What Are You Really Praying For?
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Lucinda Alton, RScP, with Chris Netto, RScP
Sorry, no video recording this week.
Taizé
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Chris N – Opening Prayer
Lucinda – Welcome…if you’re new with us here this morning, my name is Lucinda Alton, and I am a Prayer Practitioner here at Mystical Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. It is my prayer that you will hear something this morning that leads you to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart.
I invite you to take a deep breath, relax and settle in …feel and know the Wholeness, the Completeness, of this moment as you allow yourself to be carried by the soft tones of Taizé…joining voices, we let the music take us deeper…
Congregation – Taizé Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- When I Pray, written by Daniel Nahmod
Lucinda – Right here, right now…right where I Am, I breathe…knowing that the breath connects me to all of Life…that the breath, in its own way, is a prayer…an intimate Connection between me and the Source of my life, the Source of all Life…I take a moment to breathe and feel my Connection with All That Is…to honor the connection with our global family…
Envision with me now a vast web that surrounds and infuses the planet… call the Infinite Intelligence…Divine Knowing…Spirit. See yourself as a Spark in that web…feel your Oneness with all in the web…every human, every creature, every plant, shining the One Light, from the One Source…
…the rocks and minerals, water and wind, stars and planets…enlivened by the Light of Spirit.
As we acknowledge our Oneness with all that is, we are empowered…there is strength in connection…there is freedom in knowing we are not alone…in belonging to something bigger than ourselves…in belonging with a Community. Each of us fills a particular space in this Community…and in the world…not one of us can take the place of another…and the connection is enriched with the addition new person…We feel this deeply when one is absent.
As we recognize our Unity, we come to realize that our collective Practice is powerful and creative…it leaves an imprint on human evolution and on the Whole, for all time. In this Holy Moment, we set an intention that this imprint be one of Welcoming, of Love, Compassion, Kindness, Generosity, and Peace.
The theme for this month is Living a Life of Prayer and the flow of Taizé this morning invites us to contemplate What Are You Really Praying For? This might sound like a fairly simple question. But there are many ways and reasons for prayer: we wish to manifest something such as a new car or a new house, we pray for healing for ourselves and loved ones, we are having some kind of relationship issue…the list goes on. I was stunned when my mentor for Practitioner training told me that I didn’t need to have some kind of wish or issue to pray – I could pray out of gratitude for of the blessings in my life. Prayer Practitioners and reverends pray for others.
There are probably as many ways to pray as there are people who pray. Dr. Edward Viljoen (Vil Yoon) has a series of videos on YouTube where he talks about affirmative prayer – the steps and the reasons for the steps. He had a lot of interesting points but, one of the ones that stands out for me the most was when he talked about meditating before we pray. Since I began to meditate first, I have often found that my reason for prayer often becomes much clearer, sometimes to the point of not resembling my original reason at all.
But what about times when we aren’t formally praying? The first two steps of formal prayer are: God is and I am. Recognition and unification. The first step recognizes what God is and the second unites with that. The energy of God flows through me as me. But in the course of our daily lives, how many times do we stop to remind ourselves of that? How many times do we stop and remind ourselves that God is always listening to what we say? We pray for something and then we are talking to a friend and say something like, “With my luck I’ll probably…” or similar phrasing. Words are powerful and so are the emotions that can sometimes accompany those words. The spiritual truth is that God always says yes. This would also include the thoughts sometimes that can flit through your mind almost unnoticed.
Chris N – Guided Meditation
Please feel free to close your eyes if they are not already closed….Take a deep breath in…and let it out. Breathe in peace…and breathe out joy. Feel yourself relaxing…Let the chair take your weight…Think of an issue where you are feeling discomfort….What is making you uncomfortable?…What will you pray for?…Is it possible that there is an underlying issue that you have not considered?…What more might you need to know?…Take a few minutes to listen for any answers.
Silence – 3:00
Answers can come in a variety of ways…During the following week, pay attention for any answers that may not have come today…God always answers, but the answers aren’t always direct.
Musical Meditation – God Is I Am, by Eddie Watkins Jr.
