1999-01-15-Exercise Peacefulness

Session

Opening

Ham (Bill): "Greetings my children, my friends, my co-workers, I am Ham. It is my pleasure to open this evening's interaction. In as much as you have reviewed your roots in the teaching mission, and aside from Abraham and Machiventa they do go back to our group in Woods Cross, which I remind you is a unified group with yourselves. It has been an honor for me to be asked to open the first session of 1999, beyond the commemoration of your anniversary.

Lesson

The Teachers

We, the teachers and staff of Prince Machiventa, are very optimistic and joyful at this time, for our projects and plans are surprising us with their effectiveness and appeal. We are, of course, enabled by the enhanced circuitry of this planet now that the rebellion has ended. And we are also almost taken back by what a difference this makes in the intercommunication that is now possible. This evening we have our midwayer, VanEl, who has been present to connect our new friend, Mike, into the circuitry of you heart connections. Remember that the angels of destiny, your guardians, work in every way possible to spiritualize your minds by their interaction with other minds, by what appears to be chance coincidences, which are in fact quite otherwise, that are orchestrated by these wonderful beings, your guardians.

There is some value in the almost hysterical contemplation of a new millennium among the peoples of this planet. The value does not reside in the hysteria or the magic of numbers, but in the expectations of hearts that are willing to embrace newness and change, and are willing even to consider large change and great transformation, because this attitude leads to the possibilities of progress in each part that so reaches in anticipation toward God, whether they know him by that name or not. You people have willingly straggled along behind us, or eagerly run ahead of us, and only occasionally strayed to the left or right in these past seven years. We are very proud to be your teachers and older brothers and sisters.

We are constantly humbled by the graciousness of our assignment to work with this planet, the birthplace of our Sovereign, Christ Michael. Some day on your ascension path you will understand what fond recollection united with broadened understanding will give you as former residents of planet Urantia, Michael's mortal birthplace.

I now have used up my allotted time; I would only tell you my friends, if you think you've made progress, and you have, in the past few years, that potentials for the future are even more wonderful in our estimation. There is a potentiation , a synergistic effect as more and more people offer to God that greatest gift, ‘ it is my will to do Your will'. In your lifetimes, no, you will not see this planet in light and life, but truly the dawn is visibly brightening. I, Ham, humbly thank my creator, brother, father, Christ Michael to be honored to assist on the world of his mortal nativity. Good evening."

Intention, Spirituality

Andirondek (Cathy): "This is Andirondek, asking you to briefly participate in an exercise. Imagine, if you will, sitting at the edge of calm, lovely, pond. The surface of the water is glass-like, completely smooth, reflecting the surroundings as a mirror. Enjoy the quiet of this place for a moment. Now reach to your side and pick up a small, smooth stone, toss it lightly into the center of the pond and watch what happens. The concentric circles radiate outward from that central, still point. Let the water become calm again, glass-like, unstirred again.

Now try to imagine a scenario where the concentric ripples in the pond would contract and move inward, as if you threw in a hula hoop and tried to make all the ripples converge to the same minute point. This is much more difficult, is it not?

Now please apply this metaphor to intentionality for intentionality, which radiates outward from the indwelling spirit, is natural, it feels right. Intentionality which is imposed from without and tries to converge upon your heart center is unnatural. This is the lesson of the “should’s and ‘thou shalt’s.” You spend many of your formative years learning behaviors which are motivated externally. The crucial lesson of spirituality is to reverse the flow of motivation and intentionality from an external basis to an internal, spirit-guided, basis.

An exercise this week, which is not mandatory but you may find useful, is to take a blank piece of paper and write down some ‘shoulds' or ‘thou shalts' which no longer serve you, but which still hold some power over your life. An example might be, ‘I must keep this job, even thou it does not serve my soul purpose; I must keep it in order to keep the cash flow moving so that we can live at the level to which we are accustomed. Write out as many of these as you can think of; take a pair of scissors, cut them into individual ‘thou shalts' and with the flame of a candle, one by one, burn them. And as you do so, hand them over to God and say, ‘I am no longer in need of this, it does not serve my soul, it diminishes my spirit to hold onto these beliefs, so I relinquish them to you. I am finished. There is another who wishes to speak."

Daniel (Bill): "Greetings, friends, this is Daniel, your teacher, your brother, and your friend. I am pleased, again, to address you at the beginning of our next year of association together.

Indeed have I treasured these past seven years of my assignment with you. Originally I was matched up with Deborah\Rutha, for our minds and personalities were similar. Since then I have been able to speak and match up with others of you as well, so that you can report, at times, when I have consulted with you privately in my rounds. Dear Rutha does very well; I am permitted to say very little, but be assured that she is aware how much she is missed, how much grief there still remains in some of your hearts. She is making great progress, and realizes how important her life really was in the larger scheme of things.

