2008-01-21-Co-Creative Design Team 6

Session

Opening

SONDJAH: Good evening, this is Sondjah. (Good evening.) Thank you for your welcome. Though this one was tardy in his arrival, it offers opportunity to the day when others are able to TR for this group. And, we look forward to that happening. We will assist you in whatever way we can, and this one has also volunteered to assist anyone, whenever and wherever that it would be convenient to him or her. In fact, this respite gave you a time to come together and discuss a backlog of issues and questions, which you have had for some time.

Lesson

Some of you have been ill at ease that we have been on quite a regimen, and so it is good to have a break, a time when you have a free-for-all where you can ask questions and discuss among yourselves, to develop those ideas, which you have had for a long time and wanted to share and express. For many of you, you learn so much more by doing this, and being on task and in a workgroup is not necessary all the time, though it does provide a structure around which your free times can be very productive.

You have been working very hard, very quickly, very much under a demand and we do not wish you to be under a feeling of demand. You have much authority here to structure how your time is used and devised, so that you can be as productive as you would like to be. If you feel you need more time to be in your sub-teams, then you are most welcome to request that. If you object to only 20 minutes, please object. This is a free and open forum, one with somewhat of a structure to assist you in forming work habits to assist us in this project.

You have learned a good deal tonight among the teams. Several of you would like to be in different teams, or to start your own team, and you are most welcome to. We now have a compliment of 10-12 people and more at times, and you are most welcome to sub-divide into smaller groups if you wish, to work on those relationship paradigms that interest you. You will find that your work will be more and more productive as time goes by, as you know what is expected and you know how to produce that in discussions among yourselves.

As this is an open evening, let us provide you with time to ask questions, as you have devised. Some of you have been thinking of questions for weeks, but have not written them down. This may be a time when you would like to ask some questions, and so I and several others are available to answer your questions, if you wish. We will adhere to our time and say goodbye to you at 25 after the hour, which would allow you to say goodbyes and leave, if you wish. We are now open for questions.

Dialogue

Dick: Do you think we should all try to cover each one of the relationship categories you set before us?

SONDJAH: It will be helpful to do so in the next couple of years, yes. In the meantime, you are most welcome to work on that relationship paradigm, which interests you most.

Michael: Sondjah, this is Michael. Tonight, earlier, we talked about the importance of each individual working towards an awareness, an awakeness, a consciousness of their own presence, their own self as love. Following that discussion line, it was suggested that since most of us have not yet achieved enlightenment, that it is perhaps more important that the intention of each individual, and two individuals in a relationship, the intention is the critical "glue" that will help a relationship become sustainable. Are we focusing on this correctly?

SONDJAH: The intention is a declaration that assists the couple, the relationship, to have a focus. It is a means of engaging their commitment, their energies, their passions and their heart energy. The intention is the primary element of a sustainable relationship. You as well must think in terms of the qualifications of an intention. There are elements to it that support it. There are intentions, which become fulfilled and eventually, that intention becomes complete, allowing an opening for a new intention, or for a closure of the relationship.

Student: I really have a very basic question. (Certainly.) I don’t understand what—I guess I don’t understand this focus of sustainability, of couples and singles, and I guess my interest or my knowledge on sustainability goes… I don’t understand where we’re starting and what it has to do with sustainability.

SONDJAH: Sustainability is both material and social. The material sustainability has to do with living in the "house of your world." Earth is your home; earth is your house. You must take care of your house to continue living in it, as a society, as a culture, as a civilization. So too, must you sustain the social institutions of that civilization, to learn how to sustain those social institutions, which mean so much to you. The growth of individuals comes from families, the most elemental social institution of all society and civilization. The sustainability of your families, of communities, of cities and of larger organizations, is elemental to the sustainability of your world as a civilization. Hundreds and hundreds of civilizations have come and gone upon your world, and they are all dead. It is very likely that your own civilization will die as well, unless you take efforts to sustain it, to learn the fundamental elements that sustain civilization, society, families and individuals. We have discussed this previously, and those discussions are available in the transcripts and will be made available to you, if you wish. (Thank you.)

