I Can See Clearly Now…       Sunday, August 22, 2021 Taizé/Celebration

With Lucinda Alton, RScP Prayer Practitioner, and Special Musical Guests Narayan and Janet

Call to Awareness – 3 Bells

Opening Prayer – Lucinda will set the intention to open heart and mind, welcoming whatever is to be awakened today.

Introduction – Rev. Diana

Good morning. My name is Rev. Diana Johnson, Pastor and Spiritual Director of Mystic Heart Spiritual Center, and I welcome you Home…Home to our Beloved Community…and Home to your own Mystic Heart. So glad you’re here this morning to enjoy the beautiful and uplifting music of Narayan and Janet. We have this month engaging with the idea that It’s All About Perspective. And this morning’s topic for  reflection is I Can See Clearly Now.

I invite you to sit back and relax as we settle into the meditative tone of Taizé, sharing in this experience together, yet allowing it to be uniquely personal to you. Let’s begin by taking a long, slow, deep breath…and then letting it out as your body relaxes even more deeply into your chair…gently closing your eyes…and allowing your breath to find its own pace and flow, even as we breathe together as one. We are connected by the very air we breathe.

As you relax your body, allowing your breath to become slow and quiet, notice the calm that is your Center…where you can let go and allow yourself to experience Deep Peace…Love…Grace…Contentment…and this centered place is always available. It is your True  Home, from which all Goodness flows…it is the part of you that has never strayed, has never been hurt…where there is nothing missing, nothing broken…this is the Perfect, Whole, Complete, Beautiful, Real You.

Chant – How Could Anyone Ever Tell You, written by Libby Roderick, performed by Narayan & Janet

Diana

How deeply you’re connected to my soul…In Truth, we are all deeply connected, necessarily and undeniably interconnected. Let’s take a moment to experience that connection…let’s feel and know our Oneness. In your mind’s eye, envision with me a web of consciousness that envelops our beautiful planet, each of us a radiant point of Light in that web. No matter where on the planet our Light appears, what our cultural, religious, or political beliefs are…we are connected, we are One. As we acknowledge our interconnectedness as human family, we extend our Vision to include all creatures everywhere…each one shimmering with Light…and then extending further to every plant and tree, every mountain and valley, every rock and grain of sand, every drop of water…the soil, the stars, the clouds, all shining with the Light of Spirit…God expressing and experiencing Itself by means of Its Creation. As our web continues to expand and include, we see that there are no spaces between us…there is one continuous field of Consciousness…

Musical Meditation – We Are All Connected, written and performed by Narayan & Janet

Rev. Diana –

As we join in consciousness with all of Creation, our Work here is empowered…Our collective prayer and meditation leave a positive imprint on the world…on the Whole of Creation. Our Energetic Presence creates a ripple of Love and Compassion, of Peace and Presence, of Goodness and Grace, that directly imprints upon the Whole for all time…and Wholeness is being revealed.

Please affirm these words as true for you as I speak them into our shared space…

I am changing, as are the lenses through which I view the world…I am learning to trust that there is a Wholeness to all that is. I am learning to see what is before me Through the Eyes of Pure Spirit. I am discovering the miraculous nature of everything. I am remembering more and more to look for the Good, for the blessing, for the silver lining. Because it’s always there. What I look for, I am sure to find. This is Spiritual Truth.

I am learning to look through the eyes of another, to experience the depth of compassion and understanding that moves me to ask What is it like to be you? This is a question that serves me well and moves our human family into more Peaceful relations.

And I am being called to acknowledge that my every thought, word, and action leaves an imprint on the race consciousness, for all time…I am being called to view my life through Evolutionary Eyes.

My vision is becoming clearer, with every opinion I am willing to question, with every perception I am willing to change. As I consciously acknowledge the spark of Divinity at the heart of everything, I am learning to see with New Eyes.

Music – New Eyes, written and performed by Narayan & Janet

Rev. Diana

Let’s compare the cleansing of the lenses of our perception to something more tangible…the cleaning of a window. Window cleaning is about changing what we see by transforming what we are looking through, not what we are looking at. When we clean dirty windows, light is finally allowed to come in unfiltered and we get to truly see the view beyond the window…the colors, the beauty, a clear picture, rather than the filtered view of reality that the dirtiness of our windows have conditioned us to see. The goal of window cleaning is to not see the window but to return the window to transparency.

