Did God Create the Universe – or Become It?

Blessed Are the Inwardly Free

Reading and Affirmation for January

From the book The Beatitudes: Their Inner Meaning by Swami Kriyananda

Truth is one and eternal. Realize oneness with it in your deathless Self, within.

The following commentary is based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda.

The Gospel of St. John, Chapter 1, contains a passage that explains the essential truth that creation is a process of becoming. The universe is not separate from God the Creator, but a part of Him even as our own dream-creations, during sleep, are figments of our consciousness. God’s is the life; God’s, the reality. Not a melody could be composed, not a poem written, were the melody and the poem not already there, simply waiting to be expressed.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Ego-directed desire is like static; it distorts the radioed messages of Infinity. But the pristine impulse from the divine, undistorted by limitation and delusion, is the life that gives rise to all that is. As the seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita states:

I am the fluidity of water. I am the silver light of the moon and the golden light of the sun. I am the AUM chanted in all the Vedas: the Cosmic Sound moving as if soundlessly through the ether. I am the manliness of men. I am the good sweet smell of the moist earth. I am the luminescence of fire; the sustaining life of all living creatures. I am self-offering in those who would expand their little lives into cosmic life. O Arjuna, know Me as the eternal seed of all creatures. In the perceptive, I am their perception. In the great, I am their greatness. In the glorious, it is I who am their glory.

Thus, through holy Scripture, God has spoken to mankind.

Whispers From Eternity

37. Hover, O Mighty Spirit, over the Minaret of my Expectations

Into the temple of peace come Thou, O God of joy! Into the shrine of my devotion, come!O Bliss-God! Sanctify the sanctuary of my goodness by Thy presence.

O mighty Allah, hover above Thy solitary minaret of waiting expectations. Lo! the mosque of my mind exudes the frankincense of perfect stillness. Come, Lord! I am listening for the silent tread of Thy footsteps. In the temple of my self-unfoldment I await Thy coming. Into the invisible temple of my prayer, built of shining, crystal blocks of devotion, come Thou daily and receive the humble offerings of my heart, renewed constantly by love.

Paramhansa Yogananda

Inspiration from the Rays of One Light

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,"

Matthew 5:3

We will take these meaningful words into our meditation together for deep reflection and contemplation. But firstly, we will listen to the beautiful Psalm of David, sung by Mary Kretzmann.

Psalm of David

Reflect, Meditate and Listen to Instrumental Music

Reflection from the Beatitudes

Peace Sangha!

Today I was inspired by the beatitude “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Matthew 5:3

This beatitude invites us to embrace humility and release the grip of pride and ego that often keep us trapped in poverty consciousness. When we let go and stop focusing on our own egoic desires and worrying about others and the world, we open ourselves to new ways of seeing and experiencing God’s beautiful creation and the peace that is always available to us.

Swami Kriyananda shared that our ego driven desires act like static, distorting the pure messages from the divine source within us. They cloud our perception and keep us disconnected from the deeper truths of God's love and creation of life.

The journey into this beautiful beautitude asks us to be courageous and to trust. It asks us to embrace the courage to come face to face with our own limitations, while learning to let go of the need to control everything. It is in this surrender that we find true freedom, clarity, where we experience and realise that we belong to something richer and far greater than we can ever comprehend.

Here are a few simple suggestions I have personally tried that may help you begin to apply this beatitude in your everyday life:

Take quiet moments each day. Spend a few minutes in silence, letting go of your busy thoughts. This helps you notice gentle guidance or feelings from within.
Practise gratitude. Each day, think of a few things you are thankful for. Gratitude softens the ego and helps you notice the good around you.
Listen without judgement. When talking with others, try to listen fully without planning your reply. This makes you more open and connected, both to people and to deeper insights.
Let go of needing to be right. If you find yourself arguing or defending your point, ask yourself if it’s really that important. Sometimes, letting go brings more peace.
Spend time in nature. Go for a walk outside, breathe fresh air, and simply observe. Nature can help quiet the mind and help you to feel closer to God.
Help someone without expecting anything back in return. Acts of kindness shift your focus from yourself to others, opening your heart.
A Prayer to Let Go of Poverty Consciousness
Divine Source of all life, I come before you with a humble heart, willing to release the grip of pride and ego that clouds my vision.
Help me to see beyond my limited worries and fears, to open my eyes to the beauty and wisdom you offer each day.
Cleanse my heart of desires that distort your pure divine messages, and fill me instead with your life giving presence.
Grant me the courage to face my own limitations honestly, and the trust to surrender control into your divine loving hands.
In my surrender to you God, may I find true freedom and clarity, and trust that I belong to your infinite divine love.
Let me walk the path of humility, receiving your wisdom and grace with an open spirit, so that I may live fully, richly, peacefully, within the sacred fabric of your divine creation.

Aum Peace Amen