It was a crispy day, not too cold, and regardless of what was broadcast on TV from Pasadena, we had great seats along our own parade route. We gathered for “A New Year’s Resolution Spiritual Spa Morning” with John Morton at Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens, otherwise known as Prana, Home of the Traveler.
Oddly enough, more than twice the number of people expected showed up — sometimes the “tom-tom telegraph” can be very powerful! After a short introduction by Carol Jones, Program Director, John Morton, came to the stage. John, the Spiritual Director of The Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA), presented many different ideas regarding the beginning of a new year, and a New You. Through Commitment, Dedication, Devotion, Celebration and Consecration we can find our way to the Re-Solution of what we came to solve.
Wearing a white costume fedora hat from the previous night’s revelries, John cut a comical figure as he started off the morning. Joy to the World! He spoke about God being entirely present, integrated into all things — and that the elements of Creation are available to everyone, right now. He briefly discussed MSIA, defining what we do both as a group and spiritually. He offered a prayer of invocation, which was followed by the chanting of Ani-Hu, an ancient name for God coupled with the essence of Empathy. John shared on a personal level, and it was refreshing to watch him in his joy.
We took out our journals and wrote for a few minutes, then broke into groups to discuss what we had learned about ourselves and our resolutions. There was lots of laughter, and lots of “Good!” heard shouted about.
After our group discussions, we assembled ourselves in the lower garden level, and all 250 of us (that’s an approximation) walked the Labyrinth, and then stood with each other, offering up silent prayers for our resolutions, and for the New Year. The air had warmed up quite a bit by then, and the sun shone comfortably on our upturned faces. We delighted in the silence, in the nearby church bells, and in being together.
It was not long before we were called to a magnificent luncheon, the last of the meals being prepared by our French Chefs Guillaume and Claudie Bott
