Rooted In Community
Sunday, September 25, 2022
Rev. Diana Johnson, 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:  |
| 24:30 | Guided Meditation with Chris Johnson | |
| 47:08 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Chant – Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
Diana – Introduction…Good morning and welcome
Chant – Beloved, written by Chris Johnson
Rev. Diana
We begin our meditative journey this morning by closing our eyes and settling into this space…letting go of all that has come before this moment and allowing ourselves to fully arrive…taking a deep breath in, and letting it go…letting ourselves be held…and in Sacred Ritual, we take a moment to sense our Oneness with the Global Community.
Envisioning a web of Consciousness surrounding and infusing our planet…seeing and feeling ourselves to be a radiant point of Light in that web…knowing every human as an expression Divine Light.
As we envision every creature, every plant, every rock and grain of sand, shining with the Light of Spirit…the soil…the water…the clouds and wind…the heavenly bodies…each one becomes a golden thread, woven tightly into the fabric of Creation…my Light enmeshed with yours, and with all of Life.
Sensing our oneness, we acknowledge our role as caretakers…in Service to one another…to all life forms…and to the planet that sustains us all.
Grounded in our Oneness, we center our hearts in this month’s theme, Beloved Community and we acknowledge that whether we know it or not, whether we like it or not, we are Rooted in Community.
By design, we are social animals. We begin life vulnerable and dependent on our caregivers. Over time, we progress to become independent and strike out at the world on our own.
As we mature further, we realize that we cannot take on the world alone and begin to grow toward becoming interdependent…working in harmony with those around us. The goal of our physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual development is to reach a conscious state of interdependence. As we grow in self-awareness, we begin to understand that there is strength in developing strong relations with those around us. We are strong enough to stand on our own, but wise enough to understand there is even greater strength in developing a community.
Silent Meditation – 1 minute
If you are spending your morning with us today, there is a Divine Impulse, calling you to a deeper way of life. Something has guided you to seek Spiritual Community.
There are three primary reasons to engage in Beloved Community: first, to be part of a group that is developing a culture of love and support as they learn to embody and live from spiritual principles; second, to be exposed to a line of Sacred Study and Practice that leads to the Mystical Path; and third, to allow your direct experience of the Divine to lead you to the Path of Service…the Path of Action.
All people thrive when they are surrounded by, and surrendered to, the love and support of others. In Spiritual Community, we discover the workings of Spirit by consciously observing Spiritual Law in action and acknowledging Grace as It moves through our lives.
Taking part in Beloved Community offers a gentle reminder…an invitation to stay awake, to look past the appearances of the world to the Truth that lies beneath. As we give more of our time and attention to the Divinity at the heart of all things, we come to know the Presence of God…not as a concept or form, but as a felt experience. This is the Path of the Mystic.
As we begin to sense and know God as Life Itself, we begin to understand our life’s Purpose…to be a Servant of Life…to give of our unique gifts in Service to the Whole.
Musical Meditation – The Servant’s Prayer, written & performed by James Twyman
Rev. Diana
The Spiritual Teachings of ancient times stressed the importance of Service. In the 6th century BCE, the Buddha spoke these words: “Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”
Sometime between the 5th and 3rd century BCE, the Hindu Scriptures taught that “Every selfless act, Arjuna, is born from Brahman, the eternal, infinite Godhead. He is present in every act of service. All life turns on this law, O Arjuna. Whoever violates it, indulging his senses for his own pleasure and ignoring the needs of others, has wasted his life.”1
And following the teachings of the Rabbi Jesus, Peter reminds his brothers: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”2
Chris – Guided Meditation
It has been said that there are only two lasting bequests families can hope to give their children: one of these is roots, the other wings… Roots by being confident that they belong… that they are part of something bigger than themselves… And wings of freedom to evolve into their best selves… The same is true of Spiritual Family…
As children of Spirit of all ages, we also benefit from the assurance that we belong… that we have a network of support as we negotiate our Mystical Path… Just as in the forest, where tree roots grow together and intertwine in mutual support, our Spiritual Roots interconnect with each other, sharing the Divine Gift that feeds our Souls…
