One Step at a Time
Sunday, February 26, 2023
Rev. Diana Johnson, with Chris Johnson, RScP.
Video Chapter Index
| 0:00 | Taizé | Clicking on a chapter link will play the segment in a new YouTube tab. Your link to this page will remain open in this tab, but the video will play in the new window. Clicking on the Play arrow in the video screen above will play both Taizé and the Conscious Conversation on this page. To make the picture bigger, you may click the full screen icon in the lower right corner:  To cast the video to your Smart TV, click the Play on TV button:  . Also, we now have Closed Captioning available! To access Closed Captions, start the video and click on the CC icon next to the gear in the lower right of the video screen:  |
| 22:38 | Guided Meditation | |
| 47:57 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Chris – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Welcome…if you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Rev. Diana Johnson, and I am the Pastor and Spiritual Director of Mystical Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. I want to welcome you Home to our Community, and Home to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart.
We begin our meditative journey this morning by joining our voices, deepening our intimate Connection in Spirit.
Opening Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- Behold! I Make All Things New written by Dalton Fitzgerald
Rev. Diana
We move more deeply into our meditative journey this morning, with eyes closed or gaze turned downward…bringing awareness to the breath… breathing in slowly, noticing the space between in and out, and letting it go. Is there anything that would be better left at the door before we continue our journey? Is there any intention that you wish to bring into our time together? Take another slow, deep breath in, feeling Peace flood your body…and let it go…relaxing into gratitude…that you have this beautiful day to live…grateful for the privilege of being alive, no matter what experiences you have had. Life is a gift…noticing the breath, following it into the body consciously, creating reverence, deep love, respect, and gratitude for the Source of Life Itself.
We know that there is only One Source, One Life…and we take a moment to sense our Oneness with it. Envisioning a web of Consciousness surrounding and infusing the earth…seeing and feeling ourselves to be a point of radiant Light in that web…
…knowing every human as a spark of Divinity…we envision every creature, every plant, every rock, and grain of sand, shining with Spirit’s Light…the soil…the water…the clouds and wind…the heavenly bodies…all aglow with God Energy…and I sense and know that my Light is enmeshed with yours…that our lives are entwined with all that is.
Sensing our oneness, we acknowledge our role as caretakers…in Service to one another…to all life forms…and to the planet that sustains us all.
Grounded in our Oneness, we center our hearts in this month’s theme, Pilgrimage, and give our attention this morning to taking One Step at a Time.
As we continue in our journey of transformation, there is no path for us to follow. We are in the liminal space between what has been, and what is yet to be. We are making the path by walking…One Step at a Time.
We are learning what it is to be human…One Step at a Time. We start out as infants, completely dependent on our caregivers. We learn to imitate human language and movement; we learn what it takes to get our needs met…which behaviors are acceptable or preferred…what is good and what is bad.
We cross a threshold…move into middle childhood, and then another into adolescence, with much of our psychological and emotional groundwork in place…family and societal values, self-worth and trust (or a lack thereof) established to some degree as we move into early adulthood. This feels like a more profound threshold, into a time of greater complexity, uncertainty, and choice. We learn to be comfortable in our adult skin…or not. We learn that there are real-life consequences to our actions. We seek friendships, careers, and partnerships. Many of us get caught up in the world of effects, all as a way of trying to make sense of life, to find meaning or purpose.
Another threshold…stepping into mid-life, we begin to seek a greater understanding of our emotional body. The Divine Impulse drives us to question…why am I unhappy? What’s missing? Who am I? How did I get here? And if we have the courage to grapple with these questions, we eventually get answers.
At least one more major threshold remains before our exit from this life…stepping into elderhood. If we have lived into the questions and lived up to life’s challenges leading into this stage, we are able to slow down a bit. We begin to notice the natural beauty around us like never before…we begin to sense that we have crossed the mid-point…that we still have gifts to share…we feel a greater sense of caring for the world and its beings…we want our lives to matter, to make a positive impact.
