Living in a Love-Soaked World
Sunday, June 25, 2023
Lucinda Alton, RScP, with Intern Practitioner Chris Netto, 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:  |
| 15:50 | Guided Meditation | |
| 43:23 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Chris – Opening Prayer
Lucinda – Good Morning and welcome…and good morning to you in the Zoom Room, Facebook or wherever you are watching from. If you’re new with us here this morning, my name is Lucinda Alton, and I am a Prayer Practitioner and Ministerial trainee here at Mystical Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. I welcome you home to your Spiritual Community (should you choose it). I welcome you home to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart.
Our theme for the month is You Are Here. Today we are contemplating Living in a Love-Soaked World. What does that really look like?
We begin our meditative journey this morning by joining our voices, deepening our intimate Connection in Spirit.
Dalton – Taizé Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- I Am So Blessed, written by Karen Drucker
Lucinda – Each of us is so blessed, right here in this moment, by the breath moving into and out of our bodies…by the gift of Life…feeling the Presence of Love, expanding within me with every in-breath…and flowing out into the world on the outbreath, creating an atmosphere of Lovingkindness…Compassion…Peace (Pause)…allowing awareness to move away from the breath and into the stillness…feeling the Presence of the Divine…and acknowledging our Oneness with the global community…
Sensing the Divine Intelligence that surrounds and infuses the planet, each of us a Radiant Spark within that Consciousness…every human, every creature, every plant…
…the rocks and minerals, water and wind, stars, and planets…infused with Spirit’s Light…each one, a perfect and intentional expression of one ever-present, all-pervasive Life. Take just a moment and feel that. Feel the Divine Presence that emanates from you out to your surroundings and from your surroundings back to you.
We empower our Collective Work by acknowledging our connection with all that is…we are a powerful Force for Good. Our collective prayer and meditation leave an imprint of Peace, of Love, of Grace, on human evolution, and on the world, for all time.
Knowing that everything happens in the mind of God, I know that each of these is God experiencing that existence… From what it is like to be a rock…a flower…an animal…to what it is to be each human with our free will and the many choices available to us.
Every Sunday at the second service, we do a meditation/visualization “Living In A Love-Soaked World.” In his book, “The Lost Mode of Prayer,” Greg Braden writes, “We must embody in our lives the very conditions that we wish to experience in our world.” What does that mean? An internet search for “embody” brings the definition: To give bodily form to, to make concrete and perceptible. So, to make the idea picture in our daily lives. In a recent talk, Rev. Diana said, “…where all humans embody and live from Peace, Joy, Abundance, Generosity, Justice and Freedom as Living Principles…honoring and caring for one another, and for the beautiful planet that sustains us all.”
Let’s start with Living from Peace, Joy, Abundance, Generosity, Justice, and Freedom as Living Principles. So maybe it really is important to do our spiritual practices? Doing our spiritual practices helps us to develop a more peaceful, joyful state that can stay with us in our day-to-day living. Last week I quoted Victor Frankl talking about how outside forces can take everything but our freedom to choose how we will respond to any given situation. Living from a place of Peace, and joy is a great place to start.
Robert F. Kennedy said,
Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
How does living in a Love-Soaked world apply to our planet? Let’s think about what this planet is. We live here. This is our home. It nurtures us, it inspires us, it provides for us. Carl Sagan said, “The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.” In a Love-Soaked World, we take care of our home.
Chris – Guided Meditation
Take a deep breath, breathing in love…and release it, breathing out peace…Take another deep breath, breathing in love…and release it, breathing out peace…If your eyes aren’t closed, allow them to close…Feel yourself relaxing…Allow the chair to take your weight…In your mind’s eye, you find yourself standing at the beginning of a path in the woods…There is someone standing with you…A woman who tells you that she is Mother Earth. And she has something for you to see…You look around and you find that you are standing in a forest. What do you hear? Maybe the sound of birds…What do you smell…What do you feel…After a few minutes, the scene changes and you are standing on a beach…take a few minutes to enjoy your trip with Mother Earth
Silence 3:00
As the music starts back up, take a couple of minutes to think about just how intricate and beautiful our planet really is…and how blessed we are to have such a great home.
