates have taken to petty and childish tactics, such as abusive name calling and taunting criticism of other candidates, without really talking much about the issues that affect the American public or presenting information about how to solve the many problems we face today. Such selfish squabbling completely misses the point of why we elect public officials in the first place -- to effectively represent the needs and concerns of the entire population whom they serve. This current atmosphere of egocentric behavior is disturbing and counter-productive and does not bode well for the future of the United States or its relations with other countries.

While such behavior may have been tolerated in the past, the time has come for humanity to put it aside and act from a new point of reference, one that concerns our very survival. We have reached a critical point on this planet, where personal concerns must be superseded by concerns for the entire group. This is no longer simply a pleasant notion; it is quickly becoming imperative that we recognize the urgency of this need. As the global population continues to increase, global resources are lagging behind. Clean water and sustainable sources of food, as well as access to basic healthcare, education and gainful employment -- the barest minimum which people should expect to receive -- are becoming scarcer, as the most wealthy control and keep these things out of reach of the rest of the population. Politicians who selfishly posture rather than address these issues, as well as the many other concerns we face today, do not deserve the attention, let alone the respect and support, of the public. Their failure to consider the needs of the entire group over their own is an insult to all of us.

The popular American author, Gary Zukav, has said:
"The requirements for our evolution have changed. Survival is no longer sufficient. Our evolution now requires us to develop spiritually - to become emotionally aware and make responsible choices. It requires us to align ourselves with the values of the soul - harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for life."

For the month of March, therefore, let's meditate upon this idea, particularly what we consider "the values of the soul." We can send into the ethers (and hopefully into the minds and hearts of our global leaders and those who would assume these positions) thought forms of peace, harmony, cooperation, respect and, above all, sharing -- sharing not just of our resources, but of our compassion, love and respect for each other. For it is only through the principle of sharing, practiced from the depths of our hearts and the level of our Souls, that we as a race can continue to survive and thrive on this beautiful planet.

 

January 2016

 

At the start of a new year, we always think about new beginnings and how to approach another new year of work. The key to success in 2016 -- not just personally, not just in our TRIUNE work, but for all citizens of the planet in every capacity -- will be creativity.

When we look back upon the past few years, we have seen incredible achievements in certain areas of life on this planet. Technological advances, for example, have been mind-boggling. But while we, as a civilization, have been able to launch rockets into space and create tiny phones that enable us to instantly talk to someone on the other side of the world, we have sadly failed to find answers to some of the most pressing and lasting problems which have plagued humanity for ages. Why do we still continue to fail, for instance, to provide food, shelter, or an education to all persons on the planet? Why do we still find it necessary to send our youngest, bravest souls into armed conflicts? Why do we still allow the suffering of our animal brethren and continue to poison our Earth Mother? Aren't we, by now, smart enough and capable enough as a civilization to finally put an end to these tragedies? If so, why do we "pick and choose" those problems which we will gladly address, while we claim an inability to solve all the others?

There is a saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over in the same manner and then lamenting the achievement of the exact same results. If we, as a society, tried some different approaches, wouldn't the natural outcome be the exact opposite? Perhaps it is not insanity that causes us to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Perhaps it's selfishness or the fear of being creative and trying something new or just that we're stuck in the same ruts of thought forms we've created over the centuries. If world events over the past couple of years are any indication, then most of our politicians, world leaders and decision makers are guilty of all three. At the very least, they could use some mental prodding to help move them from their positions of inertia.

For the month of January, therefore, let's use our meditation periods to send streams of powerful, creative and vivifying energies into the ethers. This will help clear the maya and cobwebs of illusion that tend to bog down the thinking and actions of people, particularly of those in positions of power and authority in all the countries of the world. As we prepare for meditation and the sending of these energies from our Souls out into the etheric net of the planet to help those who are receptive, there is a beautiful Christian Bible saying which can serve as a seed thought in our efforts:

For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness, but of power and love and discipline. - 2 Timothy 1:7

Starting in January, let's make 2016 a year of creative change for our planet and all who call her home.

 

December 2015

 

December is traditionally a time to celebrate Light, particularly here in the northern hemisphere. We have our shortest day of the year on the 21st and then can look forward to the gradual brightening that occurs as we slowly go through our winter months. For the month of December, therefore, let's meditate on all the forms and aspects of Light that we know and then continue to spread Light throughout the world. Also, let's include in our meditations gratitude to all the other Lightworkers around the world who want the same things as we do in TRIUNE: universal peace, love and sharing; global cooperation and understanding among all the nations; environmental balance and protection; an end to hunger, illness, inequality, terrorism, animal cruelty and any other negative energies. For we are not alone in our work; and it is our hope that in 2016, TRIUNE will reach out to and cooperate with even more individual and group Lightworkers. More information on how we hope to do this will be forthcoming. For now, please feel free to use the following as a seed thought for your December meditations.

There is a light that shines beyond all things on earth,
beyond all of us, beyond the heavens,
beyond the highest, the very highest heavens.
This is the light that shines in our hearts.
- Chandogya Upanishad

 

November 2015

 

November 14, from 11:00 am till 4:00 pm EST, the World Goodwill organization will host a seminar called "Rebuilding the Shrine of Human Living." This is the United Nations International Year of Soils, and seminar participants will explore, among other things, what it means to live a spiritual life at this time while rebuilding the environment of the planet we all share. Next to clean and accessible water, clean, productive soil is the most important thing we need to grow enough food to sustain our global population. Additionally, the idea of rebuilding also involves so much more. To rebuild our planet to sustain our evolving population, we must also consider a complete restructuring of the current way we do almost everything. World Goodwill quotes Alice Bailey, explaining that the work of our age is "rebuilding the shrine of human living, reconstructing the form of humanity's life, reconstituting the new civilization upon the foundations of the old, reorganizing the structures of world thought and world politics, plus the redistribution of the world's resources in conformity to divine purpose."

With this in mind and in solidarity with World Goodwill seminar participants, let's keep this as our seed thought as we meditate during the month of November.