Like a dirty window, our lenses of perception make all the difference in how we view the world. For effective cleaning, we need eyes that see reality and not just what we are conditioned to see. If physical windows need periodic cleaning, our inner lenses need a lot more cleaning, because they are responsible for what we see – including opportunities, possibilities, challenges, dangers, and what we consider real.

Our lenses of perception can keep us from seeing ourselves as we truly are…from seeing others as they truly are…from seeing the world as it truly is. Rather than simply observing what is before us, accepting it as it is, we experience our thoughts and ideas about what we see…we make judgments…it’s good, it’s bad…I’m right, they’re wrong…

How do we clean our lenses of perception? This is an exploration each person has to make. But daily Spiritual Practice is a great place to start. Willingness is essential…I must be willing to change my view…to change angles, to look through the eyes of another. I must be willing to admit that we all have biases, we all have filters, we all have opinions. And that your opinion is as valid as mine, when seen through your eyes.

I must be willing to recognize that my every thought, word and action is having an impact on the Whole…and to ask, “Is this the impact I want to have?”

And most of all, I must be willing to back up and take a God’s Eye view. What would this look like if seen through the eyes of Love? Is this opinion or way of seeing in alignment with who I want to be, with who I say I am?

Musical Meditation – I Am the Sky, Narayan and Janet

Rev. Diana – Invitation to Practice

In order to think clearly and see clearly, we need practices that help us to periodically suspend thought and truly see. Insight, or a change of thought, requires a momentary suspension of thought. And so, silent meditation goes a long way toward cleansing our perceptions. As thoughts arise, simply allow them to be…no problem, no preference, noticing that each one arises and then recedes. As you sit in the silence, you are practicing not having an opinion.

Also, remember the powerful question, “What’s it like to be you?” With sincere and empathetic inquiry, our lenses are being polished.

In The Work, Byron Katie offers another Practice that can be helpful. By asking a series of four questions, and answering them thoughtfully and honestly, we can remove the layers of grime from our perceptive lenses. Ask of each view or opinion:

1. Is it true? (Yes or no. If no, move to question 3)

2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true? (Yes or no)

3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

4. Who or what would you be without the thought?

When our perceptive lenses are clearer, we become more alive, more humble, more present to what is…to pain, to beauty, to Truth…to potential and to sacredness in the world. By cleaning our lenses, we expand our view, we expand our awareness, our intelligence, our possibilities. And we come to be grateful for all of it as we realize that Life is a gift.

Music – I Can See Clearly Now, written by Jimmy Cliff, performed by Narayan & Janet

Rev. Diana

Let’s close our time together with Prayer and Visualizing the More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible (Charles Eisenstein).

Let my words become your affirmation…

There is only one thing going on here and everywhere, and that is God expressing and experiencing Itself as Its creation. Every one of us is a perfect and intentional, individual expression of Divinity. Each one of us is an opportunity for God to know what it means to be human. And so, in my heart of hearts, I ask, “What experience am I giving God? Is there something more I’d like to give?”

In this holy moment, I know that day by day, my lenses of perception are being cleansed. I Am becoming more open, more accepting of what is, just as it is and just as it isn’t. I Am letting go of the habit of judging, going with the flow of Spirit, and trusting that in every moment, there is a blessing. I know that as I expect to find it, the gift is revealed. I know that I Am created in the image and likeness of God, with all of Its Qualities already present and available; and so, I practice using these as my new lenses…Love, Compassion, Empathy, Humility…Peace, Joy, Grace, and Beauty. As I do, I grow in Clarity…I Can See Clearly Now.

I Am so grateful for the many blessings of this and every day. I am deeply grateful for Spiritual Community, for the gifts that each of brings into my life and the life of this Center. I Am grateful for my growing Wisdom and Insight as I seek to be a beneficial presence on the planet. I know that all that I need is already within me. As I grow in faith, Grace surrounds me and radiates from me, filling my life with every form of abundance. I willingly receive, accept, experience, and embody every good thing, as I consciously contribute to the evolution of the All-That-Is in powerful and positive ways.

