Make Up Your Mind!
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Rev. Diana Johnson, IM, RScM, with Lucinda Alton, RScP and 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:  |
| 22:52 | Guided Meditation | |
| 47:07 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Good morning, and welcome. If you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Rev. Diana Johnson. We enter the Lenten Season this morning…a time of releasing, re-thinking, and reimagining. We begin our Taizé Journey by joining our voices in musical prayer.
Rev. Diana & Chris – Taizé Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- Make Me An Instrument, written by Kurt Van Sickle & St Francis of Assisi
Rev. Diana – Breathing deeply…bringing awareness to the Peace that is forever available…allowing that Peace to become the dominant energy, or quality…letting go of all that has come before this moment, and all that may come next…recognizing this as the one moment we have. In every moment, Just This…just here…just now. We deepen the Power of our musical prayer, bringing it to mind and heart.
Holy One, make me an instrument of Your Peace…where there is hatred, let me sow love…where there is injury, may I offer pardon…where there is doubt, may I embody faith; where there is despair, may I shine the light of hope; where there is darkness, may I shine Your Radiant Light; where there is sadness, may I be anchored in the Joy that will inevitably return, as it is the Truth of my being.
Great Spirit, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to reach our in Compassion and Consolation…that I not seek first to be understood, but rather to offer understanding…that I not seek first to be loved, but to extend my unconditional Love.
For it is in giving that one receives, it is in self-forgetting that one finds, it is in forgiving that one is forgiven, and it is in dying (to the self-centeredness that is the human condition) that one awakens to eternal life.
Claiming this as the Truth for each one of us…I Am an instrument of Peace…breathing that in…I Am an instrument of Peace…Peace in my family, my neighborhood and my Spiritual Community…Peace in my greater community, Peace in the world. I walk as Peace taken form. I sow only seeds of Love…pardon…Faith…Hope…Joy…and Light. I offer sincere Compassion, Understanding, and Non-Judgement, remembering that every being is a Perfect and Intentional expression of the Divine.
(Pause)
We are all One in Spirit…every human and non-human creature, every plant, rock, and grain of sand…the air, water, and soil that give us life…the vast web below us, and the endless skies above…inseparable… interconnected…interdependent…each one unique and necessary to Life Itself…each one an expression of One Light. Take a moment now to sense our deep Connection…
(Pause)
It serves the Highest Good of all when each of us walks as an instrument of Peace…through our intimate Connection, our Peace ripples out and touches everyone and everything.
(Pause)
Because we are One in Spirit, and because we have been given the capacity, it ours to offer our deep respect, and to care for one another…for all life forms…for the amazing planet that sustains us.
(Pause)
The world is ready for Deep Change…ready for us to bring about Deep Change in ourselves, so that those changes might ripple out and have a positive impact on the Whole. Our world and its many systems are going through some profound changes…we are at choice. Will we be a benefit or a hindrance? Will our lives stand for Peace, Compassion, Generosity, and Love, or not? Will our thoughts, words, and actions make a positive impact, or delay the revealing of Wholeness in the world? It’s one or the other.
(Pause)
We are called to Make Up Our Minds…to consciously choose which way we will go…how we will live…and then to take the steps that bring our choices to fruition.
(Pause)
The mind is a powerful thing…the brain, heart, and gut, joined and working together energetically and chemically…collaborating to guide us as we make this Sacred Journey we call a human life. It becomes our most challenging Work to integrate what the thoughts are telling us with what the heart and gut are feeling…to listen to all three equally…and to allow that Guidance to direct our lives. This is where our Highest Wisdom can be felt and known…where the Still, Small Voice of Spirit can be heard.
The ancient texts advise that we “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The Season of Lent, the 40 or so days prior to Easter, taken from the Christian tradition, is a time of renewal…an invitation to transform ourselves…to affect Deep Change in ourselves and in our lives. It invites us to “release thoughts that discourage us, habits that hinder us, and beliefs that keep our lives small.” (Unity, Release and Reimagine)…and to reimagine what we, and our lives, might become in the year to come.
The Power of Imagination is natural to humans…in every stage of our lives, it functions as part of our learning…it helps us to process complex emotions, and in our creative expression. Everything that comes into physical being is first imagined by someone. “Imagination is our power of conception, vision, and embodiment…” We say that there is only One Life, One Source, One Mind, so that means “.…everything you could ever conceive of…originates… already exists in (the) One Mind. Whether it seems possible or impossible, it must be possible because it is derived from the unified field of intelligence. 9:48 With our conceiving power, we catch an idea…make it our own, filtering it through our human consciousness. The character of the consciousness determines the quality of our imaginings.” (Divine Audacity, Rev. Linda Mertella- Whitsett)
The visioning power of imagination is our ability to dream of what has not yet manifested, to flesh out the details, and to feel the benefit prior to its coming to fruition. It is the powerful joining of thinking and feeling, and is important to the Creative Process.