Video: Mother, I Feel You, by Windsong Martin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIqVg8CM1Gg
Lucinda – I want to close with a quote from Joel Osteen
Good morning, God. As I stand here this morning, I am filled with gratitude for the magnificent planet that you have created for us. I am in awe of the intricacies and timings that we take for granted each day. Each day the sun comes up. And you put on a beautifully unique sunrise. You support each of us through our days.
And so it is. Amen. Sathu.
Coming back into this space, we open our eyes, our hearts, and our minds. Take a look at who is here celebrating with you this morning. This is your Spiritual Family…one of your support systems if you choose to accept.
Lucinda – As we close our Taizé Meditation, we offer the opportunity for you to share of your financial good in support of the work we do should you choose to do so. If you’re joining us online, you can find a Donate Button and our mailing address at mysticheart.org. And we thank you in advance for your gifts.
Dalton Fitzgerald – Offertory Song
- My Life Flows On in Endless Song, Traditional
Lucinda – Blessing for the Offering Thank you for being here. If you are staying for the next service and lunch, we will come back and begin our Conscious Conversation at 10:30.
Dalton – Closing song
- A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson
Conscious Conversation
Chris – Opening Prayer
Lucinda
Good Morning and welcome…or welcome back. And good morning to you in the Zoom Room, Facebook or wherever you are watching from. If you’re new with us here this morning, my name is Lucinda Alton, and I am a Prayer Practitioner and Ministerial trainee for Mystical Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. I welcome you home to our Spiritual Community (should you choose it). I welcome you home to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart.
Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
Lucinda
We’re going to do things just a little differently this morning. Every Sunday, we do a meditation/visualization called, “Love-Soaked World.”
In his book, The Lost Mode of Prayer, Greg Braden talked about the way the ancients would pray.
Unlike the traditional prayers that we may have used in the past, however, this technique of prayer has no words. It is based in the silent language of human emotion. It invites us to feel gratitude and appreciation, as if our prayers have already been answered. Through this quality of feeling, the ancients believed that we’re given direct access to the power of creation: the Spirit of God.
He talks about the importance of feeling in our prayers. Of visualizing what we pray for and feel what it feels like to already have it. Gratitude is important here.
I started to think about our Love Soaked-World meditation, and what that looks like.
Today, I would like for us to think about that. At this morning’s Taizé service I talked about living in a state of joy and peace.
We talked about justice and Robert F. Kennedy’s words that each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.
And we did a visualization of just how beautiful our Mother Earth is.
To continue, I would love to hear what you guys see when we talk about each person having a home. To me, it means eco-friendly homes, designed to be more than just a place to hang your hat. A quick search of the internet shows several possibilities from a regular-looking home designed with sustainability in mind to a floating village on an ocean to just a pod. So, let’s play with this. What kind of home do you guys see when you visualize a love-soaked world?
We also visualize each person serving the community, doing what feeds their souls. For me, what that looks like changes. So sometimes, it means praying with, talking with someone who is looking for some clarification. Other times it might look like (now don’t laugh) cleaning a bathroom would make me happy. It’s all about service. What does do what feeds your soul that mean and what would it look like?
And what does it mean to live in a world where all humans embody and live from Peace, Joy, Abundance, Generosity, Justice, and Freedom as Living Principles, practicing Love, Kindness, and Compassion? What would that actually look like? Looking for answers about how we treat each other.
I see a world where every person lives in complete faith that as there are no limits in God there is no need for limits for each of us.
What does that look like in terms of “all beings have plenty of nourishing food, the safety and comfort of home however that might appear to each person…where mental/physical health, education, and healthy relationships are ensured by social systems grounded in Wellness and Wholeness.”
And how do we go about bringing that vision into our daily lives? What could we do now? Looking for serving, sharing, etc.
Do you feel called to serve in any particular way?
Let’s go back to “where all humans embody and live from Peace, Joy, Abundance, Generosity, Justice and Freedom as Living Principles, practicing Love, Kindness and Compassion, honoring and caring for one another, and for our beautiful planet.” How do we do go about living in that joyful, peaceful state in the present? Spiritual practices.
Please join me in the Sacred Practice of envisioning a Love-Soaked World…
…where all humans embody and live from Peace, Joy, Abundance, Generosity, Justice, and Freedom as Living Principles, practicing Love, Kindness, and Compassion, honoring, and caring for one another, and for our beautiful planet.
