My introduction to MSIA was by Jack Stander, who invited me to attend a seminar at the home of Nicholas Brown and Carolan Nathan in St Johns Wood. I remember it vividly, it was 1972, the seminar room was dimly lit, I was welcomed and noticed everyone was sitting on the floor with candles glowing in the background. Carolan called in the Light, and they played an audio tape by J-R. I became transfixed and as the audio ended and I got up to leave I heard a voice inwardly say: ‘This is what you have been looking for, look no further.’ I was hooked and went on Discourses soon after. Shortly after Paul Kaye joined the seminars.

Paul:

I met Nicholas at the accountancy partnership firm where he worked in Mayfair – ‘Nyman Libson, Paul and Co.’ We were both articled clerks studying to be chartered accountants. The fellow staff we worked with on various client audits said we should talk to one another because we spoke the same language. The year was 1971 when Nicholas gave me a call at Island Records where I was on audit. I was surprised to hear from him because, given our different class backgrounds and education, I didn’t find we had a lot in common.

Nicholas invited me to the show Hair. He had an extra ticket. We met in Leicester Square for a pre-show dinner and immediately hit it off talking football, gossiping about the company we worked for and, most importantly, discussing the spiritual experiences Nicholas was having.

I had been on a spiritual search since the age of 14, looking for enlightenment but not finding a group I was attracted to. Nicholas was getting involved with John-Roger – a spiritual teacher his sister Carolan had met in Miami where she was living. I was not attracted to the group but tagged along to his home seminars in his flat in St Johns wood. It was there that I met Nathalie Franks. Earlier a wonderful and wise lady, Mitzi Shelley, had come to London with a view to setting up an MSIA centre. I liked the people I met in Nicholas’ flat very much. Among them were Randy Garver and Steve Beimel.

Nicholas got ordained as an MSIA minister in Miami 1972. That year J-R visited London.

Nathalie:

If my memory serves me well, I think J-R flew into London six months later after I had attended my first seminar. I really did not have a clue what to expect. We gathered around Nicholas’ kitchen table, and I was quietly observing the guys {who were on JR’s staff} and J-R. Little did I realise the extent of J-R’s abilities. We hung out for several hours chatting intimately asking J-R questions, all the time Spirit was working with us. After a day or two we each had a Light study, which included details of our karmic life plan and what we had come into to fulfill, both the positive and negative aspects. I remember at the end of my Light study he said: ‘When I saw you at the airport I knew you, and I have been working with you since you reincarnated on the planet.’ I did not understand what he was talking about and the intrigue continued as the information kept unravelling.

There were days of sightseeing with J-R where we would visit places in London and extend the Light. It was such fun, and then the cream, scones and jam teas that J-R loved.

We also held a seminar with J-R in Nicholas’ flat. Paul attended and some other people who were interested in MSIA.

Paul:

I still wasn’t attracted to MSIA though I liked John-Roger, my heart slowly opened and in 1973 I was ordained and initiated by John-Roger.

Nathalie:

I flew to LA for Conference in June 1973 and was ordained and initiated by J-R in his home.

By then Paul’s mother Pearl had joined MSIA, we also had home seminars in Paul’s home. It was such fun, his dad Len kept us all amused with his jokes and the way he would twirl his moustache. Paul’s younger brother Jeff also joined in the frivolities.

During one visit we all sat around Nicholas’ kitchen table and J-R announced that we are going to be part of the first board outside of Los Angeles. He made Nicholas the chairman, Paul was the vice chairman, and I was the secretary. Our MSIA work continued making the teachings available to those who were looking for them

In 1975 J-R flew into London with Candy Semigran, Pauli Sanderson and Rama Fox. They had been visiting Sai Baba in India. We took them to our favourite coffee shop and over tea and cakes many tales were shared about their travels etc.

In 1976 Paul moved to LA to work for MSIA at Prana. I was devastated. I realised that his calling was leading him on to expanding his ministry and being on staff.

I think Nicholas followed in 1978 and also moved to LA, but he did not live at Prana, his company was expanding. Another loss for me.

Through all those years each one of us was being trained to hold the Light, gently progressing through initiations, trainings etc. Paul and Nicholas were to have different roles in the future, and the foundation was being laid, they were all unique, different and valuable. Nicholas was to work as an international accountant with some very big clients in the music industry. Paul was to become one of the presidents of MSIA.

Paul consistently surprised me with the grace and eloquence he created his classes, workshops, tea ceremonies and co-authoring J-R’s books. I was left holding the fort growing the community and still went on as the MSIA rep for many years organising PAT trainings, international retreats for J-R and yearly J-R visits.

The past week after Nicholas’ memorial and learning how his ministry had expanded touched me deeply. Paul had brought together all the aspects of Nicholas’ life at the gathering. From his family to the varied MSIA organisations such as USM, Educare, and his work life. We have a saying in Judaism which states ‘may his memory be a blessing.’ So, I end this article with this thought, life can be taken away in the blink of an eye, don’t forget to tell people you love them, keep your eyes on the Lord, and everything else will be taken care of.

Baruch Hashem

The blessings already are.