Embodiment means becoming a living expression of the qualities required for an idea to become reality…not only conceiving of and envisioning a desired future, but becoming the person who lives the new story, who holds a new paradigm.
(Pause)
Conception, visioning, and embodiment…the path to renewal…to Deep Change…the steps to creating a Love-Soaked World…so simple…not always so easy. But we can begin by taking the first step…Making Up Our Minds to be the change we wish to see in the world.
Chris – Guided Meditation
Making up is a very versatile phrase… with mind, it can mean to decide, as Rev. Diana just used it… or to put in order… as in making up the bed… making up with another after a disagreement denotes reconciliation… But there is another usage that involves our creative imagination… We make things up…
We make up songs… we make up jokes… we make up stories … and each time it is a creative act… we bring something new into the world… something that didn’t exist yesterday… Our imagination is the conduit through which Divine ideas emerge into the human world… Spirit creates and evolves the cosmos through us…
Using our imagination, we enter the imaginal realm… the liminal “space” between Spirit and form… between intention and experience… We conceive of something not yet existing in our life… we consider how it will feel to us… what we might do… how we might act… perhaps even who we must become in this new reality…
In the imaginal realm we let our imagination roam freely… without limitation… One with Spirit, we stretch out in the Divine Omniscience… Omnipresence… letting the Great Mystery flow through us… and out into a new world… one that includes our new creation… our new experience… our new Self…
Spirit is all there is… and it is God’s good pleasure to express itself as anything that affirms Life, Love, Peace, and Joy… What is best for each of us is the highest good for all of us… As we share these three minutes of Sacred Silence, I invite you to explore the imaginal realm… the field of boundless possibility… the Divine Infinity of Being that lies within us… Set your intention free… let it reveal itself to you… allow it to grow beyond your original conception… Surrender to it… let it change you… and your world…
Silence – 3:00
Great Spirit… Divine Source of all that is, thank you for your Divine Gift of imagination… thank you for its creative power… and its limitless possibilities… Thank you for this Beloved Community of beautiful souls who support and inspire me… May we always remember and appreciate our mutual love and support…
Albert Einstein told us that “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution…” Your imagination and mine are portals through which Spirit pours ItSelf into our lives… Let it flow freely…
Returning now to Rev. Diana’s continuing inspiration, we Make Up Our Minds to become the best incarnation of Spirit we can imagine… to live from our highest intention… to allow ourselves to be changed… to evolve… to be the change we wish to see…
Rev. Diana – As children, we may have been discouraged from using our imagination…we might have been told to stop daydreaming and come back to reality…called a dreamer and an idealist. But imagination is not just for dreaming, it is for transforming. It is the Sacred Power back of the Deep Change that our world is crying for.
When ignited by faith and guided by love, imagination becomes a sacred faculty that empowers us to co-create a new reality…As we reimagine our lives through the eyes of Spirit, we reclaim our power to transform – from separation to oneness, from grief to grace, from resistance to peace. And in doing so, we prepare our hearts for the miracle” of lasting transformation. (Rev. Elizabeth Longo)
Musical Meditation – Earth, by David Roth
Closing Prayer
We close Taizé this morning with a Vision of a new version of life on earth, a Love Soaked World…where all humans are living from 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…Ours is a world where mental/physical health, education, and healthy relationships are ensured by social systems grounded in Integrity, Honesty, and Wholeness…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…a world where the Love that we are here to share is given freely to whomever our hearts are called to love…and 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.
By the Power of our collective intention, imagining, and inspired action, we have undergone an amazing transformation…we are living in a world that works for all beings. Our deep faith tells us that all circumstances are being used for Good, and it is by the Power of Spirit, working through our hands, feet, hearts, and voices that positive change is forever happening. We have aligned all of our actions with our Vision, living these changes in our own lives, with our families, friends, communities, and other nations We walk in deep humility, reverence, and gratitude as we recognize the Sacred in everyone and everything.
We recognize that transformation is an on-going process, and 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 Love.
It is by the Power of the Great Mystery moving through each one of us that this prayer is acted upon, answered even as it is spoken…Divine Presence, Timing, and Process make it so. And so it is with profound gratitude and great Joy that I release my Word, calling it done…And so it is!…Amen!
Bringing awareness back to this space…back to our senses, and to the atmosphere in the room…gently opening the eyes, taking in whatever is before you. Take a look around at who is here in meditation and celebration with you this morning. This is one branch of your Spiritual Family…a support system you can count on.
Love Offering
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 here, and in the community.
If you’re joining us online, you can find a Donate Button and our mailing address at mysticheart.org. We are an independent, self-sustaining organization, grateful for your generosity. We thank you in advance for the gifts that enable us to do our Work.
