April 2, 2005 National Teacher’s Conference for School of Metaphysics teachers will be remembered as the weekend the world released one of its greatest spiritual leaders – Pope John Paul II. I remember when the Catholic Cardinals convened to elect a new pontiff 26 years ago following the death of Pope John the XXIII. His successor lived only one month. This caused quite a stir at the time. Rumors began to fly about trouble in the Church and some even accused unknown people of foul play. As with everything in the physical this was temporary. This turn of events opened the door for the first non-Italian Pope. Think about it – for almost 2000 years the leader of the Catholic Church was an Italian. This time a Pole, a former actor who would travel the world in his Popemobile endearing himself in the hearts of millions of young people, Pope John Paul II made religion accessible. I appreciated his presence in the world writing about it in Spiritual Renaissance. Although I am not a Catholic, I revere the soul who becomes this symbol of Christhood in the same way I revere His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I was aware that his health was failing in recent days.
On Saturday morning April 2, I saw Dr. Terry Martin in the College computer room. She asked me if I knew the Pope had died. "No!" I exclaimed. She said she thought she had heard that on the news. I immediately turned on CNN. The reports concerned vigils for the ailing pontiff, but he had not yet passed. Teacher’s workshops continued and I planned to share the news with everyone at lunchtime. Other topics, primarily National Dream Hotline, drew my attention away and I failed to mention the Pope. At 2:30 we met outside the Peace Dome near the Healing Wall for an exercise in Taraka Yoga. A half hour was allotted for responding to the first movement. I went into the Dome to organize materials and review my notes. As I began to walk out of the dome, I passed over the Mandala and I heard a familiar voice say, "Go, now." I exited the Dome and walked straight to the building, turned on the television, and learned of Pope John Paul II’s death. Awarenesses came rapidly, one after another. We must let the others know. Dr. Sheila had told me some were telling Pope jokes during lunch. I felt hurt by the jesting and knew it was from ignorance of the heart connection with all. By the time I walked out of the building I knew we needed to go to the upper chamber of the Peace Dome. I asked Dr. Dan to go back inside and tell Dr. Sheila, who is Catholic, to join us if she could. As I walked toward the Peace Dome I held my conscious mind still so I could receive from the inner levels. "Let us move to the upper floor of the Peace Dome," I said. Not realizing this was a change in plans, people moved in the mix of reverence and excitement that entering the chamber brings. As we moved, I let Talina Woods know we would be singing the Gayatri, the Sanskrit chant of creation that we sang during the Peace Dome Dedication and during Commitment Weekends. The Spiritual Teachers of the time stood hand in hand in a circle, filling the Dome. As I began to bear the message I was overcome with emotion in a way I have never experienced before. I knew the emotion was not mine, but that of countless individuals mourning the passing of a beloved man, a transcendent symbol of Christhood. They had lost their Master and were like sheep in need of a shepherd. This was mingled with the joy of release. Both swept through me and I had to talk through tears. I knew our duty here was to activate the energies of the Peace Dome in the service of humanity. It did not matter that this would shorten the planned workshop. It did not matter that some present might not realize the import of the moment. It was clear that this is what needed to transpire. Our prayer to aid Pope John Paul to ascend was in song. The oldest words known to man, the vibrations of creation, filled the Dome. They traveled in a counterclockwise direction swirling out the skylights to create the Crown Chakra effect I have learned to expect. From here the energies move out to feed the Earth’s energetic grid. Our love and light poured over the planet, cleansing and healing the 1.1 billion wounded hearts. In those moments in the Peace Dome we sacrificed our energies and 1/6 of the world’s population were the recipients.
After our prayer, we stood in silence. Many weeped openly. We were witnessing a change in the vibration of the planet. We were honoring the life of a great soul.
When the previous Pope passed I do not remember much more than noting the strange occurrence of three Popes in the matter of a few weeks. I will always remember where I was when this Pope died, and what we were led to do in his honor for God and for humanity.
Dr. Barbara Condron
| In Honor of
Pope John Paul II & the 1.1 billion believers who knew him as the Holy Father A Will beyond our Own
The GAYATRI
"Om bhur bhuvah svah
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo devasya dimahi
dhiyo yonah prachodayat"
Mahatma Gandhi said, "Constant chanting of Gayatri Mantra is very useful in healing the diseased and elevating the soul. Gayatri Japa is practised with a steady mind and pure heart is capable of removing obstacles and calamities during bad times." The Gayatri mantra is composed of selected sounds and due to their very order in the mantra a powerful current or wave is produced and made to flow. Gayatri is the adi shakti or prime force. With this force both sentient and insentient worlds (life and matter) derive their movement or force or inspiration, and result in development and progress. Just as one can easily hear any broadcast from any station by just tuning a knob, similarly, one can establish one’s contact through one’s spiritual powers with the subtle, all pervading Gayatri. One can use one’s own spiritual power for attainment of all ora particular benefit. This is sadhana or worship.