Lucinda – Greg Braden recommends that we pray with feelings. In his book Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer, he speaks of a trip he took to New Mexico. While there, a friend of his invited him to “pray rain.” When Greg spoke of praying for rain, his friend said, “when we ask for something to happen, we give power to what we do not have. Prayers for healing empower the sickness. Prayers for rain empower the drought. “Continuing to ask for these things only gives more power to the things that we would like to change,” he said. When asked how he prayed rain, the friend said, “I began to have the feeling of what rain feels like. I felt the feeling of rain on my body, and what it feels like to stand with my naked feet in the mud of our village plaza because there has been so much rain. I smelled the smells of rain on the earthen walls in our village and felt what it feels like to walk through fields of corn chest high because there has been so much rain.” He put his energy into a positive outcome for his village,
Just a quick thought though – it might be wise to keep this in mind in times when fear tries to come in and we begin to worry. It can be easy to put our energy into seeing a not so positive outcome. This is a good time to take our concern to God in prayer.
Closing Prayer – Please join me in the August Community prayer.
In the newness of this summer morning, I take a deep breath in and slowly release it. The air is still cool, and the sounds of nature fill the air as birds sing to one another. My heart is open and peaceful. This is God at work. I love this time of day, when I can spend time experiencing the abundance of Spirit’s blessings in a personal way. Knowing that in God, there is no lack, I give thanks for my many blessings.
I know that dis-ease is an appearance – evidence of separation between myself and my God Source. I close my eyes and feel the energy of my Source flowing through me. I love the phrase, “We are all made of star dust.” But sometimes, in the busyness of my day, it is easy to forget that we are also all made of God Stuff. I allow radiant health and wholeness to flow through my mind and body as I release any appearance of disease. Vibrant health is mine.
As I look through my finances, I am deeply grateful that I am lovingly supported. I have sufficient funds to meet my own needs and to share.
I am deeply grateful for a sense of purpose in my life. I close my eyes and listen and know what is mine to do today. I know that there is a plan – an order in which things happen. I have no need to know everything. Just knowing that everything is happening exactly as it is meant to and being happy with that is all I need. That is faith.
I am so deeply grateful for the family of my heart. The people in my life are there by loving choice – theirs and mine. I love and support and I am loved and supported. Everything is happening in the highest and greatest good and all is well.
Speaking my word into law and knowing that it is done, I say thank you, Father, Mother, God…And so it is…Amen
Love Offering – As we close Taizé, we offer the opportunity for you to share of your financial good in support of the work we do. We are an independent, self-sustaining organization, so we depend on your generous gifts of support. If you have found value in our time together this morning, share the Love.
Offertory Video – I Am the Place Where God Shows Up, by Eddie Watkins Jr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-fRNzTeNWk
Lucinda – Blessing for the Offering
Feel free to grab a cup of something warm in the coffee room and meet us back at 10:30 for a Conscious Conversation. And if you are leaving, thank you for being here. We’ll bless you on your way with a song.
Congregation – Closing Song
- A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson
Conscious Conversation
Chris N – Opening Prayer
Lucinda – Good morning and welcome, or welcome back…welcome to those joining online. If you’re new with us here this morning… my name is Lucinda Alton, and I am a Prayer Practitioner here at Mystic Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Independent Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality. We welcome you home to our Gathering Place. My prayer is that you’ll hear something here today that points you to the Guidance and Wisdom of your own Mystic Heart.
Before we move into Conscious Conversation, let’s join our voices in musical celebration.
Congregation – Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
- We Let It Be, written by Rickie Byars
Lucinda – Let’s keep that Powerful Energy going and growing as we join in the Sacred Practice of envisioning a Love-Soaked World.
We enter the imaginal realm together, finding ourselves in a world where all humans are living from their deepest Wisdom and Generosity…their most Loving nature…thoughtful of the impact their thoughts, words, and actions have on one another, on the community, and on the planet…
This is a world without greed…where there is abundance in having enough…where all needs are met gracefully and easily…where nutritious food, clean water, and pure, sweet air are readily available to all, no matter where you live or which family you’re born into…
…where warm, comfortable, and affordable housing is a given…where all beings feel a sense of safety, belonging, and contribution…where mental/physical health, education, and healthy relationships are ensured by social systems grounded in Integrity, honesty, and Wholeness…
A world where children are celebrated as the unique individuals that they are. Where, from a young age, they are encouraged and guided to make choices based on their own preferences. A world where children aren’t taught what to think and how to act, but instead are encouraged to explore all information available and make informed choices.
