MSIA travel staff are currently in the Midwest & Toronto, providing MSIA Services (Innerphasings, Polarity Balances & Aura Balances) as well as MSIA events. Staff member, Angel Harper, provides this update from the trip:
DAY 1 — CHICAGO
While some of the travel staff are still in Europe–London to be exact, Mary Ann Somerville and I are starting this year’s staff trip visit to the Midwest. During our flight to Chicago we happily catch up on each other’s lives–one of the joys of being friends as well as comrades. We have an easy and grace-filled arrival and transition from baggage claim to our rental car. Traffic is flowing and we’re at our downtown hotel happy to unpack and grab a late night dinner before doing some email and studying our workshop scripts. Ah, bed feels sooo good tonight.
DAY 2 — CHICAGO
We’re up and it’s right to the gym…how gorgeous…the windows look right out onto Lake Michigan that is glistening in the sun this morning. After a quick breakfast we’re on our way to Norine and Al Lever’s home for Services. Mary Shimandle has organized the schedule efficiently and Norine is hostessing. All are in readiness. Bruce Rosenfeld and Elizabeth Frumin are waiting too to continue their balancer-in-training journey. It is a beautiful Fall day. The air is cool and the sun warm and the golf course beckoning. It’s lots of fun catching up with our Chicago friends and we’re so grateful for the delicious lunch that hits the spot. I get a little time to walk outside and smell the drying leaves as my face lifts towards the heat of the sun. The rest of the day flies by and we head back to our hotel for a little bite to eat, more email and some rest. Tomorrow is very full with Services here and then a drive to Kalamazoo. Light ahead to all our staff and Travelers who are on the road!
DAY 3 – CHICAGO TO KALAMAZOO
The sky is overcast today and the nip in the air is definitely telegraphing that Fall is here. I look out the window onto the slate green water of lake Michigan–quite beautiful. We pack up and after the best breakfast–just love blueberries–Mary Ann and I head over to the Lever’s for a few Services and a quick lunch. Rebecca Bloomfield stopped by just to say “Hi.” Then we’re on the road to Kalamazoo. Traffic is amazing mid-afternoon. It takes us one hour to drive 20 miles. Just as the road finally opens up so do the skies and it rains and rains and rains. But one of the joys is that we can talk…must be the girl in us…for hours, so we chat through our journey through Indiana and the time change. Somewhere along the route we get onto East Coast time and arrive in Kalamazoo around 7:30pm. It’s so nice to check in but we’re really hungry too. I think I’m all here and grounded but when I get back up to my room I find my wallet is missing. Finally and gracefully I locate my wallet in security. Turns out I left it on a chair in the lobby while making a phone call….and I thought I was grounded…hmmm…another lesson in eternal vigilance is eternal awareness. Meanwhile I hear from Roger Wakefield. He’s landed in Chicago and is just about ready for his drive with all the sound cases to Kalamazoo. Light to him for a safe trip! Now all settled in there are a few more emails to do and then sweet dreams. I also heard from Vincent that he, Lesley and Paul are on their way back to Los Angeles from London…and what a trip they’ve had. One thing for sure…the Traveler keeps us traveling here or in our dreams. Sure appreciate the Light you all send our way.
DAY 4 — KALAMAZOO
It’s beautiful here…well it is to me…it’s rainy and cold but still it’s a perfect Autumn day in Kalamazoo. Roger got in safely around 2am and he still manages to get some good sleep and meet me for breakfast at our favorite K’Zoo restaurant, Food Dance. Lots of good organic food and relaxing easy atmosphere. We compare notes on how it is to be back in travel mode again. Ah, life is good! Then we’re both on our way — me to join Mary Ann and start a day of Services, and Roger to start setting up the audio/video equipment for this weekend’s events. Barry Nobles, the new Kalamazoo MSIA Rep, has done a fine job of organizing all the details of Services and supporting the PTS Rep, Bob Skyliss, in preparing the space for the Spiritual Warrior workshop. Throughout the day so many come forward to assist by hostessing or setting up the workshop room–Carol Nyitray, Judy Kempa, Dyan Tomzak, Susan Wiltse, Cora, Tim—just to name a few. Bruce Rosenfeld is here too, deep in dedication to getting his training furthered in doing Services. There is such a friendly and welcoming ambience here as over the afternoon MSIAers from all over the Midwest-Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, even southern Florida check in. How fun it is as the buzz builds. By the start of the open Exploring Spirit in Everyday Life workshop at 7pm almost all the seats are taken. Mary Ann welcomes the newcomers and so many old-timers and then lovingly and deftly facilitates the group looking at keys to inviting Spirit into areas of our lives that may not be as balanced as we’d like them to be…and love it all too. Humor, sweetness, wisdoms punctuate the evening and people hang around so happy to be with each other. Though every city and region is unique the underlying love is always the same and always creates that “we’re home” feeling. Well, it’s time for more email and some sleep so we can be fresh for Spiritual Warrior-dom tomorrow.
