Dianne Lawrence, editor and owner of The Neighborhood News, a local West Adams newspaper that focuses on the “doings” in the West Adams Historic District, where PAL&G is located, asked John Morton some poignant and straightforward questions. His answers were heartfelt, thoughtful, humorous, and enlightening.

You can WATCH THE INTERVIEW below:

John Morton and Leigh Taylor-Young Morton, and hosts Laren Bright and Penelope Bright. shared a table at lunch and then it was time to begin the seminar. Laren was his usual witty self, especially when he introduced his wife, Penelope, who would spend the next five minutes reminiscing about the early days of PAL&G, then called the Purple Rose Ashram of the New Age (Prana for short!). Among many fond and humorous memories, she shared that John-Roger would come to Prana on an almost daily basis to set rules of conduct for the then wild bunch who became the first inhabitants of Prana, most of whom made the pilgrimage from infamous Berkeley. And we all got a chuckle when she painted an all-smiles word picture of the mile-long lineup to perform at these early J-R seminars.

Ariel Downs sang her sweet version of Alleluia a cappella. And then we saw three clips of John-Roger talking to us about how we gravitate toward our earthly tribes and how he encourages us to gravitate toward God’s tribe. He also spoke to us about how unrest in the world needs our help through prayer, our intercessory work.

John began with a talk that picked up where the J-R clips left off. It was a beautiful journey into our hearts. He talked about submitting his life to God and how we can move more fully into our awakening to the Mystical Traveler and become that consciousness inside ourselves. It’s the consciousness of God, it’s Divinity extending into all creation. It has divine authority and power through the Christ. He thanked everyone for showing up, for following the call, the living truth. And everyone is free to follow that call even if it means they would leave and go do something else.

Michael Hayes was with us once again and shared some very powerful information, especially reiterating what John brought forward this time as many times, to focus on gratitude, being thankful for what we have and generous with our spirit.

John ended with a blessing that spoke of MSIA as being the Movement of the Soul, transcending all that is before us. He encouraged us to rise up and step from what binds us to partake of God’s Grace. How? Let God!

You can WATCH THE SEMINAR below:

Lastly about that surprise dessert: homemade 100% organic banana creme, pressed right here in Prana’s kitchen! No sugar, no dairy, only bananas. Of course we had to add all the usual toppings, not so 100% but oh so yummy!

You can VIEW THE PHOTOS from the event below:

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Prana Festival–Celebration of John-Roger and John Morton, Wednesday July 3, 11am-6pm including barbecue lunch, tours of Prana, Prana West, and Prana Far West, and a reprise of the concert, “Travelers through their Music,” an amazing array of music we all know and love played by our professional musicians Merrill Collins and Alethea Lamb, and vocal artist Cheri Jamison.

Then off we go to the first Conference of the Mystical Traveler event that evening at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. Click here for more info about Conference.

Here are some inspiring comments from the online participants and beautiful photos from the event:

A ” Baby ” Living in Grace. I love it! Would love 4 a year….. big thank you.

Leigh is a special treat and the sit down music incredibly moving.

John unbelievable as usual.

In loving and gratitude.

~ Joan Hill

OMG I have wanted to be at this SE workshop in CT for 5 years.
It was so wonderful to be able to experience it online.
I did feel as if I was there.
In fact when I was brought back after the morning SE’s, I was surprised I was home, the way it was put together with Medleys, SE’s, sharing with John and J-R excerpts.
I could not have asked for a sweeter, more gracious way of spending my weekend.
It was so relaxing and loving.
Thank you online people for making a wish come true for me..
Loving,
Judith Jensen

This was such a beautiful experience. The loving and light from the
retreat came right through the computer and into my heart. And I
didn’t even have to fly to Connecticut.
Love and Light,
Matt VanFossan

These online events are so powerful for me. I am so grateful to be tuned into Spirit with the power of our spiritual family!  I gives me the support I need today and I am grateful for the new technology and grateful my tithing has paid off so beautifully for me. I love the Lord and you all. And a special thanks to John Morton and John-Roger for the work they do and the blessing of working with them.  God bless us all in our lifting higher and higher into  Spirit together!  Keep the online classes coming.  Such a blessing for us all to be tuned in around the world and beyond. 

Grateful,

Jeannie Farland Reno Nevada

I am finding the SE Retreat Online to be absolutely Grace-filled and Magnificent! It is a gloriously Peace-full, Loving and FUN experience – with John and Leigh exuding Loving, Warmth, Caring and great senses of humor to all of us (in the room and online).

