Living Free
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Sherri Dotter, RScP, with Lucinda Alton, 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:  |
| 15:34 | Guided Meditation | |
| 41:49 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Sherri – Good morning and welcome, if you’re new with us here this morning, my name is Sherri Dotter, Prayer Practitioner in service to Mystic Heart. Let’s begin our Taizé Experience this morning with a couple of deep breaths… letting go…settling in… fully arriving in this moment… and joining our voices in musical prayer.
Chris J, Rev. Diana, Marsh Brodeur – Taizé Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- We Are One – by Linda Webb-Khakaba
Sherri – The mystics of every age have known that We Are One…with the Creator, with one another, with all of creation. We take a moment to experience our Oneness with all of Life…to honor our connection with our global family…Envision with me a web of consciousness that surrounds and infuses the planet…each of us, a Radiant Spark shining within the web…every human, every creature, every plant, shining with the One Light, from the One Source…the rocks and minerals, water and wind, stars and planets…enlivened by the Light of Spirit.
As we acknowledge our connection with all that is, we are empowered…there is strength in connection…there is freedom in knowing we are not alone. As we come together in prayer and meditation, we leave a positive imprint on human evolution and on the world, for all time.
In this moment, we set an intention that this imprint be one of Love, Peace, Joy, Beauty, and Contentment. Together, we serve as a conduit for Grace in the world.
The flow of Taizé this month suggests that we are Free to Be. Two weeks ago, we began exploring what it means to be truly free. To Free Yourself. We discovered that freedom is much more than the absence of restrictions or the ability to do whatever we want. We discovered that one of the greatest gifts Spirit has given us is the freedom to choose the consciousness from which we will live. Perhaps you remember the sentence that became the heart of our conversation: “The greatest prison is believing you have no choice.”
Today we will reflect on Living Free. Over the past two weeks, I hope you’ve had opportunities to notice those moments when you paused before reacting. Perhaps you remembered to ask yourself, “What would Love choose now?” Perhaps you noticed an old habit trying to pull you back into fear or resentment. Maybe you discovered that freedom isn’t something we experience once; it is something we practice every day. That brings us to today’s question: How do we live free? Because discovering freedom and living from freedom are not always the same thing.
I think many of us have had moments of profound spiritual insight. We leave a retreat, a Sunday service, or a quiet morning of prayer and meditation feeling deeply connected to Spirit. We feel peaceful, clear, and centered. Then Monday morning arrives. Someone cuts us off in traffic. A difficult email lands in our inbox. Someone says something hurtful. Unexpected bills appear. The phone rings with difficult news. Suddenly the peace we felt on Sunday seems very far away. It reminds me that spiritual freedom isn’t measured by how we feel during our best moments. It is revealed by how we respond during ordinary moments. Freedom becomes real when it enters everyday life.
One of the beautiful insights of Spiritual Principle is that Life is always inviting us into greater awareness. Spirit doesn’t ask us to become someone different. Spirit continually invites us to become more fully who we already are. A unique human expression of the Divine on earth. That means every conversation becomes a spiritual practice. Every disappointment becomes a spiritual practice. Every success becomes a spiritual practice. Every disagreement becomes a spiritual practice. Every moment asks the same question: “From what consciousness will you live now?”
Notice that Spirit rarely asks us to control another person. Spirit rarely asks us to fix the world before we begin living wisely. Instead, Spirit continually invites us to govern the one life entrusted to our care—our own consciousness. That is spiritual authority in action.
I sometimes imagine that each morning Beloved Holy One quietly places a blank page before me. Yesterday’s page has already been written. Tomorrow’s page has not yet arrived. But today’s page is wonderfully empty. I ask for guidance, “What is mine to do today?”
I love that image because it reminds me that I am not merely living the story of my life. I am participating in writing it. I am creating it. Not alone. Never alone. But in sacred partnership with the Divine. The author of my life is not my fear. The author is not my past. The author is not my circumstances. The author is not someone else’s opinion of me. The Author is the Divine Presence expressing through me, one loving choice at a time.
Every day I am invited to decide whether I will write from fear or from Love, from scarcity or from abundance, from resentment or from forgiveness, from habit or from awakened awareness. The remarkable thing is that no one can make those choices for us. Spirit will never force us. Love never manipulates. Love always invites. Every morning, every conversation, every challenge becomes another invitation to remember our freedom and to live from it.
Perhaps that is what it means to live free. Not that life becomes easier. Not that problems disappear. But that we gradually become less controlled by our conditioning and more available to the wisdom of Spirit. Freedom is no longer an idea we admire. It becomes the atmosphere in which we live. It becomes the way we speak, the way we listen, the way we forgive, the way we serve, and the way we love.
