An Invitation to Grow
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Rev. Diana Johnson, IM, RScM, with Chris Netto, RScP, Chris Johnson, RScP, & musician Marsh Brodeur
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:  |
| 23:26 | Guided Meditation | |
| 50:17 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Chris N – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Good morning, and welcome. If you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Rev. Diana Johnson. We begin our Taizé Journey by joining our voices in musical prayer.
Rev. Diana, Chris J, & Marsh – Taizé Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- I Am Letting Go, written by Sky Nelson
Rev. Diana – Letting go…Letting Spirit have Its way with us…fully alive and awake to the Presence of the Divine. We move more deeply into our meditative journey this morning, bringing awareness to the breath… breathing in slowly, noticing the space between in and out…the breath grounds us…brings us to a Peaceful state. We take a moment to contemplate… “Is there anything that would be better left at the door before we continue our journey?” (Pause) “Is there any intention that you wish to bring into our time together?” (Pause) Take another slow, deep breath in, settling into the Presence…relaxing into a profound sense of gratefulness…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…bringing forth a sense of 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 Sacred Energy, Divine Intelligence…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, Shedding Old Skin. 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 walking the path, one step at a time, and accepting each moment and every situation as An Invitation to Grow.
We are learning what it is to be human…starting out as infants, completely dependent on our caregivers. Two of the first big invitations we accept are the acquisition of 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, answering one invitation after another, acquiring our psychological and emotional foundations along the way…our family and societal values, self-worth and trust (or a lack thereof). The next invitation is that of 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.
The next invitation…to step gracefully into mid-life, seeking a greater understanding of our emotional body…the Divine Impulse driving us to question… Who am I? why am I unhappy? What’s missing?
How did I get here? And if we have the courage to grapple with these questions…take each one as yet another invitation, we eventually find the answers we seek.
Finally, there is at least one more invitation sent 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, our growth may lead us to find a gentler pace. We begin to notice the natural beauty around us like never before…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, to be a beneficial presence on the planet. If we make the most of this time, our golden invitation will lead us outside of ourselves, to ask how we might Serve.
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.’”
In every stage of life, we step into the unknown…we have never been here before. Each step and stage is An Invitation to Grow. If real transformation is occurring, we begin to let go of what we thought we knew. And the more we come to see and admit how little we actually know, the greater the mystery becomes…the deeper our curiosity, yet with no real need to find the answers. 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, feet, voice and heart of Love in the world. It is in learning to perceive not only every step and phase of life, but every moment…every single encounter and experience…as An Invitation to Grow that we reach full Spiritual Maturity…that we live as Awakened Beings.
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…to treat the moments of our lives as opportunities…and to let them transform us. 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 always at work in our lives. With Spirit’s loving and lawful Guidance, we are learning what it is to be human…learning to see every moment as An Invitation to Grow.
Chris J – Guided Meditation
Growth is a process of continual change and transformation… our experiences challenge us to respond ever more creatively… we evolve new ways of being in the world… We shed old habits that no longer serve us… just as the reptile sheds her skin… we leave something behind… and embrace something new…
Human beings tend to dislike change… we like to stay in our comfort zones… Vulnerability makes us insecure… so we cling to our old ways… often until circumstances demand that we change… and that can be painful… But, as the Buddha reminds us change is never painful, only resistance to change is painful. …
Life is a river of constant change… to resist change is to struggle against the current… Kahlil Gibran wrote, It is said that before entering the sea a river trembles with fear… She looks back at the path she has travelled, from the peaks of the mountains, the long winding road crossing forests and villages…
And in front of her, she sees an ocean so vast that to enter there seems nothing more than to disappear forever. But there is no other way. The river cannot go back. Nobody can go back. To go back is impossible in existence. The river needs to take the risk of entering the ocean because only then will fear disappear, because that is where the river will know it is not about disappearing into the ocean, but of becoming the ocean.
Fear of the unknown fuels our resistance to change… but the future is unknown by its very nature… We cannot know what will be… but we can have faith that Spirit will guide us… that the Universe is ultimately friendly and supportive… As we share these three minutes of sacred silence I invite us to open our hearts to Divine Guidance… to surrender our resistance… to trust our own growth process… to know that we cannot disappear into the ocean of Spirit… we can become the Ocean…
Silence – 3:00
O, Divine Beloved, thank you for sharing your Holy Wisdom and Guidance with us… Thank you for this beautiful planet that supports us… and for this Beloved Community that sustains our growth… May we always see changes as opportunities… and may we embrace all that comes our way as we evolve…
When we acknowledge our resistance to change, we can see it as a Divine message… signaling something significant occurring within us… As we embrace our vulnerability, we grow our trust in the process of Spiritual Evolution… And always remember… you are not alone… We’re all in this together…
As Taizé continues, we open our hearts and minds to receive Rev. Diana’s inspiration fully… We affirm our faith in a Loving Spirit… and we grow our courage to accept impermanence as An Invitation to Grow…
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 answering An Invitation to Grow, 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, 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 – Love Offering
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.
