We Are Blessed in Love, Balance, Harmony and Joy at the 2008 Representatives Meeting

Click here to view the photo slideshow from the Representatives Meeting at MSIA’s Conference of the Rest of Your Life

As I walk through the Sheraton Universal Hotel today there is a beautiful newness in the energy and in the hotel itself with all of the renovations being done to the hotel lobby, rooms etc. It feels as though it is a part of the newness coming forward as we all step into the MSIA Conference of the Rest of Your Life. There is a peace, calm, and restful energy in this newness.

I am headed down to the Ballroom to participate in the All Organizations Representatives Meeting. I have enjoyed this particular event for about ten years, and it gets better and better each year.

Today we are celebrating “Love, Balance, Harmony, and Joy.” I enter the Ballroom and discover some old friends, and chat with new ones as well, some from as far away as England, South America, and France.

Mark Samuel, our facilitator today, welcomes all the representatives in the room and begins a Light invocation. This is followed by an excerpt from John-Roger, who founded all the organizations represented here today. It is so relaxing as I allow myself to enjoy the marvelous backdrop depicting the tropical islands and stage decorations designed by Marjorie Eaton.

Mark briefly then welcomes Mark Lurie and Vincent Dupont for the Presidential update. Mark talks about the completion of Prana West and we watch a film clip of all the beautiful rooms where future classes will be held. We also see footage of the newly renovated carriage house at Prana, now a guest house for visitors. Speaking as one who has already had the pleasure of sleeping in the new guest house, it is like a small Hyatt hotel.

Vincent talks about MSIA’s new online store at www.msia.org/store where we can now download some seminars by John-Roger in MP3 format and some of John-Roger’s books in pdf format — FOR FREE. MSIA’s new online store is much like Amazon.com where you can register and enter your personal info once so that you don’t have to re-enter it each time you place an order. I’m looking forward to diving into the new store online.

Next we hear from Jsu Garcia about the Spiritual Warriors movie tour and the release of Spiritual Warrior on DVD for sale now. You can buy it online through MSIA here.

Our first process is introduced as a mingling exercise where we speak about how we serve The Traveler’s organizations — how we would like to achieve balance in our service and how we can do that now.

We then do a partner process, sharing a more intimate view of our service with The Traveler’s organizations and how it effects us in our own personal growth.

We then move into a more active process about working in cooperation with others. Next there is a demonstration of two people, Frank Cardamone and Milo Page, tied together by fabric like Siamese twins. They demonstrate the art of cooperation and teamwork through juggling. We then pair up with a partner and use the juggling balls to juggle as a team. This is a delightful exercise about how we can have fun and do team work together.

This process continues with each of us juggling three balls as an exercise with ourselves to see what shows up as a metaphor for how we serve in our lives. This turns out to be a very profound and fun experience looking at how we juggle our lives and how we cooperate or don’t cooperate with an attitude of joy, fun, balance, harmony and loving. I discover some gems for myself that are great awarenesses. Afterwards, we get into groups of four to share our experiences and awarenesses.

Next we engage in another partner process on service. We first listen to a guided meditation to prepare us. I am particularly touched by this process. I share from the depth of my heart with my partner. I love touching into the divine.

We next have a break. This is an opportunity to have refreshments and mingle, sharing with each other. Soon, Mark calls us forward into the Light again and we listen to an excerpt from J-R.

And then, the very comedic Kevin McMillan and Milo Page enter the room, begging Mark to let them introduce the next speaker. They introduce Leigh Taylor Young who speaks about service and the promotion of John Morton’s new book, www.theblessings.org. Deborah gives thanks to the volunteer who created this website, Bianca Rothschild in Australia, and to Bianca and Teri Wunderman who manage this beautifully designed website for our Traveler and spiritual family. It is a fully expanded site complete with “all things blessings and all things John Morton.” The site includes beautiful short videos created by Teri which you can watch on the site and email to your friends. It also includes a Blog where you can share your blessings stories and your experiences of the “You Are the Blessings” book. Please visit the site and participate in it! Many thanks to Deborah Martinez for all her work as our WebMinister for many years, and many hours. You are loved Deborah.

Mark Samuel returns to the stage and welcomes our Traveler John Morton to share with us. The group stands and applauds in appreciation. John starts out with showing us how he uses the juggling balls. He speaks about watching what we ask for. He talks about an old cartoon that depicted a character that asks for more than he could handle. In this case it was sweets. The character had a dream that he was being force fed more sweets than his body could handle and it was not pleasant. So we are called to be more conscious of our choices and what we ask for. After all, God is not giving us more than we can handle for our highest good.

John goes on to speak of our Conference theme, “The Rest of Your Life”, as a new day. John goes on to quote a verse from the Bible “choose you this day whom you will serve.” Having said that, John then begins to acknowledge the many organizations represented at the meeting and as he mentions each organization he asks the representatives to stand and be recognized.

John continues speaking about the MSIA Ministry and its spiritual direction. John reminds us about loving one another, taking care of each other and ourselves. That’s what we are being taught.

John closes with let go and let God and be available for the Lord. John blesses us with his heart and leaves us speechless with a ripple of loving that permeates the room completely. God is Good.

Baruch Bashan

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