The Difference You Make

Every single one of us makes a difference every day – it is up to us as to the kind of difference we make.
Jane Goodall

This week we honor of the passing of the great environmentalist, ethologist and humanitarian, Jane Goodall. Making a difference was her life's work. This quote came from her obituary on her website, JaneGoodall.org  
Through her work she came to understand how, as humans, we are deeply interconnected with nature, we are not separate. All of our actions affect the world, whether we are aware of it or not. This awareness she speaks of is in alignment with the teachings of Yoga. We are One with all of life. The spiritual teachers tell us that we can choose how we are in the world. Even the little things we do, affect this manifest world, the physical environment and all beings in small ways and profound ways. We each bring our unique gifts. Our meditation practice teaches us to slow down, observe ourselves, listen to our inner wisdom and act in a way that benefits all.

Our Highest Happiness

Self-discipline is action that is taken in harmony with one's deepest wisdom. Rather than an imposed external structure, true self-discipline is learning to follow soul-guidance. The practice of self-discipline therefore supports soul realization and our highest happiness.... The combination of dispassion and self-discipline provide the necessary environment in consciousness for realization to occur.
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

Self-discipline on the spiritual path is about our ability to control the whims of the ego, that aspect of ourselves that identifies uniquely with body, mind and personality and is predominanly self-centered. The ego enables us interact with the world, but needs to be properly guided. It wants short term gratification and is basically never satisfied for long. Kriya Yoga meditation practice makes us very aware of our own mental state and trains us to recognize short term desires as opposed to our real goal of lasting inner peace and harmony with the world around us. We can experience the freedom from suffering when we practice dispassion when we do our best and let go of attachment to the results of our actions. Our steady meditation practice slowly frees up the path of higher intuition, our soul's deepest wisdom. Following the soul's guidance slowly purifies our default mental state and opens us up to the appreciation of grace all around us.

Our Thoughts Influence How We Thrive

We arrange conditions in our mind conductive to success by changing any thought patterns that are not consistent with thriving. When we notice negativity pervading our thoughts, we can pause, consider what the opposite would be, and then introduce that opposite as a new, more useful thought into the mental field.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

This method of opposites is one of the most powerful tools articulated in the classic Yoga text, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The verse states that "when the mind is disturbed by negative thoughts, one should dwell on their opposites." Our daily meditation practice brings awareness of the quality of thoughts in the mind and gives us the opportunity to change them. If we can move from the heat of anger for example and cultivate loving kindness, we can avoid the unhealthy effects of anger. This practice not only helps all those around us but also opens the path to our own mental, emotional and spiritual freedom.

Love and Compassion

The depth of realization attained in meditation is measured by the acts 
of love and compassion it inspires.
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

For those of us who have a regular meditation practice, how are we to 
judge its effectiveness? The first level answer is not by what happens 
during meditation. Even on those days when the mind seems as restless as 
the wind, our constant returning to a point of focus brings many 
benefits: an improved ability to concentrate, increased awareness of 
what is occurring in the mind, and an ability to be present as we go 
about our daily activities. Often others notice the real benefits of our 
meditation practice before we do: an abiding calm peacefulness and a 
pleasant disposition despite outer circumstances. However the greatest 
blessing of meditation is that natural compassion with all those we come 
in contact with because we realize that we are not really separate from 
each other at all.

We Are One

Images of earth from space show us a planet free of boundaries. What will it be like for us to live as one—the truth that we have seen and know in our hearts? When a new vision arises, the old way fights to maintain the status quo. See through appearances to embrace the highest truth.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

Many of the astronauts who saw the earth for the first time from space came back to say that it was a life changing experience for them. When we see those images we are reminded that the boundaries that have been created are really just an illusion. In this day and age we are constantly reminded of the perceived boundaries between us—boundaries of race, of nationality, of gender, of politics, of religion, we could go on and on. As John Lennon said "Imagine all the people living life in peace." We can live as one. While honoring each other's differences we can live our lives in the continual remembrance that we are One. Our intentional meditation practice supports us in that remembrance.

Our Thoughts Influence How We Thrive

We arrange conditions in our mind conductive to success by changing any thought patterns that are not consistent with thriving. When we notice negativity pervading our thoughts, we can pause, consider what the opposite would be, and then introduce that opposite as a new, more useful thought into the mental field.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

This method of opposites is one of the most powerful tools articulated in the classic Yoga text, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The verse states that "when the mind is disturbed by negative thoughts, one should dwell on their opposites." Our daily meditation practice brings awareness of the quality of thoughts in the mind and gives us the opportunity to change them. If we can move from the heat of anger for example and cultivate loving kindness, we can avoid the unhealthy effects of anger. This practice not only helps all those around us but also opens the path to our own mental, emotional and spiritual freedom.