I remember that this was the first MSIA Workshop that I ever attended – all those years ago!! And to me it is one of the cornerstones of the Teachings. And back then, John magnificently facilitated, making it fun and accessible (Some things never change!)

I am sooo grateful that MSIA offered this online, and have found the Power and Grace of Spirit to be palpable. I am grateful to myself for maximising the richness of the experience by setting things up so I am fully enjoying my re-treat at home, without needing to think about any outside concerns.

And I feel my Gratitude overflowing, for the power of the inner connection. And, in that, celebrating our One-ness — the beauty of our loving spiritual family. I feel so Blessed — it is beyond words.

Baruch Hashem!

Dawn White

It’ s a profound event for me. A lot has been surfacing to be cleared. John’s availability and generosity to us participants has been such a gift! I am very grateful. God bless you all who prepared the event, and Julie, special thanks!

LL,

Christine Garnon

We have loved every moment of the SE Retreat Online! It is such a peaceful, gentle, profound retreat and we are so grateful to be able to do this retreat in our home and with our furry children Will & Grace. Thank you John, Leigh, Julie, and all the Team!

In Loving & Light,
Carol Horton and Janet Redman

The SE Retreat was a wonderful immersion into God awareness and peace. I returned to my life deeply relaxed.

JS

Spiritual Exercise Retreat with John Morton

30 Day Re-Runs Online through June 15!

Spiritual exercises, the primary form of spiritual practice recommended for those studying MSIA Soul Awareness Discourses, are vital to students seeking to expand their awareness of Spirit. In this two and a half day retreat, students explore techniques for enhancing their spiritual exercises and practice doing them in a supportive group setting.

This event is for Discourse Subscribers only. Please only register for this event if you have an active subscription to MSIA  Soul Awareness Discourses or SATs (if 12 years of Discourses completed).   If you have questions about the status of your Discourse subscription, please email Order@msia.org.

Cost is $150 to participate online

If you are a Discourse subscriber click here to register if you would like to take it online.

If you would like more info about Discourses or would like to subscribe to Discourses, click here.

It was a blessing to have the opportunity to call in the Light for Sandy Hook an hour later from Living in Grace with my MSIA family. At our Living in Grace store, a beautiful angel whose wings covered and protected a little boy and girl stood tall over the great hall. A friend was moved to purchase this very special Angel and had her blessed by the Traveler. One of my mom’s friends works at Sandy Hook elementary school and received the angel blessing with gratitude. Our blessing of Light was already in motion.

When I got home, I witnessed an outpouring of love flowing from people from around the world, neighbors, church communities, families and friends. Flowers, stuffed animals and letters of loving and prayer were piled at temporary memorial sites at major intersections around town. Green signs in store windows and bumper stickers on cars declared, “We are Sandy Hook. We choose Love.” I even saw this sign on several giant billboards over I-95, 30 miles away. What a sign of loving oneness!

I was present several times with ministers in Washington, DC and New York City as we planted Light Columns with Traveler John Morton. Each time, I experienced of the splendor of Light that we can bring through this silent ministry. So I was aware of the blessing that can be brought through a Light column ministry and prayed to bring a blessing of a Light to Sandy Hook.

On May 9th, the day before the Spiritual Exercises retreat, our group gathered together at the Newtown United Methodist Church in Sandy Hook. My mom and I met MSIA friends from Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and California, as well as a new friend from Australia. MSIA staff members, Roger Wakefield and Julie Lurie, set up their video link. After enthusiastic greetings all around, Cleora Daily and Angel Harper demonstrated the value of preparing the space with quiet spiritual exercises until John Morton and Leigh Taylor-Young Morton arrived.

As rain poured down outside, I stretched into leading us through our very unscripted heartfelt blessing of Light. Connecticut minister Louisa Holmes called in the Light beautifully. My mom and I then sang “Dona Nobis Pacem”, (Latin for “Grant us peace” ) a round sung in my family as grace before meals. Connecticut minister, Leigh Merrihew read about Light columns from Fulfilling your Spiritual Promise…

“As a spiritual being, you have inside the ability to call forth and bring forth the Light of God into any environmental situation and to transmute the negativity into a positive gain. You will probably never know directly the benefits that such work has, the ways it touches people, or the positive changes it brings about. It is a silent work, a silent ministry, and a powerful one.” – John-Roger

In his blessing of Light for Sandy Hook, Traveler John Morton asked us to understand that we are walking Light, breathing Light, …the spark of life that allows us to be in this level. John reminded us of the importance of going within to be silent, to listen and ended by claiming the blessings fully going into every need and satisfying what will serve the good purpose that is in us as God’s truth and God’s love.

