1987-10-01-Study Hurdles to Overcome, Strengths
Heading
Topic: Study Hurdles to Overcome, Stengths
Group: New Zealand TeaM
Facilitators
Teacher: Abraham
TR: Babs
Session
Opening
Ch. Opening prayer.
Teacher: I am Abraham, I am your teacher.
All Good evening Abraham.
Teacher: Greetings. Then, in turn you shall speak. Selina. You shall commence.
Selina (Laughing,) Tommas said you would do this.
Teacher: He did?
Yes, he did (still laughing, can't get myself together)
Dialogue
Well. I wrote down the things I thought were my hurdles and studied them, and for those that weren’t here last week, I felt my hurdles were pride, lack of self confidence and guilt feelings. Abraham tells me that I take responsibility for others and from others, and I mustn’t do this. I have to release these guilt feelings, and I have written down that they were senseless self blame, it was senseless hurt to self, and senseless pain, a burden that I must now cast aside, and look forward from now on. . But I. feel that it has all been a learning process, as we have been told before, nothing is ever lost or wasted. All the experiences that have taught me sadness and joy, compassion, love, pride etc etc and I am now learning about tolerance, peace, calmness, and hopefully about Universal, Godly love.
Teacher: You have removed your barriers
"Yes, I think so, well if I haven’t removed it, I've certainly come to terms with it, I am a lot more comfortable with it. I think it's all but removed.
Teacher: Yes. Do not be surprised if at times your barrier re-appears.
"In the re-appearing, is that me slipping back or
Teacher: Not at all.
"Me being tested
Teacher: It is a normal pattern of growth. At times also it is of a comfort to retrieve the barriers, you are used to this barrier, so there may be comfort because it is a known barrier, so do not be concerned if this occurs.
"Hopefully I'll move on, more than I’ll slip back.
Teacher: Yes.
Korde - I've thought further this week, and I have another barrier and that is that, I'm very black and white, and if I find that somebody has told me a lie, I find it very, hard to trust that person again, and I am trying to overcome this barrier also.
Teacher: You must find the balance for yourself. Yes. It may assist for you to discern the reason for a person who does not speak truth to you. This may assist for you finding the balance point, yes.
Melda I thought a lot about what you said about my using words rather than my heart, and I thought back into the past to times when I had been vulnerable and realised that I used words to cover up. I got a clean sack, and I looked at all the words I have collected, and I put them into two piles. Things I had cut out of magazines, things that I had kept because they seemed very well put, and I sorted them into one pile of things that I had read and not remembered, and others into a pile that had read and remembered, and I decided that the ones I hadn’t remembered were not real worth keeping, so I put them in the sack, Then I looked at the other pile, and thought, if I have remembered them, I don't really need to keep them, so I put them in the sack too, it's just been a week of sorting things out.
Teacher: And you are feeling?
"Much happier.
Teacher: Good.
"I think I can allow myself to be more vulnerable.
Teacher: Yes, There shall be times when you shall need words Melda, do not entirely refuse yourself the pleasure of words, yes?
Dominica: I said last week my barrier was fear of failure, fear of failing myself, and I think I have accepted a little bit more the things I have done and been satisfied, and I was thinking I don' t want to fail myself, and I was thinking of the goals I set for this class. Like finding the stillness getting an answer back from Mary, and having proof of astral travel, and I have done all those and had a communication from my Nanna, so I haven’t failed myself after all, so that has given me more confidence.
Teacher: Yes and you can put this knowledge of your achievement into practice in your everyday life busyness, yes. And you are feeling?
"I don't know how I am feeling as this has only just occurred to me, Mum sparked it off, she said, where have you actually failed? And I haven’t really so much, it's just I'm afraid of doing, I think.
Teacher: So you have achieved recognition of your self, yes.
Bryoni I have several barriers, one lacking of faith for the future, I don’t really expect good things are going to happen to me.
