The Middle Path
Sunday, July 28, 2024
Sherri Dotter, RScP, with Lucinda Alton, 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:  |
| 13:12 | Guided Meditation | |
| 39:25 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Sherri – We follow the sound of the bell inward… 3 Bells
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Sherri – Good morning. If you’re new with us here this morning, my name is Sherri Dotter, and I am a credentialed Professional Prayer Practitioner for Mystic Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Independent Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. We open our doors in welcome, trusting that you will be led to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart. We begin our Taizé with Musical Prayer.
Rev. Diana & Chris Johnson – Taizé Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- Dropping Down, written by Karen Drucker, Amy Bishop, & Gary Lynn Floyd
Sherri – Settling into this one, perfect moment, we take a moment to breathe…to allow the breath to bring us fully present…following it in, and feeling the life flowing into every cell, every atom…and following it out, letting go of any tension…with every breath in, feeling the body come to life, and with every breath out, letting everything go. In this sacred moment, there is only the breath…there is only Life unfolding…there is only Now..
As we settle into the present moment, we give thanks for our deep Connection with all of life, and for our awareness that we are connected to all that is. This is what is meant by Global Community…not only our human family that is spread across the earth, but also the more-than-human creatures…the plant beings and rock beings…the sand that covers the beaches, and the waves that rise and fall on the shores…all that is seen and that which is not…that which is known and that which will never be known…all connected at the deepest level…all teeming with the life of God, shining with the Light of Spirit.
Take a moment to sense the Light shining in and radiating from everything that exists…notice how there is no border between us, one Light melding into the next…we are One Light, expressing as Infinite Diversity.
As we take the time to feel and know our Oneness, we grow in compassion, empathy, and understanding. We come to understand that every thought, word, and action matters. And we take care…we become more mindful with each passing day.
This month, our contemplations are centered in Living Buddha, Living Christ, and this morning we reflect on The Middle Path.
The Middle Way is a Buddhist teaching that may be interpreted by the average person as the path between the two extremes of Asceticism and Indulgence….a mid-point on a continuum between a complete lack of material attachment and the over-indulgence and obscene acquisition of material objects. And this is how it is most often described. But Reverend Helen Cummings, a Buddhist Monk at the Redding Zen Buddhist Priory, teaches that The Middle Way is more like a Koan… a puzzle that cannot be solved intellectually. She compares it to the middle verse of a Rumi poem called “A Great Wagon”:
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn’t make any sense.
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.
The idea of black or white, right, or wrong, good, or bad are human concepts, but beyond black or white is a space we don’t see….where there is no conflict…there is no right or wrong. We tend to look at every situation in our life as good or bad. Our dualistic way of thinking puts everything and everyone in a box with a neat, little label. This way of separating people and things may make us feel like we have everything figured out and that we are “safe,” but this mental division is at the root cause of our inner and outer conflicts. In Rumi’s field, there are no labels or judgements.
We experience absolute connectedness to, and Oneness with everything and everyone. As he writes, “even the phrase ‘each other’ doesn’t make any sense.”
The Middle Way is a place beyond the opposites…beyond the continuum.
Lucinda – Guided Meditation
If your eyes are not already closed, please close them if you are comfortable doing so. The middle path…the center point between two extremes…For Buddha, the middle path was between extreme asceticism on one hand… and sensual indulgence on the other…moderation…finding a balanced approach in various dimensions of life…including desires, emotions, relationships, and personal choice…It encompasses both external actions and internal mindsets… Sometimes, the center can seem veiled…hard to see…We can feel strongly pulled in one way or another…That is when we go to prayer and meditation…Think of an issue or situation that has been troubling you. In your mind, ask “What is my middle path through this situation?”
Silence – 4:00
Thank you, God, for the loving support I always receive from you…Thank you for the guidance in helping me to choose the best way through any situation so that everything turns out in the very highest and best interests of everyone involved. And thank you for gentle guidance and support regarding my health, my relationships, my own wellbeing. Thank you for helping me to keep my feet in moderation on my own path. Thank you for supporting me in staying in the moment so that I spend ever greater amounts of time experiencing the joy and wonder of Oneness.
