From Dream to Action
Sunday, February 16, 2025
Rev. Diana Johnson, IM, RScM, with Chris Johnson, RScP, and musician Dalton Fitzgerald.
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:  |
| 23:49 | Guided Meditation | |
| 52:58 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Rev. Diana Invites the Bell – 3 Bells
Chris – 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 in musical prayer.
Dalton – Taizé Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- Within Me, written by Chris Johnson
Rev. Diana – The Power of Creation is within me, and within each one of us…forever working for the Good of all beings. We settle into the stillness of this moment…breathing in the Presence…that which connects us…letting everything else go…fully awake…and aware of a deep sense of gratitude for the privilege of being alive…of experiencing life on this beautiful planet…
Grounding even more deeply into the timeless nature of your being…feeling your Oneness with the Creative Intelligence of the Universe…and acknowledging your Oneness with the global community…Sensing a web of consciousness that surrounds and infuses the planet, each of us a radiant point of Light in that web. See with me now that all beings are beings of Light…every human, every other-than-human animal…every plant, rock and grain of sand, every drop of water, infused and shining with Spirit’s Radiance…as far as the imagination can reach, out beyond our beautiful planet…all is one Light, one Life. Take a moment to breathe in that deep sense of connection…
As a human expression, I Am given the priceless gift of self-reflection and choice. In gratitude, I accept the responsibility of making choices wisely… of caring for my brothers and sisters, human and otherwise…caring for the Sacred Mother as she gives of her nourishment…
… making an honorable and noble contribution to Life Itself, leaving the world a more little more beautiful than I found it. I know that I Am…we are… by every thought, intention, word, and action, aiding in the transformation that is happening in our world, and I Am grateful for the privilege of being alive at this time in our history.
This month, our contemplations are centered in The Power of Creation, and this morning, by our gathering in meditation, we are practicing the art of moving From Dream to Action.
Each of us has dreams…things or experiences we wish to have, changes we wish to make, contributions we wish to offer the world. Some of our dreams may seem easy to bring to fruition, others may seem more challenging…and still others may seem next-to-impossible. And yet we are told, and somewhere inside us we know, that all things are possible for one who believes…that we live in a world of Infinite Possibility.
I am speaking this meditation in the first person, for myself, and invite you to make it your own.
It is tempting to see others as more capable than I…to believe that it is easier for another to bring a dream into reality than it is for me…to deem another lucky, or to blame fate for those dreams that have yet to come true. And these are always options…
If, on the other hand, I have a sincere desire to accomplish something and I am willing to give time and effort to achieve it, there are some qualities that will be called forth along the way. These are qualities that are available to all of us, although some may feel easier to access than others.
The first quality has already been mentioned…Willingness. Am I willing to give the time and attention required? To diligently redirect my thoughts, words and actions to those that support my success? In other words, am I willing to be a different person at the other side of my accomplishment?
Am I willing to imagine what that person will look, feel, and act like? Where in my life might I call forth a greater sense of Willingness? (Pause)
Once I become truly Willing, I may notice that there are days that I wake up, not wanting to take the next step. Now is a time for self-inquiry…what am I feeling? Maybe it’s fear. I allow myself to feel it fully, to acknowledge its presence for a set amount of time. And then, I summons my Courage…the quality that allows me to feel the fear and do it anyway…to take the next step in the direction of my dream, though I may be trembling from head to toe. Is there somewhere in my life that fear is holding me back? (Pause)
I call forth the quality of Faith to steady me. I consciously place my faith in myself…my inherent capacities and Goodness…created in the image and likeness of my Creator. I place my Faith in the knowing that all things are being turned to Good…and in the Power of Creation to bring my heart’s desires to fruition as I grow in awareness and an even greater willingness. (Pause)
Maybe I am not feeling fear at all…maybe my Faith is strong…but rather I recognize a habit or attitude that is getting in my way. I allow myself to give into it for a bit…to see it for what it is. And then, I call forth Perseverance…the quality that allows me to feel pulled toward old habits and still take the necessary steps in the direction of my dream. Perseverance fuels my willingness to practice…it brings consistency, and in time, will create a new habit or pattern, one that will assist me in bringing my Dream into Action.
