Ever seen that bumper sticker that reads, “If you aren’t completely appalled, then you haven’t been paying attention”?
Recently I saw one whose corner had worn away, so it read more like: “If you aren’t complete…then you haven’t been paying attention.”
I like that one better!
Why? Well, the first one is like a certain stage we go through, where we’re aware of all the problems in life, frustrated that things aren’t different than they are, and angry that “someone” hasn’t fixed it yet.
It’s an important stage, since we have to care enough to be aware that something’s not quite right, and want to do something about it, to move forward at all.
The question is always, “What will work?”
Back in the day, I attended a protest rally at Stanford. When the leaders heatedly asked the crowd something like “What are we going to do about it?” I recall suggesting something along the lines of “What if we communicate with each other?” Well, that did not fly! What was being called for, apparently, were replies that contained more heat. 🙂
Alas, over time, we find that railing against the system, the world, “them,” even God, doesn’t do much other than wear us out.
It’s like the little bird in A Festival of Light—”after a time” (how many lifetimes?), the tiny rebel wearies of always addressing the wrong “cause.” Finally, it comes to the stage of asking, “How can I fly in this darkness?”
What does the night counsel? Fearlessness. Peace. Surrender. “Look to the source…”
When we sincerely want to find it, life sings, “Seek it in your own Self.”
If you aren’t complete, then you haven’t been paying attention!
But what a relief, to know where the answers lie!
Sometimes it may seem to others, to the world, that we aren’t fully engaged in “fixing” the problems that are obvious. But indeed, problems are best addressed at their source. When we discover that source inside ourselves, and do our best to diligently re-discover God there, we find the same source that’s in everyone else. Our progress blesses others to discover their true happiness—like the child in the family that goes away to college, somehow blessing all with their accomplishments & education.
Perhaps you’ve heard the astrology buzz that the period we’re in now, through September 18, is an especially volatile one. (Oh, great! Let’s have a presidential campaign…) According to Ananda Vedic astrologers, “Mars, who can be aggressive, and Saturn, who can be negative, will be mingling their energies in Scorpio, an intense sign.” This is expected to be strongest in July, August, and the first part of September.
Again, the question is always, “What will work?”
For yogis (us), “We need to keep God and Guru in mind and heart even more. The higher side of Saturn is concentration; Mars represents energy; for the few, this combination can be very focused, spiritual energy.”
It’s a great time to re-dedicate our focused spiritual practice.
And, to continue offering Yogananda’s Peace and Harmony Prayer.
And to cut each other some slack. If you’ve been feeling the burn (of Mars) & the harrumphs (of Saturn), perhaps others have as well. Let’s pray big time for each other, and for the world, and do our best to see each other in the highest. Seeing God in ourselves, in everyone else, in every situation—well, by paying attention to that, we ARE complete!
Paramhansa Yogananda’s Energization Exercises taught by Dambara Begley.