Teacher: In your future
"Yes, probably a lack of faith full stop. And other one I've had for the past few months is a, barrier of fear, and I don't really trust my intuition. I don't trust it at all really. There was a discussion on this one night, about how you could, tell whether things were the right things to do because of your intuition, the first thing that comes to you, you do that, but I just don’t trust that, probably because in the past I have done things and I have done the wrong things, it hasn’t worked out
Teacher: You have one barrier. LACK OF TRUST IN SELF; LACK OF FAlTH IN SELF; FEAR IN SELF -
is all one barrier. Your barrier Bryoni, is YOUR SELF. You may think on my words, it may assist you to see clearly your self, and we shall discuss this when the others have spoken.
Belinda My most important barrier is, the reason why I remain silent and don’t say much, is, in group situations, I suppose its what I have to say, I really like it to be the truth, so if I don't say anything, I’m not sure if it is the truth or not,
Teacher: Yes. Your barrier is also YOUR SELF. LACK OF TRUST OF YOUR SELF, yes.?, yes, we shall speak of this when the others have spoken.
Tommas In the past week I have not been in a situation where there is silence, where I normally feel embarrassment, though the night is still young. I went through emotions, love, hate, joy, sadness, compassion, jealousy, loneliness frustration, anger, calm, fear, tolerance, embarrassment, which is what emotions I feel I am made up of, I ticked the ones I feel I’ve experienced here, which is love, joy, compassion, frustration, calm, fear, and embarrassment I feel I am coping with those and I feel calm, and I feel good, but then I find something will trigger hate, like a news item the other day, where somebody had thrown a puppy out of a car window, and I just feel that all these good feelings have just been pushed aside by the hate I feel for the person that did that, and I feel so annoyed with myself, because there is nothing that I can do about it, I think I have control of myself, only to find that I haven’t.
Teacher: I speak to you. From this you should examine the first feeling you experience on seeing this item, not hatred, that was the result of your original feeling. What was this?
Love.
Teacher: For?
"The animal
Teacher: Correct. So I say this to you, feed yourself on the original feeling and starve yourself of the resulting feeling, yes you should find this to be of benefit in such situations, Tommas.
Ch. - I have realised in the last week, that I am thinking, that the realization is yesterday affects today, and therefore effects tomorrow and this ties in with my feelings that every barrier mentioned in this room, is also mine and by knowing those barriers and hearing them, I can work from here.
Teacher: You speak truth Charlemont, which I shall come to when the others have spoken, yes.
Mondaa I too have the same barrier of finite mind or infinite mind and I've been thinking over it quite a lot since our last meeting and you said I must find and join the infinite mind, which will give me the understanding . Do I find this in the stillness?
Teacher: You may. You are unsure?
"Yes.
Teacher: Yes, your finite mind is still your barrier, Mondaa. You are not understanding my words?
Yes, I am understanding your words. Do I seek more time in the stillness?
Teacher: You see, it appears you are using logic to gain access to the infinite mind, yes? Contemplate those words, understanding shall come. We shall discuss this, when the others have spoken.
Petta I've been much more at ease about the barrier that I said I had last week. I've thought on my feelings, and I'm able to accept the feelings, or the teachings that I had and incorporate them with your teachings without feeling wrong about it. And I think that's what I was mainly aiming for.
Teacher: Yes, correct. And you are feeling of comfort?
"Much more so, yes thank you, and I'm ready to go on I think.
Teacher: Good.
Martin I think, we've talked about my finite mind and I think at the moment my barrier was not, I was trying to force myself into thinking these things, I'm now not doing that at all, and I'm just waiting and just allowing it to flow normally, so at the moment I am not worrying at all, hopefully this will work through.
Teacher: Yes, be aware also, as with Melda and her words, do not cast away all thoughts Martinus. There is a medium point you must come to, yes. You see, be careful to stop your work, you are understanding, lf you stop your work, you shall receive little.
"Yes, I understand that.
Teacher: Good.
