In prayer this morning, I find a deep sense of gratitude for my Spiritual Community…those who are intimately involved with Mystic Heart, and those who are connected via technology, reading messages, attending Zoom classes, and reaching out through email from time to time. All of you are Beloveds…all connected…all part of my Spiritual Journey…and all present in my prayers.
My meditation this morning is centered on the meaning of community, and the importance of Spiritual Community. I have had the opportunity to watch as our growing and thriving Mystic Heart shifts and changes. Of course, this is natural. In the best of times people change. Their needs and preferences evolve. And so, there are shifts that occur as people find their right and perfect tribe.
Human beings are social creatures, born into families that, since early times in history, have banded together into tribes and communities of various forms. Somewhere within our being, we know that we are interdependent. We need one another in order to thrive. Admittedly, some of us are more introverted, needing more quiet alone time, and some are more extroverted and thrive in the company of others. But we are not created to be isolated beings…we all, in one way or another, need some form of community. In our collectives, we find a sense of belonging, which helps to give our lives purpose. We find meaningful relationships, which provide an outlet for the Joy and Love that are inherently ours; and a channel for the service to which we are ultimately called as we mature emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
The theme for this month’s messages is The Miraculous Nature of Everything. And miraculously, after contemplating community, and finding a peaceful acceptance of all that is unfolding with my own Beloved Community, I opened one of my devotionals, 60 Days to Prayer, and found this: May 18 – Community of Faith. The Bible quote offered was from Proverbs 27:17, and it read, “As Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” In one short verse, the most important reason for being in spiritual community presented itself. Being involved with a faith community is an irreplaceable part of my prayer life. I can spend hours each day in silent, solitary prayer, but without the interactions with other beings in a shared spiritual journey, I miss some very important pieces.
In the Mystic Heart Community, our Vision Statement is Practicing the Possible through Prayer. And our Mission reads this way: Living from our Divinity, we empower our lives and create loving and authentic community through study, service, celebration, and prayer. So our primary and overarching goal is to live from our Divinity, to live as God-beings in human form on the earth…to live as one who, at every opportunity, asks, “What would Jesus do? What would the Buddha do? What would Krishna do? What would the highest expression of The Ground of All Being look like, as me, now?” And then, to do that. That’s a tall order, so in order to assist us in reaching this goal, we empower ourselves and our lives through study, service, celebration, and prayer.
I am so blessed to have a Spiritual Community in which to grow, to connect, and to serve. Without such connections, I find that my growth can become stagnant as I am exposed to fewer perspectives, and to what can become a limited trajectory for my course of study. I miss the opportunity to see how God shows up as others, and to practice seeing the Divine Spark in all of it. This is the Real Practice, after all. Something within me knows that all of these components of my spiritual journey will be enhanced and empowered by the participation in an authentic and loving spiritual community. I sense that I will find safety and support in difficult times, and friends to share in celebrating the joys of life. I discover others with whom I can speak my heart, listening generously in return, as we share life’s journey. And, I find those who will encourage me (and I, them) as we move into a deeper relationship with the Divine.
While each of us is drawn to study individually, our studies are enhanced by the perspectives of others. Our fellow humans have deep wisdom to share, and each of us finds opportunities for empathy and compassion as we listen deeply to another. We are grown in understanding and a willingness to co-operate, and to be in service, as we come to know our shared humanity.
As we mature emotionally, socially, and spiritually, we are called to serve, to make a difference, to leave a bit of ourselves for the next generation. We want to leave the world a better place than we found it. Contributing to a spiritual community is one way to serve. Because of the shared vision and mission, and the interests and worldviews that members of a community may share, there are countless channels through which service may flow. There is a collective from which varying service groups may be created, in service to the greater community; and there is the spiritual community itself which offers opportunities for members to share their unique gifts.
Along with the trials of life, there are innumerable blessings that come our way. Being in spiritual community not only helps to remind us to count those blessings, but offers people of like mind and heart with whom we can celebrate. Together, we can mark the passing of the seasons with our shared Practice, our Prayer, our rituals and ceremonies. Together, we can sing and dance in celebration as one voice, as one joyful presence; we can give thanks and honor the Light within every being as we witness the various forms that Spirit has chosen to take. Our celebration is expanded and uplifted as we share it with others. And our prayer is multiplied… “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) As we join our purpose and intention with others, recognizing our Oneness in Spirit, its power is magnified. Finally, it helps us, as individuals, to build our faith as we see how God shows up for others. Prayers are offered and answered, and we have the opportunity to witness the Grace of God in action.
We bring the best of ourselves into Spiritual Community, and be doing so, we grow into our best selves. We hold ourselves accountable to one another and to God, as we share this common experience that we call life on earth. And by our choice to share in the journey, we are all showered with countless blessings.
May we be aware of all we have been given…may we count our blessings.
May we choose Spiritual Community as part of our path to our Highest, most Perfected way of being…
May we all be well…stay in touch…know our unity…and thrive!
And may we know the Absolute Beauty and Wonder of this Grace-filled, once-in-a lifetime day…