And perhaps, one loving choice at a time, we discover that living free is simply allowing the Divine Life within us to become more visible in the world.
Today, I invite us to continue that practice together.
Lucinda – Guided Meditation
Let us gently turn inward together. If it is comfortable for you, close your eyes and allow your attention to settle on your breath. There is nowhere to go, nothing to accomplish, and nothing to prove. Simply become present to this holy moment.
Take a slow, deep breath, and as you exhale, allow your shoulders to soften. Feel the support beneath you. Feel the quiet rhythm of your breathing. Notice that this breath asks nothing of you except your willingness to receive it. Life is already flowing through you.
Now bring to mind a recent situation in which you found yourself reacting automatically. Perhaps it was a conversation, a disappointment, or an unexpected challenge. Simply observe it without judgment. Imagine yourself stepping back just enough to notice there is a space between what happened and your response.
In that sacred space, hear Beloved Holy One whisper, ‘You are free.’ Feel the invitation to choose again—not from fear, not from habit, but from Love. Ask quietly, ‘What would Love choose now?’ Allow the question to rest gently within you…without forcing an answer.
Now imagine a new day beginning. A blank page lies before you. Spirit places a pen in your hand and says, ‘Let us write this day together.’ Feel the joy of knowing that every thought, every word, every act of kindness becomes another sentence in the story of your life.
Rest for a few minutes in the awareness that you are not alone. Divine Wisdom lives within you. Divine Love breathes through you. Divine Freedom expresses as you.
Silence – 3:00
Take one more slow breath, and when you are ready, gently bring your awareness back into this room.
With our hearts and minds open and receptive to Sherri’s continued inspiration this morning, we allow ourselves to be transformed… renewed… liberated… With deep gratitude for this mutual support, as together we discover Living Free…
Sherri – As we return, perhaps we realize that living free is not about never making mistakes. It is about remembering that every moment offers another opportunity to begin again. Spirit never tires of inviting us back to Love. Every breath is another invitation. Every relationship is another invitation. Every challenge is another invitation.
Freedom is practiced in ordinary moments. It is choosing patience in the grocery line, compassion during a disagreement, forgiveness when resentment feels easier, and gratitude when worry begins to take over. These quiet choices shape our character and reveal the Divine Presence expressing through us.
Perhaps the measure of a free life is not how few problems we face but how faithfully we choose to Love. As we continue this month together, may we remember that our spiritual authority is renewed every moment we consciously choose to live from our highest nature. That is what it means to live free.
Let’s pray…
I recognize One Infinite Life expressing as all creation. This Life is freedom, wisdom, compassion, joy, and unconditional Love. It is the Presence that lives within every heart and breathes through every living being.
I know that this same Divine Presence lives fully as me and as each person gathered here today. The Divine is Freedom Itself. We are One with the Divine, so we are inherently Free. It is our Divine birthright. Now and always. We are created in freedom and sustained by freedom. We are endowed with spiritual authority, the sacred capacity to choose the consciousness from which we live.
I affirm that we awaken more fully to this truth. We choose Love over fear, forgiveness over resentment, hope over discouragement, and compassion over judgment. We trust the quiet wisdom of Spirit to guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Every day becomes another opportunity to write a beautiful story in partnership with the Divine.
With grateful hearts we give thanks for this community, for the journey we share, and for the countless opportunities to practice freedom in everyday life. I release My Word into the Creative Law of Life, knowing it is already unfolding perfectly. And so it is. Amen.
Let’s bask just a little bit longer in this prayerful space, joining Karen Drucker in her song Today I Choose.
Musical Meditation: Today I Choose, by Karen Drucker
https://youtu.be/AbhzllcZp8Y?si=yazg_bO8-TyujKJm
Returning our awareness to this moment, to this place, we open our eyes, our hearts, and our minds. Look around at who is sharing in celebration this morning.
Love Offering
As we prepare to close our Taizé Meditation, we offer the opportunity for you to share of your financial good in support of the work we do. Circulation is a Sacred Practice that supports your Mystic Heart.
It is by your generous gifts that we can continue the Good Work of supporting you and engaging in the greater Community.
If you’re joining us online, at mysticheart.org you can use a Donate Button, a Venmo QR code, or our mailing address to make your contribution. We thank you in advance for your heartfelt generosity.