You can go the following website for more information about World Goodwill.
http://www.lucistrust.org/world_goodwill

 

October 2015

 

World Goodwill publishes a booklet called Techniques of Goodwill, in which they explain at great length why the simple act of sharing is so important to the future of humanity. It involves a completely new way of viewing not just human interaction, but also global economics as we now know it. This is something we've also discussed often in TRIUNE. World Goodwill describes it as follows:

It is seldom understood that it is not so much the actual owning of many objects and things which holds us back in our efforts towards inclusiveness, but our mental picture that we do own them. If mentally we give all back into the planetary flow and yet physically retain guardianship, we will be freed of the weight of ownership at once. It is the idea of "holding and keeping" which is not in line with the natural flow and rhythm. As we begin to examine and readjust our attitude from that of ownership and possession to that of trusteeship and guardianship, we contribute to the clarification of this planetary hindrance. As we realize that all resources belong temporarily to those who have the need at the moment, then the circulatory flow of nature will begin to distribute the riches more evenly among the human family.

World Goodwill says that "sharing is, in essence, a manifestation of synthesis and the natural effect of justice in its clearest form." For the month of October and beyond, therefore, let's use this as our seed thought to meditate upon this concept of sharing and the free and unhindered circulation and distribution of all the world's resources among the entire human family. For those so inclined, we can also send to our legislative bodies streams of energy to unblock and de-crystallize any thought forms which are contributing to their polarization, lack of cooperation and inaction in finding answers to the many problems which they have been entrusted to solve.

 

May / June 2015

 

The erratic weather patterns around the globe continue to be a subject of much concern. Here in some parts of the United States, there has been torrential rain and severe, record-breaking flooding, particularly in Texas. Another devastating oil spill has soiled the beaches of California, harming many species of birds, fish and marine mammals in its wake.

In May, we concentrated in our meditations on sending gratitude to the world's bodies of water for sustaining us. It seems fitting that in June we continue in our meditations to concentrate on the bodies of water which surround us, this time sending thoughts of purification to the areas we humans have managed to contaminate. For unlike the other species which inhabit this planet, we humans are the only ones who continually refuse to live in harmony with nature.

Below is a reprint of last month's seed thought for meditation. We can also add an expression of forgiveness for any lack of respect we may have shown to Mother Earth's water features and a desire to do better in the future. Because so many of us travel at this time of year to be near water in some form -- lakes, oceans, rivers -- we can collect a bit of that water, bring it home with us in a small container, and use it in our meditation periods over the month.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Let's spend our meditation periods in quiet reflection about the precious commodity of water and about how we might purify, protect and sustain the waterways of the world. Most of us live in proximity to some sort of body of water -- an ocean, a river or stream, a lake or pond, an underground spring or other aquifer. Think about the body of water which lies closest to you. Link in thought with the water elementals and help them to do their jobs of sustaining that body of water. Imagine the water as pure, clean and refreshing, serving the plant and animal life which it sustains. Send gratitude to the precious water for its help in sustaining your own life and the lives of your loved ones.

As a seed thought for meditation, we can think of the words of the following Native American prayer for water:

We give thanks to all the waters of the world
for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength.
Water is Life.
We know its power in many forms . . .
waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans.
With one mind,
we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of water.

 

March 2015

 

Tasha Halpert's "astro-planner" for the month of March is now posted on our website if you'd like to have a look. Astrologically, March appears to be a potentially volatile month. It is also the time of the equinox on March 20th. According to WIKIPEDIA, an equinox occurs when "the plane of the Earth's equator passes the center of the Sun. At that instant, the tilt of the Earth's axis neither inclines away from nor towards the Sun." The equinox has always suggested balance, especially the subtle balance in the great struggle between the forces of darkness and the forces of Light.For this month of March, therefore, it seems appropriate that we meditate upon the subject of balance in all its manifestations -- in our personal lives, in our group work through TRIUNE, and in the greater cosmic sense.

We all know how important it is to maintain a sense of balance in our lives. These days, as we rush from one obligation to another, we often finds ourselves commenting that we feel out-of-balance, either physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. Time spent on one task takes our attention away from another. We may find it hard to balance all our mundane responsibilities with the time we wish to spend on our spiritual studies and work. Negative news from around the world may upset our emotional balance. Trying to process the enormous amount of information with which we are daily bombarded can leave us mentally out of sorts. Any number of personal obligations and struggles assail us every day at home and work, all threatening the delicate balancing act we're all required to perform these days.

A few newsletters ago, we talked about Taoism and "going with the flow" of life. Finding balance, the so-called "Middle Way" in all things, is a large part of Taoist teachings. There is a lovely saying attributed to Taoism that may help us as a seed thought in our meditations this month about balance:

Allow yourself to yield
and you can stay centered.
Allow yourself to bend
and you will stay straight.

Throughout any storms that may assail you in March....may you always stay straight. Much Love and Light to all.

 

February 2015

 

Here in the northeastern United States, we are in the very middle of our winter season. February is windy and cold. It's often overcast, wet and snowy. While outside sloshing through muddy puddles of water, trudging through knee-deep piles of snow, or brushing against dirty and salt-stained cars and other fixtures, it's easy to get frustrated and annoyed by this sometimes trying season. But winter, like everything else, also has a beautiful side...and thus, it seems fitting to further examine this idea of "beauty" in our February meditations. For beauty exists everywhere and in everyone and every thing, if we only know how to see it.

The poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said that everyone should "hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul." It's certainly true that certain forms of music, literature and artwork can be beautiful, uplifting and awe-inspiring. So yesterday, weary of the winter weather, we visited a small art gallery to try to shake off the winter doldrums.

The paintings and sculptures at the museum were certainly beautiful; but there was also much beauty to be found all around us...in the wonder and laughter of several small children visiting a museum for the very first time; in the gentle and patient smiles of parents guiding the little ones and explaining the exhibits; in the joyful smiles of museum staff, eager to share their interest in and love of art treasures with others. But the examples of beauty did not end when we left the atmosphere of the art museum.