Clara I thought about my barriers, my hurdles. I do know that I have put a barrier around myself, built a wall around so that I don’t get hurt, don’t cry. I'm aware of this, and because I am aware, it's the barriers that I don't know about that worry me a bit more. I know we have all got barriers that we are not aware of.
Teacher: One at a time.
"So it's my barrier that I can't cry.
Teacher: Yes, in the releasing of a barrier, at times it can be too sudden, in a barrier such as yours, causing pain which is not good. You must examine for your self where from you have built your barrier, yes? It is for you to decide, if it is an important barrier for you and you must decide if it is affecting your learning, if it isn’t and it is a protection, then perhaps you may replace it with the protection, of light, yes
"Oh, yes:.. Yes. That, that’s a good feeling.
Teacher: Yes, you may think on these words, we shall discuss this.
Benjamin.
Benjamin Yes Abraham. My barrier with the finite mind. I can see a lot more clearly. I exalted that finite mind much more than I was aware and how much it then confused my recognition of the "I AM "in myself. So I feel I am much more open to that
Teacher: Yes ! ! !
"and accepting.
Teacher: So you are ready to speak?
"I am Benjamin
Teacher: yessss yes. I accept Benjamin.
Thank you,
Teacher: Then, you have each spoken of your barriers.
Each of you believing that yours was differing to the others. As Charlemont has noticed, you each share the same barriers, yes? Because you are human kind. You operate physically, mentally, emotionally and yes, spiritually, in much the same fashion. And although you each use differing words to describe your barriers, they are in fact, the same, your self, your logic mind, your fears, your mistrusts, yes. Your emotions.
Then you shall take your refreshment, I shall return, and we shall discuss. And you shall discuss the words I have speaked, each in turn
- TEA BREAK
Teacher: And you may begin Mondaa.
Md.Oh, Thank you Abraham ! ! ! (laughter)
Basically we all have the same sort of feelings, they are basically all running into the same thing, we all used different words as you said. We all still have this same hang up.
Teacher: Yes, You have had thoughts on this?
"Yes. I think quite a lot of the time. It's just coming to an ideal of how I am going to get to this infinite thinking.
Teacher:
Yes. I shall perhaps aid you all in your barrier, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & UNDERSTANDING OF BARRIERS is a method of releasing your self from such. Understanding the processes which are put into action. When ever your barrier is present, will help you to release your self. Yes? You are on a voyage of self discovery. In the contemplation of this, you may discover other barriers.
Treat your barriers to acknowledgement understanding Then each in turn shall speak, Mondaa, you have spoken. Continue.
Pt.I haven’t really got anything to add to the first barrier, but I have discovered another one and that is, that I have, a fear of letting people down. The word fear is probably too strong. I tend to be very much a perfectionist. Not quite in the same way as has been spoken of before. if I fail to contact people, and I feel that I should contact people, then I feel that l am letting them down, when, probably they could contact me, just as easily, but I sometimes think, that if that thought comes into my head, then maybe they have need of my contact, and that's where I feel, I perhaps let them down, might be a small thing but it can have quite a big feeling sometimes.
Teacher: So when you realise that you have not actioned a thought and feeling, what then?
Pt.I do my best to carry it out, then immediately I have the feeling of peace, but sometimes it isn’t always easy to carry it out at that time.
Teacher: And what of the person you have made contact with
"I have always found, I don’t know if this is what you mean, but I have always found joy in contacting the person, joy from them.
Teacher: Then, you re-dress the balance.
"It’s just a failure feeling, letting too much time pass sometimes.
Teacher: Yes. Another barrier shared by many, yes. What are your thoughts on discovering this?
"First thought that comes to mind is that I am probably being silly, in thinking as I do. In thinking that I am failing someone ease, or failing myself.
Teacher: You perhaps judge yourself too harshly.
"Maybe.
Teacher: Yes. You have other thoughts concerning this.
No, but it's quite nice to have spoken about it.
Teacher: Yes. Consider judgement of self. Yes. Who shall next speak?
