Harmony to Wholeness
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Rev. Diana Johnson, Chris Netto, RScP, & 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:  |
| 20:05 | Guided Meditation | |
| 47:37 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Rev. Diana – we follow the bell to the stillness within 3 Bells
Chris N – 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 Independent Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. We open our doors in welcome, trusting that you will be led to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart.
Rev. Diana & Chris J – Taizé Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- Nothing Can Separate Us, written by Linda Webb-Khakaba
Rev. Diana – Grounded in a deep sense of gratitude for the many gifts of this day, let’s settle into a moment of stillness…taking a couple of slow, deep breaths…letting go of all that has come before this moment…allowing the breath to dissolve any thoughts or concerns…relaxing the body…and on the next breath, allowing your awareness to move into the heart space…allowing yourself to rest there for a moment, giving yourself the gift of Presence…feeling content in this moment as you ground yourself in this moment of Now…becoming more Peaceful, both within and without, as we breathe together…feeling how the breath connects us to everything and everyone…all humans, and other-than-human creatures…the plant life…rocks and sand…every drop of water…and out into the cosmos…all that exists, no matter how large or small is an intricate and irreplaceable part of the One Life. Take a moment to feel the cycle of breath that connects us all.
As self-aware, self-reflecting beings, we know it is ours to rise, in awareness and in action…and to use the gifts that we have been given for the Greater Good of All.
It is time to use our discerning minds to choose and create Harmony, so that Wholeness might be revealed. It is time to use our power of imagination consciously, allowing it to lead us to action in creating the world we want to leave our children.
This month’s theme is Divine Union…the Harmonious co-existence of the Divine Feminine with the Sacred Masculine as we express ourselves in the world…the awareness that we are a Sacred blending of humanity and Divinity and living our lives as such…and the recognition that there is nothing that separates us from the world around us…the experience that everything is expressing the One Life, and everything is Sacred.
Divine Union is being embodied and lived in a human life when both Logic and Intuition are flowing freely in response to whatever presents itself…decisions are made with both prudence and inner awareness…when strength and vulnerability dance together, advancing and receding as circumstances require. Divine Union displays both self-discipline and the ability to go with the flow, connecting with the structures within the cycles. Divine Union shows authentic emotions while at the same time, being rational and even keel. It alternates between giving and receiving, action and rest, calling each into play as needed, creating balance. It is natural for these energies to exist in Harmony.
We are familiar with the ancient Chinese symbol, Yin/Yang, which describes equal but opposite forces that are attractive and complementary. It is a good model to help us understand Divine Union. Yin and Yang are interconnected and counterbalancing. Yin symbolizes the receptive feminine force, while Yang symbolizes the active, masculine energy. From this perspective, the universe creates itself out of chaos (the Feminine) and organizes into form (the Masculine). Then the cycle of creation and destruction continues indefinitely.
Envision this symbol with me now…a circle divided into two halves by a curved line. One half of the circle is black (yin), and the other is white (yang), with a smaller circle of the opposite color in each half. These smaller circles are integral to understanding Divine Union. They symbolize the masculine within the feminine and the feminine within the masculine, reminding us that these forces are interdependent and one without the other is incomplete.
These two opposing but complementary forces serve each other. The Feminine without the Masculine exists as pure consciousness but has no awareness of where or what She is. She creates the container for all of creation, but never brings the formless into form. Lacking the instruction or structure for her creative force, she remains unformed, unseen and unknown.
The Masculine without the Feminine has structure, self-discipline, and direction, and is actively creating, but without meaning or purpose. He brings the formless into form, but not knowing when to stop and rest, he burns himself out…forever solving, fixing, giving, he lacks receptivity. Leaning on his powers of logic, he fails to acknowledge his intuition.
Seen through the lens of Divine Feminine and Sacred Masculine energies, the Harmonizing of the two brings Wholeness to our bodies, minds, hearts, and lives. As awareness grows…as we become more mindful of these energies moving through, noticing, shifting, changing, guiding, we move from Disharmony, to Harmony, to Wholeness.
