by Pam Rodolph, H.W., m.

I have been away a long time – away from The Prosperos and from its members. I took a long vacation from The Prosperos, but not from their methods. And particularly, when the cards were down (so to speak), I have instinctively grabbed onto those methods over the years and held tight, for they were the most complete I knew. In spite of that, during my time away, I allowed cynicism to slowly build its subtle web around my heart. I became particularly cynical about The Prosperos. I later realized that, that cynicism existed to the same degree that I was closed off, in general, to the world around me. Cynicism choked off openness, authenticity, and the race to embrace life.

There have been two areas in my life where people congregate that have cracked that shell of hardness, letting me breathe again, become young again, bask in the sunlight again  – AA and The Prosperos. While AA would open me to a feeling of well beingness, The Prosperos would explode me into far deeper realms, where expansion, knowingness, realization seemed as large and all encompassing as the universe itself. Its total message was brought to bear again last year when I attended assembly after years of being away. It energized me in a way that has not dissipated yet.

I used to tell myself such things as, “The Prosperos is dead. Thane isn’t here anymore. The Prosperos is irrelevant”. But I found just the opposite. Yes, our numbers have dwindled. But when did we ever judge our relevancy by numbers? Our real message is to those who are capable of tireless, deeply honest work on themselves, people who don’t allow cynicism to frame their viewpoint of reality. Those people have always been hard to find. I was amazed at how many people DID attend assembly last year, how flawless and professional it unfolded, how vital the talks were.

I didn’t get that warm fuzzy feeling I use to get at AA meetings. Instead, I felt a burgeoning vitality, a pristine soaring inspiration and I remembered all the subtle things I had forgotten about this organization and its members ——— members who are so utterly special that I have seldom encountered their ilk elsewhere. They are mirrors of the best kind, showing me not the worst in myself, but a beacon to what is best in me. As much as I love their contact online, there is nothing like experiencing them in person at Assembly. Just like live class, an energy trips the encounter into a higher level of experience.

As President of the High Watch, as important as new students are, I would particularly love for more of its members to come to Colorado next year to add their presence, and thus their energy to this synergistic experience. I hope to see you there. I can assure you, you won’t be disappointed.