The Art of Building Sangha

Sunday, March 15, 2026

Rev. Diana Johnson, IM, RScM, with Sherri Dotter, RScP, Chris Johnson, 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:
25:53	Guided Meditation
49:49	Conscious Conversation

Taizé

Call to Awareness – 3 Bells

Sherri – Opening Prayer

Rev. Diana – Good morning, and welcome. If you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Rev. Diana Johnson. We celebrate the third Sunday of the Lenton Season this morning…a time of letting go of what no longer serves and adopting new ways of seeing and being that align more closely with who we are becoming. We begin our Taizé Journey by joining our voices in musical prayer.

Rev. Diana, Chris, & Marsh – Taizé Chants

Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
Beloved, written by Chris Johnson

Rev. Diana – We come together this morning as a Community, bringing the Power of collective prayer and meditation to bear on the world. Settling into the stillness, I breathe…bringing awareness to the breath…allowing it to ground me…fully present in the here and now…feeling the Presence of the One Life, moving through and all around me…sensing and knowing that I Am an expression of that Life…intentionally made, and here by design…part of an Infinite Field of Awareness, a vast web of Consciousness that surrounds and infuses the planet. It is alive…and within Its Life, and by Its Power, I live.

I Am an expression of Spirit…connected to everything and everyone else. Every human and other-than-human creature, every plant and microbe, every rock and grain of sand, every drop of water…part of one Sacred Whole…a thread in the tapestry that is Creation…all necessary, all Holy, all a part of the one Light, the one Life, the one Source. As I sense my connection with all of life, I Am empowered…as we gather together, that Power increases…

We offer the benefit of our time together to the Good of All. Peace, Harmony and Grace are sent forth into the world. By our every thought, word, and action, we are contributing to the conscious evolution of humanity…the conscious evolution of the planet, and all that lies beyond.

This month, we are contemplating the Power in Community. This morning, we spend our time reflecting on The Art of Building Sangha.

Sangha means community…a group of people who choose to gather for the purpose of Spiritual Growth and Practice…the members of a Sangha share time in Meditation, Self-reflection, Prayer, Study, Sacred Service, Circulation, and Celebration. The Sangha is a chosen family….a supportive environment that provides collective energy…a sense of connection and belonging…it acts as a Beloved Community.

One knows when one has found Sangha…the qualities are palpable. There is a sense of welcome…inclusivity…open heartedness…and a shared intention to cultivate joy and mutual understanding. The members of a Sangha commit to taking care of themselves so that they might better serve others…they practice deep listening and respectful and loving communication with one another. They accept one another for who they are, never trying to fix or change others. The members of a Sangha work together peacefully, even joyfully, as they accomplish the tasks that accompany daily life.

A true Sangha fosters harmony…it is a safe and loving space for all beings. It is a Community in which the individuals practice no-self…putting the collective Good before one’s own preferences…importance is given to the shared or group Wisdom…and there is a general sense of well-being.

There is an art to building Sangha…it is a conscious and intentional process. And its members must have or cultivate the artist’s qualities…discipline, passion, creativity, adaptability, and resilience.

Like an artist, the members of a Sangha must have the ability to see the world differently, to think outside the box…they must be dedicated to doing the work required to develop their own capacities, bringing the best of themselves in Service to the Community…they must be committed to the effort, willing to show up, to become an active and willing participant in the process. In working closely with others, they must practice patience…flexibility…and be willing to change and adapt when needed.

It is in the coming together around a common purpose that the members of a Sangha find meaning…a sense of connection and belonging. It is in the commitment and dedication to showing up for one another that a sense of family is born. It is in holding onto each other when the going gets tough that we forge the bonds of Love that will ultimately create A Love-Soaked World.

Musical Meditation – Hold On to Each Other, by Karl Anthony

Chris – Guided Meditation

What is a church?… We often refer to it as a building… as in “Turn right at the corner where the Episcopal Church is…” but a church is not a building… The Greek word translated as church is ekklesia… literally a calling out… or a calling together… We have been called together… invited into Beloved Community by the Spirit within us…

Rabbi Yeshua did not call his followers a church… he called them friends… brothers and sisters… Spiritual Family… He taught them to live together in a radically different way… a way rooted in unconditional love… compassion… forgiveness… to surrender to their inner knowing… and from that, to serve the greater good of all…

Eastern religions call these gatherings of worshippers by many names… Hindus come together in satsang… Muslims gather in ummah… Buddhists support one another in the sangha… Mystic Heart gathers together in Beloved Community… but the intention for each is the same… to give and receive needed support on our spiritual path…