And it is from this ground of being firmly rooted, stable, and secure that we develop the courage to evolve… Personal Transformation can be frightening… Letting go of our story of limitations and faults may feel like losing our identity… The Love and Support of Beloved Community sustains us through these times of uncertainty…
With the encouragement of our Spiritual Community, we dare to stretch our wings… We risk new adventures in Mysticism… We allow ourselves to let go of the familiar, so that we can explore new possibilities… new visions of who we might be… We soar to new heights in consciousness, knowing we have a safe place to land…
Moving into the Silence, visualize the roots of your Spirit spreading out to connect with those of others in this community… Just as trees share resources through their roots, allow yourself to partake in the sharing of Consciousness with one another… Feel the flow of Divine Energy emanating out from you… and streaming back into you… We are drawing on an Infinite Source… Each of us gives what is ours to give, and receives exactly what we need… Sense the Spiritual Power entering your body from your “roots” and rising up through you…
Silent Meditation – 3:00
Allowing our awareness gently to be led back into this place, we give thanks for the support of Sacred Community… Grateful for this time of communion with Spirit and with one another, we truly appreciate the Love and encouragement we share together… Thank you, God, for everyone and everything…
I invite you to know with me now that Spirit is moving powerfully through each of us, and through our Beloved Community… Individually and collectively, we are a powerful spiritual influence on our world… As we evolve in consciousness, the benefits of our growth ripple out, blessing the entire world…
We open our hearts and our minds to the sweet inspiration of Rev. Diana continued message this morning. We rest in Spirit, deeply secure in the knowing that we are firmly Rooted In Community.
Rev. Diana
We conclude our contemplations this morning by allowing the words of Rev. Jim Lockard to permeate our consciousness:
The Beloved Community is a place where there is a balance between the everyday and the mystical, where both are taught and seen as two elements of a greater whole.
The soul is fed by meaning, fulfillment, and connection. The soul is fed by the joy of experiencing the mystical side of life with its rich sense of connection to everyone and everything. The soul is fed by the joys and the sorrows of the fully lived human life.
There is…
…a calling of the soul within each of us to be an agent of spiritual healing for humanity, even if only for an exceedingly small slice of it…Deep is calling each of us to heed its call – to fulfill our promise and potential as spiritually mature adults. This calling is intended to disrupt old patterns of thought and behavior that do not serve our soul’s longing for connection, love, and compassion, and to develop our innate capacities to live as mature adults with a deeper sense of spiritual poise and strength. Ours is a call to awaken our inner genius, and to apply it compassionately to the world in which we find ourselves. It is the clay from which we will build our collective future. Those of us in spiritual community are involved in something vital; it is up to us to ensure that this vitality is not wasted, but is expressed powerfully in our actions.
We anchor ourselves in prayer as we acknowledge the One Source that I call God, forever giving of Itself as Its Creation. I accept for myself, and for each one listening, that all beings are perfect and intentional emanations of the One. I Am a unique expression of God in form, and so are you…each of us necessary, irreplaceable.3
As I move into the week ahead, I do all that I can…all that is mine to do…in service to the Whole. My thoughts, words, and actions create only Good. I walk as a beneficial presence on the planet, planting seeds of Love and Compassion as I go…leaving a path of Peace and Joy in my wake.
I take time every day to notice the small miracles that permeate my life…to count my blessings and to bless others by my presence.
Setting this clear intention, my week unfolds Gracefully…I consciously and willingly place my full faith in the Goodness of Life. Grounded in that Faith, I release this prayer, trusting the Loving and Lawful Presence of God to take it and make it so. It is done…and so it is! Amen!
Rev. Diana Affirmation for the Offering
It is time for us to close our Taizé Meditation. As we do, 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.
Offertory Music – Come, Spirit of God, written by Gilah & Israel Nelson
Rev. Diana
- Blessing for the Offering/Announce Coffee
- Introduce next half of Service
- We’ll be donating our coffee and lunch donations to Farmer’s Footprint.
Closing Song – A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson
Conscious Conversation
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Welcome
Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
- Chant – We Come Together by Eddie Watkins, Jr.