Be Happy for No Reason

Our amazing soul power to “just be present” with whatever is at hand, is the highway to happiness. It is an assertion that what we are as Spirit, is greater than any situation or circumstance. We stand back, anchored in spiritual awareness. And then, there it is: we are whole. Contentment, even in the face of difficulty, arises. We discover we can be happy for no reason.
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

In the teachings of Kriya Yoga, cultivating contentment is one of the ten lifestyle practices taught to bring peace to the mind and heart. Recently, while working on a project that had its times of difficulty, one of the leaders asked if I was happy. I replied, “Yes, I am.” But then I paused and clarified: I wasn’t just happy—I felt contentment with the work we were doing, how it was unfolding and how it was being received.

Contentment is a deeper, steadier peace, something we’ve all experienced at one time or another. Yet, when we face challenges—or witness others going through them—it isn’t always easy to accept things as they are. In those moments, our regular meditation practice can support us. It allows us to pause, breathe, notice our feelings, and accept what is, so we can discern the next right step to take.

These are the moments when we can truly cultivate contentment—and discover the quiet happiness already present in our lives.

Serenity Comes From Nonattachment

Serenity and freedom from attachment are linked. When you are upset, look to see where the attachment lies. Let it go and experience serenity.
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

Roy Eugene Davis translates the core teaching on non-attachment from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as "dispassionate non-attachment enables one to consciously control urges, cravings and instinctual drives."  We can live fully attached to outcomes or use the enhanced self-awareness from our meditation practice to make rightly guided choices in life, even after disappointment. When we are selfishly attached to the results of our actions, we squander the opportunity to learn something new and we suffer. As Yogacharya O'Brian has written "with non-attachment, one cares about their work because it is an offering to God... The core of non-attachment is the realization that God is the doer." We care about the results of our actions but are humbly ready to serve.

Plant Positive Seeds for The Future

The law of karma is perfect. Harming harms us. Acts of love return to bless us.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

Karma is a Sanskrit word that literally means the results of actions. The Bhagavad Gita reminds us that we cannot refrain from acting. Everything we do is an action, even breathing. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali tell us that actions have consequences: good, bad or a mixture of the two. Even our thoughts have karmic consequences. We can get caught up in what happened in the past and think there's no hope but through our thoughts, words and actions we can plant positive seeds for the future. Even the seed for the sunflower in the photo brought the gift of beauty, even through a crack in the concrete. Daily meditation practice nurtures our witness consciousness which enables us to observe and modify our actions in real time. We are fully responsible for our own karma.  Especially in these difficult times it can be very liberating to act out of love. Let go of the past and move forward, making the commitment to plant positive seeds for our and the world's future.

Mantra—A Spiritual Tool for the Mind

The Sanskrit term mantra means a spiritual tool for the mind, a formula for reaching higher states of consciousness... Mantra practice liberates the mind from the confining structure of thought form. It frees the mind from the constraint of concepts and allows it to be a vehicle or conduit for higher understanding and insight.
Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian   From her book The Jewel of Abundance

We can use a mantra from a sacred language such as the So Hum mantra in Sanskrit (So - That / Hum - I am, meaning I am that which I seek) or an English word like 'peace' or a phrase such as 'I am peace.' Silent repetition of the mantra at the beginning of our practice can captivate the mind and make it easier to reach a single point of focus. The normal chatter of random thoughts can fall away and leave us in that state of deep peacefulness which is our true nature and which we call meditation. Try using mantra at the beginning of your practice and you may find it a very valuable tool.

Let Your Life Open In Beauty

LET YOUR LIFE OPEN IN BEAUTY

To meditate is to be
like the flower at dawn
turning toward the sun.
Doing what it is naturally
inclined to do, the flower is

energized into opening.
This flower opening
is the fulfillment of life's
intention. Its beauty
is effortless.

The flower fulfills its destiny;
its beauty speaks to those
who pass by, saying:
Creator! Love! Possibility!

