1992-09-28-Experiences in Stillness

Session

Lesson

Friendship

This evening's lesson concerns friendship. From your beginnings as children until your graduation to the Mansion Worlds, you establish many loving and cherished friendships along the way. Know that these friendships - every one - is of Universe value. Every friendship, and that remembrance of them, will continue on to the Mansion Worlds and far beyond. The personality association that you have with other personalities is one of the most supremely important objectives that you have in your mortal life.

Last week, and the weeks before, we spoke of seeking out truth-seekers . . . sharing yourself with them, spreading the good news. The next step in this process of sharing is the evolution of a binding friendship. What are the characteristics of friendship?

Trust; understanding; love; a caring heart; concern. These are all emotional feelings that you have for a friend. But, it is more. It is the sharing of one's inner spiritual life, the sharing of your light of truth, to be able to say what you feel without judgement. Judgement has no place in true friendship. As you begin to learn, as a child, the trust that you have for a friend, you can see that there are levels of friendship that develop over time. Some friends you are able to share more with - to experience deeper of life. These friendships are not time-bound. They will exist forever.

In your mind, think back to that first remembrance of friend . . . of that term . . . of that feeling. Think back to that person.

Think of the experience of having a failure of trust, and what that feels like. That feeling is similar to the feeling that the Father has when his children go astray and turn their back upon him, for he wishes to not only call them his children, but also his friend. Think of your Thought Adjuster - your true closest friend.

Your Thought Adjuster is not judgmental; He is only loving. He cares for you; He's concerned about your well-being; He has faith in you, and trust . . . all of the important things that I mentioned before. It is a pattern that you should seek with those with whom you wish to be friends. There is a larger picture of friendship. As the friendships grow, then can you begin to accept service responsibility together. As you begin your service, the power of two or more friends, working together for a like cause, is a geometrical progression rather than just the additives of the three. The work that can be done is far greater. How much better can you serve the Father together, as a group of friends, than separately, individually, seeking to lift Him up.

The next logical step from there is a consideration for Brotherhood. For once you have become true friends you realize that you are also brothers and sisters. It is a goal that you should have with all of your friends. That is all for this evening. Signa is here also with me. I will accept some questions at this time. . . . .

Dialogue

Teaching Mission

STUDENT: You may have already answered this, but, for my benefit, could you explain, from your perspective, the purpose of the group and the teachings, and what you would expect of me from the teachings that I'm going to acquire here?

BERTRAND: Yes. The group began with the desire, on the part of six individuals, to have a teacher. The request was given to Father Ham, and I was assigned. Shortly thereafter, Signa was assigned, also. This group is somewhat experimental in that it has two teachers; all other groups currently have one.

Our function is, as spiritual teachers, to help enlighten each of your spirits, to help them grow; to help you maintain, enhance, improve your contact with your indwelling spirit. And then, as we establish our base of knowledge - base of spiritual growth, as the group settles in its size and personality make-up, you will begin to realize your joint function: what it is, what you are about. It will dawn upon you slowly, but eventually it will be clear.

Part of the spiritual growth is this awakening to need. It is still some time off in the future. We're still growing in our class size, but we will stabilize. You, individually, will be a part of this group - to the level of your desire and commitment. There is no requirement. Each member is here of their own free will; each member maintains their dedication to the class of their own free will; and each member is allowed to depart as they see fit. We will do great things; I can assure you of that. But, I'm not, at this time, allowed to disclose all of those plans for the future.

We must take one step at a time, just as growth occurs one step at a time. You all are progressing marvelously in your spiritual growth. We are excited and very pleased. Prince Machiventa is quite pleased with the growth of this group, and Michael, himself, is watching through each of you.

STUDENT: Some time ago you told us that you would be able to tell us your expertise. Are you able to tell us that?

BERTRAND: I can still share with you that I am a teacher with definite specialty in group enlightenment. That is all I can share at this time. . . . .

Super-consciousness, Memory

STUDENT: Signa, I have a question regarding the tape I heard after Jesus' Birthday celebration. I don't remember which of you said this, but you said that nothing would be lost, even when the people who attended couldn't remember what they heard, but that everything would be stored in the super-conscious. Is that true of everything that we learned in these lessons and have read in the Urantia Book? I feel like I forget so much; is that true of all the spiritual lessons?