We move into spiritual maturity when we become willing to question all that we have been told, all we thought we knew. We do not have to wait until the final stages of our lives to begin.
The Rabbi Yeshua, in the Sermon on the Mount, was inviting his listeners to grow up spiritually. He was encouraging them to question things that had previously been accepted as truth. The Sermon presents a series of sayings that begin, “You have heard”, and end with, “but I say to you,” in which the conventional wisdom and prior religious teachings are replaced by principles that come from a different perspective and set of assumptions about how reality is constructed and what life is all about. They require much finer moral discernment.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”
9:47 In every stage of life, we step into the unknown…we have never been here before. But the further along life’s path we move, the more we let go of what we thought we knew…the more we come to see and admit how little we actually know…the greater the mystery becomes. It is in this liminal space of not knowing that the greatest transformation is possible. We are presented with the idea that to be human is to be Divine, to bring the Sacred to life on earth, to see the spark of Divinity in everything, and to Be the hands, fee, voice and heart of Love om the world.
I offer this reminder, because I need to hear it, and I pray that it encourages you, as well. We do not have to wait until the final stages of our lives to grow up spiritually…to ask big questions…to listen for answers…to be generous with our time and our Love. We have all that we need within us. The Spark of Life, the Divine Urge or Evolutionary Impulse…God…has been there every step of the way…is still at work in our lives.
We are making the path by walking…One Step at a Time. With Spirit’s loving and lawful Guidance, we are learning what it is to be human…One Step at a Time.
Chris – Guided Meditation
Rev. Diana reminds us that, as we grow, we experience a constant expansion of awareness as well… As our physical growth slows and ceases, the evolution of our consciousness begins to accelerate…
Our spiritual development has been described as an upward spiral… a continuous expansion upward and outward… Our awareness includes more and more of the things of this world… and more of Spiritual Truth…
Imagine hiking upwards from the bottom of a funnel-shaped crater… There is only one path… it is steep, so the path climbs slowly around the inside edge… and takes us ever upward in larger and larger circles…
When at last we come to the top of the crater, we see much more… we find many paths… and interesting areas with no path as yet… We are at a threshold… a choice point… We choose to follow a path or make one of our own…
We have heard of Divine Guidance… but how does it work?… Will the right path have an aura glowing around it?… Will a Voice whisper advice to us?… Will our gut feeling pull us in the right direction?…
Maybe… But usually we just go… and make course corrections along the way… If we’re paying attention, Divine Law lets us know if we’re on the wrong track… We’re forcing, not allowing… We’re not in the flow…
Sharing this Silent Communion together, let us consider… Where in my life do I meet frustration?… Am I pushing against the natural flow?… what wants to happen?… How do I let go of my way, and allow it to unfold as it will?…
Silence – 3:00
The Tao te Ching reminds us that the river charts its course by adjusting to everything in its way… it doesn’t pound against a boulder… it simply goes around it… and eventually finds its way to the sea…
Might we also flow like the river?… stop trying to change what is?… Spirit is what is… God is in every detail of our lives… Difficulties are merely invitations to change course…
We are grateful for the abundance of Spiritual Wisdom we have inherited, for the sages who have gone before, and for our Beloved Community joining us on the path…
Our Spiritual Evolution causes our journey to evolve as well… as we are different, so must our path change… With greater awareness and spiritual sensitivity, we make the changes with greater and greater ease…
Grateful for Rev. Diana’s continued inspiration, we allow ourselves to be empowered to chart and adjust the course of our Pilgrimage One Step at a Time…
Rev. Diana
On a true pilgrimage, we soon discover that the journey has its own rhythm and momentum. We realize, if our hearts are listening, that there are secret destinations that reveal themselves as our path unfolds.
Christine Valters Paintner, The Soul of a Pilgrim.