We are creating a world where all needs are met…where all beings have plenty of nourishing food, the safety and comfort of home however that might appear to each person…where mental/physical health, education, and healthy relationships are ensured by social systems grounded in Wellness and Wholeness…and complete faith that as there are no limits in God there is no need for limits for each of us.
…where all beings Serve the greater community doing what feeds their souls and are well supported for their time and talent…and in their Service, each one finds a sense of belonging…A world in which all beings are valued and respected for their uniqueness…where Authenticity and Integrity are the norm…where the Peace and Kindness we cultivate within shows up as a world free of hatred or violence.
We are creating a world that knows no greed, where there is abundance in having enough…where every being deserves and receives all that is needed for a full, rich, and contented life. By the Power of our collective intention, we write a new story…
We do not lower our Vision, no matter the appearances in the world, knowing with our whole hearts that such a world is not only possible, but inevitable. We align our actions to support our vision, and a new world is born.
We open our hearts, our minds, our doors, and our arms in Radical Welcome, erasing all lines of apparent separation. In keeping with our Vision, we create an open and loving community to which all are invited, and in which all have an equal voice. Trusting in the power of prayer, we call it done, and in Deep Gratitude, release it now to the Living, Loving, Lawful Presence. And so it is…Amen…Sathu…Ashay…Aho!
Let’s take a moment to look around and notice who is sharing this space with you this morning…your Spiritual Family should you wish. These are some of the people who care about you. You can count on their support
Closing Prayer
Speaking to the God that lives in me and through me, Good Morning God. Thank you for this awesome home you have created for us. Thank you for the spiritual family I have here, the beauty of each heart and soul. Thank you for giving me the vision to see a love-soaked world and the ability to carry that vision out into the world. And speaking of having food to eat, thank you God for the meal that is waiting for us. Speaking my words into law, I say thank you – father, mother, God…And so it is.
I invite you to bring your awareness back to your body, to your senses, to the atmosphere in the room. And when you are ready, open your eyes to re-enter the space. Welcome back.
Affirmation for the Offering
Each Sunday, we 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 plan for our growth. You can find more information on our website.
As we move into this time of giving, hold these words close to your heart 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 offer this gift freely in the spirit of Love, blessing and 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!
Dalton Fitzgerald – Offertory Song
- Connected by Love, written by Charlie Nimovitz
Chris – Blessing for the Offering
Chris – Invitations
- Thursday from 11:00 – 12:15 Kavalya is offering Functional Movement and Yoga in Suite H.
- Be sure to support your local farmers, and your own physical health, at the Saturday Farmer’s Market every Saturday, 7:30 – noon.
Looking Ahead…
- Wednesday, June 28th from 6 – 8 pm, Common Threads of Truth with Rev. Helen Cummings. The focus of this first presentation in a series will be Buddhism and the Common Threads of Truth it shares with other traditions. There will be Q & A and simple refreshments. Donations are gratefully accepted. Bring a friend!
- Saturday, July 1 from 8:30 – 11:30 am at the Anderson River Park is our next Celebrating Community Fun-Raising Event. April and Maile are hosting and leading a Fishing Excursion! The adventure will include brunch and some instruction/assistance in catching your very own fish! There is room for 8 adults. Suggested donation is $20. Children are welcome, as well…this is a family event. Please text April at 1-562-440-3785 for more information, meeting place, etc. Tickets are available today!
- The Mystic Heart Book Club will reconvene on July 11th with Rev. Diana. We’ll be reading The Essential Path by Neale Donald Walsch (while Michael is on vacation).
- Friday, July 21st, 9 am – 4 pm – join Mystic OAKS as we visit the Shasta Abbey and Sisson Museum in Mt. Shasta. Please contact Chris Netto at nettowoman@gmail.com for more information.
Prayer Requests, Practitioner available after service, Information Cards if new people
Dalton – Closing Song
- Love Be With You, written by Lainey Bernstein, RScP, & Gary Lynn Floyd
©2023 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 ©2023 by Barefoot Angel Publishing, ASCAP.
Chris Johnson’s music is ©2023 by SeaJay Music & Publishing, ASCAP.