Afterwards we each had an opportunity to share our blessings of Light for Sandy Hook. Thanks to each of us for showing up and claiming that we are the blessings. And thanks to Julie Lurie and Roger Wakefield, you can watch John Morton’s blessing and the entire event here:

The Newtown Bee, our local paper announced the unanimous decision on Friday May 10th by the town’s task force, “to build a new school on the site of the current Sandy Hook School. This would allow the community to have a ‘transformative feeling’ and offer emotional closure. This group took an impossible decision and made a ray of hope for the future”, a reporter from the Newtown Bee proclaimed.

This morning, as I drove to the United Methodist Church in Sandy Hook to thank them for the use of their beautiful church, I was aware of a beautiful field of Light. I am so grateful for the Love and support of my Travelers, John Morton and John-Roger. May we continue to learn from their example to be the Light and to share the Light as Spirit directs for the highest good of all concerned. Baruch Bashan. The blessing already are!

If you cannot open the PDF, you may need to download Adobe Reader to view the file. You can download Adobe Reader here.
Enjoy!

That was the first of many hugs and encounters I experienced from and with J-R before I ever even started Discourses or knew about MSIA.  Until much later, say 1984-5, I still didn’t know who he was but I knew he felt like someone from my spiritual hometown and I knew I had ‘found my way home’ as my ministerial blessing so aptly expresses.

Thank you J-R

From my loving heart,

Joy Orevik

A few months later (May 1976), J-R and staff came to Boston and when I walked in and heard Michael Sun and Edgar Veytia sing I knew I was in the right place — beautiful transcendent setting and everything was perfect.  At the end of the evening, I made sure I got a hug from J-R (he did that in the old days) and I was the last one so we walked down the stairs together to his car.  I told him I was coming to visit PRANA, the MSIA headquarters, that Summer and he shared his enthusiasm and surprised me with his congeniality.  I immediately cancelled the next week of college and got rides to MSIA seminars in New York, Baltimore, and Washington.  I wanted to soak up as much of that energy as I could.

In Baltimore, J-R announced that he would do a question and answer seminar and my hand shot up first.  I asked him to talk about angels.  He took several other topics from the audience and settled back in his chair and stated to speak like a university professor.  He described the processes of creation of universes and stars, etc. for what seemed a long time in a technical language he rarely uses, then apologized for speaking over people’s heads.  He continued the seminar in his usual colloquial manner.  Later I realized that he was handling my question about “angels” first in a way that I would know that he knew. I was definitely impressed and committed.

After visiting PRANA two months later, I began writing more and more songs so that I could play them at the live seminars there.  Songs had to be original.  We had quite a marvelous community of musicians and we often would join in on each other’s songs.  I enjoyed bantering with J-R on stage and making fun of his difficulty pronouncing my name. (Something like “The Traveler still has a few new things to learn too , you know.”) The audience couldn’t believe my audacity.  He said he’d get me back and he has — many times over.

One night after seminar at Lake Arrowhead, he let me sing as many songs as I wanted to the group ‘till I broke down and cried from gratitude and feeling undeserving of the love and attention.  In a moment he had me laughing again.  The next day, in a casual conversation with a staff member I heard that several souls/entities had been present in the room that night from some of my other lifetimes.   These beings had suppressed my expression in other sacred spaces and he helped to clear that karma once and for all.

Thanks for everything, J-R.  I love you.

The quote below, from Thoreau’s book “Walden” or “Life in the Woods” exemplifies the spirit of the walk:

“THIS is a delicious evening, when the whole body is one sense, and imbibes delight through every pore. I go and come with a strange liberty in Nature, a part of herself. As I walk along the stony shore of the pond in my shirt-sleeves, though it is cool as well as cloudy and windy, and I see nothing special to attract me, all the elements are unusually congenial to me. The bullfrogs trump to usher in the night, and the note of the whip-poor-will is borne on the rippling wind from over the water. Sympathy with the fluttering alder and poplar leaves almost takes away my breath; yet, like the lake, my serenity is rippled but not ruffled.”

