As a devoted viewer of MSIA webcasts online since they began in 2001, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend the Easter Eve Seminar in person. What a beautiful experience to be with everyone in the Brentwood Room, joining together as one spiritual family sharing the blessings of Easter Eve around the world! More than a few times, my eyes filled with tears as my heart overflowed with the harmony and grace present. The sweetness of the Christ was palpable as we held in loving for one another, as friends who love the Lord, in the room and around the world wherever we may be. How honored I felt to be able to show up and share the webcast in this way!
Before the webcast began, while waiting in the hallway for the doors to open, everyone was abuzz with anticipation of the blessings to become, knowing we would hear from John Morton, our Traveler and the Spiritual Director of MSIA. What a different experience for me to be sharing my excitement before a webcast in person with a live crowd! At home, I usually view the webcasts with just my two dogs and sometimes with a friend or two, knowing I am in oneness with many others in my heart. This time, while I chatted with others in the hallway, our oneness felt even greater to me. I envisioned all of us as great batteries of Light around the world, preparing the place inside in our own special ways regardless of where we are and whether we are one or many. We are all on this spiritual path together, choosing back into the love of God.
As I walked inside and found my seat, I read the list projected on the screen in the front of the room noting the many places around the planet where friends were tuning in. Besides over 220 people present in the Brentwood Room, friends tuned in from all around the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Germany, Mexico, Aruba, Canada, Cameroon, Africa and China. I became keenly aware of how those of us in the room along with those of us around the world help anchor the Traveler’s loving energy, forming an angelic bridge of loving around the planet. I felt such love being shared from the live audience to our friends around the world and back. What a beautiful giving and receiving of who we truly are as God’s beloveds!
As NOW Productions and all the assistants were busy helping everyone get seated, making sure microphones were ready and cameras were all set, I had the chance to see where questions sent from viewers are received. Laren Bright, who has been present for every single webcast, gave me a loving overview of the process for transmitting viewers questions and comments in English and Spanish. Laren and a Spanish-speaking translator sit together in the back of the room with their laptops, tracking and noting the messages sent and relating them to John as he requests. Laren noted that sometimes there are numerous questions and other times just a few are received. Some folks send questions while others send Light, blessings and notes of gratitude. Laren showed me how some viewers had already sent messages of love, Light and blessings before the webcast had even started. I so appreciated Laren taking the time to show me the process of this loving service as it helped me once again see how we are all so perfectly, divinely connected.
The webcast then began with a rousing live rendition of “Jesus is Just All Right with Me” from our beloved Travelers Band. The room was rocking and shaking with such powerful resounding loving energy. I was delighted to hear that John Morton himself had requested the song.
Leigh Taylor-Young then called us forward into the Light, interrupted briefly by the angelic sound of a cellphone ring tone. What perfect timing to remember the sound of God is present, in all ways always. After some heartfelt laughter, we shared the oneness as we chanted Ani Hu, bringing our hearts together in resounding empathy.
Jimmy Ness serenaded us with a lovely original song he called “A Song to God.” We then watched two touching Moment of Peace with John-Roger, the founder of MSIA, which helped me remember the child within me that is always open to the joy, sweetness and fun of Spirit. I especially appreciated John-Roger’s reminders that God is awareness and how at times it’s best to say nothing so we can observe and become more aware of all that God is in each moment.
Leigh then introduced John Morton, who had just facilitated our two-day PTS workshop, “Walking in the Light.” I was blessed to be able to attend the workshop and learn in a greater, deeper way the profound gifts that Walking in the Light exercises provide us as we move through the challenges in our world today. I appreciated John noting how the challenges that Jesus endured relate to the challenges we face today. Hearing John’s words reminded me that choosing to “Walk in the Light” helps me increase my awareness of God’s presence and protection always in all ways.
John then reminded us of the groundrules of MSIA: Take care of yourself so you can help take care of others. Don’t hurt yourself, and don’t hurt others. Use everything for your upliftment, learning and growth. I appreciated John helping us look at how even our “worst” experiences were in some way helpful because of what we learned from them. Even in those times where we have inadvertently hurt ourselves, such as in the tender story John shared about accidentally hitting his shin with an axe, we have the opportunity to look at the value of each experience. I was grateful to hear that not hurting ourselves and others includes not just our bodies but our feelings as well. At those times when we experience hurt, we can be reassured that our true nature remains intact and in perfection. Nothing can hurt our true nature which is our Soul.
John shared several significant passages from The Path to Mastership, a wonderful book by John-Roger that addresses the “12 Signs of the Traveler.” John read through the list, noting the signs as they relate to him and John-Roger as well as to each one of us since the Traveler resides in each of our hearts. John recommended listening to John-Roger’s Seminar Doubting the Ever-Present Christ, an inspiring seminar that helps us embrace our humanity while remembering the Kingdom of God is at hand, meaning right here and now.
In closing, John reminded us that we are all friends. Even our enemies are our friends when we choose to see through the eyes of the Lord. In a beautiful demonstration of loving friendship, John and Leigh then greeted webcast participants in an informal gathering downstairs from the Brentwood Room. My heart overflowed once again as I witnessed such loving shared through warm hugs, tender smiles and knowing glances. I remembered that such loving is always shared within, where God resides in our hearts. I remembered too that my fellow webcast viewers, both in the room and around world, reside in my heart as we are those who are true friends in our love of God.
Baruch Bashan