Each of us was called into the spiritual life individually… each for a unique reason… but that calling also led us into community… Solitary practice… prayer, meditation, sacred study… can only take us so far along the path… it is in our interactions that we grow our ability to love… to be compassionate… to forgive… and to be forgiven…

A church… or a synagogue… is not a gathering place… it is the Gathering itself… the people we worship with… in these three minutes of Silent Communion, let us contemplate the many benefits of being in Spiritual Family… how the sangha has served you… how you have been called to be in service to the greater good… and how this Beloved Community has given you a safe haven in which you can be authentic… vulnerable… secure in knowing that you are valued… and loved beyond measure…

Silence – 3:00

Holy Creator, thank you for calling me into the spiritual life… and thank you for calling each one here… we are together by Divine Design… to support one another… to pray together… to learn to love and forgive our more distant neighbors by loving and forgiving those closer to us… May we never forget who we are… and why we are here…

Thich Nhat Hanh said, “A good teacher is important, but sisters and brothers in the practice are the main ingredient for success… You cannot achieve enlightenment by locking yourself in your room… Transformation is possible only when you are in touch… learn how to look with sangha eyes, how to walk with sangha feet, how to feel with a sangha heart…”

Returning now to Rev. Diana’s inspired wisdom, we are reminded of why we are here… and the many ways that our Beloved Community supports our journey… and gives us opportunities to serve… as together we practice The Art of Building Sangha…

Rev. Diana – The word Sangha comes from the Buddhist tradition. Although Mystic Heart is an Interfaith Community, it has taken the shape of a Sangha. We began as a small group of people, coming together mindfully, wishing to create a truly safe and loving space for all people to find connection…a space where physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth would be fostered…where True Healing would be supported…where the members would be encouraged to develop themselves, so that the Community would remain healthy. We wanted authentic connection and expression…an open-hearted sense of welcoming. And little by little, with great intention, this is what we have created.

Almost seven years ago, our small group developed a set of Community Agreements. While we have had a few opportunities to lean into these agreements in the solving of conflicts, our time as a Community has mostly been Graceful. I’d like to quickly share Mystic Heart’s seven Community Agreements. Just take them in…how do they feel? How do they land in you?

We agree to be respectful, compassionate, loving, honest, and authentic in our thoughts, words, actions, and communications, speaking our needs clearly. In doing so, we create a safe, loving, and supportive environment in which complete transparency is the norm, vulnerability is honored, and where people are free to evolve physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually.

We agree to take personal responsibility for our thoughts, words, and actions at all times, and for the vibrant health of our Community. In doing so, we create a loving environment where spiritually mature individuals show up to promote and support its overall well-being.

We agree to seek Spirit’s Guidance when resolving conflict, going directly to parties involved and seeking the help of a Minister if needed. In doing so, we trust that Love is leading the way and that Peace prevails.

We agree that we are consciously choosing to create a Spiritual Family. In doing so, we are creating a sense of belonging, a place to call Home.

We agree to welcome all who come, honoring each individual as a unique expression of the One, accepting all faith paths and levels of awareness as a sacred part of the Spiritual Journey. In doing so, we attract a vibrant and diverse group of members who practice living in Unity Consciousness.

We agree to respect one another’s personal space. In doing so, we create a comfortable community experience in which everyone feels safe and honored.

We agree to live from a consciousness of Wholeness and Abundance. In doing so, we create personal lives and a Spiritual Home that are radiantly healthy and free from limitation of every kind.

We end our Taizé Meditation, anchoring ourselves in prayer as we acknowledge the One Source, forever giving of Itself as all of Creation.

There is only The One, expressing as the many…as me, as you, as all that is…all that has ever been…and all that will ever be. Each one of us is a perfect and intentional expression of That One. Claim that for yourself…I Am a perfect, whole, complete, and intentional expression of the Sacred…take a moment to let it settle in…

As I move into my week, I bring myself back to that awareness over and over again…I walk in the world as the Divine taken form…I bring the best of myself into my relationships and my activities.

I allow myself to be supported by the power of the Sangha…and I commit time and effort to showing up, in support of my chosen family members. I feel a sense of belonging, and I am grateful.

Thank you, Spirit, for the countless blessings of this and every day. Thank you for this beautiful space, and for these radiant Light Beings that are sharing this time in Sangha this morning…each one an artist, sharing their unique gifts, time, love, and dedication to co-creating our Beloved Community. I Am so grateful.

And so it is, grounded in gratitude and thanksgiving, that I release this prayer, knowing that it has done its Good Work…that Grace is flowing through this Community and through the lives of each one here…and that this Sangha is made stronger by our shared time and purpose this morning. I say thank you, simply letting it be. And so it is! Amen!

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 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, you can find a Donate Button and our mailing address at mysticheart.org. We are so grateful for your generosity. As we share in this time of circulation, please know that you are my Chosen Family.