Rev. Diana
Go ahead and stay standing if you’re able, or reaching your arms and hands out to feel and embody your Connection with Spirit…feel your feet rooted to the earth, feel the energy moving up through your feet, flowing through your body, and out through the top of your head…feel the Power of Creation moving through you as together, we hold our Vision of a Love-Soaked World, where Peace, Joy, Abundance, Generosity, Justice and Freedom are the living principles that guide every life…where all humans practice loving kindness and Compassion, and care for our planet as the Sacred Home that she is.
We are creating a world where all needs are met…where all beings have plenty of nourishing food, the safety of a warm and comfortable home… medical care, education, healthy relationships, right livelihood, creative contribution, and a sense of belonging…a world in which all beings are valued for their inherent Goodness and Light…where the Peace 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 simply having enough…where every being deserves and receives all that is needed for a full, rich, and contented life.
In this more awakened world, every member of the human family serves as a conscious vessel through which God’s blessings flow…we disregard all appearances to the contrary, “walking by faith, not by sight”, knowing with our whole hearts that such a world is inevitable as we take steps, moment by moment, toward its creation. There is no reason we cannot have such a world, and so we call it forth from the realm of Infinite Possibility, knowing that it is taking form, right here and now, as we hold, sense, and speak our Powerful Vision. We align our actions to support and nurture its Graceful unfolding. And we give thanks, letting it be. And so it is! Amen!
Can you feel the shift in energy as we center ourselves in such a positive and powerful Vision? I think we’re ready to have a Conscious Conversation.
This morning our topic has been Rooted in Community. During Taizé, we spent time contemplating our inherent interconnectedness as human beings. We looked at three reasons for engaging in Spiritual Community: first, to be part of a group that is developing a culture of love and support as they learn to embody and live from spiritual principles; second, to be exposed to a line of Sacred Study and Practice that leads to the Mystical Path; and third, to allow your direct experience of the Divine to lead you to the Path of Service…the Path of Action. If you are just joining us, you can find it on our website and our FB page. I think it’s worth a listen.
But for our Conversation this morning, I want to shake it up a little bit. I have two topics, all related to engagement in Beloved Community, that I would like to throw out there. Are you ready?
First, I’d like to read you a paragraph from Creating the Beloved Community and then ask you some questions about it. Okay?
Read from page 100
Pretend you have just entered a new Spiritual Community. You may not have to pretend.
In that context, what do you suppose translation means? (The process of trying to view the world through the prism of a new philosophy. It includes new terms, meanings, practices, rituals, and ways of living; the process of becoming a member of the Community culture.)
One of the unique qualities of our Community it that we welcome and honor people from all faith paths that recognize the action of a Higher Power in our lives and in the world. So, what if you have come here for support and fellowship, but your personal spiritual life is right on track…you’re happy with it and don’t wish to adopt any new philosophies, beliefs, or practices?
Is the process of translation still beneficial to you? Why? (Openness to learn about new ideas allows us to listen generously, consider what we’re hearing, and honestly question the value that a new concept may or may not bring to our lives. If we’re not open, we’re stunting our own growth)
In the context of Spiritual Community, what do you suppose transformation means? (Transformation involves change at depth within the individual; the process of going beyond learning about one’s spiritual nature and actually experiencing it. When we have embodied a Spiritual Truth to the degree that we are living from it, not even having to consciously direct ourselves to do things differently, we are transformed. Transformation happens in degrees, as well.)
Mystic Heart loosely defines itself as a New Thought/Ancient Wisdom community, with threads of Eco-Spirituality and Evolutionary Spirituality running strongly through. We might be called an Interfaith, or even a Trans denominational Community…moving beyond the need to teach from one faith path, looking for the common threads of Truth that run through all of them. While we honor all forms of prayer because there is not one right way to pray, we teach our Practitioners and Community Members Affirmative Prayer, or Spiritual Alignment…in the SOM and Unity traditions, they call it Spiritual Mind Treatment, or Treatment for short.
So when we say that we’re Practicing the Possible through Prayer, this is one of the forms we use. In my personal Practice, I use Blessing and Silent Communion, as well, all in the affirmative.
Let me start by asking, what do you know about Affirmative Prayer?
How might it be different from other forms of prayer?
(Its language is spoken in the affirmative; it looks past appearances to the Spiritual Truth; it does not ask, beg, barter, or petition; it is spoken in the present tense, as though it is already done); there are five basic steps, with a preparatory step)
Why might this be a useful form of prayer to add to your toolbox?