It is natural that we should want to know the way before we begin…to know for sure what we are being Called to do, or to be…we want a guarantee that the way we are headed is the right way, the choice we are making will take us where we want to go. What we are truly being Called to is Faith…Trust in the Goodness of God, and the infinite Possibility that Spirit has to offer. Certainty would eliminate the need to practice our faith…and as the Rabbi Yeshua reminded us, it is your faith that makes you whole…that frees you from limitation of every kind.
God is infinite…it is we who limit ourselves. Spirit does not Call us to one particular path that we are left to discover…it is we who develop such expectations.
It is the culture and society we live in, and our past experiences that shape those expectations. What if God is simply Calling each of us to a fullness of living that can be manifested in any number of ways? What if Spirit’s intention for our lives, if there is such a thing, is that we listen closely for what is life-giving…life-affirming…for what speaks to our heart and nourishes our soul…and do that?
Author Christine Valters Paintner suggests that:
Following the way made by walking means listening for what is life-giving, but on the inner pilgrimage, also involves descending into the depth of our being. This means we must examine where wounds and shame dwell.
We are called to retrieve those lost parts and welcome them back into the wholeness of our being. This is why many of us never get very far. The inner voices that criticize and cajole become too loud. We return to what is comfortable, to what numbs us, and prevents us from claiming a life that is more congruent with our heart’s desires.
As we make our path by walking, One Step at a Time, we are responsible for the choices we make…these choices shape the direction of our lives unfolding. At the same time, in a true journey of transformation, we are also invited, encouraged, or even required, to let go of our desire to control the outcome…to allow the unfolding to occur in Divine Order and Timing…we are asked to yield to a Greater Presence at work in our lives…to release our own agendas, surrender our egos and our willfulness…to allow a Larger Wisdom to move through, that we might be Divinely Guided to the most holy and fulfilling direction for our life.
Musical Meditation – Reveal Thy Will, written & performed by Eddie Watkins, Jr.
Closing Prayer
Coming back into this space, we open our eyes, our hearts, and our minds. Take a look at who is here celebrating with you this morning. This is your Spiritual Family…one of your support systems. These are some of the people who care about you, who are there for you if you need anything.
Rev. Diana – Offertory
As we close our Taizé Meditation, we offer the opportunity for you to share of your financial good in support of the work we do should you choose to do so.
If you’re joining us online, you can find a Donate Button and our mailing address at mysticheart.org. And we thank you in advance for your gifts.
We feature another short video from Farmers’ Footprint…
Offertory Music (Video) – Chosen Family, performed by One Voice Children’s Choir, written by Rina Sawayama & Elton John
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1o7bC0waNQ
Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering
Closing Song
A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson
Conscious Conversation
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Chris – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Welcome…if you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Rev. Diana Johnson, and I am the Pastor and Spiritual Director of Mystical Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. I want to welcome you Home to our Community, and Home to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart.
Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
- Song – I’m A Believer, written by Neil Diamond
Rev. Diana
I invite you to remain standing and take a moment to feel the Presence of God in your body…the Life Energy moving through…the Love Energy filling you up…and join me in our Sacred Practice of Visioning for a Love-Soaked World.
…where all humans are embodying and living from Peace, Joy, Abundance, Generosity, Justice, and Freedom as Living Principles that guide our lives…where all humans practice Loving Kindness and Compassion, honoring and caring for one another, and for our beautiful planet as the Sacred Home that she is.
We are creating a world where all needs are met…where all beings have plenty of nourishing food, the safety of a warm and comfortable home…where mental/physical health, education, and healthy relationships are ensured by social systems grounded in Wellness and Wholeness… where right livelihood, creative contribution, and a sense of belonging are known as Gifts of the Spirit and experienced by all…A world in which all beings are valued and respected for their inherent Goodness and Light…where the Peace we cultivate within shows up as a world free of hatred or violence.