Back in our car, we sat for a few moments in the parking lot to watch a man training his new puppy to walk on a leash. Patiently, he repeatedly walked a few feet up and down the pavement next to the parking lot, helping the puppy to understand the concept of the leash. There was a great beauty in the palpable love this man felt for the little creature in his care. The fact that dirty piles of snow lined the city sidewalk didn't diminish that beauty one bit.

Driving home, beauty was all around us....in the quiet farm fields; in the stands of pine trees we passed and the ice-covered creeks we crossed; in the flocks of geese we saw and occasional hawks we were lucky to spy sitting on the overhead electrical wires or tree branches. When we got home and walked in the door, beauty could be felt in the warmth of our house and in the serenity and security of once again being surrounded by all our familiar things.

In a world where we are constantly bombarded by stimuli, are connected 24/7 to electronic devices, are privy to information -- often of an ugly and disturbing nature -- streaming into our eyes and ears and minds from all corners of the globe at all times of the day and night, it is sometimes hard to see the beauty that surrounds us in even the most mundane situations. But it is of the utmost importance that we do. Appreciation of beauty is one of many paths to the Highest. And so, for the month of February, let's ponder this concept of beauty in our periods of quiet reflection and meditation.

 

November / December 2014

 

Here in the United States, the last week of November is when we celebrate our American Thanksgiving holiday. Giving thanks, therefore would seem to be a logical choice for a meditation theme for this month. But as I thought about this, the idea of "gratitude" came to my mind. These two terms -- thankfulness and gratitude -- are often used interchangeably; however, it seems to me that they are two different things.

Many Americans are fortunate and are thankful for things that aren't readily available in many other countries: relatively clean air and clean water; a refrigerator full of healthy foods; access to education and health care; freedom to choose our own religion and to vote for our preferred political candidates. Thankfulness, however, seems most comfortable on the physical plane, when dealing with the mundane, for it sometimes even has a tinge of (dare I say it?) selfishness attached to it. How often have you heard others say (or even said yourself) something like the following?

"Thank goodness that car didn't hit us!"
"I'm so thankful that my hospital test results were negative!"
"Thank God the storm missed us completely."
"I am so thankful the boss didn't include me in the layoffs."

Gratitude, on the other hand, carries with it a warmth, a spiritual joy, a sense of giving back. When we express gratitude, we can feel that warm spot in our own heart connecting to the heart of the other person. Whereas we are so often thankful for those things which make our persons and lives easier or more comfortable, we send gratitude to others with a sense of sharing, of unselfishly giving something of ourselves. Gratitude has a more refined vibratory rate and speaks to the spiritual nature. If we pay attention, we can feel it pouring forth FROM us, going out to the other.

The American writer William Faulkner once said: Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity. It must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all. I would suggest that through the month of November, we meditate upon the meaning of this energy called gratitude...and see where it takes us.

 

September, 2014

 

The Labor Day holiday marks the unofficial end of the summer season. Although there is still almost a month of summer left, after Labor Day the beaches and resorts empty, swimming pools close, the kids go back to school and college, and employees return to work in earnest after the more leisurely days of summer. Of all the times of the year, the end of the Labor Day holiday seems to signal CHANGE in a very big way. And so, in our meditation periods for the month of September, it seems fitting to address the issue of change.

Everyday life is full of changes, big and small -- births of new family members and deaths of others; starting a new job or being let go from an old, cherished one; moving into a new home; marriages and divorces; financial successes and failures; elation and depression; periods of health and dealing with illness. Change can be refreshing and uplifting or difficult and frightening.

It's often hard to see things clearly when embroiled in the chaotic throes of change, whether that change is thrust upon us without our consent or is something we've instigated ourselves. However, if we look back upon all the significant changes we've experienced over the years, one thing is certain: we survive the change. If necessary, we adjust and we adapt, often we flourish and are better for it; but eventually we move on, and the change which seemed such a momentous thing at one time becomes another memory from the past.

Society as a whole is also changing, and as we deal with the small, everyday changes in our personal lives, we also play a part in the larger, more far-reaching cultural changes humanity experiences on a cyclical basis. Those of us who understand this are in a position to help others who may be struggling to cope and adjust to the changes not only in their own personal lives, but also to those societal changes which may confuse or frighten them. As a seed thought for this month's periods of meditation, we might use the following:

God never shuts one door without opening another.

It matters not whether we use the term "God" or the Universe, or simply the energy of life, karma, or however we perceive the great primordial Fountainhead of all existence. It doesn't change the essence of the message. No matter how violently or abruptly we've had a door slammed in our faces, EVENTUALLY another door of opportunity will appear. It is up to us to find the insight to recognize it and the courage to then open it and go forward.

 

August, 2014

 

Half the year is now over, and that's always a good time to assess how things have been going. Global news has been distressing lately, to say the least, especially with tensions high between Russian and Ukraine, all-out war between Israel and Hamas, the shooting and crash of the Malaysian commercial jetliner over Ukraine, reports of a spreading and deadly ebola outbreak in Africa, floods and earthquakes in many areas, wildfires in our western United States and much more. Other issues, like continuing high unemployment and low wages, stock market volatility, environmental concerns, political corruption and more simmer in the background, a continuing concern for millions worldwide. While 2013 seemed to be a year of personal crisis for many, 2014 is shaping up to be a year of crisis on a much larger scale.

In 2013, many of us dealt with family, health and employment issues. We seemed to be balancing a good bit of personal karma. This year, it seems as though we are being called upon to pay attention to our collective karmic debt; and perhaps 2014 is a year when humanity as a whole must balance a large portion of it. Every crisis, no matter how heartbreaking, is an opportunity to do just that. All of the global sorrow and tragedy we seem to be witnessing and/or directly experiencing this year may be easier to handle if we view it as an opportunity for humanity to move forward -- to clear out the old in order to make way for the new. Doing so gives us great hope for a better future for everyone on the planet. As a seed thought for meditation on this very thing during the month of August, we can think of the words of Nelson Mandela:

Our human compassion binds us one to the other -- not in pity or patronizingly -- but as human beings who have learned how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.