I too have found these seven years to be momentous, wonderful, for never before have I taught mortals, always, morontia ascenders as I myself am. If you could understand how sought after the teacher positions on this planet are, it would amaze you. From all over the universe of Nebadon, at various levels of ascension, are those who desire the raw, rubber meets the road, contact with this benighted planet, so long in the dark, now blinking at the first inkling of dawn. It is my great honor to serve Christ Michael in this capacity, as one of your teachers, and I am glad to report that Prince Machiventa Melchizedek has extended my contract (laughter from group).

My dear little brothers and sisters, how I cherish you, how I beam with pleasure when I see you playing in God's garden, in your sandbox, making your projects, as it were. But don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that your lives are child's play; you are children only by contrast with a person of my years. Your lives are serious, you are grown men and women, you are Michael's chosen apostles at this time in history. And you all have answered his call to do this.

This year I ask you to try to balance your lives better between the serious and the reversion aspects, between work and play, between effort and rest. Try to find that center balance where you can be most efficient, so that you don't tire as easily, and become worn and frazzled with care, with fatigue. Remember all the needs you have – physical, mental, spiritual, social, and personal. Prioritize your time even more efficiently than you have done, and then you will be able in another year to look back with satisfaction. I have no doubt we shall continue to progress, my dear friends, and remember that I also progress as you progress. I send you my deepest, sincere love and compassion. And please, if you need to call the doctor, call me! I remain a physician of body, mind and soul. I have enjoyed my counselor relationship with you, and I expect to continue to so enjoy you in this coming year. Because your time is moving on towards completion, I will desist from further commentary on this topic. Minearisa, Aaron, Tomas, Ham, and your personal teachers are present tonight.

We will allow a brief time for questions, but before this I wish to greet our newcomer, Mike, with these words. Dear brother, your heart is large. The purity of your love and sincere truth-seeking has guided you day by day, and now you have met us in person. But more importantly, you are on the very edge of a great, broadening, deepening, spiritual growth period. Your angels have arranged the circumstances that bring you here tonight, and yes, your desire to come before was noted. You have been assigned a teacher who desires to interact with you. This teacher and I are what you would term, buddies, good friends. Continue your stillness efforts and do well. Be appraised of content. You will find your heart's desire. And now, let me say welcome to our group this evening, and to the fellowship of conscious reservists who know what life is really all about. Your dedication and pure motive has brought this to be, my friend, for God is not a respecter of persons, and it only requires the seeking to find and the asking to be answered. And now, to the rest of you there is open time for questions or comments or interactions. You may address your concerns to any of the teachers present."

Truth

Virginia: "Teachers, it's been such a long time we've had open question time that I think I'm both surprised and not surprised that we have a new member with us or a new visitor here tonight. I think of what the book says that when you start to seek God, you can be sure that God has already found you. And I wonder if we can apply this to our spiritual journey as we ask for new insight, new truth, can we assume that truth is really on its way?"

Aaron (Bill): "This is Aaron. I will respond to that query. Your supposition, my dear, has great merit. You display considerable wisdom in your question. For the physical law that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction has analogies in the spiritual realm, in the personality interaction between two persons, human or divine. The seeking the truth always brings the response, and at the same time there is the opposite side of the coin, that the offering of truth causes truth seekers to hunger. This cannot be understood on the mortal level. This is the truth which only becomes dimly clear, partially understood, in the morontial career. In your planetary history this issues has resulted in great confusion and in controversy between the supporters of predestination and the advocates of free will. But I will not digress into that arena.

The important thing is that in understanding this truth at a supercognitive level that you understand that it does not equate to passivity. That is to say, just because God first seeks us, and then we respond in seeking to know him, this is not the same as saying, because God seeks us we have nothing to do but await until he arrives. And so as an outstanding religious leader once said, ‘work like it all depends on you, pray like it all depends on God.'[1] For it is true that the effort that we make and the decisions that we choose actually results in co-creation of our destinies. I speak now of the ascending career of which I am a part. But none of this could happen if it were not true that God first set the arena. He made the arena, the rules, the laws of nature, not to be confused with the ‘shoulds' and ‘oughts' that we have heard discussed this evening. So, Jesus' words are the best way to say it, ‘seek and you shall find, ask and it shall be given, knock and the door shall be opened to you. For every one that seeks, finds; to everyone that asks, an answer is given'. Has this related to your question, my dear?"

Virginia: "Yes, Aaron. I really expected a simple ‘yes' or ‘no' answer! (group laughter). Thank you very much, you were very thorough."

Aaron: "I would like to make an aside here in the transcript. Put this in brackets please. [We teachers suffer the fault of teachers in general, that we like to expound on our ideas and expand them. And as Ham attempted humorously to do last week, we hope that our exposition does not bore you nor exhaust you.] You see, Letah, you really knew the answer to your question, but I thank you for the opportunity to expound. That is all."

