John-Roger, John Morton and MSIA Travel Staff are currently in Europe for MSIA events in Stockholm, London and Madrid, and a Founder’s Insight I in London. On the road reporter, Angel Gibson, shares the daily highlights below.
Day 1 & 2
London has welcomed Celia Allen-Graham and myself most lover-ly. Jane Brewster met me at London Heathrow Airport bright and early this Tuesday morning just to drive me to the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum hotel — home and location for all our London events this week. Driving into London is a trip back in time, especially as we enter Hammersmith and see rows of townhomes dating back to the 1800’s. It’s morning rush hour so we are inching our way into the city. I don’t mind because I’m fascinated by all of the different kinds of architecture. Visions of scenes out of “Oliver”, “David Copperfield”, “Henry VIII” and “Pride and Prejudice” are running through my head as we pass into London.
My hotel room isn’t ready yet, so I take off on foot to explore. I see Harrods — that incredible heavenly ultra-department (boy, is this a misnomer) store as my destination. On the way I walk by the Museum of natural History and the Queen Victoria and Albert Museum. Sun and rain showers alternate on my walk. I do a u-turn at Harrods because I’m really intrigued by the V&A museum. Walking into this museum is like walking into a historical candy store — what to see first? I decide to go British 1500-1650’s. What a treat! Furnishings / clothing puts me right back in time, when bodices were 15″ — go girls! — and the curled wigs — go guys! I see the carved wooden walls and intricate massively draped beds. Then it’s a quick look into 1700’s France — oh my, the court dress goes horizontal–the ladies had to walk sideways through the doors. Then I take a fast walk through the Renaissance, carved and marble angels and madonnas, and it’s out into the courtyard cafe for a hot mocha and rest under the trees near the fountain. I’m both jet-lagged and buzzed. Well, time to get back to the hotel and get into my room.
There are some MSIA Services to be done, and my roommate and fellow staffer, Celia, is due to arrive too. Later after Services, Celia and I are joined for dinner by Nathalie Franks — long-time London MSIAer and this year’s Blessingsfest coordinator — and Shirley Gordon, London MSIA Rep extraordinaire. We stumble into a delightful restaurant called Olive’s, a block and a half away from our hotel. They take good care of our no onion/garlic/pork requirements. We reminisce over our early MSIA days and memories with J-R and John on the road, and then tiredness starts to catch up with both Celia and I. We surrender to London time and to the night train.
Day 3
It’s an MSIA Services day! Fun to see old friends coming from Sussex, Worthing and the London neighborhoods to get in their Services before the Founders Insight I begins tomorrow. Meanwhile, friends are starting to arrive from America to be here for all the events. Leslie Freeman, Ezra Mack, Bob McCormack, Virginia Rose, Jesus Ordonez, Mary Ann Somerville, Leslie Boyer, and Rick Greene to name a few. It’s a gathering, and it’s just starting. Vincent Dupont and Mario Morresi arrive — fresh from doing MSIA Services and assisting at the Stockholm MSIA Seminar with John Morton. At dinner Celia and I listen and laugh as Mario and Vincent regale us with stories from Stockholm. They sure were loved and cared for and very well fed. Thank you, Agneta and John-Christer Lindhe, Kenneth Lindstrom, Johan Koraen and all the Swedish MSIA family that worked together to take care of the Travelers and staff and friends.
Vincent and Mario accompany me for a fast walk to catch a little of the V&A museum for it’s late night viewing. We do a whirlwind tour before it closes as I show them the highlights of the British section. Well, it’s late — time for a few emails as I sit in the lobby and work with the wireless Internet. More to come. Keep the Light coming our way as tomorrow we begin the Founder’s Insight I which has almost 180 people registered currently.
Day 4
What a wonderful day. MSIA Services were in full swing for Celia and me, MSIAers from all over the world were checking into the hotel, milling in the lobby. Vincent and Mario were setting up the audio and video equipment and were joined by the Founder’s Insight I assisting team. Great fun to be in the Insight energy too.
The training room is packed with 177 participants — the largest Insight training I’ve been in for many years. Russell Bishop and John Morton are up in front welcoming the group, and John-Roger, Insight’s founder, is holding strong at the back table.
The group is very international with representatives from Germany, France, Spain, England, Australia, and the United States. Russell and John are a smooth duo up front leading the group step by step through the first night’s program. Though a number of we assistants and observers are tired, it’s a sweet tiredness. The end of the evening seems to come quickly, and I stay in the room doing email as Mario and Vincent are troubleshooting some audio problems. All ends well — sound problems are remedied. And now it’s time for sleep. Tomorrow is a new day with lots more fun in store for us.
