How did Seed of Life Come to Be?
Thank you for your interest in the Seed of Life Essene Ministry.
My born name is Mary-Margaret Stratton. But like the Apostle Simon being given the name Peter by Yashua… I was given an esoteric spiritual name, ~anand sahaja, in Venice Beach, California in 1997. Sahaja was a rare woman mystic and anand sahaja together loosely translated from Sanskrit means “Spontaneous Bliss!” While growing up in Catholic school, I was often teased as “sister” mary-margaret. It’s ironic that I am now a minister who is sometimes referred to as ‘sister’ anand.
I have been called a “Swiss army knife woman” or a Renaissance woman. My professional background includes being an Award-Winning Art Director and UX Architect. I have a degree in Marketing from LAVC and a Bachelors in Design from UCLA with an undeclared minor in Philosophy. After volunteering to save Mid Century Modern buildings in Southern California from demolition for twenty years, (including the iconic Palm Spring Tramway Gas Station, a historic windmill on Route 66, the La Concha motel lobby in Las Vegas, and the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood), I developed a keen interest in architectural design. I created an online bulletin board to bring together fans of historic preservation (pre-social media era), tours and events for Mid-Mod enthusiasts and became actively involved in the hands-on restoration of ten historic homes. My other creative side has written and self-published diverse books, produced musical projects, and exhibited and sold my paintings alongside well-known names in the ‘Low Brow’ and “Pop Surrealist” gallery scene in Southern California.
After growing up in a rural community just outside Los Angeles, I saw my hometown radically change from fields and fruit stands on Van Nuys Blvd near Ventura to becoming one of the busiest intersections in the Western United States. My former husband and I moved part-time to Las Vegas, NV in 2003. Then full-time for over a decade where we worked to build a prototype Suburban Homestead Organic (GMO free) edible-medicinal landscape Food Forest in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada (in the Mohave Desert) using Veganic Gardening and Permaculture Principles. We received a Mayor’s Urban Design Award from Las Vegas for this work. We worked to grow plants traditionally found in the Holy Land and Garden of Eden (Pistachios, Figs, Dates, Pomegranates, Olives, Citrus, Jujubes, Carob, Mulberry and more).
I have become passionately dedicated to sharing information on how nutrition can work miracles in addictive OCD conditions and expressed these ideas in my books, Kiss Addiction Goodbye and Stop Picking on Me, and especially my forthcoming book, Eat Like Adam. As a result of this passion, in 2012, I became a Certified Raw Food Nutritionist under the tutelage of David ‘Avocado’ Wolfe at the Body Mind Institute (now the fully accredited UEXL).
While my faith in Higher Power is strong, pragmaticly I knew ‘formal’ ministerial credentials helped when teach/learning on ‘controversial’ subjects. I was called to enter the ministry. Although raised Catholic with 12 years of Catholic private education with additional classes with Science of Mind (Centers for Spiritual Living) and various new thought alliance, I found my strongest spiritual alignment was with the Modern Essene teachings of Rabbi Gabriel Cousens. I took the vows of an Essene Minister in 2011 by a Bishop of the Essene School founded by Dr. Edmond Bordeaux Székely. I am currently a minister of the Essene Nazarean Church of Mount Carmel. The Essenes are noted for their commitment to peace and a living biogenic food diet.
On Winter Solstice of 2012 (12-21-12) I launched the WholeWAY Home concept, hosting kindred spirits from all over Planet Earth: people coming to Las Vegas who wished to stay in a place that supported health and sobriety. (It also was a MidMod triplex designed by A.Q.Jones FAIA bringing together several worlds of fun!) You could call it a compound or a commune, but I just called it “home,” where I rented rooms out to future friends. In addition, I traveled and taught about Essene Biogenic Living, Raw Food Veganism and Vegetarianism, benefits of Raw Cacao, Fermentation, and Spiritual Evolution.
After thirty three 33 years, Cary-Mason and I consciously uncoupled in 2023.
Now I am redefining The Way of Sanctuary. I have visited Rabbi Dr. Gabriel Cousens at Tree of Life, Brother Day at the Essene Monastery in Oregon, along with a host of organic homesteads and communal spaces to experience what works best. I have researched the writings Dead Sea Scrolls and so much more… With many lessons learned and am continuing to learn I have came out of the (Mohave) Desert and into the “Promised Land” of Texas. Thanks to my parents as benefactors, I acquired five acres of land one hour West of Austin. The area is known as the Texas Wine Trail, between the quaint and historically significant towns of Johnson City and Fredericksburg. It is a Healing Vortex. The land has potable well-water and traditional electricity, but there are ample opportunities for alternative energy: wind-solar-geothermal-hydro, atmospheric-ether, electroculture and more. Plus, everything will be designed with the healthy indoor-outdoor living focus of MidMod principles!!!
I am always looking for other creative leaders who are aligned with this vision to come and join the fun!
Professional Experience Page:
www.linkedin.com/in/marymargaret
Amazon Author Page:
amazon.com/Mary-Margaret-anand-sahaja-Stratton/e/B011K34Q3C