Just A Thought

 “Begin The Quest To Be Your Best Through Agni Yoga

 The Path of Ethical Living”

 January 15, 2009

Rev. Regina Maria Cross

2009 is a Master Year but what does that mean? 2 plus 9 equals 11 and in the ancient wisdom of numerology a double digit same number is called a Master Number. “Wherever a master number appears, it represents a strong dedication to assist in the great conscious awakening of our times.” says the world-renowned numerologist Ruth A. Drayer in her revered “Numerology: The Power of Numbers”. Each master number holds a quality of understanding within its represented force. The master number 11 holds the light upon the path toward our higher consciousness, the numbers 1 and 1 act as a doorway, a gateway on either side into its entrance. There is a desire for balance of energies where great strength, integrity and gentleness are required. Here we find spiritual teachers, peacemakers, visionaries and humanitarians, us, assisting the way through illumination in harmony and cooperation.

This is the time of year many pay attention to the advice in every self-help book, magazine and television show. We start our journals with high expectations of adhering to resolutions most of the time set beyond our scope or desire in comparison to another usually bought on by a societal image. Personally I am so done with that. I want me, my personal best, my authentic self, my Soul’s desire in fulfilling who it is I already am if I am made in the image of the Divine. I want to know how I can make a difference “in the great conscious awakening of our times”. My thought is if we do our best then perhaps, as the ripple in the pond, we do make a difference in the manifestation of a better world. It is our small part that can make a big change. It is up to us to be the change we want to see.

During my seminary years at Sancta Sophia I was introduced to the Path of Ethical Living called Agni Yoga. Agni means fire. Yoga means union. By living life in union with the virtues of Agni Yoga we burn away blocks and barriers within the personality purifying the authentic self and the Soul. Rev. Carol Parrish teaches us in “The New Dictionary Of Spiritual Thought”: “Agni principles employ the use of virtues and themes to propose guidelines rather than dogma for living an ethical life.”

This year 2009, a year of Mastery, I challenge us to begin the mastery of higher awareness. Each month we will explore one of the 12 Agni Yoga Virtues of Ethical Living being mindful to walk the talk. Each month we will take into our self through meditation, thought, prayer, breath, and daily existence a virtue determining how it is we, individually and as a community, become the essence of its being. There is no doubt in my mind that by the time 2010 twinkles its baby eyes at us we, our town, our world will be a better place to be born into, to share space as we live and move and have our being and to depart life from.

If you are willing, buy yourself the most delightful to your eye journal. Every day gift yourself 10, 15, 20 minutes to the serenity of solitude in whatever manner is most peaceful to you. Every day within that time write yourself The Book Of You in relationship to how you are exercising this month’s virtue in thought, word and deed. By the end of 2009 your book will be the most educational, intentional and inspirational book written, full of the enlightened wisdom of you to date. Save each issue of It’s Just A Thought, as by the end of 2009 you will have the teachings of all twelve Agni Yoga Virtues of Ethical Living to supplement the creation of The Book Of You written by the Self.

So we begin: Using what is called a Seed Thought and the first of twelve Agni Yoga Virtues of Ethical Living, Enthusiasm, quickly write your very first thoughts as to what you believe Enthusiasm to be. Three days, three weeks and certainly thirty days from now your definition will have grown beyond your imagination. This is the absolute fun of it all as by the end of the month you will have expanded life beyond the Webster’s definition (start there if you will) of the word Enthusiasm. Instead, without dogma, statues of limitations, or contrived thought you will have created your Soul’s understanding of its integrity in living color. You will be standing on the threshold of a new birth of Enthusiasm alive within you. There is a word for Enthusiasm, alive. What about vigor, fervor, spirit, fiery, ignition? For instance, did you know that the word Enthusiasm comes from the Greek word (I sound like the character Nick from one of my fav movies My Big Fat Greek Wedding) entheos meaning “god within”? How’s that for a beginning?

So maybe enthusiasm isn’t only the heart pounding rush of the cheerleader’s kicking, jumping and yelling louder than you have ever been able to even in your wildest youth. Maybe it has nothing to do with the prior to store doors opening early Monday morning employee meeting and the somewhat anxious floor leader barking “Go sell” who secretly or not so secretly you would just like to snap his little head off because all you need is a good cup of java with or without whip for your daily dose of enthusiasm.

Maybe enthusiasm is your quiet spirit of the god within as you go about your daily rounds in the manner in which you abide in life. So how is it we bring in the quiet spirit of the god within as we change a baby’s smelly haven’t got a clue as to what she ate diapers or push the one wheel askewed cart through the aisles of the grocery store armed with a list of needs longer than the count of money in our purse or sit in bumper to bumper traffic that is about to split our head wide open because the person in the car next to us ever so boomingly thinks we should be listening to their music rather than the music of our choice? How do we bring that kind of understanding of enthusiasm into life when we thought Webster’s had defined all we needed to know about it?

Go where you will with it, have fun, laugh, cry, be in a momentary stupor, be real, live with eyes wide open mastering the occupancy of life through your authentic self.  In the “strong dedication to assist in the great conscious awakening of our times” It’s Just A Thought, I believe to Begin The Quest To Be Your Best.

Through Agni Yoga, The Path of Ethical Living, we are enriched with the understanding of our part in the plan, which requires a sustainable Enthusiasm. That, as my Nona would say, is “uppa to you”. Namaste’

Light Paths * Centre For The Healing Arts, a Spiritual Enlightenment Centre and The Sophia School Of Wisdom, an accredited outreach center for Sancta Sophia Seminary is nestled in beautiful woodland only 3 miles from downtown Centreville. Know you are enthusiastically welcome and we abundantly enriched by your presence. For more information concerning upcoming events, workshops, classes or monthly gatherings call 410-758-2579 or e-mail us at lightpaths@me.com.