(It is useful in helping you change patterns of thought and speech that no longer serve you; it is an effective way to clear your head and heart before settling into the Silence)
(Prayer, spiritual counseling, bringing food, providing transportation, offering a listening ear, etc)
Okay, who knows what the preparation for Affirmative Prayer looks like? (Get quiet, relax, breathe…listen within for what is calling for prayer)
Who knows what the first official step of Affirmative Prayer is? And let’s just stick to the description or purpose rather than the label. Practitioners, let’s wait to see what others have to say before jumping in.
(Acknowledging, feeling, knowing that God is all that is)
What comes next?
(If God is all that is, then I must be one with God…an expression of the Divine. Feel it, know it…)
Then what?
(Feel & know the Spiritual Truth that addresses your challenge or blessing)
Once you can feel the Spiritual Truth of your statement, what’s next?
(Gratitude…for the infallible nature of the Loving and Lawful Presence and whatever else you’re thankful for)
And what comes at the end? Release it, lay it on the altar…let go and let God. Don’t dig it back up…don’t keep thinking about it. Go on with your life.
Music – And So It Is, written & Performed by Karen Mitchell
Affirmative Prayer is a powerful tool, and it is one way that we are Rooted in Community. Join me in knowing that this Beloved Community is growing, thriving, and serving as a unique, perfect, and intentional expression of the One Divine Power…
There is one, and only one thing going on here, and that is God, Source, Spirit, expressing Itself as It’s Creation. That’s it…nothing else…there is no spot where God is not.
Knowing this to be the Absolute Truth, I Am and must be, a perfect and intentional slice of the Almighty, with all the Qualities and Potential inherent in that title already in place, factory equipment!
Here is what I know…this Beloved Community is growing and thriving because Generosity and Abundance are Qualities of Spirit that run in and through every person who walks through our doors.
Its members and friends are growing and thriving because expansion and evolution are Divine Attributes that live within each one of us, just waiting for us to fully engage them.
My world is a Loving, Joyful, Peaceful, and Beautiful place, because God is everywhere I look and God cannot be other than Loving, Peaceful and Beautiful.
Beyond all appearances, I know this to be the Truth…I know it in my mind, I feel it in my heart and in my bones! And so I give deep and profound thanks for this Spiritual Truth…I give thanks for the knowing that God’s Loving and Lawful Presence is forever at work in my life. I am so grateful for the many, many blessings of this and every day. Centered in Praise and Thanksgiving, I release my Powerful Word, in full faith, calling it done.
And so it is! Amen!
Rev. Diana – 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!
Offertory Music Video – It’s a New Day, written & Performed by Eddie Watkins, Jr.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gli2BzL4jgQ
Lucinda – Blessing for the Offering
Lucinda – Invitations
- Tuesdays, 3-5 pm – Michael Bordeaux’s Book Club is reading Breakfast With Buddha by Roland Merullo. Drop-ins welcome.
- Thursdays, 3 – 5 pm, Metaphysical Bible Study with Prayer Practitioner, Chris Johnson. Drop-ins welcome.
- Co-Creation Gathering – Friday, October 7th 6:00 – 8:30 pm. Join the Leadership and Volunteers of Mystic Heart Spiritual Center for an evening filled with luscious desserts, beverages, reflection, brainstorming and Conscious Conversation. Let’s begin the process of Co-Creating 2023! All are welcome!
- You Can’t Take It With You – Shasta College Performing Arts Theater, Friday, October 21st at 7:00 pm. It’s gonna’ be a blast! Tickets: $15 are available today! No-host dinner at 5:00. Contact Rev. Diana for more information.
- 2nd Annual Spring Retreat at Coram Ranch in Shasta Lake, April 20-23, 2023. A non-refundable deposit of $100/adult is required by November 1st to guarantee your space. Additional payments can be made as you’re able. Payment in full is due by April 1, 2023.
As always, more details are in your bulletin and on our website.
Lucinda – Invitation to Prayer
Also, We’ll be contributing our Lunch Donations to Farmers’ Footprint.
Closing Song – Love Be With You, written by Lainey Bernstein & Gary Lynn Floyd
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