Denver Theosophical Society

Creative work of any kind gives joy to life, and the transformation
of our nature by methods of preparatory Yoga is creative work of
the highest order, more real and more dynamic than painting a
picture or making a statue. Painters and sculptors create works
that represent life out of comparatively dead material, pigment and
stone. The person who brings the image of the real Self out of the
lower nature is evoking living spirit from living matter. A life
problem is being solved. We are bringing the future into the
present by becoming what we most truly are.

The process of divine creativity in this work transforms our life into
a song . . . It is like the living process of a bud opening into a
flower with all the natural joy which is always present in such
natural unfolding processes. This joyous work is what preparatory
Yoga potentially means and can actually mean to anyone who
takes it up in earnest.

Like other systems of yoga (meaning union with your deepest
and truest nature), Patanjali's Yoga Sutras prescribe an
eight-step system which we can pursue systematically.

It is difficult to get much overall benefit from a random practice of
the steps. To be really beneficial, all the steps need to be taken
sequentially. This month, we begin with two foundational moral
practices: self-restraint and observances.

Transmuting our lower nature is not easy. The chief difficulty is
that in spite of our idealism and determination, undesirable
tendencies continue to trouble us. Learn the key to successfully
neutralize a negative tendency.

What do Bah�'�s believe?

Bah�'�s believe that there is only one Supreme Being and that the
core values of all religions emanate from the same Source; therefore,
religions are one. They believe that moral, social, and spiritual laws
have been revealed throughout the ages by divinely-inspired
Messengers. Although Bah�'�s believe that Bah�'u'll�h is the
Promised One of this age, they nevertheless also embrace and
revere Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus Christ,
and Muhammad as divine messengers and feel a sense of unity with
their followers.

The central theme of Bah�'u'll�h's writings is that all people belong to
one human family. In addition to their strong commitment to
principles of unity, Bah�'�s also believe in the equality of men and
women, universal education, religious tolerance, the harmony of
science and religion, a universal auxiliary language, universal peace
upheld by federated nations, and the independent investigation of
truth. These beliefs are applied as they create a strong community
that is racially unified and culturally diverse.

This month we examine more components of Patanjali's Yoga:
posture, breath, and "going inward," as well as the three essential
techniques of Yoga: concentration, contemplation, and union.

Posture and breath control are preparatory techniques for practicing
Yoga that involve harmonizing our dense physical and subtler etheric
bodies. "Going inward" is a process of deliberately withdrawing our
attention from the distractions of the surrounding world so we can
meditate effectively. Concentration, contemplation and union are
three progressive stages of meditation leading to a knowledge of the
reality behind the object of meditation and a consequent mastery of
the power associated with that knowledge.

If we look at human life as a whole, dispassionately, we find it is a
continuous play of desire and mind in different forms and circum-
stances. All human beings are driven constantly by desire in search
for happiness. But in our ultimate identity, we are a monad, a unit of
the One Consciousness in the universe. We are unalloyed being,
knowing, and rejoicing. We become frustrated in our pursuit of
happiness in the ever-changing world of manifesta- tion, but
gradually we recognize our true nature of will, direct knowledge and
pure bliss. The world is not a mistake or an exile; it is where we
have the opportunity to discover who and what we are.

The fact that there is so much information available has created a
tendency for today's aspirant to develop a spiritual practice which
has great breadth, but little depth. In this talk we will seek to
simplify--to identify the foundations for a deep and lasting spiritual
practice.

Tim Boyd is currently President of the Theosophical Society in
America. He co-produced, narrated and conducted interviews for the
Eternal Quest radio series, broadcast on stations in the U.S and
Canada. He is a founding member of a spiritual community which
was situated in the heart of Chicago in what had been a
deteriorating urban area. The group established organic food
gardens on vacant lots, purchased and renovated numerous
buildings in the area, and placed bee hives on the roofs of buildings.
He has lectured throughout the US and internationally.

TS members: There will be a Members' Dinner on April 26, 2012 (details to follow via email) with Tim and Lily Boyd, after which
Tim will speak about "Desirelessness - the difficult qualification." Imprecise ideas abound about desire in our unfoldment. What does it mean to
desire? What aspects of our constitution are engaged and how? What is its effect on us? A proper understanding of this key concept will be of
great benefit to all serious students.

Good because qualified teachers from both ancient spiritual
traditions and emerging approaches to spirituality are available to us
all. Bad because the availability of so many potential avenues has
confused and distracted many sincere seekers.

We can be taught and guided in many ways. But finally, we cannot
depend on help from outside. We must learn to seek the Light within
ourselves. The Light, from whatever source it comes, if it is the True
Light, is the same Light in all of us. And that Light is ever available to
us from within.

We conclude our season with a contemplative stroll through
nature's beauty. After you purchase your ticket, mete us just inside
the frong entrance (please be on time, but if you miss us, we'll see
you on the deck later), and you'll be given a tidbit of wisdom to
ponder as you stroll. At 3:00, we'll meet on the deck in the Monet
Gardens and share the insights that arose. Please check our
schedule online at www.DenverTS.org, as this date is subject to
change or cancellation depending on the Botanic Gardens'
occasional closures for private events.

Clairvoyant author and teacher Dora
VanGelder Kuntz (co-developer of
Therapeutic Touch) wrote, "When
teaching meditation, I always suggest
that we should try to listen to the sounds
of the brook, birdsong, or the wind in the
trees, for by so doing we open ourselves
to the inner harmony of nature."

Continuing on, she explained, "If you want to become sensitive to
plants or trees you have to lose your sense of separateness.
Setting aside your ego, you become aware of the vital energies you
share with the rest of nature, and feel their rhythm."
--Devic Consciousness, 1990

In such moments, it may seem like your usual ego boundaries
disappear, and you can feel yourself expanding into and being part
of something much larger and more beautiful--present here and
now--something that you were not aware of even a moment ago.