Offertory Music Video– Chosen Family, by Rina Sawayama & Elton John

https://youtu.be/GTDRg5G77x4?list=RDGTDRg5G77x4

Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering

Brief Invitations – reminder about the Quarterly Healing Sound Bath, and retreat payments due today.

Rev. Diana, Chris, & Marsh – Taizé Closing Song

A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson

Conscious Conversation

Sherri – 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, & Marsh – Opening Music

Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
We Shall Be Known, written by Karisha Longaker of Ma Muse

Rev. Diana – We shall be known by the ones who sow and reap the seeds of change alive from deep within the earth…that’s us. Gently close your eyes and Vision with me the seeds of a Love Soaked World that we are growing together, right here and right now…a 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!

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…

Can you feel the shift in energy as we center ourselves in such a positive and powerful Vision? It ripples out and touches everything. I think we’re ready to have a Conscious Conversation.

This morning our topic has been The Art of Building Sangha.

For those who weren’t here, what is Sangha?

(Sangha means a Spiritual Community…a group of people who choose to gather for the purpose of Spiritual Growth and Practice…the members of a Sangha share time in Meditation, Self-reflection, Prayer, Study, Sacred Service, Circulation, and Celebration. The Sangha is a chosen family….a supportive environment that provides collective energy…a sense of connection and belonging…it acts as a Beloved Community)

We said that there is a particular feeling about True Sangha…there is an authentic sense of welcome…inclusivity…open heartedness…and a shared intention to cultivate joy and mutual understanding. The members of a Sangha commit to taking care of themselves so that they might better serve others…they practice deep listening and respectful and loving communication with one another. They accept one another for who they are, never trying to fix or change others. The members of a Sangha work together peacefully, even joyfully, as they accomplish the tasks that accompany daily life.

What are some of the signs that Mystic Heart is successfully building Sangha? (the joy we find in doing the dishes after lunch; the willingness of so many people to work in Service to the Community, often without being noticed; the way we speak to (and about) one another with respect and caring; the way we show up for one another when there is a need, etc.)

We said that a true Sangha fosters harmony…it is a safe and loving space for all beings. It is a Community in which the individuals practice no-self…putting the collective Good before one’s own preferences…importance is given to the shared or group Wisdom…and there is a general sense of well-being. And we said that there is an art to building Sangha…that it shares the conscious and intentional qualities required when creating any work of art. Its members must have or cultivate the artist’s qualities…discipline, passion, creativity, adaptability, and resilience.

That was a pretty thorough re-cap. Now I’d like to continue our Conscious Conversation by branching off.

Last Friday was Mystic Heart’s turn to take dinner to Goodwater Crossing, and to break bread with the current residents and staff. Thank you Bob and Lucinda Alton for joining us, and for bringing a delicious dessert. We have two spots open for the second Friday of April if anyone is interested.

The reason I bring this up is, first of all, that all who have taken part in this process of Breaking Bread with newly housed people have come away changed. Where there may have been uncertainty, or even resistance, there is a relaxing, even an enjoyment in spending time with the residents who are, after all, just people like you and me.

One of the Ministers at St. James Lutheran Church, which sponsors, GWX, during one of our trainings, asked this question: (and I’d like you to answer it.)

What makes you and me different from an unsheltered person? How does one person end up without housing, and another land on the streets?

You and I have the support of Community. These people, for whatever reason, do not. That’s it. We’ve seen examples of this within the Mystic Heart Community in the past couple of months.

What happened when some of our members and friends were flooded out of their apartments?

Things could have been much different for each of these people.

What if someone who is flooded out of a home or apartment has no social connections, no family, no support system?

Community is important. Human beings need meaningful social connections. And belonging with a Sangha, a committed Community, is even more powerful. It is akin to having a close-knit biological family close by, which only a few people seem to have in this day and age. A Sangha, or Spiritual Community, can and will step in where biological connections no longer exist.

What if we do have strong family support from our birth family? Is that a reason to not build Sacred Community?

How many of us have strong family support from our birth family, AND have similar beliefs with our family members? How many can talk about our Spiritual Journey with our loved ones?

And so, what are the benefits of having like-minded people to support your Spiritual Journey?

During Taizé, we had the chance to listen to, and reflect on, the Community Agreements that a group of then-attendees developed at the outset of Mystic Heart. These created the foundation on which everything else has been built and offer us a scaffolding to guide the way we make decisions and handle conflicts. While we have had a few opportunities to lean into these agreements over the past nearly-seven years, our time as a Community has mostly been Graceful. I’d like to quickly share Mystic Heart’s seven Community Agreements so that we might talk about them if we’re called to.

Here’s the first one: