Stickybeaks & the World of Awe

Your luggage is checked to your destination. But you’re stuck at LAX. There are only so many laps you can take around the food court, right? Give yourself a sweet treat. Grab an Uber, a Lyft or a taxi and make a beeline for a place of peace, such as Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens (PAL&G.)

As a guide of countless tours around the PAL&G labyrinth, meditation gardens, and historical mansion, I’ve yet to figure out the magic of the place. Always a pleasure though to watch shoulders relax and smiles emerge after a dip in the verdant meditation gardens. No matter the mood, songbirds soften my rough edges, too.

Our Australian visitors say I’ve got a “stickybeak.” (Nosy in American English.) I’m fascinated by travelers who are drawn to PAL&G hours before they fly home. Like a mother/son team who love their English labyrinths. They stumbled last minute into our Chartres Cathedral-inspired creation.

Another women from Hawaii was en route to Finland. She was wilting in the shade waiting for the 3 p.m. tour. She may have questioned her choice of spending her layover at PAL&G. Sixty minutes later her body language said something else. Shoulders slightly stooped, deep in contemplation while ambling the eleven concentric labyrinth circles, her posture straightened as she emerged. No elixir did she slip from her purse. Only the willingness to open to Spirit is my guess.

When feeling like Mr. Shakespeare’s Hamlet (in Act 1, Scene 2), “O God, O God, how weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world!” Run; don’t walk to the PAL&G labyrinth. (All right, walk briskly. Don’t want you slipping into the gorgeous reflecting pools.) Peace can occur when a prayer of surrender is said before twisting and winding through the labyrinth. That’s what someone very close whispered in my ear anyway.

If you’re a flexible type, or a yogi or yogini-in-training, check out Yoga at the Labyrinth. Or if you prefer an er, um less bendy approach, click the Visit tab at PeaceLabyrinth.org. Dare to explore the beautiful environment inside and outside of you.

You HU Superhero

Los Angeles is ablaze in a fiery heat wave. Tempers can flare as temperatures rise. Escape to air conditioned theatres featuring superheroes is one option. But what if others have the same idea and all seats are taken?

Dive inside and discover the superhero in you.  (By all means, take a cold shower; soak in an ice cube bath, whatever it takes to feel relief before taking the inner trek to claim your superpower.) Yes, I’m suggesting the free and powerful tool of meditation.

The only kryptonite you’ll likely encounter are past hurts. But if you chant HU, the ancient Sanskrit name of God, you may experience a soothing balm. And a restoration of super you!

When Ani  – pronounced “ah-nigh” – the tone of empathy is combined with HU - pronounced "hugh" - magic truly happens. You may have to resist fidget fairies the first few times. But chanting Ani-HU will eventually steamroller away irritations.

Maybe you already have a favorite mantra. Great! Or perhaps closing your eyes – unless it’s sleep – is just not your thing.

Are you willing to breathe? I’m not joking. By altering how we’re taking in air, we can better control our emotions. Check out this short and charming YouTube.  

Simply touching your hand to your heart can also create miracles. Of course, a stroll to the center of a labyrinth can produce tranquility, too. It’s known in some circles as a “moving meditation.” (Note: Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens is closed until July 24.)

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Here's another cool idea for finding or strengthening your inner superhero:

What Is Soul Awareness?, August 7, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.

Held at Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens
3500 West Adams Blvd. LA CA 90019.

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Plug Into an Oasis for the Soul

Let’s be real. We’ve all got addictions.  Don’t drink, swear, smoke or touch that white substance called sugar? Congratulations. How long can you go without checking your smart phone? Or binge watching your favorite Netflix show? Most of us need some form of comfort. On planet earth a lot of curve balls and challenges are thrown our way. (If this is not your experience, please send the address of your cave pronto!) 
How cool would it be though to upgrade our addictions to God?  (Higher power, Spirit, you know what I mean.) In the City of Angels, there is a place to plug into the oasis of your Soul. It’s called Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens (PAL&G.)  In the gardens, celestial melodies courtesy of the birds lift the gaze heavenward. Multiple water features sing soothing lullabies.  There’s the ancient labyrinth, too, which is sometimes referred to as a Moving Meditation into the Heart.
Evening events like An Introduction to Meditation: A Deeper Experience led by Dr. Paul Kaye are also a beautiful way to de-stress. Although Paul’s approach is lighthearted, his training is serious. From Lao Tzu to Rumi, from tai chi to yoga and countless other disciplines, Paul has thoroughly researched the subject of healing through meditation and sound. 
Due to numerous requests, PAL&G is now opening its doors, too, for a one day silent retreat entitled Unplug – Relax, Refresh, Recharge. Paul will lead the charge into stillness: “The purpose of the retreat is for you to completely relax, let go of worldly concerns and connect more deeply with who you are and with what breathes and sustains you.”
To ensure the clearest, truest connection, all participants are required to abide by PAL&G’s smoke-free, drug-free environment. If you’d like to attend, please e-mail paulkaye@msia.org with Silent Retreat in the subject line. To uphold the serenity fostered in the retreat, a maximum of 20 participants will be accepted. 

