Insights & Inspiration Blog

We create our world through the lens of our attitudes and feelings. Negative thinking and judgment adds darkness into the world, dims the light of the soul, and adds layer upon layer of veil to the almost-universal delusion that we are separate from God.
Negative thoughts and judgments cause us to feel separate from, instead of one with, each other and God. They create disharmony and limit our ability to feel grateful and loving. Gratitude and love open the heart and connect us with the object of our affection, whether it be God, nature or human beings. Criticism and condemnation tend to shut the heart down, making it difficult to realize that every person is, in essence, divine. For every soul is an eternal being, created by God from out of God’s own spiritual substance, and will in time realize its nature as immortal spirit and its oneness with God.

I gave myself up—
loosening the bonds of my human form,
to become dancing, multi-hued particles …
a transformation outside myself,
as in a euphoric dream—
delighting in love,
and in that love I was loved.

Spiritual growth is usually unhurried—like a lily quietly unfolding its petals—while you ease into realizing the fresh, healing waters of Spirit within and without. At other times spiritual growth may thunder toward you with a sudden breakthrough into a higher consciousness.

I would have you know that today is Saturday. I woke up this morning and put a thought out into the universe that I wish today was Sat. instead of Sunday. So I am sure I manifested this wonderful Saturday day. I was spiffed up and ready for Sunday service, ready to go out the door. I hollered at Geo, into the garage where he was working, that we needed to be leaving for service. He came running and asked if I was Okay! Then he said it is Saturday. Thank the universe, I manifested another wonderful thing.

Pretty funny. It is good to laugh at things like this.

Silent Retreat

with Mary Ann Johnston and Sandi Jones
Oct. 29, 30, 31     Fee: Love Offering
Orientation: Friday 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.

“Every person needs a retreat, a ‘dynamo of silence’, where he may go for the exclusive purpose of being newly recharged by the Infinite.” —Paramahansa Yogananda

This Silent Retreat, located at Song of the Morning Retreat, is devoted to taking us out of our dependence on the world, then allowing God to fill us. Keeping silence will help you connect to your inner self, find peace within and experience the eternal present. The retreat will include yoga, readings from Yogananda’s writings, guided and silent meditation, nature walk, chanting, and as much time for personal inward reflection as you need.

Song of the Morning a Yoga retreat of excellence, is a slice of heaven, tucked into a secluded forest in northern, lower Michigan, east of Vanderbilt. In addition, this 800 acre retreat is nestled within hundreds of acres of pristine state forest.

When you leave on Sunday, you may find you are a different person than the one that arrived Friday. 

Mary Ann has given classes on spiritual living, breath work, and healing throughout Michigan and the Southwest.

Sandi Jones has taught hatha yoga and meditation in the Golden Lotus style for over 20 years and has a background in education and social work.

Mary Ann and Sandi will be available for individual healing energy sessions, or personal mentoring.

You are invited to come at any time during the week for extended personal reflection.

For Reservations and accommodations, contact: office@Goldenlotus.org
or phone: 989 983 9101. Hope to see you here.

 Blessings to all,  Mary Ann

Following is dialogue between myself and Jesus taken from my book Messages from Jesus,

"One day, I was driving home from a visit with family, through an area where part of the forest was being cleared for a new section of freeway. I came over a hill and saw the clearing. It was as if a giant sickle had been wielded through the forest, taking with it everything in sight—a swath of devastation of the green, for miles. I gasped and had to catch my breath. Immediate sadness came over me. All this for safer travel in this rapidly-growing population, at the expense of Mother Earth."

"Human life is important. It is the growing affluent and materialistic society of today that demands safer travel. If it is done with honor and without malice and intent to harm Mother Earth, it is acceptable. If it is done for excessive monetary profit, it is not acceptable. Mother Earth suffers either way. The devastation to all of nature on and in Mother Earth is evident in war-torn places, forest clearings, diverting of waterways, raping the land of minerals, oil and gas, pollution to the environment and even waste from your households. All of this and more has been as detrimental to Mother Earth and her inhabitants as is the taking of human lives.