Chris J – Guided Meditation
Divine Union describes the coming together of different elements into a single whole… the Divine Feminine and Masculine Principles… our human nature and our Divine Self… our physical body and our spirit… These are the building blocks of our life… when they are balanced and aligned, we reflect the Life of the One Spirit…
Divine Union is also a term for marriage… in married life, we seek harmony with our spouse… As we commit to marrying our Yin and Yang… our Divine and human… our body and Soul… we create internal harmony, integrity, and Peace… supporting us for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health…
Integration of these elements of consciousness is much like a wedding… In our three minutes of Silent Contemplation today, I invite you into your imagination to attend the wedding of your own Sacred Feminine and Divine Masculine principles… What do they promise one another?… How will they seek Harmony?…
Silence – 3:00
Allowing our awareness to return to the here and now, we give thanks for this time of self-inquiry and communion with Spirit and our Beloved Community… Grateful that we continue to bring our energies into greater and greater balance… more perfect harmony… and Peace that passes human understanding…
As Rev. Diana continues her Taizé message this morning, our Divine Feminine receives and nurtures her inspiration… our Sacred Masculine engages the practical work of integration… and we begin to take bold steps to continue our journey from Harmony to Wholeness…
Rev. Diana – How did we come to know ourselves as separate from God? Where did this notion come from? This is a complex question…but one piece of the answer in Western culture is institutional Christianity.
There is a much-used verse in the book of Isaiah, which says that “our sins have ‘separated’ us from God.” We are not told that the word used for separation means something more akin to spaciousness…that rather than pointing to our actual separateness from the Divine, this verse might be demonstrating God’s willingness to allow our Higher Wisdom the time and space to kick in regarding our mistakes and misdeeds. Rather than saying, “you made a mistake…you can’t possibly be one with God,” maybe it is reassuring us that the time and space needed to find our conscience is built into the system. It’s a given…It’s a measure of Grace.
There are other verses in Biblical text that indicate our union with the Divine. “In him we live and move and have our being.” Isn’t that Divine Union?
We say that God is everywhere present. Does that mean everywhere except within you, right here and now?
The question of Divine Union is not “Can we attain it?” because it has already been given. There is only Life, forever unfolding…only Spirit, expressing as all of creation, which includes you and me. Each of us is an irreplaceable expression of that Life. The real question is, can we learn to truly know it? And maybe even more importantly, can we live our lives in a manner worthy of the gift?
Author Carl McColman writes:
We are one with God, even when we human beings reject that divine union, either explicitly (by making unloving choices), or implicitly (by ignoring or forgetting God’s unitive presence in our lives).
So… we have a job to do, in order to restore what has been lost on our part…That’s the blessing here: God never loses God’s union with us. So even while we think or feel that we are separated from God, that is only a misperception on our parts, a consequence of our own spiritual blindness. But we are always invited back into the light of divine grace and divine union.”
He goes on to say that,
We must be convinced we have everything we need to reach divine union. We don’t need special visions or mystical experiences. We don’t need some sort of spiritual superpower that is only available to the select few. Everyone lives and moves and have their being in God, so that means everyone has union with God — right here and right now.
Let’s anchor that in prayer, knowing this as Truth in your own being.
Closing Prayer
There is one, and only one Source, one Life.
By whatever name I call It, I Am, and can only be, an expression of Its Perfection and Light.
The Presence of the One I call God fills my every atom and all space in between.
It is the atmosphere in which I live, move, and have my being.
There is nothing else.
Here, in this holy moment, I am reminded of Who and Whose I Am.
Divine Union is the Truth of my existence.
My natural state is one of Harmony and Wholeness.
I allow the Truth of this message to permeate every part of my being.
My Spiritual Journey has nothing to do with attaining Union with the Divine, and everything to do with accepting the Truth…I Am, and have always been, Holy.
