As the lovely Brentwood Room filled with participants in Santa Monica for our first MSIA Webcast of 2006, I brushed my teeth, slipped into my jammies, and fluffed my pillows at home so I could get that perfect place prepared. With my laptop on my lap, I turned down the lights, plugged in my earphones and clicked to the www.msia.org/live page. I clicked on “Watch and Listen Now!” and signed on. Since it was a few minutes before showtime, I opened a blank Word document and minimized it. Being an experienced Webclass participant, I know how to have my journal ready at the instant click of my mouse.
The evening began with our divine and eloquent MSIA President Vincent DuPont introducing us all to the evening’s events. I love how Vincent welcomed those of us watching and listening. It really helps me feel like I am there with everyone and they are here with me. Next, Bob Tackney sang a beautiful, original song honoring our Soul. Bob’s tender resonance left me swooning and melting into my Soul as he does every time.
We were then treated to an inspiring excerpt with John Morton, Spiritual Director of MSIA, reminding us that spiritual exercises are about revelation and glory in who we truly are. Then Vincent introduced John, the author of one of my favorite books, The Blessings Already Are, as “The Blessings Man” because he brings forward blessings wherever and whenever he is called. Our beloved Blessings Man then facilitated an evening overflowing with blessings as we practiced, practiced, practiced walking with the Lord through spiritual exercises.
What a delight to get to listen to one excerpt after another of classic messages from John-Roger, Founder of MSIA, on the power, value and beauty of spiritual exercises. I found myself lulled inside again and again by the sweet sound of J-R’s voice and then surfacing to hear John gently doing his part as he nudged us further along and within. I know I will tune into this Spiritual Exercise Webclass again and again for that gentle nudging from both of our Travelers as they help us make our calls Home.
I appreciated being reminded, once again, that the only wrong way to do spiritual exercises is not to do them. And that spiritual exercises are about worshipping the Lord, or as some see it, talking to God. I felt especially grateful to the participants in the Brentwood Room and online who chose to ask questions about doing spiritual exercises. From their courage and willingness to stand up and be heard, we all reap the blessings and the learnings. Their sharings and John’s tender support and wisdom reassured me about my humanness and ordinariness in doing spiritual exercises. I also treasured John’s humbleness in how he, along with all of us, is still learning on this path of spiritual upliftment and growth.
One of the highlights of the class was doing spiritual exercises with everyone together. Although some might say I was alone, I felt a beautiful sense of Oneness as we all closed our eyelids together and chanted inwardly. Please don’t tell anyone, but I did peak a few times. What I was blessed to see on my screen was a room full of my brothers and sisters peacefully worshipping in Spirit. It looked so easy and so good that even though I wanted to keep on peaking, my own eyelids closed and I found myself traveling inwardly to even more of the peace and joy that is always present inside.
Our Blessings Man closed the evening with a splendid blessing of being in partnership with the Lord and knowing evermore that One within us all who is the Light, the Love, the Truth and the Way. After Vincent shared about some super support materials and upcoming events, I closed my laptop and my eyelids one more time. As it was near midnight, I thanked the Lord that I didn’t have to drive home from the Webclass and that I could just roll over and pull my comforter around me. I was then gently reminded inside that my Comforter is always around me and within me eternally tucking me in because I am already Home.
“The reality is that loving whatever you find in your life extends to a constant spiritual exercise. Your family becomes a spiritual exercise. Getting dressed becomes a spiritual exercise. Going to the doctor, paying the bills, driving in the car, doing all the routine and mundane things in life — all that becomes a spiritual exercise.
As you love it all in the world, it translates inside of you. You come into a loving rhapsody and harmony that transcends. Love will flow in and out so there will be no stopping it. There will be no holding you back. You will be in a consciousness that cannot be denied because you are attuned to God’s will being done.”
– John Morton
From: The Soul’s Heritage.
Baruch Bashan
The next webcast class on the Internet will be “Living Love” with John Morton, on Thursday, February 23rd at 6:30 p.m. pacific standard time at www.msia.org/live and at 2101 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica, CA.
To participate in an archive of the “Spiritual Exercises” class online, go to www.msia.org/live/archives.php. Enjoy!