Or perhaps it is not Perseverance, but rather Surrender, that is called for…that quality that recognizes an attitude as less than helpful, and then willingly lets it go. No longer is there a need to control outcomes…or to have my preferences met to be happy. I can simply practice allowing things to be as they are without verbal, or even mental, commentary.
And finally, in order to move From Dream to Action, I ground myself in the quality of Love. I must discover Love as my Source. It is Love that brought the desire in the first place. It is Love that sustains me when the way becomes rocky. And it is Love that will see me through. (Pause)
Bishop Michael Curry reminds us what kind of Love is required. He says, “The Love I’m asking you to…reconnect to is something fierce. This Love is a verb: It’s an action, with force and follow-through. When we pull Love out of the abstract, really put it to work, it starts to reveal its extraordinary power…Love as an action is the only thing that has ever changed the world for the better.” And it is Love that will ultimately bring our Dream into Action.
Chris – Guided Meditation
We all have dreams… some large… some small… some communal… and some that are very personal… They all begin as a seed of desire, planted in the imagination… an inner vision of a more beautiful expression of Life… for ourself… for our family… or possibly for all of Creation…
As that seed of desire, that kernel of hope sprouts, our vision grows… the picture takes on more detail… more color… our dream takes root in the fertile soil of imagination… and, if we give it the freedom to do so, it begins to take on a life of its own… it grows in directions we could never have anticipated…
Like all Life, our dream must be nurtured… an untended garden soon withers and languishes… We sustain our dream with Love… with Optimism… with Faith… We protect it from negativity by affirming the Highest Truth we can comprehend… that this Dream is a creation of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us… as us…
At some point we are called into action… our dream urges us to pursue it… to do and to be whatever it takes to give it birth… A beautiful song asks, “Ships are safe within the harbor… but is that what ships are for?…”[i] we are called to set sail on a sea of dreams… our inner vision is the star that guides us…
I invite you now to think of a dream you have… a deep-seated desire that is alive within you… one that you have not yet acted on… See it for the Divine Creation that it is… know that God planted that seed in your imagination… And as we share our three minutes of Silent Contemplation, renew the vision in your heart-mind… look for new details… fresh nuances… How has it evolved?… Give it all the Love you have… all your faith… and ask it to reveal what it needs from you…
Silence – 3:00
O Divine Beloved… Holy Parent of all of Creation… thank you for this dream you have given me… Thank you for inspiring me to pursue my dream… and for the awareness that my dream serves the highest and best for all… Thank you for the Love and encouragement of this Beloved Community… May we always have the courage to dream big…
It is not selfish to pursue your dreams… it is why you are here… and when you do follow your heart, you empower others to do so as well… As co-creators, our dreams are all intertwined and interconnected… Your realization of your vision might well help my dream to come true as well…
Returning now to Rev. Diana’s inspiring Taizé message, we open our hearts, our minds, and our imagination to receive the Divine Wisdom it has to offer us… and we are empowered to proceed From Dream to Action…
Rev. Diana – In her book How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, Bishop Mariann Budde suggests that in every life, there arise many opportunities to learn…to grow…to learn to be brave…if that is the path we choose. To move From Dream to Action requires us at some point to ‘Decide to Start’ despite the fears, habits, attitudes, or mistaken beliefs we may be carrying. It asks that we learn to ‘Accept What We Do Not Choose’ when our preferences are not being met. It invites us to ‘Step Up to the Plate,’ in Service to ‘the other,’ even when we don’t feel like it, or think we have what it takes…especially when we don’t feel like it, or think we have what it takes. It demands that we Persevere through ‘The Inevitable Letdown(s)’ that come our way. And ultimately, it requires that we ground ourselves in a fierce, radical, active Love…the kind of Love that Paul calls us to in the book of 1 Corinthians:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, bur rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
Closing Prayer
One Source…One Life…One Love…eternal…no beginning, no ending.
I Am That. You Are That. And so, I move into the week living from That. Love embodied.
That is all…I live every moment grounded in the presence of the Fierce, Active Love of Spirit. My thoughts, words, and actions reflect and express only Love.