"You cannot just take from Mother Earth. You must realize you are taking away from future generations—your children, grandchildren and theirs. If you take a tree, you must plant a tree.

"Be aware of what you are purchasing and throwing away. How much waste are you accountable for? Do you recycle? Do you pollute? Do you have more than you need? You are like the child in the store crying loudly, 'I want . . .' when in fact you do not need.

"I tell you, Mother Earth is more powerful than all your weapons set off at once. Do you not realize that you are working in parallel with Mother Earth. As you advance, so does she. As you become imbalanced, so does she."

"Is this why there is so much drought in some areas and floods in other areas. . .?"

". . . And seasonal disruptions and melting of polar ice and strange behaviors of animals and people—often caused by man's ignorance.

"Some of the devastation is from Mother Earth's natural cleansing cycles and maintaining equilibrium. And Mother Earth needs more and more cleansing now as human population grows and devastation to humanity and nature increases. Mother Earth does not do harm intentionally. It is in the cleansing process that people get in the way.

"Many humans don't understand that Mother Earth is a part of the whole, just as important as you and I. It is all one."

"Some time ago, I was visiting a sick friend, who was in a great deal of pain and wanted some healing energy work for himself. We went into his bedroom and he lay down on the bed. One of his two great danes came and stood alongside of me. I had to brace myself because the dog put his body right up against mine and pushed against me. This dog was nearly as tall as I am and he was sitting! The other great dane did not interfere. I started to bring my hands across my friend's body to try to determine where his aura needed work. The dog would push my hands, with his nose, into areas where he thought I should be working. Here was a healer dog!

"When the dog and I finished with the energy work, my friend and I decided to go outside and lie in the sun. We proceeded to lie down on lounge chairs. The two great danes lay down near us. It was a beautiful, sunny day. I noticed many flies in the area and I did some heart talk with them and said, 'I am honored to be in your presence, but I would like to be able to lie in the sun. I would appreciate it if you would let me rest here for a little while, and when I am done, you can have your space back.' . . . No bugs bothered me. After about five more minutes, my friend jumped up and emphatically said, 'I can't stand these flies. I need to get some spray and spray them.'

"I was very upset, first of all, because I had not spoken for him in the beginning and, second, because he wanted to kill them with spray. He went inside to get the spray. I attempted to talk the flies into leaving. In the meantime, I didn't want to stick around for the kill. So . . . I looked at the great danes, and in silent heart talk, I asked them, 'Would you like to show me your yard and what you do here?' They immediately jumped up and walked off about ten feet, turned around, and looked at me as if to say, 'Well, are you coming or aren't you.' So I got up and followed them. First they took me to one area of the tall stockade fence, which was needed to keep them in the big yard. They barked, and from the other side of the fence another dog barked back. I felt as if I had been introduced to the neighbor dog. Then I followed them down a trail leading through some trees and they showed me where they lie out of the sun. They took me to the fish pond and some other areas also. By then my friend had done his deed, so I thanked the dogs and left them on their own."

Taken from Messages from Jesus, Third edition, pp. 97-99.

I learned a wonderful lesson from a dog some time ago. I was working in New Mexico and my assistant occupational/therapist and friend told me her dog was to have surgery soon, and she wondered if it would be all right if she brought the dog into the rehabilitation area, in a cage, during recovery. Well, the day arrived and so did she and the dog.First she carried in a large cage and then she went out to carry in the dog. He was quite a big dog and was heavy for her to carry and put in the cage. He was still under the effects of the anesthesia. We went about our work and, when things slowed down, I said to her, 'How would you like me to do energy work on your dog?'

"The words just spilled out of my mouth.I had never worked with animals before and wasn't even sure if they had auras! She opened the cage and pulled the dog out. The dog was so out of it from the anesthesia that he did not make any signs of awareness. I proceeded to say a prayer and then, very slowly, I scanned for his aura. Immediately, I felt it and then smoothed his aura out! She rolled him over and, again, I slowly smoothed out his aura on the other side. I also worked on healing the incision.After we were finished, she put him back in the cage.