 

July 2014

 

Friday, July 4th, is our American Independence Day, when we commemorate the formation of our country as a sovereign state. It is a day when Americans typically put aside their political differences and grievances and gratefully celebrate all that is good about our democratic way of life. It brings to mind as a theme for our July meditations the word "freedom." Freedom is much in the news these days, as we watch events unfold in Syria, Iraq, Ukraine and many other places. It seems that all over the world, people hunger for personal freedom and the right to make their own choices over such things as their religion, education, occupation, political leadership and more.

Human beings seem to naturally yearn for freedom. Just as food gives our physical body sustenance, freedom feeds our Soul; and the more connected we feel with our own Higher Self, the harder it is for us to happily exist if we are denied freedom -- to our physical body, to our emotional nature or to our higher mind. Hopefully, this global yearning for freedom is a sign that humanity is moving forward in its spiritual development, is remembering its Divine nature and origins and is realizing that freedom is a natural right for every being.

In a letter to one of her students in 1936, Helena Roerich wrote of the human yearning for freedom and, equally, for knowledge:

The time is approaching when all those who can bring a grain of the true Knowledge will be sought. Where everything was taken away, where all creativity was suffocated, where human dignity was forgotten, there especially powerfully will be awakened, and is already awakening, the thirst for knowledge and for true freedom.

But freedom, in order not to degenerate into licentiousness, must be tempered with a pure and unselfish heart. As Helena Roerich said: Freedom, this bird of paradise, sings only in pure hearts liberated from their only jailer, whose name is Selfishness. As we meditate upon the theme of freedom this month, let us keep our hearts open and pure. We can bathe with thought-forms of freedom those places around the globe where citizens yearn for it. For those of us fortunate enough to live in free societies, may we take advantage of this great opportunity we have been given this incarnation and selflessly contribute in whatever small way we can to humanity's thirst for both knowledge and freedom.

 

March 2014

 

Here in the United States, we are still in a deep freeze, thanks to the "polar vortex," that catchy phrase being thrown around to describe the dip in the prevailing jet stream that is pushing cold, arctic air down through a good portion of the country. It's been a particularly bitter cold and snowy winter. Needless to say, everyone is extremely eager to see this winter end.

February was a particularly troublesome month for most people. The extreme weather conditions caused delays, cancellations and a general sense of frustration for millions who often struggled to get to work or school and simply accomplish necessary daily tasks. It drained everyone's energy and pocketbooks as well, as the loss of work hours and high heating costs took a toll on businesses and individuals alike. Our family was no exception. It seemed that every time we tried to do anything, another obstacle stood in our way. Sometimes, out of sheer frustration, we tried to forcefully make circumstances work in our favor. But just as we had suspected, no amount of effort on our part seemed to change a thing. Because so many days were filled with conditions beyond our control, there was often nothing to do but simply wait and....be. But simply being in the moment is not an easy concept for most of us westerners to practice. Thus, February turned out to be a great teacher in the lesson of letting go and "going with the flow."

Going with the flow is a term we westerners often use to describe some of the key concepts described in Taoism. For the month of March, perhaps it would be helpful for us in our periods of meditation to ponder this one concept that is associated with Taoism -- the idea of letting go, being in the moment, not forcing circumstances to our will, and simply accepting that which comes along. As a seed thought for meditation, we present a few sayings attributed to Lao Tzu, the mystic who is said to have compiled the teachings which make up the philosophy of Taoism.

The sanest man
Sets up no deed,
Lays down no law,
Takes everything that happens as it comes,
As something to animate, not to appropriate,
To earn, not to own,
To accept naturally without self-importance.

The best captain does not plunge headlong,
Nor is the best soldier a fellow hot to fight.
The greatest victor wins without a battle.

Nature does not have to insist,
Can blow for only half a morning,
Rain for only half a day.
If nature does not have to insist,
Why should man?

 

February 2014

 

Successful spiritual aspirants seem to be those who have a strong sense of perseverance...sometimes against seemingly insurmountable odds. The great American football coach, Vince Lombardi, once said: "Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit." Successful spiritual aspirants never develop this habit of quitting. They meet head-on each obstacle as it appears and keep moving forward, well aware that many more obstacles are surely just around the corner. As Helen Keller once said: "A bend in the road is not the end of the road...unless you fail to make the turn." Successful spiritual aspirants always, courageously and with great perseverance, make that next turn.

Additionally, while mindful of their own problems, successful spiritual aspirants continue to quietly, selflessly, lovingly work in service for others, putting others' needs well ahead of their own. There may be times when this beautiful, compassionate, inner strength falters. However, it never completely fails.

For the month of February, therefore, in our meditation periods let's ponder this concept of perseverance. How far can it take us in 2014? What strength and support can we gain from our connections to each other? How will maintaining perseverance and courage in this incarnation help us in our future spiritual development? Just how much perseverance do we need to continue our spiritual work and our commitment to others? How do you personally maintain your path of perseverance? As a seed thought for meditation, we can consider what John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States, might have meant when he said the following:

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."

 

January 2014

 

Every January, with every turn of the calendar page to January 1, we naturally think back on the past year, with all its joys and sorrows, achievements and unfinished business. It's a time to mull it all over and file away the bits and pieces for future reference. Accordingly, we also begin to look ahead to the fresh new year, lying there in front of us like an open book, with all its exciting possibilities and, hopefully, not too many frustrating challenges. As we wind down one year and look ahead to another, the very nature of the season leads us to think long and hard about the concept of "change." Just think of all those New Year's "resolutions" that people are making today, promising themselves to change something for the better in 2014!

