Keep Choosing the Light…Love is in the Details
Sunday, May 23, 2021 Taizé
With Lucinda Alton, RScP, Prayer Practitioner and Chris Johnson, RScP Leading the Meditation.
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Opening Prayer – Lucinda will set the intention to open heart and mind, welcoming whatever is to be awakened today.
Introduction – Rev. Diana
Good Morning. My name is Rev. Diana Johnson, Pastor and Spiritual Director of Mystic Heart Spiritual Center. Welcome Home to our Beloved Community, and Welcome Home to your own Mystic Heart. I thank you for joining us this morning for our Taizé Meditation.
For the next hour or so, I invite you to let go of all that has come before this moment…taking a cleansing breath and fully arriving in this moment. Gently close your eyes and allow your body to relax…let your mind relax…allow yourself to settle into your deepest Self…where your Inner Light shines…where the Voice of Spirit whispers Truth as you listen for Its Guidance. There is Power in the silence. Take a moment to experience that Power, the Power of God, as it courses through you…this Power brings strength, courage, stability, and constancy. Take another slow, deep breath and allow yourself to be carried by the meditative tone of Taizé…allow the music to carry you as you drop even further down into the depths of your soul…
Chant – Dropping Down by Karen Drucker
Rev. Diana –
This year we are talking about Connection, and during the month of May we have been exploring the process of being Care-full, Not Cautious. Today’s meditative journey will serve as a reminder to Keep Choosing the Light…Love is in the Details. Love is a Quality of Spirit, inherent in us, available in every moment. It is a sense of unconditional self-givingness. Love is really all there is…it is who we are and what we are here to do…nothing else…only Love. Breathe that in for a moment.
Breathing in Love, and then sending it back out into the world on the outbreath, we are creating an atmosphere of Absolute, unconditional Love…both within and without…
Allowing the breath to find its own natural flow, gently move your awareness away from the breath, and into the Silence, into the Love, into the eternal nature of your being, where you feel and know your Oneness with a Loving and Lawful Presence. We are attuning ourselves to a higher vibration as we co-create this experience of Loving Communion…take a moment to feel the Presence of Spirit in your body… (Pause)
There is a Love greater than anything we can imagine…Infinite Intelligence giving of Itself, expressing, and experiencing Itself as all of creation…constant, and yet ever-changing. It is that Love that infuses the Evolutionary Process…It is that Love that chose to express and experience Itself as you. And it is that Love that is evolving human nature Itself, by means of each of us. We recognize and honor the spark of Divine Love in everyone and everything. As one by one, each of us acknowledges and learns to consciously direct that Love, life on earth is being transformed.
We take a moment to sense our connection with all of Life…to feel the Oneness of our global community…to envision a web of consciousness that is everywhere-present…knowing that each of us is a Radiant point of Light…to recognize that all beings are part of that web…there are no spaces between us…we are part of one continuous field of Consciousness, Intelligence, Infinite Potential…each of us is a thread in the fabric of existence…each of us an individualized expression…and we sense that this Consciousness extends far beyond our beautiful planet, into the cosmos…with no beginning, no ending…
As we come together this morning, we share a heartfelt intention…to spend time, as Spiritual Family, grounded in the One Heart, the One Mind. Each of us feels the impulse to grow and evolve, and chooses to do so consciously.
Acknowledging our connection with all of life, our collective Work here is empowered…Our collective prayer and meditation leave an imprint of Peace, of Love, of Grace, on the Whole…for all time…transformation is occurring…Wholeness is being revealed.
As we reflect on what it means to Keep Choosing the Light, it is easy to see that choosing Love is choosing the Light. But how do I choose Love in the most challenging moments, in the most difficult circumstances? The first step…stop, take a pause. Breathe…10 full cycles of breath. Ask your Highest Self, “What is the most loving response I could possibly make in this moment? What would love do now?” Sometimes it is to do nothing, to say nothing. Sometimes it is to take purposeful action.
When we remember to stop, breathe, wait, and ask, with the full intention of receiving an answer, one is always given. Highest Wisdom is always present if only we are willing to follow Its Guidance…
SILENCE – 2 Minutes – Bell
Rev. Diana
Imagine a vibrational scale with fear on one end and Love on the other. Choice by choice, every time we choose Love over fear, we help tip the scale in favor of Love, and we aid in raising humanity’s collective vibration. Making a difference in the world doesn’t require innovation, time, or money. It is in choosing Love that we make the biggest difference.
Once Love outweighs fear, the world will reach a level of vibration where Love dominates, and, from that point on, the momentum of love will easily ripple throughout Earth – resulting in peace, cooperation, and abundance for all. Why do we complicate something that, in its essence, is so simple, so basic? Love is always the answer, the solution to every problem.