We are creating a world that knows no greed, where there is abundance in having enough…where every being deserves and receives all that is needed for a full, rich, and contented life.
In this new world of our creation, every person is a caring and conscious vessel through which Generosity flows. By the Power of our collective intention, we write a new story…we create The More Beautiful World that our Hearts Know is Possible (C. Eisenstein). We will not lower our Vision, no matter the appearance. Knowing with our whole hearts that such a world is not only possible, but inevitable, we stand firmly in, for, and AS Peace…in, for, and AS Love…in, for, and AS Unity. We open our hearts, our doors, and our arms in Radical Welcome, erasing all lines of apparent separation. We create a Bigger Table, to which all are invited, and at which all have an equal voice. Our Powerful Vision is moving into form and experience here and now…we feel it, we know it, and we give thanks…we let it be. And so it is! Amen!
Let’s take a slow, deep breath in, and let it go…When you’re ready, let your eyes open and notice who is sharing this space with you this morning. Doesn’t it feel good to have the support of Spiritual Community? As the Offertory song from the Taizé said: “You Are My Chosen Family”.
Let me set a little context for our Conscious Conversation. Our theme this month is Pilgrimage…a journey of transformation. We know that as we move through our lives, we experience more Ease and a greater sense of Peace when we leave certain things behind… judgments, expectations, our need for certainty and control. And having other things on board will assist us in making the trip a Graceful one…faith, trust, open-mindedness, curiosity, excitement, generosity, humility.
During the Taizé this morning, we talked about taking One Step at a Time as part of the Journey of transformation. We’re at the beginning of a Sacred Season right now that makes taking One Step at a Time part of its Practice.
Does anybody know what holiday last Wednesday was?
What is Ash Wednesday?
(a holy day of prayer and fasting from the Christian tradition; has its origins in the Old Testament; the verse “Remember, man, that you are dust and to dust you shall return,” from the Book of Genesis is traditionally employed. Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter. Christians confess their sins and profess their devotion to God. The ashes symbolize both death and repentance.)
Sometimes our past experiences with religion lead us to throwing the baby out with the bathwater. What do I mean by that?
Yes…sadly, it is our misunderstanding of language and stories…or it is the interpretations that were handed to us that we took as truth…that leads to our eventual disregarding of what they have to offer. We might feel triggered by a particular word and, rather than facing into the discomfort, looking for new meaning and transformation, we turn away from it. We lose out on the opportunity for growth and greater joy.
10:50 In the United States, we were born into a culture steeped in Christianity. Many of us experienced growing up the Bible as part of our household and church life. Or if we were Catholic, the rituals and practices of the Catholic Church might have been more present than Biblical teachings. But either way, many of us were taught a literal interpretation that included heaven and hell, a jealous God that brought His wrath down on His people as punishment, and a loving God that openly rewarded his people when they were good. In other words, we made God in the image and likeness of human beings, instead of the other way around.
If you’re sitting here, at some point this no longer worked for you, right? And so the natural thing for some people is to turn 180 degrees and look for something completely different. It’s less painful that way, right? Doesn’t it seem easier to do something different than to go through the process of studying, reinterpreting, healing the woundedness and the understanding? I teach from the perspective that it is healthier to stay within the framework of what lies at the heart of this country’s race consciousness, and to do the work of reconstructing our faith.
I’m not proposing that we reject other practices and traditions, either. Just that we don’t reject, out of mind, without any soul searching, the traditions of our own ancestors. I do a lot of re-visiting of Christian terminology and tradition. Are you ready to go on a journey of reinterpretation with me? Let’s take it One Step at a Time.
From past experience, what do we know about the season of Lent?
We’re told that the Season of Lent is a time of repentance. No wonder we run the other way. Remember, anywhere we’re triggered, we’re not free. Anywhere we’re triggered, we’re not free.