Virginia: "I refuse to believe that I sound like my first graders who know the answer and ask me any way!"

Aaron: "It's perfectly okay."

Virginia: "Thank you, Aaron.

Alexis (Cathy): "This is Alexis. Would you like to play a game? (group laughter, comments, agreement).

The prime directive of the correcting time is assisting you in recognition of your Son of God, Daughter of God status. A secondary directive is direct experiential knowledge that you are indeed not alone. For this game, I am encouraging each of you to transmit a word, a short phrase, anything that comes to mind. You are not to worry about accuracy. If this game creates anxiety, feel free to pass. I am going to touch the person to my right and transfer to her. She will say the first phrase that comes to her mind, without worrying about accuracy, I cannot stress this enough; this is not meant to cause anxiety. (group laughter). When she is finished, she will touch the person to her right, until we have completed the circle." Group members:

"Peace through truth."

"The immortal journey."

"????ness."

"Love."

"Reconciliation”

"Hope."

"Love is stronger than death."

Alexis: "That was fun. Are there further questions?"

Reconciliation

Lori: "I have a question. Virginia's word of reconciliation brings to mind something that has been on my mind for quite a while. I know that our work here as mortals has a lot to do with relationships and how we interact in relationships, and react; and I'm struggling with wanting to do God's will in relationships that have caused me great pain, long term relationships that have caused me great pain, confusion. I don't want to subject myself to some of the outcomes of these relationships, and yet I don't want to turn and run from them. I want to find the highest road to take in these, and try to work them through, and I'm looking for any kind of guidance. I think you know the two relationships I'm struggling with."

Minearisa (Cathy): "This is Minearisa. Dear daughter, you do struggle valiantly. Please try to focus upon the highest of motives, aiming for the greatest good for all concerned. Not all relationships can be healed on this level. And it is unwise to expend much needed energy towards trying to change someone else. You are responsible only for yourself and your own behavior. In the quiet, listen for what is your highest, most loving intention and follow through with the actions which are consistent in word and deed. Does this help?"

Lori: "Yes."

Daniel (Bill): "I am Daniel, in complete agreement with Minearisa's commentary. I would remind you daughter, sister, that even God is not able to reconcile relationships with intelligences, free will beings, who do not desire his companionship. The only thing that you need to do on your part in a relationship that is problematic is to be willing to be understanding, merciful, and forgiving. That is all that you have the power to do. Often, of course, getting to that point itself is a great struggle. But once you can lay aside the ego's desire to act as judge, and realize that it is not an appropriate role for any individual to take, for judgment is always a plural function, then there is nothing more that you need do. Christ Michael's heart was deeply grieved when Lucifer refused his mercy, when Caligastia refused his mercy, when the rebels persisted in their arrogance, for he, their Creator Father, observed and saw his own sons rebelling. When mercy has been exhausted then justice prevails and those who willfully cut off their relationships to other personalities, suffer the consequences of isolation and ultimately extinction. I hope my words do not sound too harsh, but they are the truth. Has this helped?"

Lori: "Greatly, especially my duties to be merciful, forgive, and understand. I can handle that."

Daniel: "That's right. That is all that you can handle, that any of us can."

Mike: "Daniel, would the term, [indecipherable Latin phrase) be appropriate for Lori's problem, issues rather?"

Daniel: "Would you repeat that phrase again, please?"

Mike: "[Latin phrase repeated]"

Daniel: "I am not familiar with that language."

Mike: "It's Latin."

Daniel: "That much I could guess."

Mike: "Loosely, translated, love me for who I am, and that will be the same for you."

Daniel: "Certainly that is appropriate, for it expresses the God-like reality of the dignity of each personality that is created by God, for God is the author of all personalities. Yes, it is appropriate.

Closing

Practice

My friends, my time is up. The TRs are weary and you are tired, and we need to honor your physical limitations. I have concluded our remarks this evening with the previously stated comments. However I do feel a desire to add an additional, optional assignment to that which has already been suggested. And it involves a visualization exercise. I would like you to imagine yourself on a high place, perhaps on a promontory overlooking the ocean, the fifth story of a high diving board, an airplane with a parachute on your back, or whatever you fancy yourself to be fearful of in relation to falling, and then I ask you to visualize below you a safety net, close enough that from whatever situation you are leaping into the unknown, that that net will catch you. Imagine that the net is the love of God, manifested not only personally but throughout the universe in the cosmic web of love. From whatever vantage point you attempt to leap, imagine that that leap represents leaving the fear, which is what you're standing on, whether it be a promontory, a diving board, an airplane, leaving that fear behind you and falling freely into the safety net of God's love. Practice this when you become fearful, my friends, see if it doesn't assist you.

I wish you a happy new year, a spiritually productive new year, a new year of increasingly joyous companionship. Good evening."