Behind the Scenes at PAL&G: Secrets to Happiness

Best labyrinth is a title bestowed upon Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens (PAL&G) by LA Weekly. According to Los Angeles Magazine, PAL&G is declared to be the Best of LA. Many visitors see the spot as a “spiritual oasis in the city.”

All the accolades are deserved. The labyrinth, the gardens and Italian renaissance villa are magnificent. So are many of the people who live and work at PAL&G.

89-year-old George Scott is an esteemed sous chef at PAL&G. His swoon-worthy salad dressings have stirred up Emmy award nominee Anne Marie Cummings to inquire after the ingredients.  His desserts have knocked many off the diet wagon. Vocal coach, Melinda Browne, says, “George always shows up before the workshops with amazing homemade pastries, revealing he is not only talented on stage but also in the kitchen.”

More than his culinary talents, George seems to have mastered joie de vivre. George’s daughter, Bambi says, “Dad was always giving and loving. He always had and has a smile.”

Scientists say that even faking a smile can reduce stress and increase serenity. Smiling at those around you can also apparently improve the energetic of an environment.

George’s easy smile sometimes makes this writer wonder if he’s strategizing mischief. His baby blues are brightest though when swing dancing or singing Sinatra tunes. “I feel a lot of spirit when I dance the big bands – like Glenn Miller,” says George.

Bambi remembers her father practicing East Coast Swing in the back of his health food store. (He was eating avocado toast before it was the fad!) Looks like he practiced a lot. Experienced dancers agree that George Smith’s lead is smoooooth.  He is an inspiration for those of us who could use more movement and mindful eating. (Just in case you need the reminder; diet and exercise are essential to well-being.)  

Besides swing dancing, George sites family and service as keys to happiness. He is a devoted father of, “3 unbelievable daughters. Each one of them is a Virgo and talented in their own way.”

While in attendance at songbird Bambi’s performance of Almost Like Being in Love, he picked up yet another key to happiness: singing! Kismet stepped in and he won admission into a Melinda Browne workshop. Daughter Wendy says, “When I was a kid, I always thought my dad could do anything he put his attention to. As an adult, I now know it’s true!”

The love George Scott has cultivated in his children extends to colleagues, too. James Burton (whose artistic touch with all things flowers and food is sublime) recalls George’s offer of “a healing song when I returned to the kitchen from my leave of absence.”

The melody of the song is a distinctively lilting George Scott ditty.  However, any light tune will apparently do the trick. “The important thing is the (affirmation of) I am,” says George.

I am grateful for PAL&G’s song-and-dance man. 

George Scott’s Healing Song
Every little cell in my body is healthy.
Every little cell in my body is well.
I’m so glad every little cell in my body is healthy and well.
I’m so glad every little cell in my body is healthy and well.

Sole of the Labyrinth

By September 2018 Jack Favor will have clocked 500 miles on the labyrinth at Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens (PAL&G).  Jack finds the labyrinth an invaluable tool for “refocusing.” As he strolls the 11 concentric circuits, “more important ideas come to the forefront.”

As a student in a Doctor of Spiritual Science course, Jack was encouraged to pay attention to his dreams. Pythagorean philosophies and prime numbers surfaced in his sleep. (Before landing in his present profession, Jack was literally a rocket scientist.)  The “labyrinth helps me clarify those ideas.”

Serendipitously, labyrinths are created using the principles of sacred geometry…one of Pythagoras’ pet projects. Shapes and forms which repeat in nature when incorporated into a labyrinth produce a sacred energetic. (Maybe that’s why a labyrinth is also referred to as a moving meditation.)

“MSIA (Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness) is all about providing tools for awareness,” says Jack. “Less important matters fade and more important matters come to the forefront [when walking the labyrinth.]”

Plus it’s a good way to stretch the legs and escape a desk job. But Jack differentiates a labyrinth walk from a stroll on the beach or jog around the block. At Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens “The inner landscape is reflected with the outer landscape.”

