CHURCH OF THE MOVEMENT OF SPIRITUAL INNER AWARENESS

ADDRESS: 3500 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018 or P.O. Box 3935, Los Angeles, CA 90051

OTHER NAMES BY WHICH KNOWN: MSIA

LEADERSHIP: MSIA does not have an international "leader" as such. John-Roger is MSIA's Spiritual Director, John Morton is the Spiritual Advisor, and Paul Kaye is the President.

MEMBERSHIP: MSIA has no formal membership. About 4,500 people currently study with the Church of MSIA (which means that they subscribe to Soul Awareness Discourses). About 3,000 are in the U.S., and about 1,500 are in other countries, mainly Mexico and Latin America; England, France, and other parts of Europe; Australia; Canada; and Nigeria. Congregations in MSIA take the form of meetings, seminars, conferences, classes, retreats, etc., which are scheduled in various communities, and students are invited to participate in them.

HISTORICAL ORIGIN: MSIA began in the U.S. and was incorporated as a church in 1971. From this country, it has spread to other parts of the world.

BASIC BELIEFS: MSIA teaches Soul transcendence, which is a person's becoming aware of himself/herself as a Soul and, more than that, as one with the Divine. The Soul is perfect but inexperienced, and it comes to this level (Earth) to gain experience and, also, to balance past actions. It is by unconditionally loving and forgiving oneself, others, and all situations that the past can be balanced and a person can expand the awareness of himself/herself as divine, as "made in God's image," and can live here with that awareness.

Students in MSIA work with the Mystical Traveler, a spiritual consciousness that exists throughout all levels of creation and that is a guide into the higher levels of Spirit. In December 1963, John-Roger received the spiritual mantle as the physical anchor point of the Mystical Traveler Consciousness, and in 1988, this passed to John Morton. John-Roger remains the spiritual wayshower for those he has initiated.

On this physical level, a person's work is to serve and to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ: love your neighbor as yourself. Part of doing this is to recognize and honor the Divinity in each person, as well as to realize that each person is responsible for making choices about how to live his/her life. These choices offer the opportunity of learning and growing, which is what the Soul has come here to do. For this reason, MSIA does not have rules and regulations governing behavior. At the same time, it does encourage people to do what works for them and to enhance these nine qualities in their inner and outer lives: health, wealth, and happiness; prosperity, abundance, and riches; loving, caring, and sharing. Above all, the emphasis is on people's gaining their own experience of the Divine.

Guidelines in MSIA are simply stated: Take care of yourself so you can help take care of others. Don't hurt yourself and don't hurt others. Use everything for your advancement and upliftment. And basic precepts include the following: Out of God come all things. God loves all of Its creation. Not one Soul will be lost. The kingdom of heaven is within, and each person is an heir to that kingdom.

Students study the Soul Awareness Discourses and listen to Soul Awareness Tapes, which form the core of the teachings of MSIA. After two years of study, a person may apply for initiation, and levels of initiation in MSIA correspond to levels of consciousness both within and outside of each person: astral (imagination), causal (emotions), mental (mind), etheric (unconscious), and Soul. Through continued study and spiritual exercises (silent meditation), a person may be initiated to successive levels.

PRACTICES AND BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS: The response to this item should particularly include mention of anything which might conflict with Army regulations. Such practices might include holidays or holy days observed with special activities, or special behavior demanded by the group. Attention should also be directed to any special clothing or appearance standards which would affect group members as military personal clothing, religious articles, jewelry and grooming.

There are no group practices or special behavior demanded by the Church, nor are there any requirements as to clothing, grooming, jewelry, etc. Students are encouraged to spend two hours a day doing spiritual exercises (silent meditation) individually.

Students may come together for a seminar, at which they listen to an audio tape or watch a video tape by John-Roger. They may also take classes and attend MSIA events, and ministers in various areas hold regular meetings.

Soul Awareness Discourses and Soul Awareness Tapes are considered to be private and personal to the person owning them and should not be shared with others.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: The Church has a Board of Directors, which oversees the general direction of the Church. It also has administrative officers president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer who run the day-to-day operations of the Church.

ROLE OF MINISTERS: After a two-year period of study in MSIA, a person may apply for ordination, and many people studying in MSIA are also ministers. Ministers are ordained to minister to all, regardless or race, creed, color, situation, circumstance, or environment. The ministry is primarily spiritual, and the focus of the ministry is on service to God, others, and self. Each minister determines for himself/herself what form his/her ministry takes, and ministers often participate in a variety of individual and group service projects.

WORSHIP: There are no worship services per se in MSIA. Students often come together for seminars, either given in person by John-Roger or where they listen to an audio tape or view a video tape by John-Roger. The seminar may also include a meditation and chanting "Ani-Hu." (nanny" is a word evoking empathy, and "Hu" is a Sanskrit word referring to God.)

Students are encouraged to do spiritual exercises (silent meditation) for two hours each day; this is done individually.

DIETARY LAWS OR RESTRICTIONS: None. This is a matter of individual choice.

FUNERAL AND BURIAL REQUIREMENTS: The answer to this question should encompass a statement of customary practice at the time of death, including a notation of any specific requirements for the proper care of the body, role of a minister/priest(ess), and restrictions on autopsies, cremation, burial at sea, and common preparation of a body for burial.

There are no Church requirements or restrictions in this area; it is a matter of individual choice. At another person's death, the function of a minister in MSIA would generally be to hold a focus of peace and loving so that the person can make the transition in the way that is right for him/her. (This could very well include assisting the person in following the guidelines of his/her own religious beliefs and practices.) The emphasis would be on loving, acceptance, and forgiveness and an awareness of the presence and love of God.

MEDICAL TREATMENT: None. This is a matter of individual choice.

OTHER: There are no Church guidelines either concerning members serving in the military or adopting an attitude of pacifism.

The focus of the Church is on making the teachings of MSIA available to those who are looking for them, and there is no "recruitment" of new people into MSIA. If someone would like to know more about MSIA, students are usually glad to share about the Church and their experience with the teachings. MSIA may also publicize seminars and other events to the public, but this is more like an invitation to participate, not active recruitment.

GENERAL SOURCE BOOKS:

The following books by John-Roger give an idea of various facets of MSIA's teachings. The Soul Awareness Discourses give the most complete information. (The discourses are 144 booklets, designed to be read one each month.)

About MSIA (brochure)

John-Roger, Inner Worlds of Meditation. New York: Baraka Press, 1976. 1OOpp.

__________, Journey of a Soul New York: Baraka Press, 1975. 60pp.

__________, The Power Within You. New York: Baraka Press, 1984.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Ms. Jeeni Wong, Public Representative and Legal Counsel, 3500 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018, (213) 737-4055 or (213) 737-1534