Mt My thoughts go back to quite a while ago, & I couldn’t understand, it used to be said that we see in others what we have in our selves and at the time I couldn’t see myself as having certain faults that was in a nephew of mine, and you said that although we have the faults, we have accepted them and overcome them, and I feel this is the way, same way, with the barriers, that we've all got the same barriers, but some that we have accepted and therefore they aren’t so strong in our selves.
Teacher: Yes.
Clara you have considered
Cl. During the break, I realised another hurdle which I have faced before and got over it, it is the hurdle of being away from my family, and I get very unsettled & piggy when I get back, because I miss them. So it's another hurdle that I realise I have got to get over, and not be quite so bitchy about the fact that I have left them across the other side, there's a lot of other people worse off than me.
Teacher: Which is...guilt, yes.
"Yes, I suppose it is. Hadn’t thought of that.
Teacher: Yes. And you are of comfort
"Not yet, but I can work that one out.
Teacher: Yes I am certain of this.
These barriers you are discovering do not allow them to cause you hardship. Do not allow them to cause your emotions to overflow. Do not allow them to cause yourself, anger for self. Be of relaxation. Be of comfort, yes.
Who next shall speak?
Bj.I am . Benjamin. I feel pleased that I have taken another step forward. I felt a mixture of acute embarrassment for myself as well, that I hadn’t said, what I had said much earlier, I just wouldn’t see or wouldn’t let myself.
Teacher: You would not see your self, yes. It is of ease for human kind to be blind to them selves, yes. And you are of comfort?
"Yes, very much. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
Teacher: Yes.
"Ready to tackle the next barrier.
Teacher: Yes, and do not imagine, any of you, that you shall forever be free of barriers, when one is removed, you may find another. That is human kind. Yes. Who next shall speak?
S I am Selina. That is a very depressing thing you have just said, (laughter)
Teacher: Not so. Your barrier, Selina, do not seek negativity, where there is none.
"Well, I just feel like I am climbing that stepped pyramid again and not actually getting off the grass.
Teacher: Is not your physical journey one of an upward path?
" Yes
Teacher: Then do not concern yourself.Do not look for obstacles. I have said, do not be of concern if you find another barrier, it is of no concern, do not allow fear to rule you, yes?
"Yes, but I think I have found another barrier, and now I'm sure of it. If we are just going to get over one and then meet more.
Teacher: It is not an absolute, Selina, you are putting your self, in front of your self.
"The barrier I was going to mention was I think, one of my fears of not being loved for myself, perhaps it comes under insecurity.
Teacher: Who does not love you for your self?
"I think it goes back to my parents.
Teacher: Do you love you for your self?
"No. And I’ve said that here before.
Teacher: Then that
Do not look back.
"But sometimes the looking back helps to explain the present.
Teacher: Not of necessity. You see, at times in the looking back, you may become locked into your past. You are in your present time space and you look towards your future time space, yes. Do not retrace your path, for there you shall find barriers. Consider this. You do not love you, for your self. You learn to do this first. Acceptance of self first. Then shall come understanding of self, yes?
It is of ease for human kind to place on others responsibility for self. I have said, you must be responsible for self, yes learn this and ail shall be well.
Sl.And are you talking about soul, self.
Teacher: Whole self. You have understanding of my words
"Yes, I think I understand all that. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to find the answer to it all though.
Teacher: It is of ease. Do not worry as the dog with the bone.
Is there anyone who wishes to speak of this matter with Selina?
Pt.I think I’m on the right track, Selina once wrote a list of all the good points, and if she believes those, she should love herself as she is.
Teacher: Yes, but I would prefer for Selina to accept her self, then will come love for self.
"But she has the basis by knowing what she's good at what other people love her for..
Teacher: You see, you may think thoughts, you have to know believe, accept, love, understand, yes.
Cl Is it not, you have to do all these first to self, love, accept and everything else, before you can truly love other people?