SIGNA: The spiritual lessons that you receive are registered in the super-conscious mind. That mind is not prone to forgetting. Your conscious level does, indeed, misplace knowledge from time to time. It is there; we are not trained in the technique of remembering all that we encounter. It would be most disconcerting to remember every event, every word, every instant of our life. It is a blessing to be able to forget from time to time. But your super-conscious, you may be assured, does remember all spiritual lessons. Your thought adjuster would not, in any way, allow the forgetting of anything of that value.

STUDENT: Does that mean, then, that we will be able to access that information when we reach a higher spiritual plane . . . more readily than we can now?

SIGNA: Yes, that is a fair assumption, yes.

STUDENT: Does the super-conscious also store what we have read in The Urantia Book aside from just spiritual experiences?

SIGNA: It stores those lessons that are of spiritual value. There is much just raw information in the Urantia Book that has little spiritual value - they are mainly facts. But those concepts, ideas that are translated into your human life, those indeed are remembered.

Stillness

STUDENT: Last week after the meeting, there was sort of a round table discussion about the Stillness, and we all kind of need more instruction about it. Could you speak to that?

SIGNA: The Stillness is nothing more than a technique of meditation. It is nothing more than allowing your conscious mind to relax. Maybe, at this particular point, it would be a good idea to practice, right now. So let us, for a moment, become a relaxed person. Forget your daily trials; forget the future that you can see; forget the past. All that exists is what is right now. All that exists is what is right now. Let your mind go. Do not try to control it. Let it run its course. Just relax. If it helps to picture a beautiful scene, do so. If it helps to picture nothing, do so. (Pause of a few minutes) For those of you who are beginning this practice, that amount of time is sufficient to begin with. Does anyone wish to share what they experienced.

STUDENT: I kind of felt like I was on the ocean, and sort of bouncing on really gentle waves.

SIGNA: In my assessment of the mind energy that existed in this room during that period, you all, every one of you, were able to reach some degree of that Stillness. You are learning it; it just takes practice - just like that. Once - several times a day if you have the opportunity - put yourself in a comfortable place, take several deep breaths, and let your thoughts flow out of your body, and relax . . . and listen. Does that help?

STUDENT: Signa, should we not be thinking of God or Jesus or anything? It's just totally blank?

SIGNA: Blank. When you are taking that attitude, you are attempting worship or prayer. The Stillness is the absence.

STUDENT: I guess that, for me, there was a nice, peaceful, quiet time . . . until the tape went. Then, I found my mind wondering if we were going to continue Stillness before we switched the tape over. (Laughter) No - this is what went through my mind! And that's the kind of thing that happens to me! (Affirmative comments from the group) I'll be in Stillness and something from the exterior will trigger a thought, and I try to push it out but it keeps coming back.

SIGNA: When those instances occur, it is best to terminate the session. If you continue to try to force those thoughts out, only frustration occurs; it is not productive. Just say, " Oh well, I'll try again later." (Laughter)

STUDENT: How will we know when we're having a productive Stillness? I'm not sure what to recognize. What happens - I fall asleep a lot. (Laughter) And actually, it's a two-part question: I've wondered why - whatever it is we will get from the Stillness - why can't we get it when we're in the early stages of sleep?

SIGNA: Sometimes, yes, it occurs at that time because your mind does seek activity. It is not uncommon to begin to have communication with your Thought Adjuster at that time. That is not uncommon. When you feel that you are losing consciousness as you are trying the Stillness, you are succeeding to some degree to cease your mind activity, and that is good. What you need to do now is to listen more, and not allow the mechanism to continue to wind down to where sleep occurs.

STUDENT: . . . . I felt that I let my brain flow, which isn't too hard to do, and I didn't have any thoughts, but then I felt spiritualness coming in. I didn't consciously think about it, it just was there. Now, was I thinking about it, or should I have tried to let it go, or what was going on then when that's happening?

SIGNA: You are becoming aware of that spiritual nature that lives within you. That is the goal of the Stillness. Let that spiritual light bathe you, embrace you, and then, as you become more aware of it, it will lead you; your Thought Adjuster will speak.