We are so often told that change is a good thing and something we should not only acknowledge, but accept with graciousness and deep gratitude. Charles Darwin once said that it isn't the strongest or most intelligent of species that survive -- it's the one most adaptable to change. Well, true enough, and thanks for the advice, Chuck....but to be brutally honest, for most of us no matter our age or circumstances, change is so much easier to talk about than to do. We may KNOW we need it, but change is hard and scary and goes against our very nature to stay the course, even if the route has become unbearably uncomfortable. To leave a bad relationship, a stagnant job, an unhappy living arrangement or any number of other unproductive situations, for example, may seem the healthiest and most logical alternative; but it doesn't lessen the fear, anxiety or sadness that may accompany such a change or reduce the uncertainty that lies ahead in an entirely different situation.

On the other hand, change has its bright moments that, more often than not, quickly improve our mood and outlook. Once we commit ourselves to it, change is usually also a happy and exciting event.And in the bigger scheme of things, new faces and places, new ways of working and living, new challenges and obstacles are all opportunities for learning, expansion and growth. These may be on the physical, emotional, mental or spiritual levels....or maybe even all four.

So for the month of January, let's focus our meditative moments on the subject of change. Lao Tzu said, "Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let things flow naturally forward."

What are YOUR thoughts on change and the experiences you have had when change -- whether you consciously wanted it or not -- became inevitable. How did you handle it? What, if anything, did it teach you about yourself and Life in general? Send us an email. Your comments are most welcome and appreciated.

 

 

November 2013

 

Here in the United States, November is when we celebrate our Thanksgiving holiday; and so the idea of "giving thanks" is much on our minds through this whole month. With all the negative news we seem to hear from around the world, it's often difficult to focus on those things for which we can be thankful. And if we also have personally been dealing with major life issues and difficulties through much of the year, it becomes even harder. Yet if we stop to ponder, we see that it's often the seemingly "smallest" things that have been making a positive difference in our lives through all the trials and chaos. Perhaps these are the things on which it is helpful to concentrate and for which we can be truly grateful. For it's often only in hindsight that we realize just how much we had to be thankful for....only we never even noticed it at the time.

There is an old Jewish tale that illustrates this perfectly, and I paraphrase it here:

When King David was a boy watching over his father's flock of sheep, he often came upon spider webs strung across tree branches and shining in the sun. He thought the webs were beautiful to look upon, but couldn't see any real, practical use for them. One day he decided to ask God why he had even bothered to make spiders at all. And God answered David: "A day will come when you will need the work of one of these creatures, and then you will thank me."

Now David grew up to become a courageous warrior who defeated the giant Goliath and many enemies of the people of Israel. He married King Saul's daughter and was revered as the greatest man in the land. But King Saul was jealous and afraid of David and sent his soldiers to kill him. David ran away to the wilderness in hopes that the king's anger would pass, but his soldiers still pursued him. One day David ran into a cave to hide from them. He heard their footsteps drawing closer. Knowing they would soon be upon him and put him to death, he trembled in fear.

But then he saw that a huge spider at the entrance to the cave had begun very quickly spinning a web all the way across the large opening. The spider finished its work just seconds before the soldiers reached the cave's entrance. As the soldiers began to enter the cave, they ran into the spider web which halted their progress. "Look," they commented, "if David were here, he'd have torn this spider web to pieces. He must be hiding somewhere else." And they quickly ran away to continue their search elsewhere, sparing David his life. With that, David breathed a sigh of relief. He then remembered and understood his long-forgotten, childhood conversation with God and thanked him for creating all the creatures including, and most especially, the spider.

May all the little, unseen treasures of life bring you much for which to be grateful this month and always.

 

May 2013

 

Maybe it's the economy, the state of global news, or simply trying to keep up with the exhausting and relentless pace of life in today's world -- particularly with our new societal norm of extreme competitiveness and technological and information overload -- but just getting through each day seems to be getting tougher. These days, it seems that a lot of people are struggling with a deep sense of discouragement. A tiny pamphlet distributed by the Christian Mennonite community, titled "Answers for Discouragement," contained the following simple story, which addresses this issue.

One day the devil decided to put his tools up for sale at a garage sale. So an hour or two before the sale started, he neatly placed all his tools out on a table, open to public inspection. The tools were quite sinister and dangerous-looking. There were implements of lying, hatred, envy, lust, pride and many others. All of them had a price tag attached to them. Off to the side was one tool that looked well-worn, but quite harmless compared to the others. Strangely enough, this tool had a much higher price tag than the others. This was the implement of discouragement.

Potential customers soon started arriving at the garage sale and asked Satan, "Why is the price so high on this tool of discouragement?" And Satan replied, "Because it more useful to me than any of the others. Often I can't get near to people with these other tools because they look so dangerous. But this tool looks so innocent and commonplace, that with it I can get into almost any heart. And once I can get into these hearts with the implement of discouragement, then it's very easy for me to utilize these other implements."

Discouragement. Hmmm....What better way to get into our heads and hearts and derail anything we hope to accomplish in this life than to give in to the dark energies of discouragement?

Everyone reading this probably knows at least one person right now who is struggling in the depths of despair, searching for that helping hand who will pull them back into the Light. Perhaps sharing this story might help them. Additionally, in the month of May, we can concentrate on wiping away the clouds of discouragement enveloping so much of our planet and replacing them with Loving Light. And let's help those we know who are struggling by physically being there for them, encouraging them, never giving up on them, and coaxing them out of the darkness into the Light.

 

April 2013

 

It's officially spring here in the northern hemisphere, and the planting season has begun. Farming is a big industry in the United States, and when many people think of farms, they imagine the huge ranches and farms in the central or western U.S., sometimes spanning thousands of acres each. Pennsylvania is a big farming state, too, but most of the farms here are small, family-owned and operated. In fact, 98% of Pennsylvania farms can be classified as such, the average being only around 25 acres. It's easy to stop at a nearby farm stand for freshly grown produce or shop at the nearby farmers' market for delicious, nutritious and reasonably priced goods.