Repentance…anyone triggered by that word? Rather than running the other way, let’s take this one on, okay? What is repentance? Let’s start with feelings and images…what feelings and images does it bring up?
What does the word actually mean? (Re – against, turning back; pent – confined) So could we say that to repent means to not be confined by past thoughts or actions? To think again, to change one’s heart, mind, and behavior?
Author Alan Jones, in his book Passion for Pilgrimage, says this: “Lent begins with a call to repentance. The way out of illusion and into the place of newness and healing is through a change of heart, a willingness to slough old habits.” He goes on to say that:
Repentance, in today’s terms, requires three simple commandments: the first to rigorous honesty – that is, to hope for nothing less than the truth. The second is to honor our passion for connection by celebrating the solidarity of all human beings. The third is to search for a common language, so that we can talk to each other. That is what repentance means. We are to tell the truth, love each other, and form a Commonwealth – all of which require a common language. This is our agenda.
This is one benefit of reinterpreting and coming to a shared understanding about those parts of our spiritual background that have left us wounded.
We can use this season, every year, as a time for healing, for bringing order out of chaos, for asking hard questions and facing hard choices. We can use it for reflection…for questioning the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves.
Are there stories you are telling yourself, about you, that could use some re-writing? Or that you have told yourself in the past, and have rewritten?
Are there stories we are telling ourselves, as a society, that could use re-writing?
A couple of months ago, we spent the month reflecting and talking about Sacred Time…Kairos, or timelessness, as compared to clock time…and how we can us the cycles of nature in our lives to ground us in something bigger than ourselves. Do you remember?
I would like to suggest that we can also use our common language and common stories to find meaning in our lives, and to make connections with one another. I believe that the Easter Story, or the Great Passion, as it is known in the Christian tradition, is one such story.
The rhythm of birth, life, death, and resurrection, of fasting and feasting, corresponds to the cycles of nature of which we are a part. And so, this powerful story touches something deep within us…if we let it.
During the story of his baptism, Jesus hears these words: “You are my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.” As part of the Easter Story, on the first Sunday of Lent (today), after fasting in the desert for 40 days (a number indicating spiritual completion, or the completion of a process or cycle) Jesus faced his temptations.
Is anyone familiar with the story? What were the three temptations?
(to give into one’s appetites, to give into human willfulness, or satisfy one’s own hunger, or see oneself as capable of meeting one’s own needs – physical, psychological, emotional, or spiritual without a spiritual connection; material power – to think that we control our physical life, or are tempted to try to control others; the temptation to need proof, or a guarantee, before making a leap – to practice fear rather than faith)
How could we use this story each year to encourage our spiritual growth?
Let’s wrap up today be going inward…take a deep breath in and let your eyes gently close as you let it go…and allow these final questions to lead you inward. Know that you can take them with you this week for further reflection if you choose.
What are the temptations that challenge me? Where do I give into temptations?
Where does my willfulness get in the way of my relationships, or my own happiness?
Where am I placing my faith in less-than-supportive people, ideas, stories?
Could it be beneficial to take some time every year at this time to reflect on these things?
Now going deeper…What if I am really a Beloved Child of God, born of the One Source? What are the consequences for my life?
Can I live into that Calling?
What aspects of my present life would have to die?
If I am to be ‘perfect’ like my Divine Parent, I must give up dividing and preferring, identifying with some, and excluding others. How am I doing with that?
Can I hear the Divine Voice speaking directly to me… “You are my Beloved Child, in whom I am well pleased”…can I accept it? Can I receive and step into it? Can I allow that much Goodness, that much transformation, to move through my life?
I’d like to begin our Closing Prayer today with a reminder that your answers are all within you. St. Isaac of Nineveh, in the 7th century, advises:
Make peace with yourself, and heaven and earth make peace with you. Take pains to enter your own innermost chamber and you will see the chamber of heaven, for they are one and the same, and in entering one, you behold them both. The stairway to the kingdom is within you, secret in your soul. Cast off the burden of sin (of past error and mistaken understanding), and you will find within you the upward path that will make your ascent possible.