We live in a world where all beings work and play at whatever feeds their soul and are well compensated for their Service…all are valued and respected for their inherent Goodness. Authenticity and vulnerability are not only welcomed but celebrated. The Peace we cultivate within ourselves shows up as a world free of violence, hatred, or indifference. The Love that we are here to share is given freely to whomever our hearts are called to love. 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, powerful imagining, and inspired action, we have undergone an amazing transformation…we are living in a world that works for all beings. Giving no power to appearances, we live according to our highest aspirations…we do not lower our Vision no matter what the world may say. We are at Peace with our families, friends, neighbors, and other nations.
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, as we are Guided to the Truth that lies within every heart.
Giving thanks for the Beauty of our world and trusting that a prayer spoken and deeply felt is a prayer answered, my Word is acted upon here and now. In full Acceptance and great Joy, and with the deepest humility, I release this Prayer 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…
…look around to say good morning to your Spiritual Family. Take a moment to really see one another. We never know if this will be the last time.
If you were here for Taizé this morning, you’ll recall our contemplations…we reflected on What Are You Really Praying For?.
We touched on Edward Viljoen’s idea the power of meditating before praying and how that can help bring what we want to pray for into sharper focus.
And we touched on how we can accidentally sabotage ourselves by praying for something and then talking about the opposite outcome.
And we touched on Greg Braden’s words from Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer concerning the difference between praying for something as opposed to praying with feeling. His example being praying rain vs praying for rain.
Right now, I would like talk about the idea of sabotaging ourselves when we pray. I’ve talked before about wrecking my car, so I won’t go into a lot of detail here. Several years ago, Bob wanted to buy a new car, but I didn’t want to spend the money, especially if it meant payments. We had this discussion a few times, with me saying that as long as I could drive it, I wasn’t giving my car up.
At the same time, I kept thinking about how a new sound system with better speakers might be nice. Finally, I was driving to the doctor one morning and the steering wheel locked up on me. All of a sudden, I needed a new car. How could I have handled things better? Looking for ideas around praying for a new car that satisfied my criteria.
I would also like to expand on Greg Braden’s words on Prayer. His friend talked about how praying for things: “when we ask for something to happen, we give power to what we do not have. Prayers for healing empower the sickness. Prayers for rain empower the drought. “Continuing to ask for these things only gives more power to the things that we would like to change” What are you guys thoughts on this?
When asked how he prayed rain, the friend said, “I began to have the feeling of what rain feels like. I felt the feeling of rain on my body, and what it feels like to stand with my naked feet in the mud of our village plaza because there has been so much rain. I smelled the smells of rain on the earthen walls in our village and felt what it feels like to walk through fields of corn chest high because there has been so much rain.” What do you guys think? Maybe touching on vision boards and similar activities.
Along the same lines as praying with feeling, we need to remember that this method can unintentionally be used in a way that might not have the highest outcome. When we allow fear in, we can begin to picture an outcome that is not in the highest outcome for us or others. How might we change those thoughts?
Closing Prayer
Love Offering
As we close our time in Conversation, we offer the opportunity for you to share of your financial good in support of the work we do. We are an independent, self-sustaining organization, so we depend on your generous gifts of support. If you have found value in our time together this morning, share the Love.
If you’re joining us online, you can find a Donate Button or our mailing address, if you prefer to write a check, at mysticheart.org. And we thank you in advance for your gifts.
Offertory Video: Please enjoy Nimo Patel with Daniel Nahmod
Chris N – Blessing for the Offering
Chris N – Invitations
- The Mystic Heart Book Club meets every Tuesday from 3-5 We are completing the reading A Politics of Love by Marianne Williamson. The next book, beginning September 9th, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It weaves together Indigenous Wisdom, Ecology, and Spirituality into a rich and beautiful memoir.
Looking Ahead…save the date:
New classes begin the week of September 9th.
- On Tuesdays, the Book Club with Michael Bordeaux and Chris Netto is beginning Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
- On Wednesdays, Chris begins his study of the Bhagavad Gita, and Rev. Diana begins Science and Spirit: A Study in Consciousness.
- On Thursdays, Fast Track to Wellness will continue, and Rev. Diana begins her Shadow and Story Class.
There is more information available in the August Bulletin and online at Mystic Heart.org.
Information Cards if new people
Prayer Requests: I am available after service for prayer, in the Practitioner Prayer room or if you like, fill out a prayer card and I will get your request to our Prayer Team for daily prayer.
Congregation – 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.