"A few weeks later, we had a terrible ice storm. I was afraid to venture out to go home after work. My friend offered to let me spend the night in her nearby home, and I was very happy to do so. We arrived at her home and walked in. The dog I had, two weeks earlier, given energy work to was on the other side of the room as we entered. He spied me and ran to me and lay at my feet. Over and over, I slowly smoothed out his aura on one side, and then he rolled over for me to do the other side. It was a joyful, happy reunion. In the morning, as soon as he heard me up, he ran to me and again lay at my feet for more.

"This was a new revelation for me. First of all, that animals have auras. Second, that animals are so remarkable that they can be aware of their surroundings even while anesthetized. Third,that this dog remembered me and my energy. I loved all of it.

"Given that I had chosen not to study or read or listen to anything about healing at that time, because I wanted it to come straight from God, I was unaware of the energy of animals. This was a first for me and God provided the lesson through Mother Nature. I was ready for it. All lessons seemed to come when I needed to know something, often through another person, plant, or animal.

"My friend tried to pay me for helping her dog, with money, food and so forth. I realized it was important for her to be able to give me something. I finally accepted a feather, which is still hanging from a planter in my healing room."

From Messages from Jesus Third Edition, p. 94-96

Jesus, as he is revealed to us by enlightened sages and others who know him, is a mighty spirit, actively engaged in helping humanity. His awareness is unlimited, far greater than human thought and perception, yet he sometimes appears to sincere seekers, in visions, in a human form.

He is a teacher of infinite compassion, wisdom, love and patience, guiding us home, regardless of how long it takes. He speaks – from the other side of the veil but with intimate knowledge of us and our modern world – to those who commune with him, and gives them sacred teachings to guide and inspire us. He is one with God, yet “he” is our “brother”, and loves us no matter what we do.

To understand his teachings, they should be studied, contemplated, and lived. Not only the Bible, but also the profound messages he is giving us through others at this time, should be read, feeling the truth, power and love in his words. 

The teachings that we receive from Jesus today are expansive and include aspects of Eastern religion. But, just as when he lived and taught in a physical body, he still puts love first, exposes falsehood, and tells us how to attain salvation. Only, now, we have greater knowledge of this world and the afterlife, so he discusses matters we would not have understood two thousand years ago. He knows all about our material and spiritual needs, and tells us what we should do to have peace within ourselves and on earth, eliminate the causes of suffering, communicate with nature, and experience the divinity in everything. He discusses a wide range of topics, including: sin and karma, forgiveness, the soul and reincarnation, the illusions of the ego, love and oneness, qualities of a spiritual master, enlightenment, and the nature of God.

George Johnston

Sometimes, in our attempt to imitate what we learn from others, we get caught up in repetition, routine, techniques and rituals that leave us ignorant of who we truly are. We try to be someone we aren't. We look outward instead of concentrating inward for discovery of revelations of our own. Shakespeare wrote, "Unto thine own self be true." God is within ... Go there in love and be made whole.

With love, Mary Ann Johnston

In the Beatitudes, Jesus spoke to a multitude . . . He didn’t speak to just the disciples or other important people. He spoke to people like you and me, there to hear His words.  Part of what He said was:

“You are the light of the world.”[1]  Isn’t that amazing. You and I are the ‘light of the world’. Just think of the moral role that puts upon us. The world is dependent upon us to shine our light with goodness and love. Let us not fail.

We see people full of love and compassion. They radiate and give off an energy of love and joy, so powerful, it touches us. This energy is the light. And, the more forgiving and loving you are, the more love and joy you have in your life, the more you shine, the more you will touch others.

Verses throughout the Bible speak of darkness and light. Here are a few:

“Be careful, lest the light in you be darkness.[2]

      For it is God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness.”[3]

     “Open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light.”[4]

     “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”[5]

      "Let your light so shine before men …”[6]