A couple months ago, I saw Jeff Tweedy at the Cascade Theatre. He is well known for his band Wilco. He started the Jeff Tweedy band because he enjoyed playing with his two adult sons and their friends that all live on the same block. They play in their garage studio because they love the freedom just to be together. Please enjoy…
Offertory Music Video – Feel Free, by Jeff Tweedy
https://youtu.be/gx4eUAlxcC8?si=lg9Ua1Nkrwu6rzdV
Sherri – Blessing for the Offering
Now, let us bless one another with music as we close out our Taizé with A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson.
Conscious Conversation
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Sherri – Welcome or welcome back…Thank you for joining us this morning. If you’re new with us here this morning, my name is Sherri Dotter, and I am a Prayer Practitioner in service to 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 spiritual traditions. Our job is to point you inward, to the Wisdom that lives within your own Mystic Heart.
Let’s get our Conversation started with some upbeat music and give our bodies a chance to move!
Chris Johnson, Rev. Diana, and Marsh Brodeur – Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
- Prayers for Freedom, by Ma Muse
Sherri – Our every thought, word, and action can be a Powerful Prayer of Freedom, and so we consciously direct our Creative Energies toward our Vision of a Love Soaked World…where all humans recognize, and are living from, their inherent Freedom…their deepest Wisdom and Generosity, and their most Loving nature…thoughtful of the impact their thoughts, words, and actions have on one another, the community, and the planet…a world without greed, where there is abundance in having enough…where nutritious food, clean water and air are readily available to all beings…where warm, comfortable, and affordable housing is a given…where all beings feel a sense of safety, belonging, and contribution…To these blessings, we say Yes!
Ours is a world where leaders practice integrity and ethical behavior, leading by example and inspiring trust and engagement among the people…a world where policies and social systems support mental and physical health, education, and healthy relationships, and encourage ecological responsibility and sustainability.
Ours is a world where all beings work and play at whatever feeds their soul and are well compensated for their Service…where authenticity and vulnerability are not only welcomed but celebrated…where the Peace we cultivate within ourselves shows up as a world free of violence, hatred, or indifference…where freedom of thought and open, respectful conversation is modeled, supported and promoted.
Ours is a world where there is respect among people of all nations, and for the fundamental dignity of every human…where the Love that we are here to share is given freely to whomever our hearts are called to love…where we have moved beyond all lines of separation, and live as one human family, caring for one beautiful planet with the reverence she deserves. To these blessings, we say Yes!
We recognize that transformation is an on-going process, and especially 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. …it redefines Church as a place of Self-Discovery, Authenticity, Kindness, Radical Inclusion, and Unconditional Love. To these blessings, we say Yes!
It is by the Power and Intelligence of the Great Mystery moving through each one of us that this prayer is acted upon, answered even as it is spoken. As one by one, we commit to living into and from this Vision, it cannot be otherwise…we live in a Responsive Universe! And so it is with deep faith, profound gratitude and great Joy that I release my Word to the One Who 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…
There has been a shift in energy… We have just created a ripple of Grace that has made a lasting imprint. It is done…and you were a part of it. Doesn’t that feel good?
Our theme this month is Free to Be, and the topic of Conversation this morning has been Living Free.
Over the past few weeks we’ve been exploring freedom from the perspective of Spiritual Principle. We began by recognizing that the greatest prison is believing we have no choice. Then we discovered that each of us has been entrusted with spiritual authority—the Divine capacity to choose the consciousness from which we will live. Today I’d like to take one more step on that journey.
What does a free life actually look like? Not in theory. Not during meditation. Not only on Sunday morning. But on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon. I think that’s where spiritual practice becomes real.
Sometimes we imagine that freedom means life becomes easier. We assume that if we’re living spiritually, difficult people will disappear, traffic will move faster, our plans will unfold perfectly, and everyone around us will suddenly become enlightened. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? But that isn’t how Life seems to work.
Instead, Spirit gives us opportunities. Every difficult conversation becomes an opportunity to choose patience. Every disappointment becomes an opportunity to choose trust. Every success becomes an opportunity to practice humility and gratitude. Every disagreement becomes an opportunity to listen more deeply. Every unexpected change becomes an opportunity to ask, ‘What is Life inviting me to become now?’
I have found that spiritual freedom is not measured by how much control I have over my circumstances. It is measured by how available I am to the wisdom of Spirit in the middle of those circumstances. That changes everything.
It means that every person who enters my life becomes one of my teachers. Some teach me through kindness. Some teach me through challenge. Some teach me patience. Some teach me forgiveness. Some teach me healthy boundaries. Some simply teach me that I still have work to do.
If I believe life is happening to me, I miss the invitation. If I remember that Life is expressing through me, then every experience becomes part of my spiritual practice.