Right here and now, I know that the Living Universal Presence is with us always, living Life in, through and AS each one of us…in, through and AS all of creation. Together, as Spiritual Family, we hold this Season of Lent as a healing time, a time for reconciliation within ourselves and with one another…a time of letting go of what no longer serves our journey…a time of feasting on what nourishes us and grows us in the direction of new life, and new beginnings. We make this journey of transformation, supported by one another and by our willingness to do the work…to follow the internal Call…to be led by a Deeper Wisdom…and to step into the part of Beloved Child of God.
I am grateful for our time here together. Thank you, Spirit, for the love and support of Spiritual Family, and for the many, many blessings of this and every day. Releasing this prayer now, in deep faith that You are ever-present and always listening, and that heartfelt prayer is always answered, I trust and know that it is already unfolding in Your Divine Order and Timing…a new life is already unfolding for each one listening, and for our world as a Healthy and Whole global community, One Step at a Time. And so, in deep faith, I let it be. And so it is! Amen!
Affirmation for the Offering
Each Sunday, we invite you to join in the celebration of the work we are doing in the world by sharing of your financial Good, should you choose to.
If you are at home, 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. You can find more information on our website.
As we move into this time of giving, hold these words close to your heart 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 offer this gift freely in the spirit of Love, blessing and 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!
Offertory Song
- Put Your Hand in the Hand, performed by Selah, written by Gene MacLellan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUKHKEPoVp4
Chris – Blessing for the Offering
11:19 Chris – Invitations
- Michael Bordeaux and the Mystic Heart Book Club is continuing through the month of March with Lunch with Buddha on Tuesdays from 3:00-5:00 pm.
- Kavalya Poirier will be offering Functional Movement through Yoga for the month of March on Thursdays, 11 am – 12:15 pm beginning this Thursday, March 2nd. To ensure fair compensation, there will be a sliding fee scale for the class: $55-$75 for five classes with payment made the first week. You can find more information on our website.
- Fast Track to Wellness with Rev. Diana meets on Thursdays from 12:30 – 2:30 This is a physical health and wholeness support circle. They are currently using The Yoga of Eating and The Miracle of Fasting and personal sharing as the basis for their discussions. Drop-ins are welcome.
- Metaphysical Bible Study with Chris Johnson meets on Thursdays from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. Drop-ins are welcome.
- Join Rev. Diana for the Shasta College Basic Gardening Workshop #1, Saturday, March 4th from 10 am – 12 noon at the Shasta College Farm, Room 4000. There will be a short seed-starting gathering at noon, offered by the Garden Starts Co-op. Meet here at the Gathering Place. Contact Rev. Diana if you’d like to carpool or caravan from the Gathering Place, meeting here at 9:30 am. Cost paid to Shasta College is $5.00. Bring a brown bag lunch.
- Please sign up with Traci to assist with the Junior Mystics once every 4-8 weeks. She has the sign-up sheet next door…many hands make light work.
Looking Ahead…
- Wednesday, March 15th from 6:30-7:30 pm, Sherry Barret will be offering our next Sound Bath Meditation. Suggested donation is $10-$20 (sliding scale). Please see our website for more information.
- Saturday, March 18th from 1:00 – 3:00 pm, Ellie Thompson and Kris Fortier are hosting their Spring Tea, which is the next Celebrating Community Event. More details to come. Tickets are available today. Contact Ellie for more information.
- 2nd Annual Spring Retreat at Coram Ranch in Shasta Lake April 20-23, 2023. More details are in your bulletin and on our website.
Prayer Requests, Information Cards
Closing Song
Love Be With You, written by Lainey Bernstein & Gary Lynn Floyd
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Permission is granted to duplicate for non-commercial educational use only.
All rights to music performed remain with the copyright owners.