Offertory Music Video– Great Spirit’s Hands, by MaMuse https://youtu.be/HzGwskTFZS0?list=RDHzGwskTFZS0
Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering
Rev. Diana, Chris J, & Marsh – Taizé Closing Song
- A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson
Conscious Conversation
Chris N – Opening Prayer
Diana – Welcome or welcome back…and thank you for being here. I know you’ll be glad you came. If you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Rev. Diana Johnson, and I am the Pastor and Spiritual Director of Mystic Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Independent Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality, tracing the common threads of Truth that run through all the world’s great traditions. It is my prayer that something you hear this morning will lead you back to the Wisdom and Guidance of your own Mystic Heart.
Let’s get our Conversation started by joining our voices in song and giving our bodies a chance to wake up!
Rev. Diana, Chris J & Marsh – Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
- Song – Relax, Let Go by Karen Drucker
Rev. Diana – Let’s take a moment to consciously engage the body in the Sacred Practice of Visioning for a Love-Soaked World…where all humans are embodying and living from their Highest Selves, their deepest Wisdom, their most generous and Loving nature…honoring and caring for one another, and for our beautiful planet, is second nature…all needs are met…all beings have plenty of nourishing food, the safety of a warm and comfortable home……mental/physical health, education, and healthy relationships are ensured by social systems grounded in Integrity and Wholeness…
In our newly created world, all beings work and play at whatever feeds their soul and are well compensated for their Service…all beings are valued and respected for their inherent Goodness and Light…authenticity and vulnerability are not only welcome but celebrated…and the Peace we cultivate within shows up as a world free of hatred or violence.
Each one of us is living into a world where greed is no more, where there is abundance in having enough…where generosity is the norm…where every being receives all that is needed for a full, rich, and contented life.
By the Power of our collective intention and powerful imagining, we have written a new story…a world that works for all beings. We trust and know that all is always being turned to Good, and so it is. We walk in gratitude, respect, reverence, and humility as we recognize the Sacred in everyone and everything…there is a general sense of thriving.
It is through our hands, feet, hearts, and voices that positive change is forever happening. We aligned all of our actions with our Vision, living these changes in our own lives, with our families, friends, communities, and other nations…
We recognize that transformation is an on-going process, and in times of great change, people benefit from working, playing, and simply being together. And so this Community stands as an open and welcoming place for all who seek support, belonging, and a sense of Family.
By the Power that is inherently ours, this prayer is acted upon, answered even as it is spoken. I trust and know that this is so…I rest in Divine Presence that works in Its own time, and by Its own Process…and with the deepest humility and gratitude, I release my Word the One Who Gets It Done…And so it is!…Amen!
Let’s take a moment to bask in that creative and powerful energy…look around to say good morning to your Spiritual Family…joining in our own small act of Loving Defiance.
If you were with us at Taizé this morning, you know that our topic of reflection has been An Invitation to Grow. It ties in with January’s theme, Shedding Old Skin…in other words, we’re talking about a journey of transformation that each of us can choose to make.
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.
Okay, here’s the jumping off point for today. We just finished our celebration and study of the Season of Advent on the Christian liturgical calendar, as well as the celebration of Bodhi Day, the feast of Santa Lucia, and Hannukah. Last week marked Epiphany, the commemoration of the Magi’s’ visit to the Christ Child in the Christmas story, as told in the book of Mathew. There are no Magi in the book of Luke, but that’s another Conversation.
Does anyone know what the next Season of Celebration is on the Christian Calendar? (the Season of Lent)
I don’t intend to get hyper-focused on the Christian tradition, but I think it’s important to build some new, maybe more accurate, interpretations for these ancient myths. 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 factual reality…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.
No matter the path we choose as individuals, it is important to have an understanding of the culture we are steeped in. This is not to say that we are a Christian Nation…I don’t mean that…only that there are a lot of people who call themselves Christian. Many of them are our friends, neighbors, co-workers, or family members. If we’re going to become bridge builders and peace makers, it is important that we educate ourselves and be willing to grow in understanding.
