Category: Sacred Site Visits

Prabhat put together a very special Sacred Site Visit @ Agape Spiritual Center in LA…which took place this last Sunday, March 9th.

Here’s some info about Agape:

In 1986, Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith founded the Agape International Spiritual Center, a trans-denominational spiritual community whose doors are open to all seekers in search of authentic spirituality, personal transformation and selfless service to humankind. In his own words, “My aspiration is that every individual who is touched by the vibration of Agape is inspired to cultivate a heart of love as wide as the world.” http://www.agapelive.com/

I arrived a little late for the meditation portion of the morning. The usher/bouncer at the door mentioned it was too late to enter the meditation sanctuary…no matter how much I begged. If you’re a newbie to Agape, you do get to avoid the lines to get in…but beware of seating…one of my friends and I were going to be escorted behind the stage and on video, and we decided against this and sat anonymously in the audience with all the regulars.

I thought I was safe there, but at one point of the service, all of us newbies were told to stand up and a song was sung to us. Normally, I would have thought this was way corny but there was such love radiating from my new Agape friends that it was really beautiful to say the least…

There were some moments of the service where I felt shy…cause so much love was expressed…brimming over!! My favorite parts of the service were when we sang: “This little heart of mine…I’m gonna let it shine” and when Rev. Michael Beckwith gave us all a talk. My jaw dropped watching him. He was a very entertaining speaker. He mentioned that the camera people have a heyday when he gets up on the stage because he never stays in one spot. He’s dancing, and jumping all over the place. He stated that maybe he should stay in one place and talk. And the audience roared with an astounding: NOOOO…! The man was so energized and right on target with his message that there wasn’t any way to stop smiling!

What I specifically liked about the service was…all people, all nations, and all ages were included. It felt very welcoming and heartful. It was like going to a family reunion with 500 plus friends…all gathering for peace, love, fun.

After the service, I was able to find Prabhat, Kristeen, Adnan, Jayson, someone’s friend named Mike, and Narayana and college friend. There was a booth with awesome vegetarian food.

This was a great way to celebrate life and spirit and all that’s good…on a Sunday.

I was driving on my way to work and saw this phrase surrounding someone’s license plate in front of me.

And it just reminded me of how I felt at the Thich Nhat Hanh walk…in LA. This was the third peace walk of this kind I’ve been to…the 2nd with Thich Nhat Hanh leading the hundreds that showed up at Macarthur Park on Saturday, September 29th, 2007.

Peace is every step website: http://www.peaceiseverystepla.org/

Why do I attend events like this…? I think to tap into a sacred part of myself and others. We’re so caught up in the madness: traffic, noise, disagreements, disappointments, the works…that walking in peace seems appealing to me…

The thing that is so hard to do…I’d like to learn more about=slowing down…

And in the past…I would have thought that walking sloooooowly was boring and something I’d avoid. But I realize that walking gently on the earth…is something precious. And with all the pain, hurtful words, actions that affect this earth…why not walk…in peace instead of in disregard or insignificance…?

The day was interesting…not fully like the first peace walk with Thich Nhat Hanh in October of 2005. Actually what happened was…I was so happy to see some friends that showed up to the walk from Be the Cause that I could hardly contain myself…

I was talking during the meditation in the beginning, I was talking a bit on the actual walking portion of event, and a friend and I were pulled to the side during part of the walk in our “peace is every step” hats and interviewed by a local tv station. Yikes..not sure how reverent I was…but I truly feel being in joy is the way as well…

So back to that phrase surrounding the license plate I saw….coming from a gal who used to sprint in many a race….life can be a marathon…in a good way. Walking in peace instead of in a rush…hmm…there’s something peaceful about that.

Basically, I’ve found out that there is a time to run and a time to walk. Thich Nhat Hanh would probably state…something about balance…

Here are some quotes by Thich Nhat H..otherwise known as “Thay.”

Every day we do things, we are things that have to do with peace. If we are aware of our life…, our way of looking at things, we will know how to make peace right in the moment, we are alive.
-Thich Nhat Hanh

Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos – the trees, the clouds, everything.
-Thich Nhat Hanh

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
-Thich Nhat Hanh