Rev. Diana – Moving into Ceremony and Celebration

Let’s complete our prayer today with our Practice of helping to create a Love-Soaked World. Together, we envision it now…a world completely transformed by all of the good we are doing, individually and collectively…a world that is peaceful, joyful, abundant, and free…where all beings live as True Family, caring for one another and our beautiful planet as the Sacred beings that we are…a world where everyone has access to plenty of nourishing food, a warm and comfortable home, medical care, education, creative contribution, and a sense of belonging…a world in which every being is valued for his or her inherent Goodness, Beauty, and Perfection…a world created by our willingness to practice Radical Love and Compassion, Integrity, Forgiveness, Kindness, and Generosity.

We know that our individual lives are enriched by prayer. We know what kind of world we are creating by our shared Practice. We know that holding a shared Vision is powerful. We are building our Faith in the world we know can be. Let this Vision become Real in your heart and mind. Infuse it with your Faith. Feel it…know it…and live it.

There is no lack or limitation in God…there is no reason that we cannot have such a world. With humanity as Its hands, feet, voice, and heart, doing Its work in the world, all things are possible.

Knowing that my prayer is powerful and active in the lives of each one listening, I let go and let God, fully trusting in Its loving presence and responsive action…watching in joyful expectation as these words move into form and experience, here and now. And so it is! Amen!

10:52  Musical Meditation: Get Together, written by Jesse Colin Young, performed by Narayan & Janet

Rev. Diana

10:56 – Diana

Please join me in repeating our affirmation…There is Power in our Prayer…There is Power in our Vision…We’re creating A Love-Soaked World…We are doing it here…We are doing it now… Together, we are practicing the possible through prayer. And so it is! Can I have an Amen?

We are so grateful to be a part of this Beloved Community. Mystic Heart is an Independent Spiritual Center that is self-governed by Community Agreements, and is free to grow and change according to the needs and desires of its members and friends. If you’d like to know more about our philosophy, we have a full description printed in our monthly bulletin. Also, I am always happy to answer any questions you may have.

Celebration is a vital part of our Mission and our Spiritual Practice. We know that life is meant to be Joyful, that we are meant to experience the Goodness of being alive. We understand that by celebrating the Good in our lives, we bring more of it into our experience. I celebrate you and your choice to be here this morning. I celebrate each and every person who contributes time, talent, or treasure to our Beloved Community.

Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering

Each Sunday, we offer you the opportunity to share your financial Good, in support of the Work we are doing in the world. You can go to mysticheart.org to use our Donate Button or to find our mailing address.

We also have a Gracious Giving Program for those who would like to make a heartfelt monthly commitment of support so that we can more effectively plan for our growth and our monthly spending. I would be happy to give you more information.

As we move into this time of giving, please feel the Truth of these words, and know how much we appreciate your gifts:

As I awaken to the God within me and all around me, I see Abundance everywhere I look. I consciously step into that flow of Abundance by this act of giving. I bless this gift, sending it forth to heal and prosper. It is evidence of my deep faith. It does good work in the world and blesses all of Creation. I give from a consciousness of Abundance! And so it is! Amen!

You’ve seen them at offering time for two weeks, but they were up there. So now you get them live!

Child of God, written and performed by Narayan & Janet

Rev. Diana

Practitioner opens the brief Gratitude Prayer, Minister closes.

Lucinda, Prayer Practitioner

If you are new with us today, please consider filling out an information card…they are in your bulletins… so that we can reach out. If you’d like prayer support, we also have prayer request cards and envelopes in the backs of your chairs.

If you would like to meet with a Prayer Practitioner in person, I am available for a quick prayer after the service. Or contact one of the Mystic Heart Practitioners for a full Session during the week. Our contact information is listed in the bulletin and on our website, as are all of the Mystic Heart events and activities.

To continue the celebration, there is food and fellowship next door immediately following the service. So let’s stand and sing our closing song.

Closing Song: Love Be with You, written by Lainey Bernstein, RScP & Gary Lynn Floyd, performed by Rev. Diana & Chris Johnson and Narayan & Janet

Close of Service