I Am, and have always been, Whole.
Enlightenment does not mean increasing the Light within me, but rather, accepting, knowing, and living that Light into the world.
And so I do…I shine the Light of Love and Compassion into my relationships.
I shine the Light of Generosity to those who need a little help.
I shine the Light of Peace and Justice into every corner of my life.
I allow the Light that is mine alone to shine bright, so that I might bring a little bit of warmth, a little bit of kindness into the life of another and leave the world just a little bit more beautiful than I found it.
I dedicate myself to this Journey of Faith.
I Am Guided by the deep Wisdom that lives within me.
I find within me the Courage and Strength that it takes to walk in Truth.
Thank You, Spirit, for this day, and for Blessings too numerous to name…those gifts that I would call beautiful and graceful, and those that challenge me to grow in character, resilience, and faith.
I walk in wonder, in reverence, in deep humility and gratitude for Your Masterful Creation, and for Your Powerful Presence, Wisdom, and Guidance in my Life. Thankful for all of it, I rest, knowing that my prayer is answered before it is spoken. And So It Is! Amen!
Musical Meditation – One With the Divine, by Gary Lynn Floyd
Rev. Diana
I invite you to Come back into the awareness of your body…notice the atmosphere in the room, and when you feel ready, gently opening your eyes and allowing your gaze to take in whatever is before you.
Feel free to look around and say good morning to everyone 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 and are there for.
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. And we thank you in advance for your gifts.
Offertory Video – You Are What You Eat, by Charlie McGee
https://youtu.be/fMn4bm1ejuw?list=TLPQM
Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering
Feel free to grab a cup of something warm next door and meet us back at 10:30 for a Conscious Conversation. We’ll bless you on your way with
Rev. Diana & Chris J – Taizé Closing Song
- A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson
Conscious Conversation
Chris N – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Good morning and welcome, or welcome back…welcome to those joining online. If you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Rev. Diana Johnson, and I am the Pastor here at Mystic Heart. We are an Independent Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. We open our doors in welcome, trusting that you will be led to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart.
Rev. Diana & Chris J – Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
- One God, written by Linda Webb-Khakaba
Rev. Diana – I invite you to once again, move into the imaginal realm, bringing all of your senses and feeling into the creation of a Love-Soaked World.
Know with me now that we are creating a world where all humans embody and live from the Qualities of Spirit…Love, Kindness, Generosity, and Compassion…and from this way of being, I feel the presence of a deep sense of Joy, Contentment, and Sufficiency. It’s palpable.
In this more conscious world, all people honor and care for one another, for all of the life forms that share this beautiful earth, and for the earth Herself.
We remember that we are connected to all of Life…that we are dependent on the planet to sustain us, and on one another.
Being true to our generous nature, we give of ourselves freely, offering the gifts that are uniquely ours. With all needs met for every person, each one is free to share time and talent in ways that feed the soul.
By our every thought, word, and action, we’re creating a world in which all beings are well-fed…have the safety and comfort of home and a deep sense of purpose. And belonging. We are so grateful that health, education, and healthy relationships are supported by social systems grounded in Integrity, Compassion and Wholeness.
Every being is finally valued for its uniqueness…we practice living Authentic lives where vulnerability is celebrated…there is no need to defend or protect. With Love, Generosity and Kindness guiding every human heart, our world is free of hatred and violence. We recognize the abundance that surrounds us…giving and receiving flow freely in every direction and all beings gratefully receive all that is needed to live physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually fulfilling lives.
The planet and its beings thrive like never before as we learn to see the sacred in everyone and everything…we walk in reverence and gratitude for all that we have been given.
We maintain this Vision day by day, moment by moment; we are not swayed by appearances. Each of us works to align our actions with our Vision, living these changes first in our own lives, with our families, friends, and neighbors…and a new world is being born. In this process of profound change, this Community stands as an open and welcoming place for all who seek support, belonging, Family.
