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Excerpts from the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda

In creating this universe God revealed two aspects: the masculine or fatherly, and the feminine or motherly....In Nature you behold the mother aspect of God, full of beauty, gentleness, tenderness, and kindness.

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God as Divine Mother ever watches over Her human children, peeping through the caring hearts of all true mothers. God's unconditional mercy is expressed in the mother. The mother's instinctive love and forgiveness, no matter what her child has done, shows us that God will ultimately forgive the sins of all human beings. That is why I like to relate to God not as the grim Deity of some prophets, but as the Mother Divine waiting to forgive all and take them back after their freewill wanderings on the error-strewn pathways of incarnations.

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Like an insistent child, constantly call to the Divine Mother until She says: “All right, what is it you want?” She is so busy with creation, She doesn’t reply at once; but to the naughty child who cries and cries for Her, She will come.

The Divine Mother is most anxious to have you back with Her, but first you must prove to Her that you want Her alone. You must cry urgently and unceasingly; then She smiles and is with you instantly. Divine Spirit has no partiality; the Mother loves all. But Her devotees appreciate Her love, respond to Her love. I see the effect on people who have gained a little human love, or a little money — how happy they are! But if they could see what strength, what joy, what love is in the Divine Mother, they would fly away from all else.

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Divine Mother, I heard Thy voice in the speaking fragrance of the rose. I heard Thy voice in the lisping whispers of my devotion. I heard Thy voice beneath the din of my noisiest thoughts. It was Thy love that spoke through the voice of friendship. I touched Thy tenderness in the softness of the lily.

O Divine Mother, break the dawn and show Thy face of light! Break the sun and show Thy face of power! Break the night and show Thy moonèd face! Break my thoughts and show Thy face of wisdom! Break my feelings and show Thy face of love! Break my pride and show Thy face of humbleness! Break my wisdom and show Thy face of perfection!

As I called to Thee in the wilderness of my loneliness, Thou didst burst through the dawn to greet me with Thy joy. Thou didst emerge from the molten door of the sun to pour Thy power into the pores of my life. Thou didst tear away the night of my ignorance to reveal Thy silver rays of speaking silence!

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While others waste their time, meditate, and you will see that in meditation that Silence will speak to you....Everywhere I see the Divine Spirit manifesting in form as the Mother. Water condensed becomes ice, and so invisible Spirit can be frozen into form by my devotion's frost. If only you could see the beautiful eyes of the Mother that I beheld last night. My heart is filled with joy eternal. The little cup of my heart cannot hold the joy and the love that I beheld in those eyes — looking at me, sometimes smiling. I said to Her, “Oh! and people call You unreal!” and Divine Mother smiled. “It is You who are real and all things else are unreal,” I said, and the Divine Mother smiled again. I prayed, “O Mother, be Thou real unto all.”

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There are two kinds of seekers: those who are like the baby monkey and those who are like the kitten. The baby monkey clings to the mother; but when she jumps, it may fall off. The little kitten is carried about by the mother cat, content wherever she places it. The kitten has complete trust in its mother. I am more like that; I give all responsibility to the Divine Mother. But to maintain that attitude takes great will. Under all circumstances — health or sickness, riches or poverty, sunshine or gray clouds — your feeling must remain unruffled. Even when you are in the coal bin of suffering you don't wonder why the Mother placed you there. You have faith that She knows best. Sometimes an apparent disaster turns into a blessing for you....

Gloom is but the shade of Divine Mother’s hand outstretched caressingly. Don’t forget that. Sometimes, when the Mother is going to caress you, a shadow is caused by Her hand before it touches you. So when trouble comes, don’t think that She is punishing you; Her hand overshadowing you holds some blessing as it reaches out to bring you nearer to Her.

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You were sent on earth to experience God's cosmic show and then return to your abode in Him....I say, “Lord, this is Your show. So be it. But I do not care to be a part of it, except to do Your will. As quickly as I can, I shall do Your work and get out of this play of Yours; but I want to take others also away from this delusive drama of comedies and nightmares.”...

But as long as it exists for you, have but one trend of thought in your mind — God....Close your eyes, think of God, and give the Divine Mother a call from your soul. This you can do any time, anywhere. No matter what else you may be doing, you can mentally converse with God: “My Lord, I am looking for You. I don’t want anything but You alone. I long to be with You always. You made me in Your image; and my home is with You. You have no right to keep me away from You. Maybe I have done wrong, tempted by delusions of Your cosmic play; but because You are my Mother, my Father, my Friend, I know You will forgive me and take me back. I want to go Home. I want to come to Thee.”