Saint Paramahansa Yogananda
My favorite reading has always been biographies, all sorts of people. Once, while in High School, I was scanning the books in the biography section of our local library, when I came across a book near the bottom shelf entitled Autobiography of a Yogi.
I checked it out and my life has never been the same. Some fifty + years later I have multiple copies and one nearly always in my travel book bag -- even just for a long walk with my dogs because, well, you never know... Now here's a secret I've only told two people (this goes back to when I was eighteen or nineteen -- pondering the horrors of the Vietnam War, political assassinations, farm worker strikes, women's liberation, civil rights, and my place in the world) ... I prayed to this Yogi whom I'd only recently discovered... Friends came over to my family home and we sat talking in the bedroom I shared with my younger brother. One, took from his pocket some LSD, gave some to the other friend, and offered my some... I said, "No thanks. I think I'll just meditate, but you go ahead." Nothing much happened and, after a while, they left. Some days later, another intense meditation followed by more pondering and then... Paramahansa Yogananda opened the door to my room, walked in towards me, and catching me by surprise, walked right into me. His electrified, vibrating, light form just merged into me, through and through, through cells and down into the subatomic realms of mere possibilities... When the yogis and mystics reference the Divine as "Bliss", they know by experience! My body was electrified with Yogananda's blessing and Cosmic Bliss... After some time: I don't know how long: Yogananda assumed his previous form of electric light and walked out of my room... No LSD required for that Cosmic Trip! Now, to the point: it took a few more years of meditation, pondering, catastrophic mistakes, a few lucky breaks, and then the Vision of a New Cosmic Dream arrived: what's a body to do with the surety of Divine Mystery but open a Soup Kitchen for the beautiful-broken souls wandering the city streets?
All of this is some of the "essential stuff" of my life. I really never say "God exists" because that would be plainly stupid of me. There isn't enough magic in the word "God" to cover the Mystery of I Am... Cosmic Consciousness is something closer to the Really Real, but even that comes with a bag of limitations, opinions, and definitions that aren't nearly exact as what the ancient yogis and mystics humbly explained: Mystery is better, not controlled by thought or words. Mystery is best, approached and adored as Trinity: Root Being, Dancing Consciousness, and Delightful Bliss, always new, with no beginning, and with no end... and "Would you like some noodles and tea?" Namaste!
Recite the Three Jewels of Homage: I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Being; I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Mind; I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Bliss; in service of the Liberation of All Sentient Beings and in Service of Peace and Justice and for the Well-Being of this Entire Precious Blue Planet... [Or alternatively, I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Imagination; I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beauty; I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Paradise and for the Destiny of this Entire Precious Blue Planet...] Om Peace Amen... O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee... Om Mani Padme Hum...
My favorite reading has always been biographies, all sorts of people. Once, while in High School, I was scanning the books in the biography section of our local library, when I came across a book near the bottom shelf entitled Autobiography of a Yogi.
I checked it out and my life has never been the same. Some fifty + years later I have multiple copies and one nearly always in my travel book bag -- even just for a long walk with my dogs because, well, you never know... Now here's a secret I've only told two people (this goes back to when I was eighteen or nineteen -- pondering the horrors of the Vietnam War, political assassinations, farm worker strikes, women's liberation, civil rights, and my place in the world) ... I prayed to this Yogi whom I'd only recently discovered... Friends came over to my family home and we sat talking in the bedroom I shared with my younger brother. One, took from his pocket some LSD, gave some to the other friend, and offered my some... I said, "No thanks. I think I'll just meditate, but you go ahead." Nothing much happened and, after a while, they left. Some days later, another intense meditation followed by more pondering and then... Paramahansa Yogananda opened the door to my room, walked in towards me, and catching me by surprise, walked right into me. His electrified, vibrating, light form just merged into me, through and through, through cells and down into the subatomic realms of mere possibilities... When the yogis and mystics reference the Divine as "Bliss", they know by experience! My body was electrified with Yogananda's blessing and Cosmic Bliss... After some time: I don't know how long: Yogananda assumed his previous form of electric light and walked out of my room... No LSD required for that Cosmic Trip! Now, to the point: it took a few more years of meditation, pondering, catastrophic mistakes, a few lucky breaks, and then the Vision of a New Cosmic Dream arrived: what's a body to do with the surety of Divine Mystery but open a Soup Kitchen for the beautiful-broken souls wandering the city streets?
All of this is some of the "essential stuff" of my life. I really never say "God exists" because that would be plainly stupid of me. There isn't enough magic in the word "God" to cover the Mystery of I Am... Cosmic Consciousness is something closer to the Really Real, but even that comes with a bag of limitations, opinions, and definitions that aren't nearly exact as what the ancient yogis and mystics humbly explained: Mystery is better, not controlled by thought or words. Mystery is best, approached and adored as Trinity: Root Being, Dancing Consciousness, and Delightful Bliss, always new, with no beginning, and with no end... and "Would you like some noodles and tea?" Namaste!
Recite the Three Jewels of Homage: I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Being; I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Mind; I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Bliss; in service of the Liberation of All Sentient Beings and in Service of Peace and Justice and for the Well-Being of this Entire Precious Blue Planet... [Or alternatively, I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Imagination; I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beauty; I offer Homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Paradise and for the Destiny of this Entire Precious Blue Planet...] Om Peace Amen... O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee... Om Mani Padme Hum...