By the power of our deep faith, this prayer is acted upon, answered even before it is spoken, as Spirit knows our heart’s desire and intent. In full expectation of its Graceful unfolding…
…we release it to the Creative Power and Intelligence that I call God…to the One that gets it done…And so it is…Amen!
Bringing awareness back to the body, to the room, to this beautiful life, and to the amazing beings who share this space with us this morning…look around to say good morning to your Spiritual Family.
Our theme this month is Divine Union, and the topic of Conversation this morning is Harmony to Wholeness. I’ll give a really brief recap of Taizé this morning to give us a jumping off point for our Conversation…
We started by looking at Divine Union through a couple of lenses…one, the Harmonious co-existence of the Divine Feminine with the Sacred Masculine as we express ourselves in the world…another was the awareness that we are a Sacred blending of humanity and Divinity, and living our lives as though this were true…and finally, the recognition that there is nothing that separates us from the world around us…and the actual experience that everything is expressing the One Life, and everything is Sacred.
We looked at the Yin/Yang symbol as a good model for this harmonious blending and reflected on how we came to feel separate from Source.
Today, I’d like to start our Conversation with this question:
Are there times in your life when the Divine Feminine energies seem to dominate? (Lots of plans, dreams, and ideas…not much gets done; doing things I’d rather not do to keep the peace; avoidance of confrontation at all costs; emotions take over, etc.)
How does this impact your life?
Are there times in your life when the Sacred Masculine energies seem to dominate? (Constant doing, no time for being; over-analyzing things; over-planning; forceful speech or actions; emotions are shut down, etc.)
How does this impact your life?
What do you imagine Divine Union of these two would look like? Is there a situation in your life right now where you could apply the idea of harmonizing these energies to improve the result?
The sacred scriptures of the world have pointed to our Oneness with God, or with the All That Is.
From the Christian Gospels: “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;” (John 14:11)
And “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30)
The ‘One’ and ‘Oneness’ are very much central to Taoist philosophy and thought. Lao Tse writes in the Tao Te Ching, “From the one came the two, came the three, came the 10,000 myriad of things.”
Shamanism teaches that Great Spirit/Creator is the life back of all that exists; and that everything is interconnected, and we are part of a larger web of existence.
Shamanism teaches that everything is interconnected, and we are part of a larger web of existence.
Even Quantum Theory reveals a basic oneness of the universe and is having to face the question of Consciousness as Creator. So here is my question:
How have we come to see ourselves as separate from one another?
(culture; competition; lack consciousness; inability to accept differences, etc.)
How have we come to feel and experience ourselves as separate from God, from Source? Where does this originate?
(Religious teachings; race consciousness; up-bringing; fear)
Fear of what? (fear of having to step up, to step into the highest version of ourselves; fear of greatness; fear of failure, not measuring up, etc.)
How can we move in the direction of trusting in and living from our Divine Union? Are there things we can actually do?
(Seven Pillars of a Spiritual Life…Prayer, Meditation, Self-Reflection, Circulation, Sacred Service, Sacred Study and Celebration)
Engage with people who will remind you…invite them to gently remind you. Let your conversations revolve around that which you love…those things that offer Beauty and Joy. Make your life a constant reminder of who and Whose you really are. Don’t give yourself time to forget.
I’d like to share a quote from author Carl McColman. He writes:
We are one with God, even when we human beings reject that divine union, either explicitly (by making unloving choices), or implicitly (by ignoring or forgetting God’s unitive presence in our lives). So… we have a job to do, in order to restore what has been lost on our part…That’s the blessing here: God never loses God’s union with us. So even while we think or feel that we are separated from God, that is only a misperception on our parts, a consequence of our own spiritual blindness. But we are always invited back into the light of divine grace and divine union.
He goes on to say that,
We must be convinced we have everything we need to reach divine union. We don’t need special visions or mystical experiences. We don’t need some sort of spiritual superpower that is only available to the select few. Everyone lives and moves and have their being in God, so that means everyone has union with God — right here and right now.
Let’s anchor that in prayer, knowing this as Truth for you, as well.
Closing Prayer
There is one, and only one Source, one Life.
By whatever name I call It, I Am, and can only be, an expression of Its Perfection and Light.
The Presence of the One I call God fills my every atom and all space in between.
It is the atmosphere in which I live, move, and have my being.
There is nothing else.
Here, in this holy moment, I am reminded of Who and Whose I Am.
Divine Union is the Truth of my existence.
My natural state is one of Harmony and Wholeness.
I allow the Truth of this message to permeate every part of my being.
My Spiritual Journey has nothing to do with attaining Union with the Divine, and everything to do with accepting the Truth…I Am, and have always been, Holy.
I Am, and have always been, Whole.
Enlightenment does not mean increasing the Light within me, but rather, accepting, knowing, and living that Light into the world.
And so I do…I shine the Light of Love and Compassion into my relationships.
I shine the Light of Generosity to those who need a little help.
I shine the Light of Peace and Justice into every corner of my life.
I allow the Light that is mine alone to shine bright, so that I might bring a little bit of warmth, a little bit of kindness into the life of another and leave the world just a little bit more beautiful than I found it.
I dedicate myself to this Journey of Faith.
I Am Guided by the deep Wisdom that lives within me.
I find within me the Courage and Strength that it takes to walk in Truth.
Thank You, Spirit, for this day, and for Blessings too numerous to name…those gifts that I would call beautiful and graceful, and those that challenge me to grow in character, resilience, and faith.
I walk in wonder, in reverence, in deep humility and gratitude for Your Masterful Creation, and for Your Powerful Presence, Wisdom, and Guidance in my Life. Thankful for all of it, I rest, knowing that my prayer is answered before it is spoken. And So It Is! Amen!
Take a moment to allow your awareness to return to your body, to this space, to this beautiful gathering…welcome back.
Love Offering
I 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 budget and plan for our growth.
Tying in with our theme, please enjoy…
Offertory Music Video
I Am the Place, by Eddie Watkins, Jr.
Chris N – Blessing for the Offering
Invitations
- The 2024 Spring Retreat has been cancelled due to lack of registration. Now that we have a space, we will try again next year. Rev. Diana will be reaching out to each one who registered in the coming week.
- The Mystic Heart Book Club meets on Tuesdays – they will take this week off, and finish The Delight in Being Ordinary next week, April 16th. They will take the remainder of April off and reconvene on May 2nd with a new book…to be announced soon.
- Fast Track to Wellness is meeting on Thursday from noon to 2 pm. Sharon Brisolara will be presenting an Expressive Writing Meditation process this week.
- Metaphysical Bible meets on Thursday from 3-5 pm with Practitioner Chris Johnson. Drop-ins are always welcome.
Looking Ahead…
- Hawaiian Spirituality: a Common Threads Meditation with Jill Matthews, Thursday, April 18th, 6:30 – 8:00 pm – Suggested donation $10.
- The Master Gardener Garden Fair at the Redding Public Library, Saturday, April 19th from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm.
- Prayers in the Wind with Ellie Thompson, Saturday, May 4th 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. This is a Prayerful Play Shop where each participant will create a unique set of Prayer Flags. Contact Ellie for more information, or to reserve your seat. Suggested Donation: $20 – Snacks provided.
There is more information available in the April Bulletin…take one home with you. And check out our amazing website.
Information Cards if new people
Prayer Requests: I am available after service – We invite everyone to help us make a private space for prayer here in the Sanctuary by joining us next door for lunch
Rev. Diana & Chris J – Closing Song
- Love Be With You, written by Lainey Bernstein, RScP & Gary Lynn Floyd
©2024 Mystic Heart Spiritual Center, All Rights Reserved
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.