One of the things I appreciate about the world’s wisdom traditions is that they don’t promise a life without challenges. Instead, they teach us how to meet those challenges with a different consciousness. Jesus continually returned to love. The Buddha continually returned to awareness. The Tao reminds us to stop struggling against the current of Life and learn to flow with it. The Bhagavad Gita reminds us to act faithfully without becoming attached to outcomes. Indigenous wisdom reminds us to walk gently upon the Earth, to live in right relationship with all our relations, and to make choices that honor not only ourselves, but the generations yet to come. Different traditions. Different language. The same invitation. Live from your deepest nature.
Perhaps that is what freedom finally becomes. Not getting everything we want. But becoming the kind of person who can meet life with an open heart, a quiet mind, and a willingness to let Love have the final word.
I don’t know about you, but that feels like a freedom worth practicing every single day.
- During the past two weeks, when did you notice yourself making a different choice than you might have made a month ago?
- What daily practice helps you remember your spiritual authority when life becomes stressful or unpredictable?
- Think about someone who has modeled what it means to live free. What qualities do you see in that person that you would like to cultivate in your own life?
- Where do you find yourself slipping back into old habits or old stories, and what helps you return to Love?
- If you truly believed that Spirit was expressing through you in every moment, what is one choice you would begin making differently this week?
Thank you for sharing your hearts this morning. One of the beautiful things about spiritual community is that we remind one another of the truth when we temporarily forget it ourselves. We borrow one another’s faith until we remember our own. We encourage one another to keep choosing Love, even when fear seems louder.
As I listen to you and think about my own responses, I am reminded that none of us practices freedom perfectly. We all have moments when old habits return, when fear feels convincing, or when we forget that we have a choice. The good news is that Spirit never asks us to be perfect. Spirit simply invites us to become present again.
Perhaps that is what grace looks like in everyday life—not perfection but remembering. Every time we pause before reacting, every time we forgive, every time we choose compassion over judgment or curiosity over certainty, we strengthen the awareness that our deepest identity has never been fear. Our deepest identity has always been Love freely expressing Itself.
As we conclude this time together, I invite you to carry one simple practice into your week. Before responding to any difficult situation, pause for one conscious breath and ask yourself, ‘What would Love choose now?’ You may be surprised by how often that single question opens a new possibility that your conditioned mind never saw.
Freedom is not a destination we someday arrive at. Freedom is the way we choose to walk through each day. It is expressed one conversation, one relationship, one decision, and one loving response at a time. May we continue becoming people whose lives quietly proclaim that Love is stronger than fear, that wisdom is stronger than habit, and that Spirit is always inviting us into a larger life.
Closing Prayer
I recognize that there is One Infinite Presence expressing as all of life. This Presence is Love, Wisdom, Peace, Freedom, and Joy. It lives within every heart and is forever expressing Itself as creation.
I know that this same Divine Life lives fully as each one of us. We are not separated from Spirit. We are not powerless before circumstance. We are endowed with spiritual authority, the sacred freedom to choose the consciousness from which we live. We remember that our true identity is not fear, limitation, or the stories of our past. Our true identity is Love and Freedom expressing Itself in human form.
Today I affirm that every person here walks into the coming week with renewed awareness. We listen more deeply. We forgive more readily. We trust more completely. We meet each challenge with courage, compassion, and quiet confidence. We recognize every experience as another opportunity to allow the Divine to express through us.
With grateful hearts we give thanks for this beloved community and for the countless ways Spirit continues to awaken us. I release My Word into the Creative Law of Life, knowing that it is already fulfilled. We rest in faith, we walk in freedom, and we live in Love.
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
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 also have a Venmo qr code.
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 and gifts. We acknowledge and give thanks for the Infinite Abundance of Spirit moving through you.
Offertory Music Video: The Freedom Song, by Jason Mraz
https://youtu.be/QVIpDrBr-e8?si=3sZ0uboQfNrmJOaG
Lucinda – Blessing for the Offering
Lucinda – Invitations – all regularly scheduled classes and groups are taking place this week. You can see them on the slide and find out more in the summer bulletin or online.
Coming up this Thursday, July 23rd from 2-5 pm…Rev. Diana will announce.
- Writing Down Your Soul check-in AND setting the stage for Soul Vows a book study and journaling support circle which will run from August 6th through September 24th with Rev. Diana.
Quote from the author: page xix
There is more information, including the meeting dates and times, available on this little poster and on the website.
Watch your email or get on the WhatsApp Group Chat for more information this month. There is a new Summer Bulletin, so be sure to take one 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
©2025 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.