Jack maintains that areas surrounding the labyrinth reflect consciousness. He sees the reflecting pool as a symbol of the unconscious; the pergola crowned by Madame Butterfly, the kingdom of emotions. And the Asian accented gardens? A foray into fantasy/imagination and the physical world.  With all its ways of awakening awareness, Jack believes the labyrinth is reflective of the mental realm.

Inspired by Jack, I took a turn in the labyrinth. After saying a prayer at the entrance, I solemnly stepped and silently chanted HU (the ancient Sanskrit name for God.) Looking up, a fat chipmunk was furiously swishing his tail. He seemed intent on capturing a nut or some sort of morsel. I laughed. He reminded me of my tabby cat. The ice cream truck music decided just then to serenade me with It’s A Small World.  I stepped off the labyrinth feeling lighter. No brilliant formulas. But some say joy is synonymous with soul. 

New Year's Resolution "Spiritual Spa Morning" - Enjoy Pics!

We were "packed with peeps" - enjoy the pics!

Over 200 beautiful people gathered January 6 to start the new year deepening their commitments, intentions, and devotion. We enjoyed a workshop, sacred labyrinth walk - followed by a lavish buffet brunch - making the day like a "spiritual spa."

Enjoy the slideshow images.  

The Best Holiday Gifts Ever

“We need no wings to go in search of Him, but have only to look upon Him present within us.” ~St. Teresa of Avila

Faster than FedEx, gifts are delivered with each heartbeat. You don’t even need a saint or Santa to deliver the present. Yes, you already know you are:

·         A precious child of God

·         Adored by the Creator

·         At One with the Universe

·         All the Above

Wouldn’t it be wonderful though to know how truly, truly divine you are? Better than any Porsche or Jimmy Choo shoes!

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HERE ARE TWO NEW YEAR'S EVENTS. 
Embrace all that is great and holy. Let go of 2017. Welcome in a shiny Light and Love filled 2018.

New Year's Eve Sacred Tones Workshop, Sunday, December 31, 8-10pm PT

New Year's Resolution Spiritual Spa Morning, Saturday, January 6, 2018, 10am-2pm PT

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Labyrinth Featured in L.A. Times Article, Oct. 25, 2017

PAL&G does it's part to help the South L.A. Community

The labyrinth at Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens (PAL&G) was pictured on front page of the Los Angeles Times, October 25, as part of an article about the impact of changing jet patterns in South Los Angeles. PAL&G attended community meetings on the matter and was interviewed by the Times. 

The Journey of Dey Young’s Madame Butterfly Sculpture [with Video]

If you’ve walked the labyrinth here at Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens in the last few months, you’ve been in the presence of "Madame Butterfly," a figurative sculpture that was recently donated by sculptor, Dey Young. This piece feels right at home in the gardens of the Guasti Villa (the former name of this mansion) whose architecture was inspired by Renaissance Italy and that once had a sculpture garden of its own.

Just as the marble in this mansion was imported from Italy, so was the stone for Madame Butterfly, which comes from Pietrasanta, which translates to sacred stone. It is Carrara Marble, the same marble that Michelangelo used when carving his most famous sculptures: the David & the Pietá.

Dey Young works within the line of sculptors who has sought the angel in the marble and carved to set it free.

The discovery of Madame Butterfly began in California when Dey created a maquette of the sculpture to practice her theme. She captured the female form in movement, resting between figuration and abstraction. A crescent moon, full hips and breasts, flowing draperies.

Next Dey traveled to Italy in search of the perfect block of statuary marble, the one from which Madame Butterfly would emerge. She worked with artisans for three months before returning to her studio in California where she carved and polished for another nine to complete the sculpture.

As we stand before Madame Butterfly, I picture what the initial block of marble might have looked like, 2500 pounds of solid stone, holding the angel within. It is no mistake that this process of carving marble has been used as a metaphor for spiritual awakening.

As we talk to Dey about her work, I am transported. I picture the confident touch of Dey’s hands and tools, working to free this butterfly from its chrysalis of stone.

I remember visiting Dey in her studio. Remember the rough blocks of different colored stone waiting for their turn to be carved. Some of them marked with crayon, hinting at the figure within. Heavy and peaceful, filled with potential.

I remember the peace that was present in the studio as Dey carved a figure in alabaster. With her loving attention on the stone, everything else faded into the background.

I think of Madame Butterfly’s journey. I think of her traveling from Italy to Dey’s studio in California, then to a gallery in New Mexico, and finally resting in the Gardens of Prana.

Dey shares about her journey as an artist, about the way that sculpture has been a teacher in her life. She tells us about her other teachers, John-Roger and John Morton and tears of gratitude come to her eyes.

