On October 15 and 16, John Morton facilitated a public workshop (with Leigh Taylor-Young Morton) and a Ministers\/Initiates Q&A in San Diego, California. This is the inspiring story of a long-standing MSIA community pulling together with a clear vision and intention to manifest a visit from the Traveler after a very long absence.<\/p>\n
Located about three hours south of Los Angeles, San Diego has had a large and thriving MSIA community since the 1970s, and was a regular destination on John-Roger\u2019s calendar throughout the \u201880s. However, visits from J-R and John Morton dwindled as their travels expanded to other places around the world. By all reports from community members, the last time John-Roger visited San Diego was for a Spiritual Warrior<\/em> film screening in 2008. Before that was a public book-signing at the Encinitas Barnes & Noble in the late 1990s. The last open seminar was circa 1987 or \u201988, and the last closed Discourse Subscriber Q&A was in April 1989\u2014nearly three decades ago.<\/p>\n A year ago, local minister Sharon LaPaglia was hearing the call and had the inspiration led by Spirit to invite the Traveler to visit San Diego. \u201cI kept getting inside that this would be an opportunity to re-energize our community by bringing in the Light in a much bigger way than we as a ministerial body could do alone, and increase what we have created here,\u201d she shares. \u201cThere was a strong awareness that many people in this town might be waiting to find their way to the Traveler through John\u2019s physical presence.<\/p>\n \u201cLater, at MSIA\u2019s 2016 Conference, I heard him say something along the lines of (not the exact words), \u2018There are souls who are on the planet now that came in predestined or marked to work with the Traveler in this lifetime, so yes, go out there and share about MSIA.\u2019 That really resonated with me, since I felt that I was meant to work with J-R in this lifetime, and I was so grateful when I heard his name for the first time years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n Following her inner guidance, Sharon reached out to David Rodgers, San Diego MSIA Rep, and Angel Harper on MSIA staff in January 2016. As they fine-tuned their intention, the event proposal evolved in clarity. By May 20, the dates had been approved and John\u2019s visit was on the calendar!<\/p>\n Saturday, October 15 would be an open evening Peace Theological Seminary (PTS) workshop, \u201c1000 Ways to Happiness,\u201d at the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living, and Sunday afternoon would be a Q&A for Ministers\/Initiates only at the gorgeous Encinitas home of Ron and Tracy Bernstein. A core team was formed with Sharon, David, Ron, Jane Cremer, and Edie Willey Murdock, along with the entire ministerial community supporting these efforts.<\/p>\n In late September, a special \u201cbonus occasion\u201d was added to Sunday\u2019s slate: the somewhat-impromptu wedding of Russell Bishop and Inez Hayes.<\/p>\n 1000 Ways to Happiness PTS\/MSIA Workshop, October 15<\/strong><\/p>\n The entire weekend was a wonderful tribute to the power of a clear intention through Spirit. The public workshop on Saturday night attracted a full house of 98 participants, including the fabulous assisting team\u2014one-third of whom were new to MSIA! Many people also came down to participate from Los Angeles and Orange County.<\/p>\n Says David Rodgers, \u201cThis was the first MSIA event for about 33 of the attendees. They came from lots of different places. People invited family members, from grandkids to brothers and sisters to friends; others saw the posters, found us on meetup.com or Facebook, heard from the venue where we held it, received an email invitation, and so on. What\u2019s more, some people made money available for others who didn\u2019t have it to attend, without even knowing who would benefit. One of our ministers even bought advance tickets for four people, not knowing whom they would invite.<\/p>\n \u201cNear the end of registration, someone walked in and said they only had $8 in their purse\u2014it was their birthday and they thought this would be a good place to go. Another person offered to pay the $7 difference and received a blessing on the spot in the form of a big hug.\u201d<\/p>\n The workshop was co-emceed by Ron Bernstein (Team Captain) and Jane Cremer (Assistant Team Captain) and beautifully co-facilitated by John and Leigh. Simplicity was a recurring theme, as John emphasized that happiness can be found in common, everyday moments\u2014whether playing golf, eating breakfast, playing with your kids, or any other time\u2014and is always a choice.<\/p>\n He asked those present to consider, \u201cWhich are you: happy or unhappy? If you are not happy in a given moment, what are you making more important?\u201d John acknowledged that many of us can be contracted in our relationship to happiness, but it is a natural way of being, especially when we remain open to Spirit.<\/p>\n Leigh spoke about cultivating happiness as a habit, and said she had discovered that, not only is the primary meaning of cultivate<\/em> to \u201cprepare the soil for planting,\u201d but a secondary definition is to \u201cmake friends with someone.\u201d She encouraged us to make friends with happiness, and understand what makes us happy, so we can prepare our soil for more to be planted. (Hint: it\u2019s an inside job!)<\/p>\n Two joyful Moments of Peace and an audio excerpt featuring J-R were played, before exploring as a group what gets in the way of our happiness, and what makes us happy. Some of the latter included: music, art, colors, dancing, humor, surfing, play, connection, compassion, love, friendship, hugs, and sharing.<\/p>\n John reminded us if you want to be happy, you can simply do more of those things that make you happy! Leigh emphasized that, even when we are feeling down, \u201cacting as if\u201d can be a very powerful way to shift your energy and focus. Following a partner exercise, a few sharings, and a beautiful prayer blessing from John, the lovely evening came to a close.<\/p>\n Afterwards, one guest said, \u201cWhat is great about all of this is that what is being presented is so powerful and yet so simple. It isn\u2019t necessarily easy, but I love how simple the presenters made it for all of us.”<\/p>\n And a couple shared, \u201cWe were really down because of a recent injury that had a bigger impact on both of us than we thought\u2026being around so much positivity tonight really was the medicine we both needed\u2014thank you!\u201d<\/p>\n VIEW THE PHOTOS<\/strong>
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