SACRED TONES WORKSHOP ON THE EVE OF EASTER
The Sacred Tones Workshop on the day before Easter was lovely, gentle glide upward, toward a sparkling Day of Resurrection. When the doors to the Brentwood Ballroom were opened, NOW Productions crew was playing a CD with a choir of big, loving voices singing joyfully, setting a general feeling of hope and upliftment. Just before we were to start, extra chairs had to be brought in, to accommodate the growing number of participants.
Leigh Taylor-Young, glowing as usual from her loving heart, introduced herself and called us all forward into the Light (Living In God’s Holy Thoughts), then led us in chanting the Ani-Hu, one of the Sacred Names of God. The gift I received from Spirit in that moment was being surrounded on all sides by beautiful voices, singing in clear harmonies.
Leigh introduced John Morton. John was in good form, and welcomed us by invoking a blessing (he’s famous for this) to begin the workshop. We began with a Breathing Meditation, a conscious breathing exercise, to assist us in attuning to the Sacred, and to have awareness on all levels.
We were treated to a film clip from a movie made in India. Its subject matter was historical, regarding a wedding between the son and daughter of two opposing tribes; the music, the costumes, and the photography were colorful and typically Indian. But its actual theme was universal: Each of us worships in our own special way, and coming together in the acceptance of the Other is a form of Spiritual Exercise, in this case including singing of prayers, praising, sacred dance, and expanding to overcome outer differences.
Following this, we sat in our own Spiritual Exercises, quietly chanting inwardly for fifteen or twenty minutes, which brought a stillness into the room. Finally, with the room lights dimmed, we listened to a meditative sequence called The Anointed One: Convergent Moments with the Star of Bethlehem Meditation.
In closing, John Morton offered a sweet blessing, and Leigh Taylor-Young read a few announcements. The essence of the workshop was deep, and deeply personal for each one of us. What a genuinely sacred way to welcome the joy of Easter into our hearts.
EASTER EVE SEMINAR WITH JOHN MORTON WEBCAST WORLDWIDE
On a drizzly Saturday afternoon in Miami, I drove over to the home of my friend, Jean Willard, along with my laptop, portable speakers, and wireless aircard, to watch MSIA’s Easter Eve Seminar with John Morton live online. Since Jean doesn’t have a computer, my ElderReach service is the only way she gets to watch the webcast. We settled in on Jean’s couch in her living room complete with soy lattes, chocolate-covered matzo, and candy-filled Easter eggs. When Jean thanked me for doing this service for her, I reminded her that when two or more are gathered in His name, the Lord is in our midst. It is my blessing to share the webcast with Jean and all my spiritual family around the world.
Delighting us with warmth and loving, Leigh Taylor-Young welcomed everyone and explained a bit about Peace Theological Seminary & College of Philosophy (PTS). Leigh reminded us that PTS and the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA), co-sponsors of the webcast, were founded by John-Roger, D.S.S., the author of 52 books and presenter of over 6,000 seminars around the world. John-Roger’s books, CD’s and DVDs, along with many other wonderful study materials, are available at the MSIA store.
Leigh reminded us about the three basic principles that John-Roger has brought forward and are the foundation for MSIA and PTS’s teachings:
1) Out of God come all things
2) God loves all of Its creation
3) Not one Soul will be lost
Leigh also reminded us that we are all Souls having a human experience and that each and every one of us is Divine. MSIA and PTS teach us
Soul Transcendence which is knowing ourselves as Souls and as one with God.
Leigh shared an invocation known as Calling in the Light and noted that John-Roger refers to Light as an acronym for “Living In God’s Holy Thoughts.” Leigh then invited everyone to chant together Ani Hu which is an ancient term for God paired with empathy and compassion. Jean and I chanted along with everyone in the Brentwood Room in Santa Monica as well as our brothers and sisters tuning in from around the world. What a beautiful moment of harmony and oneness!
Taras Lumiere and his son, Eric, blessed us all with a sweet, original song. As they sang and played together in loving harmony, “Calling out humbly to my Soul,” Jean and I both felt moved profoundly in our own hearts and Souls.
Leigh then introduced John Morton, D.S.S., Spiritual Director of MSIA. John welcomed us all by reading poignant passages from the Bible about the time of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. I heard John note that although the Bible may be difficult to comprehend at times, the overall message reflects that we are loved and the way to know God is to love one another. John then encouraged us to do all things in love.
The author of the inspiring books, The Blessings Already Are and You Are the Blessings, John suggested we see every condition in our lives as blessings provided by God. I heard John note that we can see every circumstance as being brought to us for our learning and growth. John then encouraged us to show our gratitude by finding ways to serve in the name of the Lord. After answering questions from the audience in Santa Monica and viewers from the United States as well as the United Kingdom, John offered a touching blessing and a tender reminder that all of God’s creation is always loved and adored.
As Jean and I hugged and said our heartfelt goodbyes, we shared a moment of gratitude for the blessings of friendship, the profound and comforting teachings of MSIA, and the wonders of electronics and the worldwide web. I drove home under cleared skies with a renewed and deeper awareness of the Lord’s presence within me and all around me. By sharing our experience in this loving and caring way, we come to know more fully than ever before that the blessings truly already are! Thank you everyone!
You can watch the archive online of the webcast at www.msia.org/archives.
And, we invite you to our next webcast with John Morton, Timeless Wisdoms Part 3, on Tuesday, June 2nd at 6:30PM pacific daylight time, at www.msia.org/live and at 2101 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica, CA.