Sherri – Spiritual Teacher Osho (ah-show) brings together the teachings of Buddha and Christ, teaching a direct and experiential approach to Spirituality. He says “The only way to understand Christ is to become a Christ. Never be a Christian- be a Christ! Never be a Buddhist – be a Buddha!” He teaches personal transformation and the transcending of traditional religious labels, creating a direct, personal experience and understanding of Spiritual Truths.
In this moment of silence, allow the Wisdom within you to bring forth religious or Spiritual labels that you are attached to. What would it look like…feel like…to release the grasp…to allow the Graceful flow of change to move through this area of your life?
Silence – 1 minute
Join me in Prayer…
There is ever and always One Life, forever giving of Itself as all of Creation.
I Am a perfect and intentional expression of that One Life.
Like Source, I Am Eternal…unchanging in my Divine Nature…
And in my human form, I am Impermanent…forever changing…as is the world around me.
In this Holy Moment, I look past all appearances to what I know to be True.
I know for myself, as I know for each one who reaches out for prayer, that the nature of Life is Goodness…Wholeness.
All life forms have the inherent capacity for healing. Setting aside my human perceptions, I sense the Presence of God at work.
I call forth the Power, Intelligence, and Grace of God and allow it to move freely through the lives of each one of us.
Bodies are Healed…minds and hearts are Peaceful…relationships are Graceful and Loving. Wholeness prevails.
Every being finds right livelihood and is supported abundantly…Thriving prevails.
Each one knows Balance between activity and rest and is blessed with activities that nurture the soul and feed the spirit. Harmony prevails.
I bring myself back again and again, mindfully attending to what is before me.
I trust the process, letting go of attachment to outcomes.
In deep faith that all are Guided and Guarded by the Divine Hand, I trust in Divine Order, Timing, and Wisdom. I release any and all doubt, knowing that by whatever apparent outcome, all is unfolding Perfectly for the Good of All. Everything that unfolds from this moment forward IS answered prayer. I take a moment now to feel the Power and Presence.
Deeply grateful, I release…l let it be. So be it. Amen!
Musical Meditation – Hallelujah, written by Leonard Cohen, performed by Neil Diamond
https://youtu.be/xg9osCVIZ58?si=n8IRgNQKp1tsCDY6
I invite you to Come back into the awareness of your body…notice the atmosphere in the room, and when you feel ready, gently opening your eyes and allowing your gaze to take in whatever is before you.
Feel free to look around and say good morning to everyone who is here celebrating with you this morning.
This is your Spiritual Family…one of your support systems. These are some of the people who care about you and are there for.
Sherri – Love Offering
As we close our Taizé Meditation, we offer the opportunity for you to share your financial good in support of the work we do in the world. If you’re joining us online, you can find a Donate Button and our mailing address at mysticheart.org. We thank you in advance for your gifts. We acknowledge and give thanks for the infinite abundance of Spirit. We are Living in the Overflow!
Offertory Music Video – I Am, I Said, by Neil Diamond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TYesac3Hmw
Sherri – Blessing for the Offering
Feel free to grab a cup of something warm next door and meet us back at 10:30 for a Conscious Conversation. We’ll bless you on your way with
Rev. Diana & Chris Johnson – Closing Song
A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson
Conscious Conversation
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Sherri – Good morning… and welcome, or welcome back…and welcome to those joining online. If you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Sherri Dotter, and I am a credentialed Professional Prayer Practitioner for Mystic Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Independent Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. We open our doors in welcome, trusting that you will be led to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart.
Rev. Diana & Chris Johnson – Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
- Metta Prayer, written by Tienne Beaulieu
Join me in our weekly ritual. Ritual, especially a prayer and visioning ritual, is so powerful. We don’t see the immediate impact we are having, but we know absolutely that we’re making a difference in the imaginal, setting a new Cause in motion. So let’s take a creative journey…calling upon the full power of both mind and heart…engaging the body…and joining with one another in the imaginal realm, in service to the creation of a Love-Soaked World.
See and feel with me now, a world in which all inhabitants of this planet live from our Highest Potential… Kindness, Generosity, and Compassion… Peace…Cooperation.