DAY 5 — KALAMAZOO
Another beautiful Fall day here in Kalamazoo. It’s sunny and cold for us hot house California flowers…in the 40’s. We start off our day with a Food Dance organic breakfast and then hustle back to the hotel to meet with the TC, Carole Nyitray and her assisting team. All is in readiness for the Spiritual Warrior workshop. The energy in the room is already feeling grace and joy-filled. Friends from all over-Canada, Florida, New Jersey, Vermont and the Midwest have come together to learn, grow, awaken and strengthen as Spiritual Warriors. As the day progresses, we are touched by J-R’s and John’s words brought to us through videos and audio moments. We look at our commitments and intentions as Spiritual Warriors. Lunch gives us time for fellowshipping and tastes great too. We even have an ordination to celebrate and participate in. All too soon the day ends giving us time to rest and reflect….and even catch a little NCIS on television. Just before we sign off for sleeping we see that John Morton and Leigh Taylor-Young are in the friendly skies from overseas and heading our way. Time now to meet the Traveler in our dreams.
DAY 6 — KALAMAZOO
Ooooh, it’s early rise and shine this morning as the workshop starts earlier. We so love our breakfast out that it’s worth it getting up a little earlier. Everyone seems more excited today in anticipation of John’s coming, and what more will be revealed and experienced through the workshop. All that takes place exceeds our anticipation. The meditations, the exercises and the videos bring forward such a majesty of Spirit in the room. We get to be witnesses as well as participants in this blessing. I am so grateful for the embracing loving that this Midwest MSIA community brings present. The place has been prepared and the Traveler comes providing the ice cream, whip cream and the cherry on top of the whole weekend. At first John and Leigh share about some of their recent experiences traveling with J-R and company in Israel, London and Scotland. Then John continues with sharing, touching and adding perfectly to the themes of dedication, commitment, acceptance, understanding, intention that we have followed through the whole weekend. It is a marvel that this Spiritual Warrior can come off of a long plane journey and be so very present with the Spirit as he’s with us for a few hours. Afterwards, many hands and a few good pieces of dark chocolate make light work of the audio/video pack up. We say goodbye and thanks to Bob Skyliss, Barry Nobles, Lorraine Andrew, Carole and the team, the Stolsonburgs, and Bruce Rosenfeld for their perseverance and holding for this workshop to take place and generous assistance throughout the days we’ve been here. Now some of us opt for a bit of dinner and then it’s up to pack up our things, a little bit of email and to sleep, perchance to catch up with the Traveler again in our dreams. Thanks for your Light along our way.