(Long pause.)

Are you so shy in front of me, where you are not shy in front of each other? Have I dropped my clothes or something? (Muffled laughter.)

Ann: This is Ann. We’ve spoken a fair amount about the nurturance of children, but I’m wondering if you have any words of wisdom about the nurturance of our inner family?

SONDJAH: Explain "inner family?"

Ann: All the wounded child parts within us that impede our progress.

SONDJAH: Certainly. In a wounded society as your own, we are making efforts to do that, to help you learn to love yourself as a wounded individual, to love yourself as the wounded daughter, the wounded mother, the wounded wife, the wounded sister. You have work to do—all of you—and that is why you are here. You are here upon this plane to learn how to love yourself, without aggrandizement, without fear, without ego—simply to love yourself, to accept yourself and this is where it begins, is to accept yourself as you are, wounded, imperfect, learning and growing.

Second, it is important that you learn to appreciate yourself, to appreciate yourself to ask that question. That means that you are growing; it means that you are yearning to grow, striving to grow, to become more. Do not worry about striving to become perfect—just try. Have it as your intention to grow, to overcome those faults, and that becomes a daily chore for many of you, to love yourself, rather than belittle yourself, always saying, "Oh, I could have done better," when truly you are doing better. You oftentimes forget how much you have grown in the last 5 years, let alone 10. You have grown so much, even in three months. It may not be appreciable to you, but to those who have not seen you for many months, who come to know you once again, ask them, "Do you see a change in me? Have I grown, do you think?" This is a question that begs for intimacy, it reveals your vulnerability and it too says that you are growing. Yes, you truly must learn to love yourself; this begins by the simple act of accepting yourself, appreciating yourself and taking on those acts of kindness that assist you to grow, rather than berating you and slapping you and hurting yourself this way, as many of you do.

As this gentleman said earlier, "I’m getting better every day." This is a good thing to keep in mind, and to note the ways of doing that. Each of you is so well acquainted with your faults, surely you can write them down and note how to forget them and how to overcome them. It is the faults that you fail to forget that bedevil you so difficultly. Be gentle upon yourself. Doing this, then you look out upon others and you see how they are striving and how hard they are working to become better, to grow, to appreciate themselves, and you will be in a much better position to become a teacher, of the lessons that you have learned. Thank you for your question. (Thank you.)

Student: Sondjah, I have a question that came to me during the discussion tonight with the group. There’s a little bit of confusion of looking forward and how are all these masses of people to go into this hopeful change that we are looking for, and I’m wondering if the concept of how we change, if we change our minds, if we change our thoughts. Is that what is going to manifest in our physical world? Am I far off the mark in thinking that these groups, by changing our thoughts on a cellular level going forward, will that manifest—will we see that manifest—around us in other individuals and in the world, physically?

SONDJAH: Yes. In addition, I point this statistic to you: Many of you are aware that crime in your country has decreased significantly in the last two decades. This is a direct result of individuals joining into a higher vibration of thinking, of thought, of intention, of living. They are truly changing the cellular memory of mankind and the behavior even of those people who totally do not believe in it. There is a slow bending of the will and the mindset of humanity, on your planet. You are truly making a difference.

When the push and shove comes to your world, of course, then it must be demonstrated in your behavior. How will you behave? Will you assist others, or only selfishly take care of yourself? However, for the meantime in these years that have passed already, and the years ahead, there are more and more people who are having a positive influence upon your world. You are truly making a difference. You perhaps do not see this if you are not an actuarial expert, an actuary or a social statistician. You may not see these changes at all, for you continue to hear the news and the news brings you things, which are ghastly, which grab your attention and wrench your innards.

