A New Day Dawns

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Srimati Karuna will share an audio recording of “A New Day Dawns” on Sunday, April 19, 2020.

During this holy month of Ramadan people around the Earth fast and pray to commemorate the first revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him. This daily spiritual practice between dawn and dusk is one of deep reverence and reflection. Though personal and individual, it is also a shared fellowship in the thought of God. 

From a young age the Prophet engaged in a search for Truth and he regularly undertook meditative retreats. At the age of 40 he went to the cave of Hira at Jabal al-Nur, the mountain of light. Rather than his customary one month, he spent six months praying day and night and fasting for long periods. He felt he could not pull himself away from his meditation. It was during this time that he received a supreme revelation with the first verses of the Qur'an.

The mystics of all time and all lands have heeded the call of the inner spirit with an awakened heart and mind. With each day, there is a renewed opportunity to be worshipful and reflective. How will we meet the dawn of a new day? Will it be with a serene mind and pure heart? Will it be with a spirit of hope and joy?

What Dedication!

We dedicate a prayer for one who is in need. We dedicate a poem or song to one whom we love. We dedicate ourselves to a passion, one to which we commit our full attention and energy. And all that dedication has something in common…What is it?

Examine, observe, and get to the heart of the matter. A life of dedication! What dedication! We know it when we see it but how do we achieve it?

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Deep Thoughts, Deep Breaths

Where do we find profound wisdom to guide us on the pilgrimage of life? How do we get to the top of the mountain when the altitude challenges us with every breath and we struggle to maintain the energy and equilibrium to continue? How do we dive to the very depth of the sea when both our body and mind try to carry us back to the surface?

From our first breath to our last the infinite mystery of the soul is imprinted upon our consciousness. It is always within our reach.

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Still With Thee

The inspiration for this Sunday’s service comes from a beautiful hymn we look forward to singing together during the service: “Still, still with Thee, when purple morning breaketh." In my mind this phrase has an interesting and inspiring double connotation. Does it mean that whatever befalls us in life God is always (still) with us? Or does it mean that in calmness (stillness) we realize the presence of God? Does it refer to the idea that “if I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." (Psalm 139:8)? Or, to the sage guidance given in Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.”?

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Spotlight of My Mind

What is single-pointed concentration? How can it be achieved? If your work is all-absorbing and you put your body, mind and heart into it, the result is complete self-dedication. In such dedication, time and effort are practically unknown. The practice becomes timeless and effortless. When attachment and worry are present, time can be experienced as long and the effort difficult. But when the devotee sees only the source of devotion, there is no other desire than to keep the spotlight of the mind ever focused on that source.

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