Teacher: In a manner of speaking, but you see, you would all agree, it is of ease to accept faults in others and to love others for themselves, but it is of difficulty to do this for self. So, give your self that, which you give others. And that which you give others, shall grow, yes.
Sl.I think it's my pride getting in the way again here somehow.
Teacher: Vanity, not pride, (excessively proud?) And I say this in kindness.
"Well like Petta I try to be a perfectionist in the things I do, and yet I know I'm not perfect in so many things, and I'm cross with myself because of that.
Teacher: Allow your self, some little imperfection.
Pt.It's not good on us to be perfectionists really.
Tm.You also expect it of others as well, to be up to your standards.
Pt.In many ways, yes.
Teacher: You accept imperfection in others, accept it in your self, once you have accepted that you are human, that you are indeed fallible, then you shall not be so imperfect, yes.
You agree?
Sl Yes, I do agree, I do see what you are saying. Unfortunately I am repeating what happened to me in childhood, on my own children. My parents expected perfection of me, they gave me a chore to do they expected perfection from it, and I find myself, over the years, doing the same to my children. If I gave them something to do, I wanted it done properly. If they don’t, I would go round and do it after them, but that's not really my problem, my problem is myself I keep coming back to just being cross with my self
Sl.Is all this tied up with why I have not been well? Is my illness a psychological illness, not a disease?
Teacher: I shall not answer this query. In which ever manner I answer, you shall over-react. It is not good for you to have this answer, at this time space. Hear my words. In kindness for your self.
"I go to the hospital on Tuesday anyway; the surgeon will give me some sort of answer then.
Teacher: Yes. Do not concern. There are others who have this same imperfection image of self here?
Tm.Yes, I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist and expect people, I expect a high standard of people, but I do accept that I am not perfect, and that I do make mistakes and other people do the same, and I get around it, I tolerate it, but . I always do try to do the best I can at whatever I tackle, and I'm not happy if it is not perfect but I realise that I can't do it all the time.
Teacher: Yes. Bryoni, you have this same image of self.
Bry.Yes, I think so, mmmrnm.
Teacher: Belinda, you also.
Bl.I hadn’t thought of it like that, no.
Teacher: yeess.
Bry.I'm not as bad as I used to be, but when things don't turn out for me, maybe that's where I get disappointments from.
Teacher: Then I give you Selina, Bryoni, Petta and for any others who feel this is for them also.
What is for you, perfection?
You shall consider this, and at our next appointment, you shall give me your answers.
And this query, when considering, what is for you, perfection.... consider every aspect of your self and your environment.
Korde, speak.
Kd.I was listening to Clara about her relations being in Australia, I’ve just come back from being with my Father's12 Uncles and Aunts, and my Auntie rang me on Monday, and when I got off the phone, I felt happy, then I felt very sad, then I felt very angry at my father for bringing us to New Zealand, just my brother & I, and I felt angry at him and very lonely, so I guess it was a feeling of "poor me", self pity.
Teacher: You have not lost that, which you have found. Remember this, yes
"Well it's just that I knew they were there before I went and had no contact with them, but now that I've got contact with them, I feel lonely because they are there. And everybody has got big families, like my Husband has got family, and if I argue with him, and then I feel very lost because I feel I've got no one, and he has his family.
Teacher: Yes. But you shall not lose that which you have found. You have still contact you may make. Physically though you may not. Melda?
Ml.Well I have listened to everybody and I didn’t realise before, how lonely I was feeling, but now that loneliness seems to have gone, because there seems to be a sort of companionship.
Teacher: How so lonely?
"I don’t know
Teacher: Yes,
I am understanding, and yes, companionship, trust in each to each. A common bond. And you are of comfort
"Yes. Yes thank you.
Teacher: Dominica?
Dm I was thinking about it, and you said treat your barriers to acknowledgement, and I've come at it from the opposite angle, where you also acknowledge your strengths. And I think in positive, instead of negatives. I thought that would help overcome the barriers, the weaknesses.