Unfortunately, these family-run operations make very little money for all their hard work. In Pennsylvania, the average annual income for this type of operation has been slated at around $18,500. That's well below national poverty level for a family of four. Many families have had to give up their farms in recent years because they can no longer make a living doing so. And the recent increase in the past couple of decades of the power of huge, multi-million dollar agri-business corporations to take over the struggling local farms is impinging even further. A group called "Family Farm Defenders" try to help struggling small farmers get competitive prices for their goods, keep their land and fight legal battles with the encroaching rich corporations, etc. But their most recent publication sadly talked of the very possible demise of this mostly volunteer group. They could no longer financially afford to fight the encroachment of the huge agricultural corporations and the powerful pesticide/chemical industries who back them.

Spring should be a happy time, a grateful time, a time to embrace and enjoy our connection to our Earth mother, the giver of abundant and joyful life. But this news about the Family Farm Defenders is a sad reminder of how we humans, as a species, have been greedy and careless stewards of this beautiful and bountiful planet. The Earth's resources are not limitless. Water and food are not infinite. The ability to recover from massive pollution, over-development, and chemical and genetic manipulation of our land is not guaranteed. There is a traditional Jewish saying which reflects this behavior and its negative karmic consequences: Man is a ladder placed on the earth, and the top of it touches heaven. And all his movements and doings and words leave traces in the upper world.

In our periods of meditation during the month of April, therefore, let's concentrate on our connection to our physical home. If there is a location near you suffering from human abuse -- such as a polluted river, a deforested hillside, a toxic waste site, a recently paved pasture -- send that area positive, clearing, healing thoughts. Also visualize the many small farm owners and their defenders and send them thoughts of strength and solidarity that they may keep their lands and livelihoods. Finally, let us be good stewards and send our gratitude to the Earth for all it gives us during our stay here on our individual spiritual journeys.

 

February 2013

 

February 14, Valentine’s Day, is celebrated in many countries around the world, including here in the U.S. It’s traditionally a time to shower loved ones with gifts and special attention, and because of this, love seems to permeate the entire month of February. There are also other important happenings in February. TRIUNE member Rene Wadlow has brought to our attention that the United Nations has designated the first week of February of every year as World Interfaith Harmony Week between all religions, faiths and beliefs. This seems like a good theme for our meditation periods in February, particularly because as Rene says, the week has a potential to promote the healing of religion-based tensions in the world. The following is excerpted from an article Rene sent:

Rene Wadlow, President of the Association of World Citizens, in a statement addressed to the United Nations, stressed that peace comes through cooperation beyond the boundaries and barriers set by ethnicity, religion and nationality. He called for a cultural renaissance based on the concept of harmony. Rather than concentrating primarily on conflicts, struggles and suffering, he suggested that the focus should be on cooperation, coexistence and visions of a better future. Harmony includes tolerance, acceptance, equality and forgiveness of past pains and conflicts. Harmony leads to gentleness, patience, kindness and thus to inner peace and outward to relations based on respect.

Harmony is a universal common value. In harmony we can find true belief that transcends all cultures and religions. The meaning of life is to seek harmony within our inner self. Humans are born with a spiritual soul that develops to seek self-fulfilment. Our soul has a conscience that elevates us. As our soul grows to maturity, we achieve our own harmony.

However, harmony is not only a personal goal of inner peace but a guideline for political, social and world affairs. The Citizens of the World believe that specifically at this moment in history, our action should enhance peace, reduce conflict and activate a harmony culture. The 21st century is the beginning of a Harmony Renaissance. Our world mission is to be ready for humanity’s next creative wave to lead us to a higher level of common accomplishment. The World Harmony Renaissance will bring the whole world into action for this new millennium of peace and prosperity with unfettered collective energy. Thus today, after decades of conflict when the emphasis of the countries of the world both in policy and practice was upon competition, conflict and individual enrichment, there is a need for an emphasis on harmony, cooperation, mutual respect, and working for the welfare of the community with a respect for Nature.

World Interfaith Harmony Week is an opportunity to open new paths. Rene stressed that “as world citizens we must find a new guiding image for our culture, one that unifies the aspirations of humanity with the needs of the planet and the individual. We hold that peace can be achieved through opening our hearts and minds to a broader perspective. We are one human race, and we inhabit one world. Therefore we must see the world with global eyes, understand the world with a global mind and love the world with a global heart.”

 

 

November 2012

 

So far, 2012 has been a busy year and, for many, it's also been a demanding and trying one. The effects of recent Hurricane Sandy on the U.S. East Coast is just one example. We all have so much going on in our lives these days. When we also factor in all that is happening around the world that requires our attention, the sheer amount of information can become overwhelming, compounded by the enormous stress it produces for those of us who work in some capacity for the betterment of humanity. We experience mixed emotions, reflecting the sometimes mixed results we see for all our hard work. Sometimes we feel elated, confident in our efforts and full of joy. Other times, exhausted and deflated, we wonder if what we are trying to do in our group work is having any real effect at all.

Lucille Cedercrans, student of the Master St. Germain, wrote the following on which we can meditate during the month of November. It may help to explain not only why we sometimes feel as we do, but also how our efforts, even in the midst of conflict and seeming chaos, truly ARE having a helpful effect:

The energy of Synthesis radiates the positive pole and absorbs the negative pole, contacting each of these in whatever form it has entered. And thus, through radiation and absorption, it out-pictures as its own substance the extremes to be resolved. It might be said, then, that conflict in the extreme is one of its major characteristics and effects. That conflict, however, will be short-lived, relatively speaking, due to another major characteristic and effect of the Synthesis energy.

Because of the radiating and absorbing nature and motion of Synthesis, the pairs of opposites are quickly synthesized into a one, a total or whole. The positive and negative poles are radiated and absorbed into one another, or one atom, so to speak, because of their juxtaposition or perfect alignment. Thus, that which was once so-called good and bad have been wedded into a new state or condition or manifestation, which is neither good nor bad, but simply an evolutionary movement. One of its characteristic effects in manifestation is rapid, and one might say, almost radical change. Conflict in the extreme, followed by quick evolutionary change,will manifest wherever the Synthesis energy is applied.

