1992-12-00-Spiritual Growth & Harmony

Session

Note

A small group gathered to provide an opportunity for Linda to practice in the T/R role; Second Group meeting in Cincinnati)

Opening

Greetings, this is Tarkas. I am pleased that you are all here this afternoon.

It pleases me greatly to be able to begin my work with you all. I have been very eager, and as I have shared before I am not always as patient as I would like to be. I am pleased that some of you are interested to come. I wish for there to be some sessions like this so that Linda has an opportunity to practice, for she has not had the chance to speak to more than two individuals.

It is truly a different experience for those who play this role, depending on the group size. I believe that she is a bit nervous but I think that things will go well.

I wish to thank you again for your openness to this mission. We are so pleased to be able to come to your world and play this role. We have been assigned by Michael to fill this mission and this is a great honor for us.

The opportunities for service, once you leave your present world will not be as plentiful, and this is why these missions are so special to us. We have had much training, but we learn also as we proceed and work amongst you.

There is much happening in the world, your planet -- many things that I am unable to share with you, but I wish you to know that there is much happening, much happening within the Teaching Mission, and there are numerous other missions. We have many groups around the country and there are many developing in numerous countries. This is wonderful to watch unfold.

As you become more involved, and as we are committed, we will share further details about other events that are taking place. For now, our focus needs to be on your personal growth.

As I have shared previously both in individual sessions and in Friday's group session, there are several aspects to this growth. I wish to teach a brief lesson at the beginning of this session. The topic will be on spiritual growth and harmony. Following this lesson, I will entertain questions of any variety that you wish to ask. I do not think that time will be a particular factor for me or for Linda, but if she tires I will let you know previous to the end of the session. If you have need to end early just let me know this as well, for I do not want to interfere with what you need to accomplish.

Lesson

In thinking about spiritual growth I want you to realize that this is a personal growth process. It involves the relationship between yourself and the Father. Keep this in mind, as many are very eager to do the Father's will and reach to others. But I encourage you at this point in time to make your purpose primarily on your own growth, and your own self. I do not want you to avoid sharing love and interacting with others but I wish for now your priority to be on your own growth, not so much on concerns for others in whom you see the need for growth.

We talked Friday about four components of this growth. I wish to speak a little bit more in depth about each. This may seem repetitious and I hope this is not uncomfortable for you. For you see the truths are very simple. You mortals love to complicate things so much, but if you could truly grasp the truth and see the depth of each statement that we discuss, you would realize that there is still much to learn on these, much to put into practice in your lives.

Let us begin with worship and prayer. We will discuss both somewhat together, but I will make a distinction between them. Many of you have read the transcripts and I am not always sure who has read which, so some of this information may be somewhat familiar to you.

You will find that the lessons between the teachers are very much alike as they are truly given to us by the Melchizedek teachers. These teaching lessons are outlined. We are permitted our individual discretion and liberty to modify how we present and how we work within our own groups. Some teachers are much more formal, and others are a little bit more interactive with their lessons. We will see how this works best in our group between our different personalities and styles. But for now let us start with a little bit more of a presentation approach.

Presence, Thought Adjusters

When you think of worship, I wish for you to think of this as a communication to the Father. This communication is conveyed through your Father fragment. Your Father fragment is essentially a direct link to the Father. It is through this link that the Father knows everything about your life, everything you do, everything you think, everything you feel. He truly lives this life with you and experiences every aspect with you.

This is truly remarkable, for if you can imagine the Father in His infinity, in His greatness being able to be in direct contact with individual will creatures in this way, that is, Father indwelt, it is truly remarkable. This is something that we do not fully understand and probably never will understand, how this process works. But feel it in yourself, realize that you are never alone.

You may feel dismayed in the process in your life, but know that the Father is there with you always. Thus, if you truly feel the depths of this relationship and understand this connection that you have, you will more fully understand that you truly are the sons and daughters of the Father. You will have a better understanding of your place in the cosmos, the universe of universes, and this being your own local universe. With this understanding you will know better how to live the Father's will.

Stillness, Worship

Imagine the Father walking with you through your life. When you feel this and know this to be true, how can you not give thanks for His presence, for His love, for all the many wondrous things that He provides for you. Practice in your day looking around and seeing those things that you can give thanks for when you spend your time in worship, and please try to set aside a specific time to do this.

Eventually, I wish for you to practice this throughout the day as well, but it is best for you to discipline yourself to have a specific time for worship daily. Within this period of time, talk with the Father as you would talk with me or your brothers and sisters. Tell Him what is on your mind. Tell Him those things that you appreciate and are thankful for. Let Him know how much you love Him.

Then, after you have conversed in this way, stop sharing your thoughts and quiet your mind, and listen for His response. This response will come in many forms. You will likely not hear a voice yelling it to you at this stage of your development. As was read before, your communication from the Thought Adjuster will be so clear to you, you will not mistake it for anything else. But understand that until your communication with the Father fragment has been fully established, which we can talk about later, you will not hear that type of communication very often; it will be rare, indeed if at all.

So do not look and think that this is the way you will hear the Father's answer. He will provide guidance to you about the things that you need guidance in. He will give you a response often in His gift of love, in return for your thanksgiving and appreciation. There will be impressions made in your mind and this is true of the answers to prayer. These are made on a higher unconscious level, a level that you do not understand fully at this time, and they may take time to enter your conscious mind. This may happen in minutes, hours, days, weeks. It does not always happen the same way, but have faith and patience and know that the Father does always answer your conversations, He does speak to you.