It was a special experience to walk the same path that Thoreau did, with a similar focus of finding peace in the simplicity and glory of nature.  The pond is about 1.75 miles in circumference, and the large group of us hiked it’s shores, hooked up via headsets to the spoken word of the Traveler.  The trail was challenging enough to seem like a true nature walk but gentle enough to leave us ‘rippled but not ruffled’.

On the beginning of the walk, John pointed out that some people use nature to connect to Spirit. At the site of Thoreau’s cabin, a simple 10×15 structure, John spent some time sharing with us, touching on the importance of planting Light, with exact location not mattering.  We were planting Light at a place of peace, with the intention of the highest good of all concerned – and that this will spread out to wherever it needs to go. So if you were not able to join us on the walk, not able to personally plant Light columns in Boston, the Light you did send apparently has made it’s way.

The afternoon ended with most of us peeling off sweaters and smiling.  John took a few photos to remember the event, and then a small group of us headed out to a tour of Louis May Alcott’s house.

I called the number, and when I requested more information about JR and MSIA I was offered the opportunity to order Discourses. (Thank you to Pauli, I think, who was on the phones.) They would come monthly. I thought I was subscribing to a magazine, a rather expensive one I thought at the time, but I was curious. They came, mimeographed pamphlets, one each month. I read them, sometimes just as the next one came, but Spirit didn’t let me put them aside.

There were many times in the early years that seemed like small miracles: Mrs. E’s son sharing with me; calling MSIA in distress and J-R answering the phone; or getting to an Arrowhead Retreat and sharing that I really didn’t know how I got there or why I was there and then hearing J-R laugh, oh so lovingly.

I remember J-R hugging me and feeling the energy that seemed to lift me up off of the planet. I remember a dream soon after meeting J-R in which we soared so high, and my consciousness was safely held in the Light and tender arms of the Traveler, forever free to expand. I still am amazed to remember that I courageously asked for accelerated growth, knowing that within that loving and Light I would be perfectly protected.

And so it has continued. My family moved to Alaska in 1975, and one day I received a call about hosting J-R and Staff on a visit. They came, and I was ordained. I served them dinner. I remember starting with a big pitcher of water and noticing the staff hesitating. I didn’t know that water was supposed to come in plastic bottles. But J-R helped himself and said, “That’s good water.” Then the staff enjoyed it too. I baked bread ahead and froze it to be fresh for the dinner. I warmed it up and served it. The bread basket passed around the table, finally coming back to me, and the piece I got was frozen in the middle. I asked who got the frozen bread, and J-R said, “I thought that was how it was supposed to be,” and so we laughed.

Then there were bigger miracles: We “grew” an Insight community in Alaska, and energy would roar through the room of an Insight II and hit the back wall with a bang. All talking in the room stopped for a moment before resuming. The facilitator quietly said to me, “Jesus just came into the room.” A guest at an Insight II graduation would stand nervously at the entrance looking up at the places where we had hung and then removed the participants’ work and ask why all the angels were hovering there.

I first met John Morton on one of the Anchorage visits. He was doing the Aura Balancings in my home. He said something about how amazing it is the way the Traveler shows up for us, no matter how remote or even if just one family. Sometimes I have pretended that I was alone, and then I remember those words and I experience being surrounded by the Traveler’s indescribable loving and peace. Then I again notice miracle upon miracle unfolding before me.

On one of the visits to Anchorage I went to meet J-R and staff at the Anchorage airport, and they had to have walked right past me but I didn’t see them. When all the passengers were off the plane I went to baggage claim, and there they were. J-R said I was in the Etheric of the Etheric – really spaced out. He looked at me, and it was so funny. I laughed all the way home, and thank God, Spirit drove.

Thank you, Beloved J-R, the one who is laughing with me in my heart. Thank you, Beloved John Morton, the one who encourages me and guides me to recognize all the blessings in God’s creations.