It is a most difficult world to live in with bad news bombarding you all the time, but truly you are seeing good conquer evil; you are seeing good intentions outweigh bad or evil intentions. Darkness is fading, as the light comes in, and this truly is occurring. One of the reasons for us being here—a very small reason—is to report to you the progress that you are making in your world, and how your world is changing because of that. We are able to see your world and measure it, much as an auto mechanic is able to plug a computer to an engine and measure the differences that are occurring within various parameters. You see your society as very complex, and it is complex in many ways, but there are simple measurements, which we take, though not regularly, that indicate how your world is progressing. Does this answer your question, or would you like me to continue on? (No, that’s good, thank you.)

Student: Sondjah, would you expound a bit on the parameters that you check to see how much our world is progressing?

SONDJAH: Certainly. Divorce rates, abandoned children, child abuse, spousal abuse, and general public violence. These are lumped together into a parameter of social violence, to put it in very, very general terms for you. There are decreases of those negative behaviors, which are a positive thing, and there are increases in positive behavior, which is of far better benefit. You are seeing both on your world, if you would note them. Many times you are so in tune with your media that you are out of touch with life. Be cautious about how you live your life and what you attend to, for that will be your focus. You are making a huge difference in the world, by the positive things you bring to it.

Other parameters are the "joy factor." You have a funny comedian who goes by the stage name of "Swami Beyondananda" who speaks of … [See last page.] There are many parameters of joy that we measure. This is the radiance of light from individuals; we see a radiance of light in nations that are more luminous than other nations. Some nations are very dark; there are cultures of people who live in the darkness, though individual lights may be bright. The parameters are many; they are simple, but they would be complex to you. I hope that you will trust that we know what the Creator is about, and that is light. (Thank you.)

Michael: Sondjah, I have a question. Moving off the topic, does the outcome of the upcoming Presidential election have any consequence at all on the level of consciousness and awareness of those of us in the United States and around the world?

SONDJAH: In the main, no. It is a trend-setter type of activity. The President of your nation is very powerful and sets the trend or tone of the nation and its energy. You will see inertia of prior administrations, which carry forward a trend, which works against the great good that this nation is capable of. It takes more than one President in one term, to make a very large difference.

[This is Daniel: He’s chewing on the war issue.]

Dick: I have a question about the war issue.

[Daniel: No, Sondjah is chewing on it; he’s wondering how to present it to you.]

SONDJAH: Let me take this at 90 degrees, please: War does not sustain a world, does not sustain a civilization, neither does it sustain a nation. War is one of those parameters, one of those factors, which is included in the larger parameter of violence. War as opposed to peace, truly is a contest, one that must not be seen in competitive terms, but must be taken out of that context. Peace is not something that comes from a lack of war. Peace comes from an intention of peace, of right and good relationships, of cooperation and coordination, oneness of thought and energy and of values. If this were a measure of success, then your country would be very successful. It is—I would not say "a shame", as that is a pejorative word—but it surely has caused tremendous injury to your nation, let alone the nations that it has been used with.

There is so much potential for good in your nation, which is untapped and unshared. Monjoronson gave you the example many months ago, that if all the arms monies were used in the world for good, there would be no poverty, there would be no lack, and there would be good healthcare for everyone on the planet. There would be wonderful education for everyone, for a lifetime, as you need it. The warring dollars and monies of your world have left you impoverished, morally, ethically, socially, and as a civilization. There has to be an additive to assist the positive side of you—and I mean "you" as a world—to come to right-mindedness of peace and evenhandedness and fairness with your fellow men and women of the world. We are here to assist you coming into light, to help teach you how to love and come into love. You sir, have spoken about being, "I AM love:" You must speak love and do love, as well, then love is complete in your world. Thank you.

Michael: Sondjah, I have a dilemma! My knowing is this: That as we have been trained or bred, identify with structure and form, which are mortal, which always die, disappear, go away, then we get trapped into a thought process and a believing of scarcity. In total contradiction to the Law of Thermodynamics, where the universe is continually expanding, and therefore abundance is expanding, is it our task to stay within the context of form and structure, in order to deal with the human condition, or is it potentially more productive to figure out how to identify a catalyst to move all souls to a place where they simply feel themselves, know themselves as love, as abundance, as unending, as limitless? I find my mind bouncing back and forth between the "knowing of abundance" and in the trap that I too, have been in, in simply a degree of impatience to find out how to get everybody else there, all the time. Is that a question or a confession?