I Am Gratitude in action. I Am Humility in Action. I Am Reverence in Action. In My Awakening, I Am Peace in Action…Om Shanti Om. And So It Is! Amen!
Dalton – Musical Meditation
- In My Awakening, written by Karl Anthony
Rev. Diana – We bring our awareness back to tour bodies…to this space…and to our Community. As you feel ready, gently open your eyes and look around… really see the beautiful souls who are gathered here with you this morning.
Love Offering
As we close our Taizé Meditation, we offer the opportunity for you to share your financial good in support of the work we do in the world. If you’re joining us online, you can find a Donate Button and our mailing address at mysticheart.org. 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.
Dalton, what are you going to offer for our Practice of Circulation this morning?
Dalton – Offertory Music
The Adventure , written by Gary Lynn Floyd
Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering
Dalton – Taizé Closing Song
- A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson
Conscious Conversation
Chris – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Welcome or welcome back and thank you for being here. 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 Independent Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. It is my sincere hope 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! Thank you, Dalton, for being here this morning.
Dalton – 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
Rev. Diana – Let’s take a moment to consciously engage the body in the Sacred Practice of Visioning for a Love-Soaked World. Take a deep breath…feeling the Presence of Life moving through…and let it go. One more time…and release.
Feel and know with me a world in which all humans are living from their deepest Wisdom, their most generous and Loving nature…thoughtful of the impact their thoughts, words, and actions have on one another, on the community, and on the planet…remembering that every thought, word, and action does have an impact…does leave an imprint…
This is a world where all needs are met gracefully and easily because we have learned to live according to our generous nature…where all beings have plenty of nourishing food…warm, comfortable, and affordable housing…a sense of safety and belonging……where mental/physical health, education, and healthy relationships are ensured by social systems grounded in Integrity and Wholeness…where honesty rules the day…
This is a world in which all beings work and play at what feeds their soul and are well compensated for their Service…are valued and respected for their inherent Goodness…where authenticity and vulnerability are welcomed and celebrated…where the Peace we cultivate within ourselves shows up as a world free of hatred or violence.
Feel and know with me now, a world without greed, where generosity is the norm…where every being receives all that is needed for a full and contented life.
By the Power of our collective intention, powerful imagining, and inspired action we are writing a new story…we are creating a world that works for all beings. We grant no power to appearances, knowing that transformation is underway here and now. Whatever it may look like, we know that all is always being turned to Good. And so we walk in gratitude, respect, reverence, and humility, acknowledging the sacred in everyone and everything…planting seeds of Peace.
It is through our hands, feet, hearts, and voices that positive change is happening as we align our actions with our Vision, living these changes in our own lives, with our families, friends, and neighbors. This Community stands as an open and welcoming place for all who seek support, belonging, and a sense of Family…it redefines Church as a place of Self-Discovery, Authenticity, Kindness, and Love, as we are Guided to the Truth that lies within every heart.
By the Creative Power of our deep Knowing, clear Vision, and inspired Action, that this prayer is acted upon, even as it is spoken.
In full acceptance of its Reality, and with the deepest gratitude, we release our Word to 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.
If you were with us for Taizé this morning, you’ll know that our topic for reflection and conversation this morning is moving From Dream to Action.
We said that it can be tempting to see others as more capable than we…to believe that it is easier for another to bring a dream into reality than it is for me…to deem another lucky, or to blame fate for those dreams that have yet to come true. Then we considered that if there is a sincere desire to accomplish something and a willingness to give time and effort to achieve it, there are some additional qualities that will be called forth along the way.
The first quality has already been mentioned…Willingness. And there are all kinds of things we have to be willing to do to move From Dream to Action. We also contemplated the possibility that self-inquiry will serve us well in the process…and that Courage, Faith, Perseverance, and Surrender will play a part. Finally, we said that in order to move From Dream to Action, I must be willing to ground myself in the quality of Love.
I shared a quote from Bishop Michael Curry. He says, “The Love I’m asking you to…reconnect to is something fierce. This Love is a verb: It’s an action, with force and follow-through. When we pull Love out of the abstract, really put it to work, it starts to reveal its extraordinary power…Love as an action is the only thing that has ever changed the world for the better.” And I suggested that Love is what will ultimately bring our Dream into Action.