Each day, turn within
to the Source of life.
Be energized, be fulfilled,
let your life open in beauty.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

Make Wise Decisions

To wisely decide on a course of action, first take time to become established in the awareness of the presence of God. Let divine peace fill your mind. Then inwardly inquire: what is in harmony with the highest good?
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

Some decisions can be made on the simple basis of cost comparison. Other decisions can be more complicated and require that we use a broader range of possible resources. When making major life decisions we can utilize the higher resources of inner guidance. Patience and the practice of meditation is key to access our powerful intuition. When we concentrate on a single point of focus such as the breath or a mantra, the mind becomes quiet and  free of thoughts that distract so that we can access deeper intuition. The ego is our lower drive that wants I, me mine rather than the deeper universal consciousness. How do we recognize the difference between decisions based on ego versus those in touch with the presence of God, (or however you conceptualize the ground source of being)? The key is the abiding sense of peacefulness about the decision. How does this benefit myself and others? If you feel in a hurry to proceed, perhaps this is the mark of ego. And of course we can notice who and what benefits as a result. What is your process for making important decisions and has meditation helped with this?

Choosing Joy In The Midst of Challenge

Joy is innate to the soul. We have it always. The secret of knowing joy even during challenges is refusing to let anyone or anything take it away.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

There are so many times in our life when we have some kind of challenge. It may be as simple as being late for an appointment but we get stuck in traffic and every stoplight is red. It could be a relationship or work challenge or it may be the loss of someone that we love or loss of a job. It is our human situation to have difficulties in our life. But how do we handle these challenges? Yogacharya O'Brian reminds us that joy is an inherent part of who we are, it can't be taken away unless we allow it. We can let an external situation disturb our peace or we can look at the situation and discern what is really bothering us and then figure out the best way to deal with that, remembering that everything is subject to change except our deep abiding joy, contentment and wisdom. This is where our meditation practice supports us. In the stillness of meditation, we learn to pause, observe, and create space between stimulus and response. It offers us a moment of clarity—an opportunity to return to our center and respond from a place of calm rather than reactivity. 

We can decide to live in that place of joy rather than allow anyone or anything to take it away. It's not that we ignore the issue but we remember that our joy is ours. We have the power to choose it.

Success Begins With Meditation

Success is either hastened or delay by one's habits.  It is not you passing inspirations or brilliant ideas so much as your everyday mental habits that control your life.
~Paramahansa Yogananda

A consistent daily meditation practice gives us the mental self awareness to judge our thoughts and speech as they arise and to make necessary adjustments. When we let less useful thoughts and speech fall away we avoid negative consequences and attract only the support that positive speech and actions naturally acquire. What we experience as success comes from the harmony of our actions with a supportive universe. Success begins with meditation. Meditation helps us to judge our thoughts and actions and to evaluate our habits. What habits would you like to acquire? Which would you like to drop?

Choose Equanimity

Our state of mind profoundly shapes our reality. When our mind is disturbed, restless, or burdened by attachment, worry, or regret, we see it reflected in our interactions, body language, relationships, and overall experience of life. Conversely, a mind anchored in equanimity expresses itself in clarity, grace, and harmony. By carefully observing ourselves, we learn to recognize our mental states early on and consciously return to balance. We learn to choose equanimity repeatedly, deepening our spiritual practice moment by moment.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian  from her commentary on The Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 V.54 Steadfast Wisdom: Living with Clarity and Equanimity

With a steady meditation practice we can live a life of equanimity. We learn to observe our thoughts in meditation and then we take that out into our daily life. When we find ourselves upset, anxious or fearful we can slow down and observe ourselves. Rather than blindly react, we can choose our response. We can choose a calmer way of approaching life.

Meditation Is The Solution

It is on the inward condition that the outer reality depends.
~ Roy Eugene Davis

Our inner state is the foundation upon which our outer world is built. Through daily meditation, we gain the tools to shape our thoughts, calm our minds, and cultivate positive attitudes. Meditation is not just a practice; it's a pathway that empowers us to approach life's challenges with clarity, patience, and resilience.

Having meditated for nearly my entire adult life, I’ve come to realize how much this practice has nurtured my optimism and strengthened my ability to face adversity.

A few years ago, I found myself in a high-stakes situation at work. I had been the IT manager at a small company for ten years, and one week, we were confronted with a potentially catastrophic issue involving our main servers. The problem was so severe that without a solution, the company could have faced collapse. It was my responsibility to find a fix, but there was a catch—our two primary vendors were pointing fingers at each other, leaving me feeling stuck. They claimed no solution was possible.