DAY 7 – FROM KALAMAZOO TO MINNEAPOLIS
We are an early-rise bunch this morning. By 7:30am our whole crew heads outside in the brrrisk temperature for a good breakfast. It’s so much fun over warm espressos to listen to John and Leigh tell stories of their recent travels. We are so deep into the stories that it takes awhile to realize that we’ve been waiting a long time for breakfast. Finally our server tells us that the computers went down so the orders were interrupted and will be to us soon. Hey, we’re warm and the fellowshipping is great. Soon breakfast arrives and we’re grateful again to be well-fed for our long ride to Chicago to catch our plane to Minneapolis. The drive is a kaleidoscope of Fall colors that are so beautiful all we can do at times is to move into a silence of the deepest appreciation. I’m so happy…I got my taste of Autumn in a big way. Good thing too for no sooner than we’re checked in we find out our flight is delayed due to snow in Minneapolis. Wow! We just were in Autumn and now it’s Winter…more fun! While we wait we grab lunch at Chilis and our server is the most amazing woman. As we alert her to our no onion/garlic/pork restrictions, she rises to the occasion and becomes our champion in the kitchen. In record time our hamburgers come…each as ordered and she’s still eager to make sure we’re happy. What a treat to have someone demonstrate for us service with gusto! Afterwards we each go to email and a little zoning out as our flight keeps being delayed. Finally we’re called to boarding. I can hardly wait for a snooze on the plane. As we head for take off our pilot tells us we must wait another 30 mins as the airport in Minneapolis is still not ready for us to come. By this time we’re thinking that the Minneapolis airport runways must be buried in a blizzard. And though daunting, the image of our wading through snow is kind of exciting. Well we do get to take-off and in just over an hour we’re touching down. Much to our surprise ALL that snow is nowhere to be seen. Apparently the pavement was still warm from the week’s warmer temperatures, but the snow did come down voluminously…it just melted. Ah, sometimes the Light moves ahead of us in mysterious ways. Still it is cold and we hop to getting our cars and getting the luggage into the cars at a rapid pace. As we pull up to our hotel, Minneapolis MSIA Rep, Kathy Kornblum, welcomes us and quickly gets us and our luggage to our rooms. Great feeling! We are now like a pack of hungry kids. Kathy doesn’t blink an eye. She guides us to a new restaurant in town and we are caringly looked after and fed. It’s been a long day but filled with fun and Light all along the way. Now we settle down…some to sleep, some to email and then to sleep.
DAY 8 — MINNEAPOLIS
So nice to sleep in a bit today, but brrr the heat is off in our room. Gets me moving right to a workout just to keep warm. Turns out the heat is off in the rooms, but they’re working on it. OK, so we quickly use the cold to our advantage by deciding that we must be burning up lots of calories so we can go for extra rich oatmeal this morning with real maple syrup. Kathy Kornblum is like an ever ready battery…she’s right there and ready for us to start Services. Friends from all over Minnesota converge during the day to get a Service or just hang out before the workshop. Tracy Uttley pitches in to hostess. In the midst of the day the heat comes on and once again I’m thankful for the simple things in life like heat. Aaaah….. Meanwhile Roger is busy setting up the audio/video for tonight’s workshop too. After Services we come together for an ordination and then it’s time for the Spiritual Principles of Abundance and Prosperity workshop. To my eyes looks like 40 people or more are in attendance to focus on spiritual keys for creating abundance and prosperity in our lives. John shares a quote from John-Roger about receiving “…. according to the clarity of our vision/purpose, steadiness of our faith (do we deserve it), and the depth of our gratitude…” and “…to always win in our fantasies…”. We take a deeper look at what we hold in our imagination, and how we can experience attuning to Spirit to line up our visions and to receive of the abundance that is here for us. John completes the evening taking some questions and then closes with a blessing for each and all of us. Afterwards, John and Leigh stay around for awhile to visit and sign books while our little trio pack up the sound cases. It’s a travel day tomorrow again for John and Leigh and Roger as they’ll head back to Los Angeles. Light ahead to the rest of our evening!
DAY 9 — MINNEAPOLIS
Our final breakfast as the whole Midwest crew is sweet. John, Leigh, Roger, Mary Ann and I bounce the conversation between favorite parts of the evening before, to juicy items showing up in the USA Today paper, to what’s up next. John and Leigh are the first to take off this morning and after goodbyes and thank you’s they head off to the airport. Sure has been fun while we all were together! Roger takes off a little later, and Kathy accompanies him to the airport to make sure he has extra help with the equipment. This extra help is such a godsend. Mary Ann and I find our way over to Kathy Kornblum’s home where today’s Services will be. Nestled in a suburban neighborhood amidst fall leaves and big old trees we see Kathy’s home already decorated for Halloween. Kathy and her partner Claire’s dogs, Violet and Corki, salute us in their own way and then follow us around the house as we prepare for our first Services. Our morning whisks by and we are ravenous for a lunch prepared by Kathy and Claire of yummy turkey and beef burgers…and an added treat of freshly made blueberry gluten-free muffins…in addition are veggies and gluten free buns…all made with love and care. Lunch hits the spot and the afternoon flies by as we greet more old friends. Each of them expressing their gratitude for the blessing of having the Traveler be with them at the workshop and for having Services. Before we know it the Services day is done and we’re saying more goodbyes. Our heartfelt thanks to Kathy for being so willing to do whatever was needed and her tremendous enthusiasm; also thanks to Claire for her support of Kathy too. But our night is not yet over. Both Mary Ann and I have dates with our brothers (what a surprise to find out we both had brothers in this area) so we each go our own way to catch up with family. ‘Twas a treat for both of us! Later this evening we share with each other some of the evening’s highlights (I got to see my nephew’s first baby) as we pack our suitcases. Then it’s right to sleep for tomorrow is an early flight and a much earlier drive to the airport for our flight to Toronto. Love and deep thanks to all in this St. Paul and Minneapolis area who assisted in the preparations for our visit. Everything went so smoothly and lovingly.