That brings us to the jumping off point for this morning’s Conversation. At the very end of the Taizé, I made some statements that were based on several sections of Bishop Mariann Budde’s latest book, How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith. She suggests that in every life, there arise many opportunities to learn…to grow…to learn to be brave…and that courage or bravery is something we can. There were four chapter titles that I used in my closing, and I’d like to dive into a conversation based on those four titles. Are you ready?
When moving From Dream to Action, what is the first step? We have to ‘Decide to Start’ and take the first steps, despite the fears, habits, attitudes, or mistaken beliefs we may be carrying.
What does the Tao Te Ching say about this?
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
And what comes prior to the single step? A decision.
What kinds of things get in the way of making a decision to start?
(Busy-ness; distractions; too many choices – indecisiveness; excuses; unworthiness; fear; too much may be asked; not sure if we are capable – never done it before; etc.)
Does the Call to Start come all at once?
Sometimes, but it more often comes over a longer period of time. It may start off as a whisper and gain volume and urgency as time goes on. It may not be something we’re sure is real for a long time. But once we know, we can’t really do anything else. “We feel summonsed by a Presence and an Anergy not our own.” (Budde, How We Learn to Be Brave)
In a true decision to start, the shift may be imperceptible to anyone else. There is little drama, because a decision to start may require us to stay put for a while, making the necessary preparations to begin. We might even have to back up a bit to compensate for previously made decisions.
Okay, once we’ve decided to start, what gets in the way of taking the first steps?
(fear; uncertainty; insecurity; lack of resources; unworthiness; habits; attitudes; a need for control; laziness; etc.)
Is the path ahead always clear?
No, we never know what lies ahead. The only way to have the next steps revealed is to move forward.
Once we have heard and answered the Call, and taken the first steps along our path From Dream to Action, we are often asked to ‘Accept What We Do Not Choose.’
Who in this room has mastered the art of accepting what we do not choose?
What are some of the typical ways we respond?
(resistance; denial; making demands; pouting; quitting; blaming; making excuses)
What qualities might be helpful when being faced with what we would not choose?
(patience; allowing; surrender; observing; humility)
Along the way, we can bet that we’re going to be asked to ‘Step Up to the Plate,’ to do things we would rather not do.
What gets in the way of our Peaceful acquiescence in times like these?
(preferences; attitudes; insecurity; mind-chatter; resistance)
What qualities might we call forth to help us move forward?
(patience; allowing; surrender; observing; humility)
Is this sounding repetitious?
So inevitably, Bishop Budde suggests that we will experience ‘letdowns’ along the way.
What kinds of things might she be talking about?
(results different than we expected; having to begin again; falling and having to get back up; someone else getting in our way; life’s circumstances changing in unexpected ways)
And what qualities are called forth in times of letdown?
(Perseverance; Commitment; Forgiveness; Acceptance; Surrender; Faith; Self-Reflection and reassessment)
And ultimately, bringing a Dream into Action requires that we ground ourselves in a fierce, radical, active Love. Author Sue Monk Kidd wrote that, “When you get down to it, that’s the only purpose grand enough for a human life…not just to love, but to persist in love.”
What is perseverance?
(From its Latin roots, it means to abide by strictly)
Why is perseverance important? How does it help us move our Dream to Action? Or as Bishop Budde would ask, “What are the virtues of Perseverance?”
(not giving up in the presence of challenge or difficulty; learning from challenges, and being willing to make adjustments)
Is there anything else that wants to be spoken right now?
I would like to close with four quotes. I invite you to close your eyes and take them in as in meditation. I will leave a little bit of space in between. First, American Diplomat, Madeleine Albright, in one of her memoirs, spoke of her life’s many challenges and setbacks:
They are not what I will take with me as I move to life’s next chapter. In the world where I choose to live, even the coldest winter must yield to agents of spring, and the darkest hue of human nature must eventually find room for shafts of light.
(Pause)
She concludes with an Ode to Perseverance:
I have spent a lifetime looking for remedies for all manner of life’s problems, personal, social, political, global. I believe that we can recognize Truth when we see it, just not at first, and not without ever relenting in our effort to know more. This is because the goal we see, and the good we hope for, comes not as a final reward, but as the hidden companion to our quest. It is not what we find, but the reason we cannot stop looking and striving, that tells us why we are here.