In the face of growing tension, I paused. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes for a moment, and meditated. In those brief seconds, I was able to center myself, quiet my mind, and gain perspective. I made one last call to tech support at one of the companies. This time, I spoke to a cheerful, calm representative who assured me that a solution was indeed possible—and within two hours, everything was running perfectly.

To paraphrase Paramahansa Yogananda, "Whatever the problem, meditation is the solution." Even if we hadn't found a solution that day, meditation would have ensured that I stayed grounded and at peace, knowing I had done my best. Meditation doesn't just help us solve problems; it gives us the strength to remain unshaken, no matter how big the challenge. When we master our inward condition, we unlock the power to transform our outer reality.

Notice The Good Each Day

Take heart by noticing the good. Talk about it. Magnify it. Look for it. Share it. Give it attention. Build on it.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

In this time of polarization, anger, fear, anxiety and strife and war it is really easy to focus on the negative and get pulled down by it. It is easy to lay blame on others. If we are focused on all of that, that is all we see. The energy that we are personally experiencing is the energy that we put out into the world. If we are angry or upset, others feel that, even if we don't say anything. But Yogacharya O'Brian says "Take heart!"  When we look for the good in life, we lift up our own energy and others feel that. In the teachings of yoga, that principle of luminosity is called Sattva. Those of us who are striving for a more peaceful and happy life have a responsibility. In difficult times, it is our responsibility to bring positive energy into the world. Postive energy always overcomes negative energy, but sometimes it takes some work. As Yogacharya says, start by noticing the good and take some time to let it sink in. Give it attention and then share it. Start each day by setting an intention to notice the good and end each day by taking stock of the good you have seen or experienced that day. The more of us that participate in life in this way contribute to peace and good in the world. 

Actualize Your Ideal Life

Discard thoughts, behaviors, relationships, and actions which are inconsistent with your highest ideals. Whatever concept of the ideal life you have, actualize it now. You do not have to wait to make useful changes.
Roy Eugene Davis

What are your highest ideals? Does your ideal concept of life involve you being a kinder person to all those around you? Can you envisage being more in the flow of abundance and giving generously to others? Are you ready to accept situations as they truly are move ahead efficiently without wasting time complaining? Will wiser use of your personal time and energy allow you to accomplish more of your highest goals? Personally I have decided to focus more on the right use of my time and energy. Let go of what you perceive as obstacles to achieving your highest ideals. How will you take advantage of this opportunity to move ahead? The possibilities are infinite and the time to begin is now.

Cultivate Balance

Balance renders life fruitful.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian

We often hear about having balance in our life, but what does that really mean and how do we achieve balance?  It is easy to get out of balance with the busyness of our lives and so many things to do, pushing ourselves beyond what is good for our bodies and minds. We can get overtired. We may get out of balance with what and how much we are eating. The teachings of Kriya Yoga are all about balance. At the basic level we can look at what we eat. Do we eat food that brings us health and well being or do we eat food that might taste good in the moment but bring us discomfort in the long run? Are we getting enough sleep so that during our waking hours we are able to respond to stressful situations with discernment rather than react and maybe say or do something that is not useful? During our busy day do we take breaks for rest and sweetness? Do we take some time in the silence of meditation each day? Do we take time for light exercise each day? Can we turn away from what we find stressful (like the news) and turn towards things, situations and people that are uplifting and bring us joy? Turn away from what you know doesn't support your highest good and towards what lifts you up. When we do that, our lives are more grace-filled and our lives are fruitful. We feel content and at peace. That is balance.

Simplify Your Life

Be as simple as you can be; you will be astonished to see how uncomplicated and happy your life can become.
~Paramahansa Yogananda

The pursuit of simplicity in life is in harmony with the core spiritual practices taught by Yogananda. Right use of our energy frees us from the wasteful expenditure of time and energy. When we look at how we spend time we can liberate great amounts of it for useful purposes. The practice of non-stealing, not feeling like we lack for anything, can lead us to reduce clutter from our homes and transfer things to others who can make better use of them. Devotion to harmlessness can free us from compulsive attempts to tell others what they should be doing and free energy for our own self-transformation. Harmlessness makes us better listeners and can save us from saying things we might later regret. Simplicity can lead us to inner contentment, that powerful practice that frees us from seeking happiness in the gratification of desires and puts us in touch with our own innate joy. Spend some time pursuing simplicity and see what it can do for you.