As the sculpture has found its home, so has she.

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We invite you to visit to see the sculpture for yourself. Click the button below to sign up for a tour today. In the meantime, keep seeking the angel in the stone. God bless you.

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David Whitaker with Video by Lucia Doynel.

Coffee Break? Or Meditation?

Coffee Break

Slow down…

Everything you are chasing will come around

And catch you.

~John De Paola1

That second cup of coffee calls. I take an extra gulp of fresh air instead. Amazing how breathing can bring balance. We’ve all heard the statistics about meditation, right?

Meditation:

• Reduces stress
• Increases acceptance
• Slows the aging process (Yes, please!)

Hitting the snooze button on our goals seems so counter-intuitive. Yet, the sacred moments taken to listen to our hearts pays off. The mind clears. Inspiration increases. The monkey mind stops chattering. All right, not completely sometimes. But meditation – concentrating on the breath – allows in an intention for peace. And miracles! Countless are the times, a divine idea warrior has vanquished the worrywart in my mind when I surrendered to meditation.

Practice, practice, practice may get you into Carnegie Hall. Repeating mantras like Ani-Hu2 may, however, get you into Heaven! As a beginner, sitting for 15 minutes was excruciating. (Bravo if you are a longtime meditation student and this was not your experience. Maybe you’re a saint.) Meditation is a lifeline to sanity.

Nature is another soother of frayed nerves. Studies at University of Michigan found a stroll with Mother Nature improves short-term memory. Japanese scientists discovered that forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) brings stress levels down and boosts the immune system.

Angelenos may not always have the luxury to run away to Walden Pond (like Henry David Thoreau.) A mini escape is possible. In the heart of the City of Angels, we have Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens. Fountains sing serenity, butterflies kiss flowers in towering bamboo groves. On Tuesday evenings, the Italian Renaissance Villa on the property plays host to events such as an Introduction to Sound & Meditation and  Sacred Mysteries of the Labyrinth.

Put the coffee down. Give yourself a real break.
 

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References

1.      John-Roger, D.S.S., Kaye, Paul, D.S.S. (2010) Living the Spiritual Principles of Health and Well-Being, Los Angeles, CA, Mandeville Press

2.      Ani is a tone of empathy. Hu is the ancient Sanskrit name for God.

Sources:

Huffington Post

8 Ways Meditation Can Improve Your Life

Quartz Media LLC

The Japanese Practice of “Forest Bathing” is Scientifically Proven to Improve Your Health

Business Insider

11 Scientific Reasons You Should Be Spending More Time Outdoors

Celebrating the U.N. International Day of Peace

What Does Peace Mean To You?

#PeaceDay #JoinTogether #PeaceLabyrinth

September 21 is the U.N. International Day of Peace. Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens, together with the Institute for Individual and World Peace took part in celebrating and honoring this day with several events.

We started with a Peace Concert, listening to the exquisite, healing music of Merrill Collins, global peace song finalist. Her music swept us away with her beautiful, healing sounds. What a perfect way to help put our bodies, minds, emotions, and our spirit into peace.

We followed with an Acceptance and Peace Seminar. Many say the way to world peace is through individual peace. Using this principle, we came together to explore how to come to greater inner peace by simply accepting what is.

Lastly, we moved forward into celebration and action with a Peace Day Open House. 

We celebrated by sharing refreshments, music, taking fun "selfies," and with getting to know new people. We shared our love, togetherness, oneness, and our common purpose of wanting to create a better world internally and externally for ourselves, others, our planet.

We moved into action by placing our peace intentions and "blessings" at the Labyrinth, the Peace Pole, the Peace Tree. Many shared their photos on their social sites - spreading peace intentions into the world. 

At 12 noon we participated in the U.N. Global Minute of Peace/Moment of Silence. Paul Kaye, President of MSIA and Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens, led these moments as we all circled around the labyrinth. He spoke a bit about what is peace and what we can do to create peace. 

Lastly, we took it inward again, to what many call our "Source" by attending Peace Sound Meditations led by Paul Kaye. Paul sounded chimes, singing bowls and meditative instruments, and played guided meditations by John-Roger. These meditations assist us to attune more deeply to where many believe it all begins, within. As someone said, "Peace begins with you."

Some ways to create peace

Paul Kaye mentioned some points for how to create peace. 

• Peace is present. 
• Peace is an inner process. 
• Peace is the cessation of againstness.
• Peace is a choice regardless of circumstances.

Listen to Paul's Global Minute of Peace Address

What does peace mean to you? 

#KeepPeaceAlive #PeaceEveryday #SpreadPeace