SONDJAH: You have said a good deal. Let us take this apart, please. Let us deal with structure and form: We are striving to teach you sustainable forms and flexible structures. All structures and all forms are not bad, or evil, or unproductive, or go to demise. What we are striving to do is to teach you how to think of form and structure in terms of sustainability, how to design a sustainable family. Now, a family is a structure, it is a form, and from these forms are born, are molded, new beings who love or do not love themselves, and love or cannot love others. We must begin with these elements. You have not much concern—and I will put this strongly to you—to worry about other people’s loving, until you love completely, yourself, to love yourself completely, and know that with confidence. And to know thoroughly that you are loveable eternally, unconditionally, forever, and that you have all you need within yourself to achieve that status, that position, that beingness, that I AM that you so strongly yearn for. Each of you has this within you, only your form that you see yourself, and the structures you live by, limit how you love yourself, free yourself—or not—to love others.

Michael: I just didn’t want anybody to leave, so I asked a long question!

SONDJAH: I will encourage you to develop your questions, for these are primary to sustainability—all the forms of sustainability. You must come to that place where you ask what we call "cogent questions"—competent, capable, insightful, even devious questions that lead to larger answers. Your minds are curious, and the curious mind is a God-like factor, a God-like characteristic. When you ask these questions of tremendous curiosity, you are expressing that God-beingness within you and sharing it with others for their enlightenment. It is not self-serving, but it is generous.

I thank you for your time this evening, so bring your questions next time, after we have our opening, and you are welcome to ask them. Be prepared for that, please. Write down your questions during the week, and I and our Teaching Council will be glad to answer them. Oftentimes you will hear me stop and pause, and I am in the process of receiving whispers in my ears, so to speak, from my colleagues, who assist me with these questions.

Your God is truly an all-knowing God. Your Creator knows all and is everywhere aware of you and all conditions, and all places and all times. I however, do not; and my colleagues, neither do they. Until we become more perfect and complete, we must also collaborate. I hope you will be patient with us. We thank you and bid you good night, and wish you well in your journey of life, your growing, your lessons, your challenges. Love yourself, my friends; care for yourself as you would a child, for you are that tender, that dear and that new. Good night. (Group: Good night and thank you.)

Note

SWAMI BEYONDANANDA'S GUIDELINES FOR ENLIGHTENMENT

1. Be a Fundamentalist - make sure the Fun always comes before the mental. Realize that life is a situation comedy that will never be cancelled. A laugh track has been provided. Have a good laughsitive twice a day, and that will insure regularhilarity.

2. Remember that each of us has been given a special gift - just for entering. So you are already a winner!

3. The most powerful tool on the planet today is Tell-A-Vision. That is where I tell a vision to you, and you tell a vision to me. That way, if we don't like the programming we're getting, we can change the channel.

4. It is true. As we go through life thinking heavy thoughts, thought particles tend to get caught between the ears, causing a condition called truth decay. So be sure to use mental floss twice a day. And when you're tempted to practice tantrum yoga, remember what we teach in Swami's Absurdiveness Training class: "Don't get even, get odd."

5. If we want world peace, we must let go of our attachments and truly live like nomads. That's where I no mad at you, you no mad at me. That way, there will be no madness on the planet. And peace begins with each of us. A little peace here and a little peace there, pretty soon all the peaces will fit together to make one big peace everywhere.

6. I know great earth changes have been predicted for the future, so if you're looking to avoid earthquakes, my advice is simple. When you find a fault, just don't dwell on it.

7. There's no need to change the world. All we have to do is toilet train the world, and we'll never to have to change it again.

8. If you're looking to find the key to the Universe, I have some bad news and some good news. The bad news is - there is no key to the Universe. The good news is - it has been left unlocked.

9. Finally, everything I have told you is channeled. That way, if you don't like it, it's not my fault. And remember, enlightenment is not a bureaucracy. So you don't have to go through channels.