 

September 2012

 

Here in the U.S., this weekend is our American Labor Day holiday, celebrating the dignity and worth of the American worker. And even though summer lasts for another three weeks, Labor Day also signifies for Americans the unofficial end of the summer season. It's back to school for children and college students and back to serious work schedules for many employees who have had vacation days and slower, lighter workloads. Once the Labor Day holiday is over and autumn is on its way, there is always a great feeling of change in the air. This year, that feeling is enhanced by the upcoming Presidential election in November, when there is the possibility of change as well in our governmental administration at the highest level.

Change, of course, is inevitable. It's what keeps us moving forward as a species. Change can be welcome and exciting; but for many people, it can also feel frightening and overwhelming. The fear of loss of control over familiar situations often causes strong reactions. Some folks dig in their heels and refuse to even acknowledge, let alone embrace, any sort of change. Others desire nothing but change, and they confidently embrace "the next big thing" without even pausing to evaluate its worth. There is, however, an old saying -- "we shouldn't throw out the baby with the bath water" -- meaning, of course, that in all things, it's better not to give in to rash decisions, but rather to maintain our center, our sense of calm, patience, balance and synthesis. We can be enthusiastic about change. But in our haste to embrace the new, we shouldn't neglect to incorporate all the best points of the already established. Being able to do so may require a delicate balancing act, but it prevents a sense of division -- a sort of "taking sides" -- which so often leads to trouble.

Energies and emotions, both positive and negative, are strong right now, creating some imbalance in the ethers. In our meditations this month of September, let's concentrate on balancing the sometimes chaotic energies in the atmosphere which inevitably arise at the change of seasons and particularly at this time of year. As a seed thought for our work, we can use something attributed to St. Teresa of Avila:

Let nothing frighten you.
Everything is changing.
God alone is changeless.
Patience achieves the aim.
Who has God lacks nothing.
God alone fills all needs.

 

July / August 2012

 

On our homepage under the Beacons: Our Featured Members section, you can read a very interesting interview of TRIUNE member Fiona Odgren, called Mountains, Music and Metaphysics. A portion of this interview relates to our July meditation theme -- mountains and the energies they produce.

This may seem like an odd topic to consider during meditation; however, all sacred literature, all religions and spiritual traditions, all processes for spiritual enlightenment and advancement, to some degree or other, reference and pay homage to specific mountains or mountain ranges. The list of so-called "sacred" mountains is immense. To name just a few very well-known ones: Mt. Olympus in Greece; Ararat in Turkey; Kilimanjaro in Tanzania; Sinai in Egypt; Shasta in the U.S.; Machu Picchu in Peru; Fuji in Japan; Tai Shan in China; Kailas in Tibet. Revered as great sources of energy, power spots, abodes of the enlightened, and more, mountains play an integral part in all spiritual disciplines worldwide. In her interview, Fiona Odgren explained this phenomenon as our human response to their "soaring heights as living symbols of aspiration and upliftment, of encouragement to strive beyond what we think we are capable of." She called mountains "an inspiring reminder of the divine strength and beauty awaiting to be discovered within each of us." Additionally, the Ashrams of the Blessed Beings who watch over the progress of humanity have always been linked with prana-filled mountain retreats, far from the hustle and bustle of crowded cities.

This month we meditate upon this subject and see what insights we might receive about why mountains play such an important role not only in our personal spiritual journeys, but also in our work for TRIUNE. Because many people travel on vacations at this time of year (here in the northern hemisphere, it is the summer holiday season), you may want to be conscious of the different "vibratory rates" of places you visit, especially comparing variations at differing altitudes.

 

 

May / June 2012

 

Economists have painted a gloomy, long-term financial picture, filled with images of a stalled recovery. Financial news continues to be shaky, with much concern centered around the current economic situation in Europe and its global implications. With unemployment still so high and the economic recovery so fragile, many people are consumed with fear and uncertainty over the future. Such emotions are a breeding ground for much negativity and inertia and fill the global aura with chaotic waves of harmful energy. This concentration of paranoid and pessimistic energies clouds our abilities to think clearly and rationally on the mundane level and severely blocks our efforts to bring to humanity the new understanding of spirituality and abundance.

Throughout the ages, those forces which seek to stifle humanity's spiritual progress have always relied on instilling fear, confusion and division in the populace in order to achieve their nefarious aims. Therefore, we need to counteract these erratic, negative and confused energies with Light, Hope, Optimism and the Love of God...as well as send into the ethers clear and well-defined thought forms that associate joy and abundance with being a rightful gift to humanity from its Divine Creator.

As a seed-thought for meditation, here is a quote from Annie Rix Militz, New Thought proponent, who first spoke of spirituality and abundance in the early 20th century:

Everyone who comes into the world has a rich aura, the gift of his heavenly father...the reflection of Divine Mind, and it contains all the elements of every expression of richness upon the face of the whole earth. Its thoughts of goodness are the reality back of gold; its consciousness of freedom lies back of silver; its purity is the substance of diamonds; and all its virtues are portrayed in the gems of the earth.

 

 

April 2012

 

The daffodils and forsythias are putting on a pretty show of yellow finery, and the velvety, purple pansies are in bloom. They look so tiny and delicate, yet they are extremely hardy. During the cold April nights, the little pansies droop over and tuck their heads against the chill. The next morning they often look as though they have died off. Yet, as soon as the sun's warming rays touch their petals, they perk right up, looking good as new. Continuing to give of their beauty and joy despite the harsh conditions, they are the epitome of HOPE...our April meditation theme.

Yesterday was the big mega-millions lottery drawing here in the United States. The odds of winning were a ridiculous one-in-176 million. Supposedly, we have a better chance of being struck by lightning – twice! Yet, millions of people feverishly rushed out to purchase lottery tickets, in hopes of cashing in on the $640 million jackpot drawing. News reports buzzed about the size of the lottery. However, there were also many other reports cautioning viewers about the inevitable fact that in the end most of us would be losers, not winners, of this windfall. Experts explained how to handle negative emotions like disappointment, depression, anger or jealousy that we might feel after the drawing.