Many of us experienced growing up with 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.
What does that mean? (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; we made God in our image 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, reconstructing, healing the woundedness and building understanding and acceptance? I teach from the perspective that while it may be easier, it is healthier to seek understanding and maybe educate ourselves in the process.
And yes, perhaps adopt something different if it suits you. Just not as a reaction. I think it’s important that we not reject any spiritual tradition, out of mind, without any soul searching, and that includes one of the world’s most widespread religions and what it’s Master Teacher may have been trying to say.
Are you willing to experiment with some re-interpretation with me today?
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. A trigger is an automatic reaction that happens without our conscious permission or awareness. Triggers rob us of our freedom.
Repentance…anyone triggered by that word? Rather than running the other way, let’s take this one on, okay? What feelings and images does repentance bring up?
What does the word actually mean? (Re – against, turning back; pent – confined; or pens – to think) 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 years ago, we spent a month reflecting and talking about Sacred Time…Kairos, or timelessness, as compared to clock time…and how we can use the cycles of nature in our lives to ground us in something bigger than ourselves.
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.
Is there anything else that needs to be spoken at this time?
Okay, I have An Invitation to Grow in the coming week…maybe you’ve already mastered this one…
Ask yourself this question: Can I hear the Divine Voice speaking directly to me… “You are my Beloved Child, in whom I am well pleased”
And here’s the clencher…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 Ninevah, 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 morning, and any time we spend together, 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.
Thank you, Spirit, for the love and support of Spiritual Family, and for the many, many blessings of this and every day. Thank you for the abundance of the earth, and for the countless hands and hearts it took to bring our feast to the table. 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!
Love Offering
Thank you so much for joining me here today. We’re going to bring this part of the morning to a close, but before we do, we’d like to invite you to join in the celebration of the work we are doing in the world by sharing of your financial Good. If you are at home, you can go to mysticheart.org to use our Donate Button or to find our mailing address.
We are an independent, self-supporting organization, and your financial gifts are what make it possible for us to do our work and provide this beautiful and safe space to gather. We thank you in advance for your generous hearts. We acknowledge and give thanks for the Infinite Abundance of Spirit moving through you.
As we engage in the Sacred Practice of Circulation, we’re going to share one more song by Formidable Vegetable.
Offertory Music Video– Let It Grow, by Bombargo
https://youtu.be/POVbJJX9gVs?list=RDPOVbJJX9gVs
Chris N – Blessing for the Offering
Chris N – Invitations
- The Mystic Heart Book Club meets every Tuesday from 3-5 We are currently reading Braiding Sweet Grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. You can drop in anytime.
- Shining Light on Scripture will begin again on Wednesday from 11:30am–1:30pm. Note the slight time change. We are currently reading The Dhammapada by Eknath Easwaran. This is a drop-in book study.
- Fast Track to Wellness is returning this Thursday from 11:30am – 1:30pm. This is a body/mind/spirit support circle. We are currently listening to and discussing selections from Good Stress and Life in the Fasting Lane. You can drop in any time.
- SQ21: The Twenty-One Skills of Spiritual Intelligence (book by Cindy Wigglesworth) begins Thursday, January 15, 2 – 5 pm. The supplemental text is Praying Dangerously: Radical Relince on God by Regina Sara Ryan. This is a 10-week accredited class. There is a pre-reading assignment for those who will be attending. Register with Rev. Diana.
Looking into February…
- Announcing two new Book Studies/Support Circles on Wednesdays, beginning in February, and facilitated by Rev. Diana. We are all engaged in the process of grieving at some time in our lives, and we all have habits and patterns of behavior that would be best left behind. Both of these studies/support circles would be beneficial for anyone.
- On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Grief by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler. Starting date will be announced next week.
There will be more information available on new classes and activities in the January Bulletin and on our website in the coming week. We thank you for your patience as Rev. Diana and Chris take this time to move into their new home.
Information Cards only if new people
Prayer Requests: I am available after service for prayer, in our beautiful Prayer Room or fill out a prayer card and I will get your request to our Prayer Team for daily prayer.
Closing Song – Love Be With You, written by Lainey Bernstein, RScP, & 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.
Diana Johnson’s music is © by Barefoot Angel Publishing, ASCAP.
Chris Johnson’s music is © by SeaJay Music & Publishing, ASCAP.