"Of all the valuable jewels bequeathed to us by our ancient sages," Shri Madanmohan Malavia, ?Gayatri Mantra holds an incomparable place. Gayatri purifies intellect and attracts divine light. It has saved several souls from worldly bondage. It removes material wants.? Reading this quote I smile for the essence of the Taraka Yoga the teachers were performing that afternoon was an examination of their wants, identifications of their needs, and unification of the whole Self. It is as if this whole experience of the Pope’s ascension and the teacher’s learning was preordained by a will beyond our own.
It is said the Gayatri mantra is the best mantra for awakening the higher mind to the solar light of consciousness. It brings us the Divine solar power of consciousness, love and prana—the supreme light of truth.
| In the Service of His Holiness Firsthand accounts
We were in the top level of the Peace Dome and gave homage to the Pope, who had just passed. I'm not sure exactly how it happened but somehow we had tapped into the emotions of the mass consciousness. I was filled with an immense sadness that just flowed through my being. At first I was very resistant to this because I knew that these were not my emotions. I had no connection or feelings toward the pope. I did not even know the pope's name. When Dr. Barbara said that a great spiritual leader had left this plane, I knew that this is why I was connected to these emotions and I felt a strong connection within myself to a higher source.
My emotions were strong for the rest of the day and whenever I had a thought of this man's passing or a thought of love, grattitude and connection to something greater than myself, emotions flowed through me with great intensity. I tried to just experience them and let them flow, but my most immediate reaction was to block them and suppress them. This has normally been my way of dealing with my emotions from the past.
Through the last year, I have been working in opening my heart and experiencing my emotions in the moment. I felt confused because the energies were so strong and I knew that most of these emotions were not mine. I talked with Dr. Barbara, Dr. Sheila, and Dr. Laurel after the day's workshop and they told me that I was becoming more open to my subconscious mind and that this was something that I wanted toexperience and not to block it off. I knew the emotion was still in there and that if I did not let it fully move through me, it would sit and stagnate and become unproductive. I wanted to go and sit in a corner by myself and cry to let the emotions move without anyone seeing me.
The doctors recommended that maybe it would be good for me to go for a walk and that way I would make sure to remember to breathe. I did this and, even though the emotions felt uncomfortable while going through them, I felt alot more freedom afterwards. I think that this experience as a whole has opened me up to more of my Real Self and I feel more humble through the process. My connection to my Source is stronger and not only am I more in touch with my own emotions, I can now determine the difference between emotions that are mine and that of others. I know that this will help me in my efforts in moving deeper into mind, as the emotional level is the next closest to the physical level, as well my intuition and ability to perceive and interpret energies. I am grateful.
Yours Truly, In Love and LIght,
Gary Goodhue
Dr. Barbara always has a way of uniting groups of people for the purpose of a higher good. When she told us about the Pope passing on at first I thought, "I’m not Catholic, what’s the big deal?" then I could feel the wave of emotion pouring through us all as we held our hands together in a circle of an estimated 65 School of Metaphysics teachers and students. Realizing that this was something much higher than myself, I used this as a lesson in compassion and humbleness. That’s what I experienced. As she talked about all of the people around the world morning his death, how people were starting to wake up to the fact that we are more than physical bodies, beginning to understand that soul connection lasts forever no matter where the body is, I was filled with tears of joy and I could see all of the people weeping around the planet. I am very thankful for the will to be still and centered throughout this moment. It helped me to connect emotionally with all. Breathing through it kept me from being swept away by the tidal wave of emotions. I kept my head above the water and allowed myself to not be overtaken by the flood before me. Sending my love and light to everyone, I felt this huge release and profound sense of importance, for the opportunity and know how of being able to give this gift to the world, aiding in this time of need, sadness and loss. There is a lot of transformation going on in many different levels all over the world. Expansion is on the horizon. I’ve felt it deep within me for quite sometime. Signs are everywhere. –Jaqie Clair Braden
When Dr. Barbara told us that the Pope had died and painted the picture of the impact that it was having on the planet I understood the experiences that I had been having. I have been trying to weigh myself down, cover up the emotions I have been having, not really understanding them. Sometimes I still deny that I am connected to the planet as a whole. I can hardly tell when I create things within myself and when they enter me from the outside. Dr. Barbara has an amazing way of bringing us all to the place where our importance as teachers and spiritual leaders. I could feel the blessings of responsibility that lies in the teachers of the SOM. I am aware of the bliss and joy available to anyone who embraces the responsibility of spiritual leadership. I was sad for a moment.
As we sang the Gayatri Mantra I knew that there is a place for me on this planet. I know I can bring things to people and situations that are valuable and needed. I was overcome by the thought of being a servant and I can see that serving for me is being in authority. There is a vision of my own authority that is coming forth. It is almost silent. There is so much love in it.
Our circle of hands was one of sharing, being on this journey together, sharing our joy, pains whatever. I feel more connected with the planet and it is real. It is alive in me. Knowing how important the School of Metaphysics is to the world and how important I am is driving me every day. –Nicholas Zajac
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