Offertory Music Video: Imagine by Pentatonix
https://youtu.be/NLiWFUDJ95I?list=RDNLiWFUDJ95I
Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering
Brief Invitations – tickets for Spring Tea, Ember of Wisdom, Retreat payment due
Rev. Diana & Chris – Taizé Closing Song
- A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson
Conscious Conversation
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Welcome or welcome back…and thank you for joining us this morning. If you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Rev. Diana Johnson, and I am the Pastor and Spiritual Director of 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 traditions. It is my prayer 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 move!
Rev. Diana & Chris – Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
- Song – I Release, written by Rickie Byars
Rev. Diana – Gently close your eyes and Vision with me a new version of life on earth, a Love Soaked World…where all humans are living from 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 mental/physical health, education, and healthy relationships are ensured by social systems grounded in Integrity, Honesty, and Wholeness…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…ours is a world 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 Love. To these blessings, we say Yes!
We recognize that transformation is an on-going process, and 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 Love. To these blessings, we say Yes!
It is by the Power of the Great Mystery moving through each one of us that this prayer is acted upon, answered even as it is spoken…Divine Presence, Timing, and Process make it so. And so it is with 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…
Welcome back. Doesn’t that feel good? We just shifted the energy for the entire planet. Our prayer is rippling out into the race consciousness, doing its Good Work. And there’s nothing that anyone can do about it…two loving acts of defiance in one morning!
If you were with us at Taizé this morning, you know that our topic of reflection has been the Make Up Your Mind! It ties in with February’s theme, Deep Change…the journey of transformation that each of us is on, whether we know it or not…whether we like it or not.
I’m going to begin by giving a bullet point summary of this morning’s Taizé for those who were not here. Then I’ll use that as a jumping off point for our Conversation.
We started out by looking at Making Up Our Minds as consciously choosing how we will live and then taking the steps that bring our choices to fruition.
We talked about the mind as being very powerful, and defined mind as the brain, heart, and gut, joined and working together energetically and chemically…collaborating to guide us as we live our lives. It acknowledged the challenge that comes in integrating what the thoughts are telling us with what the heart and gut are feeling…listening to all three equally…and allowing that Guidance to direct our lives. We quoted the book of Romans in the Christian Bible:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” and introduced the Season of Lent, which started last Wednesday, as a time of renewal…an invitation to transform ourselves…to affect Deep Change in ourselves and in our lives…to “release thoughts that discourage us, habits that hinder us, and beliefs that keep our lives small.” (Unity, Release and Reimagine)…and to reimagine what we, and our lives, might become in the year to come.
We talked about the Power of Imagination as being natural to humans and looked at some of the ways we use it. And we contemplated Imagination as our combined powers of conception, vision, and embodiment. And we spent some time with the idea that if there is only One Life, One Source, One Mind, that all conceptions carry with them fulfillment. If you’re not sure what that means, take a look at the Taizé online after it goes up this evening.
But for now, let’s use that as a springboard to move into Conscious Conversation. Let’s talk a little bit more about the Lenten Season.
What do you know, or what are your perceptions, about the Season on Lent? And where did those perceptions come from?
First of all, let me say that I was not raised celebrating Lent. My family was non-religious…no, anti-religious. Religion was a crutch that weak people used when they couldn’t cope with life. That was a blessing, because I have been able to develop my own understanding of this Sacred Season and the benefits it has to offer in my life.
I understand this season as a time of renewal, of re-imagining, and re-creating. It calls me to release, once and for all, patterns and habits that no longer serve me, or maybe never did.
And it calls me to replace them with new, more life-enhancing ones. For me, that’s what the Fasting and Feasting is about…fasting from old ways and feasting on new ones.
Every year, Unity puts out a daily reading guide for the Lenten Season. I don’t always follow it, but I am enjoying this year’s…it seems to be going deeper than others. I’d like to share a couple of pieces as topics of Conversation. Keep in mind that Unity is a progressive, Universal, New Thought-leaning version of Christianity, so feel free to translate some of the language if you wish. The format this year is, “I release…and I re-imagine.”
Read February 18, I Release Mortality
Read February 19, I Re-imagine the Eternal
What spiritual traditions do your beliefs and practices come from? And what are your beliefs about our mortality or eternality?
Okay, here’s one that is equally as important, but maybe less heady and easier to talk about.
Read February 20, I Release Complaining
Read February 21, I Re-imagine by Appreciating
Talk to me about complaining. Do you ever hear yourself complaining? Maybe you notice other people complaining more than you do? What’s moving in the room?
Do you think that Appreciation is an effective way to ‘re-imagine complaining’?
What does it mean to appreciate something? What does the word mean?
(from the Latin, to set a price; to appraise; to give/raise the value of)
Spiritual Principle tells us that what we appreciate, appreciates. What does that mean?