Days 5-8 — London
The Founders Insight training is in full swing. As Russell Bishop and John Morton present the information, I’m seeing again that no matter how many times I’ve been in and participated in an Insight I there is always something new for me to learn. I ask myself what is my level of commitment to myself, how can I be more personally effective in my life right now, where can I step forward and take charge in my life, what feedback is my universe presenting to me right now, and how is my level of giving and receiving right now. Seeing J-R work with the participants brings tears of gratitude to my eyes.
The training room is filled to the brim for the candle-light ceremony on Sunday evening and the night culminates with a beautiful seminar with John Morton. Seems like we just can’t hug and kiss enough and then it’s time to pull up all the cable and move the sound equipment over to the neighboring room to prepare the space for tomorrow’s Blessing Fest event. It’s been a long day, but a moving and loving day. Thank goodness for the snacks in our room that tide us over until breakfast.
It’s Monday and we have MSIA Services to do and the Blessing Fest luncheon to attend. Nathalie Franks was the point person and really held for its creation. 60 people attended the London Blessings Fest, and the blessings were asked for and received a thousand fold. These Blessings Fest events are miraculous. We come in and write down the blessings we’d like to receive and then it’s like being in the middle of a huge gentle loving waterfall or fountain and being bathed, immersed, filled and then some with blessings–not only the ones we asked for, but the ones we didn’t even know that we wanted that were asked for us. John Morton closes with a Blessing of blessings. It is divine. Somehow we staff ground ourselves enough to pack up the equipment as tomorrow we fly to Madrid. Happily we have a chance to have dinner all together with J-R and John and their traveling band of merry family later this evening, and then it’s packing and a few more emails.
Day 9 — We go to Madrid!
Oooh, 4:45 a.m. comes really early, but surprisingly we’re up and running, even getting a few moments to download emails one more time. We caravan to the airport with J-R, John and the gang and check-in our little tribe and lots of luggage. With some time to spare we go to the waiting lounge and each of us fan out — some to email, some to read, some to doze. I enjoy the complimentary espresso machine and do a little creative mocha making. It does help to keep my eyes open. Our flight to Madrid is quick and easy, and shortly we’re being welcomed with “Como Esta” and “Mucho Gusto” and lots of embracitos and besos (hugs and kisses). The Madrid MSIAers brought a cavalcade of cars and vans to ferry us to our hotel. Jesus Becerra was also there smoothing the way for us, deftly interfacing so that MSIA Services and our hotel rooms were all ready to go. We staff are in commando mode as we start Services at 5:00 p.m. and go until 9:00 p.m. tonight. We have just enough time for a quick meal and off we go. Spirit provides this marvelous energy as we just buzz through all the Services, ending with two ordinations. Then it’s time for dinner Madrid style (meaning dinner starts around 10:30 p.m.) Well when in Madrid do as they do, and our local MSIA friends come with us. Esperanza Aguilar and Arturo Navarro, the Spain MSIA Reps, have been working overtime to prepare all the logistics for our visit. They and fellow MSIAers, Yulay, Luz, Osvaldo and some precious others, join us for our dinner where we get to cook our own delicious beef, and taste provoleta, fresh Spanish olive oil and fresh breads, salads, and an amazing dessert plate. We laugh, tell stories, and eat, eat, eat. Tomorrow is already here and it’s time to turn in.
Day 10 – We’re in Madrid!
Vincent and Mario start setting up the audio and video equipment for The Blessings Already Are workshop, and Celia and I do Services today. The day just seems to fly by and people start arriving for the workshop. The workshop room is packed — seems like over 150 people are there. John-Roger is there, holding in support. John starts off the evening with an amazing Blessing and it goes up from there as the participants find blessings in areas of their lives that seem challenging to them. Marcos Cajina is translating for John. The two of them work smoothly together. John takes time to answer questions and once again we all are embraced with that loving of the Travelers. It is time now to do the final packing up of the equipment that will go back to Los Angeles tomorrow with one part of our group and then catch a little snack before more emails and bed.
Day 11 – Madrid and then to other parts
Today we do early morning Services and then we all fly out in different directions. Vincent heads off first to Paris, Celia and I join J-R, John and gang to fly to London on our way back to Los Angeles, and Mario will be last out as he flies in the late afternoon to Rome to do Services and an intro evening there. What an amazing trip this has been! We’ve done so much in what seems like a very short period of time. We wish each other Godspeed, hug our loving Madrid MSIAers and head to the airport. As we go through passport control, we wave goodbye to our loved ones from Madrid. Our hearts are full as we head for home and other ports of call.
