I have often wondered who I would be, and what my life would be like if I had not had the magical education provided to me by my first spiritual teacher, Mary Dunbar. In 1961 Mary founded Forsyth School. An elementary school informed by her access to Divine intelligence.
She sought to create a place where a child’s connection and understanding of their Divine nature was named and fostered. She knew that if a child could access the love that lived inside of them, if they knew that there was a benevolent force that wanted them to thrive and succeed, if they knew how to not let circumstance define their inner experience and sense of self, they would have the foundation to create a fulfilling life.
Each morning would begin with assembly. Mary would greet us and then sit on an ebony bench in front of a baby grand piano. Each song we sang affirmed our Divine nature, and our innate capacity to consciously create what we desired, and celebrated the power of love. Now at the age of 57, I still know all the songs by heart.
“Look for love, look for love when the dawn light is breaking, look for love. Look for love in the evening when the stars are waking. Look for love, look for love, and when you do. Look for love, and love will be right there looking at you.”
“If you believe in a world full of woe, it is done to you as you believe. And if you believe that to learn is to grow, it is done to you, as you believe. As you believe, it is done to you, as you believe. So choose to believe in things that are good, for it is done to you, as you believe. If you give thanks for a beautiful day, it is done to you, as you believe. And if you lovingly choose life, it is done to you, as you believe. As you believe, it is done to you as you believe. So choose to believe in things that are good, for it is done to you as you believe.”
“Something wonderful, something grand, something wonderful is happening right where I stand. Through my mind and my body, through all I do and say, good morning, good morning world, oh, isn’t it a wonderful day!”
“It’s up to you what you are going to do with your life. It’s up to you what you’re going to be. It’s up to you; you’ve got the power to choose in your life. It’s up to you to be free. Are you going to have a good day? Will you live it in peace? You can learn to light your way; just learn to pray without ceasing. You make the world, you know. Your thoughts are key. Every loving thought you show, you’ll feel the glow of your being.”
After the songs enlivened us, Mary would have us sit in a circle and guide us in meditation. As we closed our eyes she would sing, “I now close my eyes. And put my body to rest. I now close my eyes and put my body to rest. Visions of miracles happening to me, I choose to vision them consciously, here in this quiet place still as can be, I see what I will be.” And then we would sit visualizing what we wanted to experience and learn that day while learning the vital importance of cultivating inner quiet.
On occasion, after we opened our eyes she would ask us three vital questions. “Who are you?” “Why are you?” “Where are you?” The questions were to evoke deep reflection about the nature of ourselves, why we existed, and that our thoughts take us out of the present moment determining “our location.” We were guided to understand that we were energy encased in a body. That our existence was a miracle really and its purpose was to learn how to love. Not love as a sentimental, attached emotion, but rather love as the embodiment of God itself.
We would be led in the mindful movement practice, Tai Chi. A moving meditation that would foster greater emotional self-regulation and a felt sense of peace. One of the most impactful experiences I had there was when our Tai Chi teacher would photograph our energy with Kirlian film. We would sit with our hands positioned as if we were holding a large grapefruit, concentrating on creating a sphere of energy between our hands. Led to visualize this sphere, seeing it luminous and bright as we connected to feelings of love and gratitude, our teacher would then photograph what lived between our hands. The first time I saw this I was blown away! Being a bit competitive, I strived to have a bigger and brighter sphere of energy than my best friend, Sharon, who also happened to be the daughter of the Tai Chi teacher. Sharon’s sphere was always brighter and bigger than mine….
I also learned Latin, and algebra, read Shakespeare, performed plays, wrote Haikus, and created art. I often wonder what our world would be like if this type of education was the norm. In my late twenties, I went to visit the founder who had retired to Florida. There, I asked her what she hoped the lasting legacy of our education was. Without hesitating she responded, “I wanted you to know that every thought and feeling you have is your choice.”
Thank you, Mary. Your influence and legacy live on…