In this new world, all people honor and care for one another, for all of the life forms that share this beautiful planet with us, and for Mother Earth Herself.
We remember that we are connected to all of Life… that we are dependent on the planet to sustain us, and on one another.
By aligning our every thought, word, and action with our vision, we are creating a world in which all people are well-fed… have the safety and comfort of home and a deep sense of purpose and belonging. A world in which health, education, and healthy relationships are supported by social systems grounded in Integrity, Compassion and Wholeness.
Valuing every being for its uniqueness… we practice living truly Authentic lives where vulnerability is celebrated… there is no need to defend or protect. The work we are doing within ourselves shows up as a world free of hatred and violence.
We recognize the abundance that surrounds us… greed is a thing of the past, as generosity flows freely in every direction, and all beings gratefully receive all that is needed to live physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually fulfilling lives.
The planet and its beings thrive like never before as we learn to recognize the sacred in everyone and everything… and we walk in reverence and gratitude for all that we have been given.
We maintain this Vision day by day, moment by moment; we align our actions with our Vision, living these changes first in our own lives, with our families, friends, and neighbors… and one neighborhood, one community at a time, a new world is being born. In this process of profound change, this Beloved Community stands as an open and welcoming place for all who seek support, belonging, Family.
By the power of our deep faith and inspired action, this prayer is acted upon, answered even as it is spoken, for Spirit knows our heart’s desire and intent. In full expectation of its Graceful unfolding…we release our prayer to the Creative Power and Intelligence that I call God… to the One that 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…look around to say good morning to your Spiritual Family.
Our theme this month is Living Buddha, Living Christ, and the topic of Conversation today is The Middle Path.
Buddha and Christ taught parallel ideas on suffering and salvation. Buddha brought profound insight as to the nature of suffering while Christ brought the path to salvation and an over-arching concept of Divine Love. Both of these great teachers provided a framework for understanding the human condition and offering solutions for transcending it.
Buddha presents the Four Noble Truths:
In Sutra of the Four Noble Truths, Buddha says:
You should know sufferings. (Life consists of suffering. If we want to liberate ourselves from future suffering in future lives, we should not waste this precious human life.)
You should abandon origins. (The origin of suffering being desire and attachment.)
You should attain cessations. (Refrain from or cease from that which causes confusion and suffering.)
You should practice the path. (The path of higher moral discipline, ethical living, and higher wisdom. This leads to permanent liberation from the sufferings of this life and future lives.)
These instructions are known as the “four noble truths.” They are called “noble truths” because they are superior and non-deceptive instructions.
Jesus Christ teaches salvation and Divine Love. He teaches that salvation is a Gift from God. Salvation can simply mean preserved or delivered from harm, ruin, or loss. Freed from mistaken beliefs about oneself or the world. There is an unconditional love of God for Humanity. Through his parables such as The Prodigal Son and sermons such as The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches the concepts of mercy, forgiveness, and a personal, transformational relationship with God and Eternal Life.
Both Buddha and Jesus taught ways to end human suffering. Buddha through the cessation of desire and Jesus through the transformative relationship with God…Both liberating the individual from the bounds of pain and suffering.
During this morning’s Taizé, we reflected on The Middle Way, a Buddhist teaching that the average person may be familiar with. I assumed that it was the path between the two extremes of Asceticism and Indulgence….a mid-point on a continuum between a complete lack of material attachment and the over-indulgence and obscene acquisition of material objects. And this is exactly how most resources describe it. But for me the contemplation of Living Buddha, Living Christ suggested someone actually living the Spiritual Principles so what better way to do that than go hang out with the Buddhists. Gary Solberg introduced me to Reverend Helen, a Buddhist Monk, at the Redding Zen Buddhist Priory. Reverend Helen teaches that The Middle Way is more like a Koan. The meaning of a Koan (Koh-on) being like a puzzle that cannot be solved intellectually. She said that it is more like the Rumi poem called “A Great Wagon,” and I will read the 1st part of the middle verse
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn’t make any sense.
How do you interpret what he is saying?