The Master Teacher Yeshua reduced the 10 Commandments of the Hebrew Scriptures to two commandments that cover all the bases: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.” We are asked to remember that there is nothing and no one that is not our neighbor.
And so, in the book of Matthew, we are charged to “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
It can be difficult to choose love when we are angry or hurting. We may feel misunderstood, wronged, betrayed, or worse. In these circumstances, choosing love requires forgiveness. This does not mean giving our approval to someone’s actions. It simply means recognizing that one who hurts others is in pain himself. It is “hurt people that hurt people.” In these situations, it may feel like there is a cost to choosing Love, and there is: it may cost us our pride, our righteousness, our vulnerability, our anger, and judgment…we have to let these things go if we truly wish to choose Love. This is the only way to Peace within…which the only way to Peace in our world.
There’s a tremendous cost to withholding Love because whenever we withhold from another, we are also withholding Love from ourselves…we are all part of an indivisible Whole…this is the root meaning of the word individual, not able to be divided…there is only one of us here.
If we wish to Keep Choosing the Light, we must learn to Hold onto Love.
Musical Meditation– Hold onto Love by Karen Drucker (5)
Rev. Diana
As human beings, we have a tendency to mirror one another’s energy…we can get drawn into the atmosphere of fear or Love. It is so important to maintain our awareness…to consciously choose a Loving vibration in the presence of fear. If we can hold the vibration of love long enough, we can create a shift in those who are experiencing fear. Be a light in the fog of unconsciousness. If people judge, keep the Light shining…don’t allow yourself to be taken in. Instead of seeking love, give love, and keep giving love. What would happen if you made the unconditional love you feel for a pet or child the baseline for loving everyone? Your world would be changed in an instant.
When faced with fear, anger, or hurt, consider opening your heart instead of shutting down…consider being compassionate rather than judging…engage in connection instead of separation…instead of being closed and protective, give Love through a genuine smile, handshake, hug, compliment, good deed, or some random act of kindness. Whenever possible, give to those in need, but do so without judgment. When you meet people, really see them. Look into their eyes and notice the beautiful beings beneath the masks. When you ask about someone’s day, stop and really listen to the answer. You never know how a little kindness can change someone’s life!
Love is in the details. No doubt, the Love you give ripples out from those you Love and flows to everyone they Love. And since Love goes two ways, allow others to Love you and feel their Love; if you block being loved, you block the flow of love.
SILENCE – 2 Minutes – Bell
Chris – Meditation
With our outer eyes closed and our inner eyes open, let us consider light… Light has been named as one of the qualities of God… In meditation, some of us experience the Presence of Spirit as a White Light… Light is used as a metaphor for wisdom, understanding, and intelligence… We even refer to the Cosmic Mystical Experience as Enlightenment…
According to the story in Genesis 1, Light was the first of God’s creations… Quantum science seems to point to the photon as the most basic building block of matter… We live, move, and have our being in a universe filled with Light… Billions of stars are forever shining brightly… So why do we experience darkness?
Imagine standing outside on a sunny day… Can you see your shadow? … If not, turn until it comes into view… and continue turning until you are facing it squarely… Where is the sun while you look at your shadow? … It is directly behind you… We have to turn our backs to the sun in order to see our shadow…
Similarly, when we experience darkness in our life, it is because we have turned away from the Light of Spirit… God didn’t go anywhere… we did… How do we get “back to the Light?” … By turning our consciousness back toward Love… toward Compassion… toward the Spirit within… The Master Teacher Yeshua of Nazareth said that we are the Light of the world… and that we should not hide that Light, but share it… As we move into the Silence, let us ask, “In what ways am I hiding my Light? … Where could I share more Love? … How can I bring forth more of the Divine Light that is within me?” …
Silence – 3:00
We are filled with gratitude for this time together in the Divine Light of Contemplation… We give thanks for this time of blessed communion with Spirit, and for the opportunity to share our Inner Light with our Beloved Community…
Thank you, God, for everything…
Please affirm with me that our thoughts, words, and actions align with our deepest spiritual intention, and that we are all inspired daily to give full expression to the gifts given us. The light of our souls shines brightly as we express powerful spiritual qualities in this world.
We open our hearts and minds to let the words of Light and Love spoken by Rev. Diana today fill us with joy, as she reminds us to Keep Choosing the Light…
Rev. Diana – Invitation to Practice
As I take this meditation into my week, I ask Spirit to reveal: Who am I withholding Love from at this time? This might be in my personal life, or on the world stage. Is there anyone for whom I have trouble offering compassion and non-judgment? Have I written anyone off? Who am I withholding Love from at this time?
And now this question: Where am I blocking Love in my life? Do I have trouble receiving when another is trying to offer a gift? Do I allow my thoughts, criticisms, or emotions get in the way of receiving? How is my self-Love and self-care going? Am I spending time engaging with the activities and people that I truly Love, or giving too much of my time to unpleasant tasks? Where am I blocking Love in my life?
Closing in prayer, I gently guide my mind into the silence…
It is here, in the depths of my heart and soul that I feel and know my Oneness with the Divine. It is here that I experience contentment…that I sense my own perfection, just as I Am, and just as I am not…intentionally created so that Spirit might have the experience of living as me.
How can I deny this experience to the One Life? I cannot…I will not. I choose, in this moment, to give God the most Loving, Peaceful, Joyful, and Grace-filled journey possible…I offer myself as a clear and open conduit through which the One Life may pour Itself. And as I give, so shall I receive…according to Spirit’s Loving and Lawful Nature.
Here and now, I give thanks for the many gifts of this day, for the gift of Life Itself. I am so grateful for my growing understanding and willingness, for my expanding consciousness and openness to Infinite Possibility. With absolute Faith, I know that there is nothing but Love going on here, and that Love is boundless. It fills my life with all of the Good my heart can hold, and by the Grace of God, It flows out from me, back into the world. In this prayerful moment, I feel the Love as It washes through me with Its mighty Power and Wisdom, guiding me from this moment forward. I know to the very core of my being that my words are Powerful, that they create my experience of Life, and so I release this prayer to the Constancy that I call God, in full expectation that it is already set in motion, exactly as spoken. I let it be here, I let it be now, I let it be…And so it is…Amen!
Musical Meditation – I Send My Love by Karen Drucker (4)
Rev. Diana – Moving into Celebration
As together, we engage in our Joyful Practice of Envisioning a Love-Soaked World, we are sending our Love…we are holding the space in consciousness for a world that has been impacted and transformed by all of the good we are doing, individually and collectively…by our collective prayer, we are creating a world that is peaceful, joyful, abundant, and free…where the Earth is in perfect balance, respected and cared for by all beings everywhere…where all beings have nourishing food to eat, a warm and comfortable home, access to medical care and opportunities for education and creative contribution…and a sense of belonging…a world in which every being is valued for his or her inherent Goodness, Beauty, and Perfection…a world created by our willingness to share…to practice Radical Love and Compassion, Integrity, Forgiveness, Kindness, and Generosity. Let this Vision become crystal clear in your heart and mind. Feel it…know it…within you and all around you.
Trust and Know that the Infinite Intelligence that created the cosmos and everything in it is free of lack or limitation…and with humanity as Its hands, feet, voice, and heart, all things are possible.
Now hold onto that Vision…bask in it…and let it bring a smile to your face as you gently bring your awareness back to your body…to your senses…to the atmosphere in the room. As you feel ready, allow your eyes to gently open and simply be present, holding the vibration of this Vision as we move into Celebration Practice.
Thank you for joining me in this Powerful Practice every week. Together, we are building our Faith…we are
Practicing the Possible Through Prayer.
Please join me in affirming…We are writing a new story for humanity…We are doing it here…We are doing it now…And so it is! Amen!
In the final few minutes of our gathering, we practice Gratitude and Joyful Expression as a way of celebrating one another in Community. We are so really grateful to be a part of such a loving and committed, like-minded Spiritual Community. Mystic Heart is an Independent Spiritual Center that is self-governed by Community Agreements, which means it is free to grow and change according to the needs and desires of its members and friends. If you’d like to know more about our philosophy, we have a full description printed in our monthly bulletin. Also, I am always happy to answer any questions you may have.
What I will say is that we are serious about Celebration…it is a vital part of our Spiritual Practice. We understand that by celebrating the Good in our lives, we bring more of it into our experience. I celebrate your choice to be here and your willingness to be present for this gathering of Beloved Community. It is only community that we come to know who we are.
Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering
Each Sunday, we offer you the opportunity to share your financial Good, in support of the Work we are doing in the world. 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 and our monthly spending. I would be happy to give you more information.
As we move into this time of giving, please feel the Truth of these words, 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 bless this gift, 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!
Feel free to get up and dance to…
Offertory Video – Let Your Love Flow by The Bellamy Brothers (4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiDRu8WLvfM
Rev. Diana & Lucinda – Gratitude Prayer
Lucinda, Prayer Practitioner
If you are new with us today, please consider filling out an information card so that we can reach out. If you’d like prayer support, we also have prayer request cards and envelopes for your privacy. All of the Mystic Heart events and activities are also listed in your bulletin, so feel free to take it with you. There is food and fellowship next door immediately following the service, so please stand and join us in our closing song.
Closing Song: Love Be with You, written by Lainey Bernstein, RScP & Gary Lynn Floyd
Close of Service