Teacher: Correct. In acknowledging your barriers, you are acknowledging strengths, yes. Good, Bryoni
Bry.Yes, I was thinking that the barriers I considered before you suggested, trust yourself, I don't think is quite that easy, you also mentioned don't allow fears to creep in.
Teacher: It takes some little time for full acknowledgement. Yes, and you are of comfort?
Yes. I'm usually well prepared but not always at comfort other times.
Teacher: Yes,
Belinda?
BlYes, I accept that it is myself that is my barrier, I can't blame anybody else. It's only me, that stops me from going forward, I suppose I look on things at the intellect level really,
Teacher: Yes.
"When I join in a conversation, I just like it to appear that what I am saying is correct, it's not really a perfectionist I don’ t think, it's just that I like to be right in what I am saying, if it's not going to be right, or I'm not sure of it, then I won't say it,
Teacher: Yes. A feared you shall be put in your place. Lose marks, yes. Allow your self errors.
I suppose it ties in with the barrier of having an opinion, of not being critical of people and If I said something of somebody that they may not like, or something to somebody that they may not like, they may not like me, for saying it, and I suppose it is a rejection from that,
Teacher: Yes. I say this to all. Do not be afraid to go forward. And I say this, consider how far you have traveled. It is a great distance. And you have traveled well. This should give you courage to allow your self to go forward. Tommas, you wish to speak?
Tm.Yes, I'm beginning to realise that I've had some barriers for so many years, that they have become a normal part of my life, and I hadn’t even realised they were there as barriers.
Teacher: Yes, you see, in the releasing barriers, it is not intended you become a different person, that is not of necessity, it is not designed. You are smoothing & polishing the diamond which is your self. So that you may shine clear, bright, light yes
Yes, there are some of them that I feel would be better if I could do away with them, maybe not all, but there are a few that definitely affect me and other people.
Teacher: Yes. As with all things, if it is your desire to release barriers, then so be it, yes? Charlemont, you wish to speak?
Ch.Yes Abraham, I would say, God consciousness can only be found, when we let go on the non-reality of physical self and rely on the God within, the "I AM".
Teacher: Correct.
"I think all our barriers here this evening are all human and are all us and we have to somehow on our path with your lessons get through this, to get onto the right path, we must break through, understand the barriers are there, accept them, understand them, and work through from there.
Teacher: Correct. And be aware also, do not expend your energies physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually on your barriers. Do not allow awareness of your barrier to become a greater barrier, yes
Teacher: Then, you are all of comfort?
Teacher: Then briefly, in turn, you shall say a good thing, of your self. Tommas, you may begin.
Tm Well, I feel I am very loyal to my friends. Loyal to self.
Teacher: Belinda?
Bl Yes, I consider I have lots of compassion.
Teacher: Compassion for self.
Bryoni.
Bry.I think I am a fairly understanding person..
Teacher: Understanding of self. Dominica.
Dm.I think I am a caring person.
Teacher: Caring for self. Melda.
Md.I think I am a forgiving person.
Forgiving of self. Korde
Kr.A caring person.
Teacher: Caring for self. Selina,
SlI can only think of what the others have said. I feel I am loyal to people, compassionate to people, caring.
Say your thought,
Sl No. I can't think of anything.
Teacher: I shall give you time for thought. Benjamin,
I have joy & happiness within myself this evening.
Teacher: Happiness for self. Clara,
Cl I care about people.
Teacher: Care for self. Martinus.
M t.I am helping people.
Teacher: Helping self. Petta.
Pt.Understanding others.
Teacher: Understanding self. Mondaa,
Md.I think I am thoughtful of others.
Teacher: Thoughtful of self. Charlemont.
Ch,Since your lessons I am more acceptive, of others.
Teacher: Accepting of self. Selina, come, choose a thought.
Sl
Teacher: Are you not a good friend?
Yes.
Teacher: A friend to self.
Closing
These thoughts you have expressed for others, which I have expressed for your self, keep these thoughts in your hearts, in your mind, yes.
And use it to sustain you,