The idea of black or white, right or wrong, good or bad are human concepts, but beyond black or white is a space we don’t see….where there is no conflict…there is no right or wrong. We tend to look at every situation in our life as good or bad. Our dualistic way of thinking put everything and everyone in a box with a neat, little label. This way of separating people and things may make us feel like we have everything figured out and that we are “safe,” but this mental division is at the root cause of our inner and outer conflicts. In Rumi’s field, there are no labels or judgements. We experience absolute connectedness and Oneness to everything and everyone. As he writes, “even the phrase ‘each other’ doesn’t make any sense.”
Reverend Helen says The Middle Way is a place beyond the opposites…beyond the continuum.
The next verse of the poem reads:
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.
What is coming up for you here? How would you interpret this verse?
We have moments of Spiritual Awakening or awareness of the Divine Presence but then fall asleep again.
Giving you own interpretation, what Spiritual Principles or Truths may he be pointing to?
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. (Nature is Divine Substance.)
You must ask for what you really want. (“Ask and you shall receive.” Law of Reciprocity. What you put out, returns to you.)
People are going back and forth across the doorsill (The Spiritual or Reality versus the material world)
where the two worlds touch. (There’s really not a hard division. It’s like an open window.)
The door is round and open. (God awaits our acceptance of it.)
Also during Taizé, we spoke about a Spiritual teacher Osho (ah-show) who brings together the teachings of Buddha and Christ. He teaches a direct and experiential approach to Spirituality. He says “The only way to understand Christ is to become a Christ. Never be a Christian- be a Christ! Never be a Buddhist – be a Buddha!”
What do you think of this quote? What do you think he is saying?
As you may have concluded, he teaches personal transformation over religious identification. The important thing is being able to transcend traditional religious labels and create a direct, personal understanding of Spiritual Truths.
Do you agree?
Is there anything else that wants to be spoken before we close in prayer?
Let’s pray…
Let’s move into the heart space…deeper and deeper inward…
Allow yourself to return to the Truth about you…
To your Divine Center, your True Nature…
At the heart of all that is…One Source…One Life…One…
Forever Loving, forever giving of Their Infinite Nature
Becoming all of creation, experiencing Life as me, as you, as all that has ever existed and all that will ever be.
I Am, You Are, created in the image and likeness of Source…
Pure, unblemished, Whole and Complete…
Take a moment to feel and know your own Divinity.
The physical world is fleeting, and we are privileged and grateful to be a part of it.
It is ours to make this experience as beautiful and joyous as possible for ourselves and all who cross our paths.
We accept this Call today.
We give thanks for this beautiful day, and all of the blessings that are constantly showered down upon us, and around us.
We give thanks for the opportunity to gather with our chosen family in celebration and communion with God.
We give thanks for this amazing life, with all that it brings…those things that are graceful, easy, and beautiful…and those circumstances that grow us in patience, resilience, character, and Love.
From this place of gratitude, and in faith that my prayer is answered even before it is spoken, I release it now to the Loving and Lawful Presence that I call God. It is done…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.
Sherri – Love Offering
I 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 budget and plan for our growth.
Offertory Music Video: Holly Holy, by Neil Diamond
Lucinda – Blessing for the Offering
Lucinda – Invitations
- The Mystic Heart Book Club is meeting on Tuesdays from 3-5 pm. We are enjoying great discussions as we read Conversations With God, Book 1. Contact Chris Netto or Michael for more information.
- Fast Track to Wellness will gather this week on Thursday from 12 – 2 pm. We’ll be splitting our time between Dr. Joe Dispenza’s Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself and Food as Medicine. Donations are appreciated.
Mark Your Calendars…
- Metaphysical Bible Study will return on Thursday, August 22nd from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. Join Prayer Practitioner Chris Johnson for a metaphysical romp through the book of Revelation!
There is more information available in the July Bulletin and online.
Information Cards if new people
Prayer Requests: I am available after service for prayer, or fill out a prayer card and I will get your request to our Prayer Team for daily prayer – We invite everyone to help us make a private space for prayer here in the Sanctuary by joining us next door for lunch
Rev. Diana & Chris Johnson – Closing Song
- Love Be With You, written by Lainey Bernstein, RScP & Gary Lynn Floyd
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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.