DAY 10 — ON TO TORONTO
OK, it’s good and early as my alarm clock gongs! Why am I getting up now? Right! We’re flying to Toronto…gotta get going! Somehow we manage to keep our body and minds somewhat together to get ready, checked out and on our way to the airport. I actually think I’m doing pretty well ’til I get to check-in and realize that I’ve left my purse in the rental car. Yikes! Well, I get the opportunity to have a little exercise as I sprint back to the rental car facility which luckily is not too far away! Gratefully the car is still where I left it and so is my purse and all the contents. Another quick sprint back and soon I’m with Mary Ann and we’re both checked in. Aaah, nice feeling to be early…time for a little breakfast and then we board. Well, no sooner are we on the plane then we find out that we’re being delayed because of a mechanical problem. As the plane is being checked, Mary Ann and I wonder if we’ll be able to make our connecting flight. After an hour’s delay, we take off. At this point we are pretty sure that we need to let go and let God handle the next flight ‘cuz right now it’s looking like we’ll have about 10 minutes once we touch down. Since there’s nothing to do but relax there’s no better time than the present to do SE’s…feels great too. We arrive and indeed we have less than 10 mins to make our flight which is supposed to be leaving from Gate 29. Now neither of us know the gate number that we are arriving at, so again we figure we’re going to find out what’s up as soon as we de-plane. Such an exercise in let go and go with the flow. As I walk out the gate into the terminal I look up and see a “C”. I’m hopeful…hey we may still make our flight…at least were in the C area. I then realize as I turn around to wait for Mary Ann to come out, that we actually arrived at Gate 29, which means our plane is the very same plane that will be traveling onto Toronto. So amazing and wonderfully perfect! And a total first for me! And the blessings keep on happening. Our flight is smooth and easy as is immigration and customs in Toronto. As we exit customs, Christina Beaubien welcomes us with big hugs and soon has us in her car and on the way to our hotel. Along the way Christina plays tour guide. As we approach the city we start to see the stadium, the water and all the unique architecture. Finally we arrive at our hotel. Christina makes sure we have everything we need as she drops us off. What a doll! Then we check in and what to do?! We have a luxurious afternoon and evening off and we are sooo grateful. Mary Ann is delighted to do a little work email and I grab my camera and head out on foot to take in some of the downtown sights. A blast of cold air has me moving very fast, but still I take time to take pictures of buildings that grab me. I’m fascinated by the St. Lawrence market which is a cross between the old Baltimore Lexington market and the San Francisco market down by the water. I don’t yet know the history, but I plan to find out. I love the juxtaposition of older buildings amidst the new. I wend my way through buildings and inner courtyards ’til I finally surrender to the warmth of being back at our hotel. I go up to the club floor which gives a panoramic view of Toronto now at sunset. So beautiful! In honor of being in so lovely and romantic a setting I ask my waiter if he can create a mock Cosmopolitan with a little zip! With a wink he outdoes himself and his creation looks just like the real thing and tastes great. I can’t resist taking a picture of it with the Toronto Needle silhouetted behind it. Moments like this on the road are quite magical! Well, plenty of time left in the evening for a bit of an in-door walk and dinner with Mary Ann and back for some email. And now perchance to sleep and maybe dream with the Travelers! Thanks for your Light along the way. Keep it coming!!
Click here to view Days 11 to 13 of the Midwest & Toronto trip
