Just realize where you come from:  

this is the essence of wisdom

  

 

—Tao te Ching

Spring is the season of prana,

 or vibrant energy, a time when life force 

is evident. I once described it as “a green ache” because the push to grow that 

we observe in nature also exerts itself in our hearts and minds. We feel it urging 

us to express ourselves more fully, to move beyond perceived limits and be all 

that we can be. This aligns with our innate tendency to thrive, prosper, and be 

successful in all ways. Divine life is infinite and so are the possibilities for its 

expression. That inherent potential can sometimes leave us wondering, how do I 

choose? What is mine to do? The key is Self awareness, our ability to know what 

we really are and then be guided by our essential spiritual nature. Paramahansa 

Yogananda described spiritual liberation as the freedom to live by soul guidance 

rather than the reactive patterns in the mind. To be able to draw from the well 

of the soul’s inspired guidance requires a quiet mind and the commitment to 

cultivate that inner peace. In this way,  the Self becomes a friend to the self and 

guides our steps. 

Meditation is the principal tool for befriending the Self, for expanding our 

awareness and purifying the mental field to allow innate knowledge to be 

revealed and inner guidance to be perceived. In this issue of Enlightenment 

Journal, you’ll find several resources to enhance and encourage your daily prac-

tice. If you have ever wondered how to bring fresh energy to your meditation 

practice, to find delight in it as well as insight, you will appreciate Sally Kempton’s 

insights. Roy Eugene Davis offers practical advice for setting up a daily practice 

and experiencing life-transforming insights through contemplative meditation.  

Befriending the Self is a universal approach to spiritual living. Discovering 

the key to inner wisdom and personal, direct guidance for our lives sets us free 

to realize our potential. Strike the pose of the spiritual warrior—anchored in 

the Self, ready for whatever life brings, open yet grounded, ready to expand. 

Knowing where we come from, standing upon that wisdom, our energy rises to 

unfold all levels of our being.

Ellen Grace O'Brian, Editor

EnlightenmentJournal@CSEcenter.org

FROM THE EDITOR'S CUSHION
Everyday, enlightenment.