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Community of The Mystic Heart

Dedicated to spiritual life practice, selfless service and advancement of the interspiritual message

Brother Wayne envisioned this association as "The Universal Order of Sannyasa" in The Mystic Heart (p. 248).  It  was launched in 2010 by ISDnA in association with the Order of Universal Interfaith and the World Council of Interfaith Congregations and subsequently became the Community of The Mystic Heart

to inquire about joining email the current Administrator:  kurtjohnsonisd@yahoo.com or go online at www.ouni.org 

for information about Kinds of Membership see CMH Structure HERE

 Community of The Mystic Heart

Vision:   The Community of The Mystic Heart is dedicated to the realization of a new civilization grounded in and acting from the contemplative, compassionate and loving heart.  “Such a universal society will draw its inspiration from perennial spiritual and moral insights, intuitions, and experiences.”(Teasdale, The Mystic Heart, p.5) 

Mission:   We seek to help each other grow and deepen in the spiritual life and to be a prophetic voice for the emergence of a more just, sustainable and peaceful world.  We nurture the continuing refinement and advancement of the Interspiritual message brought forth by Brother Wayne Teasdale and his teachers and we encourage each other in living out our vows to actualize the Mystic Heart, in service to the One, in which is included all of creation.  “The Mystic Heart, in its maturity, reflects the essential elements, gifts, and genius of all the traditions of spiritual wisdom: an actual moral capacity, solidarity with all living beings, deep nonviolence, humility, spiritual practice, mature self-knowledge, simplicity of life, selfless service and compassionate action, and the prophetic voice.” (Teasdale, The Mystic Heart, p. 244). 

The Community of The Mystic Heart offers a welcoming space for mystics and contemplatives of all faith traditions, or none - free of divisive doctrinal differences - to practice, to dialogue, to deepen, to expand, and to seek the commonality, while respecting the diversity, of the world’s great mystical teachings.  We practice Interspirituality, defined by Brother Wayne as the sharing of ultimate experiences, spiritual insights, spiritual practices and resources across traditions, and we collaborate with other organizations in projects and initiatives that are congruent with our mission.

Culture:   [Draft:   The statement below is still being developed by the Leadership Circles of CMH]

We observe already, because of interest "far and wide" in our venture, an evolution toward inviting various communities, networks, and interfaith institutions (both where community members now are located, or propose to be located) to join us in this experiment by establishing local and regional chapters consistent with the existing "cultures" of those communities, networks, interfaith institutions etc. 
 
Then, we vision, the community as a whole can take the responsibility, as we grow together, to evolve an appropriate "meta-Culture".   We see this direction because (1) people need to be free to join this experiment in a way meaningful and comfortable for them and (2) then, together, we can 'co-discover' how we create the unity in this diversity.
 
We acknowledge that typically a group, like an individual, has a conscious experience and an unconcscious component. Our intention at CMH is to be conscious about ourselves and to provide space throughout to allow our consciousness to be ever deepened.    Accordingly, we share these preliminary statements at this time:

 
1.   A self-aware organization so that the culture is ever being reviewed,
explored, and uncovered
 
2.  More than tolerant, we acknowledge and explore areas of conflict and
friction as areas rich in learning and growth
 
3.  We allow space in all group interactions to expand our understanding of our
group unconcscious and hence our culture
 
4.  We include ourselves as part of the whole and treat each member with respect
 
5.  Our culture is one of inclusivity in all aspects of our self-expression
 
6.  Throughout we aim to keep it simple and keep it light!

Brief History and Timeline

The "Universal Order of Sannyasa" was envisioned by Brother Wayne Teasdale on pages 248-250 of his classic book The Mystic Heart:  Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World's Religions.  He suggested it as a basic "institution" or "structure" to help carry and express The InterSpiritual Age. 

Bro. Wayne saw the initial founding of an "association" around his interspiritual vision (InterSpiritual Dialogue founded with Brother Wayne in 2002, later becoming InterSpiritual Dialogue in Action after his transition in 2005) as a first step in that direction.  But he always saw the "Sannyasi", the renunciates who could dedicate themselves to the 24/7 task of the evolving interspiritual message, as the vanguard of this movement. 

The founding of the Universal Order of Sannyasa (subsequently becoming the Community of The Mystic Heart) finally came about in 2010 advancing the following timeline of the Wayne-related work.

2002:    InterSpiritual Dialogue (ISD) founded with Brother Wayne

2004:    Program of ISD at Parliament of the World's Religions in Barcelona, Spain

2005:   Tribute Event to Brother Wayne at The Crossings (Austin, Texas); ISDnA founded, www.isdna.org website established

2007:    2nd "Common Ground" event at The Crossings

2008:    ISDnA partners with a New York interfaith seminary, One Spirit Interfaith Seminary and Learning Alliance, to found Wayne-based education program

2009:   Joint ISDnA/World Council of Interfaith Congregations presentation at Parliament of the World's Religions in Melbourne, Australia:   "The Call to Interfaith MInistry"

2010:   ISDnA launches "InterSpiritual Multiplex" website with strategic partners and founds Universal Order of Sannyasa (subsequently becoming the Community of The Mystic Heart) in partnership with the Order of Universal Interfaith and the World Council of Interfaith Congregations

Dr. Kurt Johnson reading "Words of Bro. Wayne" at CMH Founding; left, Rev. Jean Leone, Secretary-General of Order of Universal Interfaith

Gathering of CMH Founders, Rev. Tim Miner (Secretary, World Council of Interfaith Congregations) extending welcome; All Souls Unitarian Church, Washington, D.C. site of the Founding and Consecration ceremonies; Gathering of CMH Founders, Rev. Jean Leone (OUnI) presenting Opening Readings.

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Community of The Mystic Heart Leadership Circles

“Planning Circle” of CMH Founders

Left to right:  Ellen Friedman (TX), Kurt Johnson (NY), Timothy Miner (DC), T. S. Pennington (NC), Dorothy Cunha (NY), Janet Quinn (CO), Jean Leone (NJ)

New Leadership Circle inducted June 20, 2010 

Tim Miner, Jean Leone, Kurt Johnson, Dorothy Cunha, Ellen Friedman, T. S. Pennington, Loch Kelly, Diane Berke, Ernest Wachter, Diane Finlayson, Rory McEntee, Nita Renfrew, Patricia Selmo, Deanne Quarrie, Katherine O’Connell, Katherine McDowell, Janet Quinn (emeritus)

Non-Member and Member Advisory Council

Ken Wilber, Andrew Harvey, Swami Parameshananda, Swami Vidyananda, Swami Ramananda, Lama Surya Das, Fr. Thomas Keating, Pir Zia Inayat-Khan, H. H. Sai Maa Lakshimi Devi, Ashok Gangadean, Nina Meyerhof, J. J. and Desiree Hurtak, Ken "Bear Hawk" Cohen, Philip Hellmich, Terry Patten, Philip Goldberg, Grace Sesma, Lucinda Vardey, Miranda MacPherson