In other words, it is Perseverance that leads us to discover our life’s purpose.
(Pause)
And from Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde in her book How We Learn to Be Brave: Perseverance is the hidden virtue in every courageous life. Rarely do we see what it costs others to do what seems effortless to us. Nor do we know what it took for them to carry on when they were tired or discouraged; or to start again after failure or disappointment. Wherever we find ourselves in relation to the decisive moments that set us on our life’s trajectory, Perseverance is what allows us to keep going, even when we’re stumbling in the dark…Perseverance is what keeps us going in the days without drama.
(Pause)
A Call to Perseverance from theologian Reinhold Niebuhr:
Nothing worth doing can be achieved in a lifetime; therefore, we must be saved by hope. Nothing that is true or beautiful or good, makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore, we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore, we are saved by Love.
(Pause)
Let’s Pray…
One Source…One Life…One Love…eternal…no beginning, no ending.
I Am That. You Are That. And so, I move into the week living from That. Love embodied.
That is all…I live every moment grounded in the presence of the Fierce, Active Love of God.
As I move through my week, my thoughts, words, and actions reflect and express Willingness, Courage, and Perseverance, as I move From Dream to Action…they are beacons of Faith, Hope, and Love…”but the greatest of these is Love…”
I live a life surrendered to the Creative Power of Spirit, inviting, allowing, and welcoming that Power to move through me. And as I do, my life is made Graceful…I Am a blessing in this world.
Grateful to the One Power, the One Source for all that is, I release this prayer, in absolute faith in its coming into form and experience. Every moment from here forward is answered prayer. And so I let it be…And so it is! Amen!
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…
Love Offering
…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 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.
I’d like to invite Dalton to share one more song as we take part in the Spiritual Practice of Circulation…as you sow, so is it done onto you.
Dalton – Offertory Music
- (When the Lord is Ready) You Gotta’ Move, written by Mississippi Fred McDowell
Chris – Blessing for the Offering
Invitations
- The Mystic Heart Book Club meets every Tuesday from 3-5 We are reading Conversations With God, Book 3.
- Fast Track to Wellness meets every Thursday from noon to 2 pm.
- Metaphysical Bible meets every Thursday from 3-5 pm. We are currently reading The Gospel of Thomas.
Looking Ahead:
- Write a New Story – In Living Color! Saturday, March 1st, 1:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Mystic Heart Gathering Place. Join us for this time of prayerful creativity, using Collage on Canvas as the medium. Give yourself the gift of time to create a visual prayer…a way of listening to your heart’s desires, giving focus to your soul’s intention, and laying it out…in living color! Daily, you will be reminded to be grateful that the answered prayer is already moving into form and experience in your life. We’ll follow the time of prayerful creativity with some time for sharing, so that others can support us in our Journey. RSVP is required so that Rev. Diana can have snacks and all materials ready for you. Suggested donation: $20 per person.
- Patty’s Day Dinner and Dance Party! Friday, March 14th , 6:00 – 9:00 pm at the Mystic Heart Gathering Place. Join us for a real St. Patty’s Day Feast, as Rev. Diana and Chris Johnson sponsor and prepare a corned beef and cabbage dinner. Soup, salad, main course, and dessert will be served. Non-alcoholic beverages will be provided…you are welcome to BYOB. Tommy Johnson, DJ Extraordinaire, will be spinning the vinyl for this Fun-Raising event. And there will be a raffle happening, as well! The cost for this fun-filled evening is $30/person, with 24 tickets available. Get your tickets starting today.
- A Spring Medicine Wheel Workshop with April Jiménez, Saturday, March 22nd, 11:00 am-1:00. Back by popular demand, this begins April’s second trip around the wheel with Mystic Heart. Suggested Donation: $20.
There is more information available in the February Bulletin and on our website.
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.
Dalton – Closing Song
- Love Be With You, written by Lainey Bernstein, RScP, and Gary Lynn Floyd
[i] Wake Up and Dream, by Ed Tossing & Thom Bishop.
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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.