Living life from appreciation rather than from complaint is nothing more than a change in perspective. What do I mean by that?
What other changes of perspective might serve us? How about in our relationships? (allowing rather than controlling; assuming highest, rather than malicious, intent; focusing on positive, rather than lesser qualities, etc.)
What a great conversation. Is there anything else that needs to be spoken at this time?
Let’s Close in Prayer…
Closing your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so…taking a couple of slow, deep breaths to ground you…letting go, and moving into the silence…trusting in the One Source, the One Life to hold me now, that I might rest in prayer…that I might rest in Spirit…being held…and loved beyond measure. I know that as Infinite Intelligence is forever expressing as all of creation, that I Am, each one of us is, a perfect and intentional, absolutely unique and necessary, way that Spirit is experiencing Itself…giving The Great Mystery the experience of being human…as me…as you. I Make Up My Mind, here and now, to give Spirit the ride of Its Life…to be the very best version of myself that I can muster in any given moment. I know that Life is constant change. Right here and now, I Make Up My Mind to get more comfortable with change…to allow life to move and flow as it will…as it always does.
And I commit to a deeper engagement with Spirit, allowing her to Guide me every step of the way. I’ll even follow her Guidance…see how that works out…and accepting whatever comes😊
I Am so grateful that as perfect and intentional expressions of Divinity, we have the capacity, courage, and willingness to make inspired choices. Each of us, in our own unique ways, does what is ours to do, for the Good of All…for the Good of our world and our future. I know that we are agents of positive change…we are here at this time and in this place for a reason. We give thanks for the privilege of being alive, right here and right now. I Am so grateful to know that I can count on a Loving and Lawful Presence. I Am grateful to have a safe space to express myself, and a spiritual family to support my journey.
Thank you, Great Spirit, for the many blessings and miracles of this and every day…Thank You for this Community of Saints that share my life with me. I Am so grateful for the Abundance of Spirit, and how it shows up every day…for the countless hands that it took to bring our feast to the table today, and for the nourishment our time together provides…And so, immersed in this atmosphere of Grace, I release my prayer now, trusting in the Loving and Lawful Presence of Spirit to make it so. May I have eyes to see everything that comes from this moment forward as answered prayer. I let it go, fully and completely, calling it done. And so it is! Amen!
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 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.
As we engage in the Sacred Practice of Circulation, we’re going to share a video by Playing for Change…Enjoy being on Higher Ground.
Offertory – Higher Ground by Playing for Change
https://youtu.be/3hGSqqhhokE?list=RD3hGSqqhhokE
Lucinda – Blessing for the Offering
Lucinda – Invitations
- The Mystic Heart Book Club is reading a new book, Return to the Sacred: Pathways to Spiritual Awakening on Tuesdays from 2-4
- Radical Knowing: A Study in Consciousness An accredited class facilitated by Rev. Diana, Tuesdays from 2 – 5pm, February 24th – June 2nd. There is more information in the February Bulletin.
- Shining Light on Scripture meets on Wednesdays from 11:30am–1:30pm, facilitated by Chris Johnson, RScP. We are currently reading The Dhammapada by Eknath Easwaran.
- On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss, by Elisabeth Kubler Ross and David Kessler. Join Rev. Diana on Wednesdays from 2:00-4:00 pm for this powerful book study and support circle.
- Fast Track to Wellness meets on Thursdays from 11:30am – 1:30pm. This is a body/mind/spirit support circle. We are currently listening to and discussing selections from Good Stress and Life in the Fasting Lane.
- Ember of Wisdom: Dancing the Wheel Cacao & Movement Journey — this Saturday, February 28th from 10:30am-1:30pm. This is a 3-hour Medicine Wheel gathering dedicated to the time of the Elder, the season of Winter, and the element of Fire. We still have tickets left. Get yours today.
Looking into March…
- Mad Hatter Spring Tea Party, March 7th , Noon to 3pm: Tickets are only $25. The cost of admission includes: musical entertainment, a homemade organic lunch, coffee, tea or homemade lemonade, a yummy selection of desserts, a basket raffle (1 Complimentary ticket), and a prize for the best costume! (costumes optional) Additional tickets are available for purchase: $1 each or 12 for $10. This is a Mystic Heart Community FUN-Raiser! For more information, or to purchase your tickets, please contact: Chris Netto (469)964-9369 OR Lucinda Alton (530)604-7294
- Join April and Maile on Wednesday, March 18th, 6:30 – 7:30 pm for a quarterly Healing Sound Bath. As the Spring Equinox approaches and the light returns, sound and vibration guide you from winter’s stillness into warmth, balance, and renewal.
There is more information available on new classes and activities in the February Bulletin.
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.
Retreat Payments Due March 15th
Rev. Diana & Chris – 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.