Sometimes it's sad that people will pin their hopes on transient things (like lottery tickets), yet do not realize that we are all Sacred Beings for whom the Universe will provide. Granted, this may not always be in the way we, in our current limited and undeveloped capacity, might envision. But like the little pansies, we must continually turn our faces towards the Sun after our cold, dark nights and push onwards.

In April, let's meditate upon the concept of HOPE. Let's send the vibrations of hope into the hearts of others that they, too, might feel the warmth and comfort of the Sun and know the abundance of the Universe.

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all…..Emily Dickinson

 

March 2012

 

March feels like an "in-between" time of year. The weather isn't harsh like winter anymore, but the days can't be counted on to be consistently spring-like, either. The hustle and excitement of working on new projects begun in January and February is waning, but we haven't yet succumbed to that laid-back attitude towards work that we all seem to develop in the summer months. While still "cocooned" safely indoors, many people are mentally planning vacation days on sunny, warm beaches or breezy mountaintops. The expectation of again seeing colorful flowers and leaves on the trees, or going outside without hat and gloves leaves us day-dreaming and finding it difficult to concentrate – "spring fever," it's been called. We are "in our heads" half the time…fully engaged neither here nor there.

All seems in a state of flux in March and so, perhaps, it is a good month to revisit the topic of concentration. It isn't so difficult for us to concentrate when we pick up our favorite spiritual book or enter our meditation sanctuary at our usual meditation time. But what about the rest of the day? How easy or difficult do we personally find it to respond to the ups and downs of daily living, all the while maintaining a "spiritual" frame of mind? Does "being in the moment" come naturally during difficult and stressful times? Does it require a concerted effort? Or does it seem to fly out the window in the face of daily adversities, leaving us feeling scattered and out of control?

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection was a beautiful Soul and lay brother of a Carmelite monastery in Paris in the 1600's. He was very poor and, throughout his stay in the monastery, he always seemed to be relegated to the jobs no one else felt like doing. He is quoted as saying the following about his situation:

The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in a great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.

Often referred to as the "kitchen saint," Brother Lawrence, though not a saint in the "official" sense of the word, is greatly revered by Christians for the ability he possessed to find the spiritual in the simplest tasks and to give those tasks as much of his whole-hearted attention, devotion and joy as he gave to his time of meditation and prayer. How wonderful and fulfilling is this ability to maintain our connection with our Higher Selves at all times and amidst all types of circumstances, like Brother Lawrence was able to do. We can try to emulate Brother Lawrence: to maintain at all times, particularly during our busy work days, our connections with our Higher Selves -- to "stay in the moment," performing every action, no matter how mundane, with a sense of divinity and joy, our spiritual gift to the world.

 

February 2012

 

Here in the United States, February is the month when the Valentine's Day holiday is celebrated -- February 14. It is a day when people remember those they love. While Valentine's Day centers around the traditional view of personalized, sentimental and romantic love, we in TRIUNE are concerned with the more far-reaching, more universal type of love -- the sacred, Divine, all-encompassing love that far surpasses the idea of love in the mundane sense. It is unconditional, unselfish love for all that exists in the universe, a powerful and healing energy, recognizable by a magnanimous warmth of the heart, untainted by personal motives.

We attempt to work with this Divine energy, which Helena Roerich called "Love, the Unifier."

As an ashram of synthesis, one of our tasks is to try to heal the wounds of division that the human race currently experiences from a lack of unification. The energy of Divine Love is the tool for this job. In both our mundane, physical lives and also during our meditations, we seek to contact this Divine energy, "bathe" in it, and then touch others with it...a soothing balm for all humanity's ills and sorrows. We have many, many opportunities every day to do this with everyone with whom we come in contact, either physically or at a distance. By the manipulation of the magnetic energies of Divine Love we can heal suffering, increase Light and bring real change to the planet.

In a letter to one of her students in 1936, Helena Roerich said the following:

Let all those who seek Light and who are overburdened by grief find response in your heart; and let all those who have gathered under your guidance feel that heartfelt sympathy which warms one. . . One should learn to penetrate into the consciousnesses, the hearts and moods of all those who surround and come to us. It is necessary to feel the fundamental undertone upon which one can be united with them and unite them with others.

When we work from the heart, much can be accomplished. As Helena said:

If the great magnet of love lies in the heart, everything will be made easier, since the sincerity of this feeling can conquer the most hardened hearts.

 

 

JANUARY 2012

 

There is much discussion among people right now about the possible scenarios which will play out in this spiritually important -- and some say "volatile" -- year of 2012. Emotions are running the gamut from fear to elation, and ideas about the year's outcome range from global catastrophe and destruction to worldwide spiritual enlightenment. With so many voices clamoring for our attention, it's difficult to know where to focus. In this month's periods of meditation, let's try to gather as much information and understanding as we can from the higher spiritual planes and our guides and teachers -- the blessed Beings who watch over the progress of humanity -- and, of course, from our own Higher Selves. And let's try to do this with as much calm, clarity, reason, stability and neutrality as we can muster.

We are an Ashram of Synthesis, practicing inclusiveness and respect for all traditions. Therefore, as a seed thought for meditations in January, we have chosen a quote from a booklet of daily devotional readings published by a fundamentalist Christian, Amish/Mennonite organization. The following excerpt (ignoring the gender-exclusive language), from an entry entitled "God's Answer for Discouragement," is really rather beautiful in its simplicity and humility and a helpful starting point for a new year:

It is good to spend time every morning reading God's Word and asking Him to be with us throughout the day. Then let us be spiritually minded as we go about our daily work, remembering to always seek God and His righteousness. Our thoughts develop our character, so we must be careful what we think. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us not to worry about anything, but to make our requests known to God. He wants to help us and encourage us if we come to Him with open hearts.