Watch the Archive of the Online Event

And here’s what folks from the LIVE event had to say …

“J-R is still with us on the planet – present, healthy, and beaming out more love than ever! Drink in the blessings.”
- Paul Kaye

“J-R signed everyone’s book and spent time with folks. The evening was filled with love. Love ya J-R.”
- Jsu Garcia

“Such spontaneous laughter, such open heartfelt sharing, such joy, such love. I can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else but with my spiritual family on nights such as these. Thank you J-R for being with us. Thank you for showing me how to love. I love you.”
- Zoe Golightly

“I experienced the event as a very joyful, loving, welcoming, inclusive event! Several people who shared were first timers. One woman was returning to the Movement after being away over 30 years. She’s restarted Discourses and written in for initiation! The loving and encouragement we held in that intimate space for these people exemplified what MSIA is about. Paul was gracious, funny, heartfelt. Jsu was Jsu, and J-R was magnificent!”
- James Hassett

“Excitement filled the air as folks came in to find their seats for the J-R Book Event. Then, when J-R showed up and entered the room that amazing loving energy washed over me. Two things really moved me about the evening. One, there were a number of folks new to MSIA there, when they came up to share, they were so present and in their hearts. It was amazing to hear them share about their awareness of the presence of a beautiful energy that they were so attracted to. The second was how once the book signing began, J-R stayed present with such loving and caring for every single person who came up to have a book signed or to connect with him. Such a joy filled, loving evening in the heart of love.”
- Win Hampton

“He looked at my eyes, and he warmed my Soul up. I could feel his unconditional love, and it made me happy. I felt blessed, I am very grateful for having the opportunity of looking at J-R’s eyes one more time. I am deeply grateful for his life, his legacy, and his loving. Thank you Jsu for taking him for a ride to see his loved ones.”
- Luz Doynel
More participant sharings below…

“The John-Roger book event was amazing. Paul Kaye and Jsu Garcia were fantastic together as they took us through the evening with learning, joy and lots of laughter. It was a beautiful kindred crowd celebrating the loving teachings of John-Roger who stayed with us the entire evening and demonstrated what he teaches by sharing his profound loving with every person and signed everyone’s book. It was a magical evening made in heaven.”
- Julie Lurie

“Miracles of coincidence of light for once strangers now friends, energies made brighter, softer, I think we all try to be gentler and kinder when JR is around and open up to Spirit inside of us to reflect that light back to him and then of course to all. JR’s presence can and most of the time does show us who we are for ourselves and for others and hopefully reminds us to be with JR all of the time and present the best of ourselves all of the time as we do when he is around physically.”
- Laura Mola

“’Twas just divine being with J-R. Since he’s not often with us physically, I loved the opportunity to smile at him, connect with his twinkling eyes and beam him love!”
- Carol Jones

“A beautiful time as always being able to be in the room with John-Roger and experience some of the sharing of great works and thoughts from his books. The most important part is that there is nothing quite like the loving presence and the moments of communion when getting a book signed, as well as experiencing the great people that were in the audience. Definitely moved my heart to open in a greater way! John-Roger is more loving than one can even try to imagine and has been my friend for many, many years.”
- Denise Lumiere

“I love it when someone new just wanders into a bookstore and sticks around for a J-R booksigning. My heart opens every time I see a new person connect to J-R and get who he is. Absolute magic!”
- Jeeni Lawrence

“It was so lovely having J-R at the Book Event. The evening was amazing and full of so much love. I was grateful to be there.”
- Kelley Raleigh

“The Mystic Bookshop took off into another dimension with all of the energy and light that came forward on Friday evening as Paul and Jsu entertained our spirits with humor, loving and wisdom in the so many varied ways that they share with us the teachings of our Beloved one John Roger. To have JR with us and so very present, signing books, talking with us and just being here was a blessing beyond words and continues to uplift me seeing him in my heart extending the pure light and loving that he so beautifully brings forward. What with Conference and London/ Bovey Castle calling this year promises to be another of grace in the mystery school of the Traveler! Loving to us all.”
- Nicholas Brown

“I felt enveloped in a canopy of bliss love harmony and one-ness that was palpable and that has stayed with me ever since.”
- Karen Hassett

“How grateful am I to be there, receiving Beloved’s grace and generosity. Given light and healing. Witness radiant beams on thy sweet face.”
- Kim Guisinger

While I was there a Tibetan Buddhist was allowed to enter in order to sit and pray amongst the many items and messages left for those affected. Two people who were obviously closely related to the Asian runner who was killed knelt before the cross in her name to place personally touching items and messages in her native language and English. How perfect that tonight here in the Boston area is a long ago planned MSIA ministers meeting that I am invited to address. Thank you, beloved of God, for the blessings of healing, peace, light and love for all in the world.
Baruch Bashan,
John