Think about how you feel inside. You will begin to -- when you have practiced what I have asked -- feel the Father's love in you. This is also His gift to His children. It is a gift to you and it is related to your worship. You must feel these things of thanksgiving and appreciation deep within yourself, you must be sincere, you must truly desire to have a closeness with the Father.

He feels close with you at all times. He has been with you always. It is your process, your physical body’s biochemical aspects, the emotional blocks, many things that block your ability to be aware of the Father. But do not be discouraged, for He has always been there and all you need to do is ask for His love and His companionship and His support, for it is there for you.

Growth, Harmony

As you become more open to this, as you develop this process of worship, you will feel this love more and more. Initially you may feel it during periods of meditation following prayer or worship or when you recognize that you have done a good act of service. You will not feel this all the time initially. But in time as you become more God conscious, as you grow spiritually, you will feel this more and more until you feel it all the time.

On your world it is rare for any mortal to be that God conscious, to feel the Father's presence all the time. But I believe that with this mission and with your practice this is possible for each of you.

Talk amongst your brothers and sisters as to what they may have experienced in this way at this point. Watch the changes within yourself, share these with one another. Do not feel it is a race or a competition. This is an aspect of your world that is troublesome for us. But we try to share and help each one grow and at times, as another teacher has stated before, it is like little puppies trying to get to their nourishment. Do not feel that any help is going to be left out; there is plenty to go around.

We wish for you to relate to one another in a brotherly manner. It is not in style, however, being a more superior person, that you experience things differently or before another. For much of your spiritual and soul growth is unconscious to you. You do not have the abilities to truly assess these things. So do not be confused, do not let ego dominate and think that one is superior, or some piece of knowledge or some particular experience. This is important for your group to be in harmony.

So, to summarize, in your worship, think of your daily lives, find those pieces of your life or your experience that you are thankful for. This will also include some of your spiritual changes that you will begin to recognize. Converse with the Father as you would your human father or another on your world. Then take time and quiet yourself and allow the answer to be given to you.

Prayer

Now let us focus on prayer. Prayer should be directed to Michael. He is the creator and the administrator of your local universe. Prayers are acted upon in the local universe. Thus if you pray to the Father, this is not wrong, this is not bad. But what will happen to your prayer is that it will be returned or sent back to the local universe for action. Thus it is more efficient to direct your prayer to Michael.

When a prayer is sincere, when it is from true and good motivation, when it is directed for good of others or yourself, when it is in line with the Father's will this prayer will be answered. Any prayer that is sincerely offered with good motivation will be registered. The way in which it is acted upon may not be what you anticipate or what you think it should be. It may not happen in the time that you think it should. But do know that it will be acted upon. For you see no action can be taken that is not in line with the Father's will. If your prayer is sincere and heartfelt and comes from good motivation it is truly difficult for me to think that it would not be in line with the Father's will.

Prayers should be specific as much as possible. Look at a specific situation or problem that your brother or sister is experiencing or a situation in your world. And rather than pray in a more global or general way, look at different aspects of that situation or problem and pray for those specifics.

Do not pray for a specific outcome however. For example, if a friend has a problem and you care for this person and wish to help them, do not pray for a kind of specific answer that you see in your own thoughts. For this answer may not be the correct one for them in terms of that person’s need for their life. It may not be exactly what the Father wills for that person.

Rather, pray that they find the resources, the insight, the information that will allow them to make the correct decision or come to the correct conclusion. Pray that they might commit to their inner guidance. Does this make sense to you?

If you, as we have said before, were an angel, and some one prayed for world peace, and you are assigned the job to act upon this prayer request, would you know where to begin specifically. There are so many ways in which peace could be achieved in this world, so many areas where peace does not now exist. But if you pray for peace in a particular country or between particular individuals this would be much easier to act upon.

Another difference in prayer from what your understanding is on this planet is that you need not pray for these situations specifically over and over again. Once a prayer has been registered, there is no need to utter this prayer again. However if you pray in a group or if many people offer the same prayer, this is helpful. Each prayer that you make actually generates energy that can be used to answer that prayer. When you pray in a group this energy is increased geometrically. Thus you see pray can be very powerful. It is truly an active process that we require your assistance with. Pray for others. Share your concerns and thoughts with the Father, and it is all right to pray at times for yourself. But your prayers should be mostly, at this time, for others.

Again, after you pray, calm yourself, quiet your mind and allow the answer to come to you, allow yourself to experience the quiet and the love. For some groups it has been a custom that the individuals pray in one portion of the day, in the evening before you retire, and that you worship in the morning. This is an exercise you may choose to try. It would help you to separate the two and experience the two separately.

In time you may combine them. If you are already practicing them in combination and feel clear about how this should come together and how you phrase, then you may continue with your present practice. In time you will find it helpful to worship and feel the Father's love preceding your prayer, and this love will have an impact on what was generated in your prayer.

The other aspects we've discussed were forgiving yourself and others and sharing the Father's love with your brothers and sisters, seeing them as the children of God, witnessing the Father fragment in each of them. But I wish to pause for a minute and see if there are specific questions in prayer and worship at this time.

Dialogue

(pause)

Student: This is much to digest. Prayer is petition and worship is thanksgiving in very simple terms?

TARKAS: Yes, I would agree with that description. Do you have further questions.

Student: Why do you recommend that we not pray for ourselves as such?

TARKAS: The Father lives with you and experiences your life with you. You converse with Him about your life. When you pray for others you truly receive in return. Do not feel that you cannot pray for yourself, but think of prayer as service to your brothers and sisters. Does that make it clear?

Student: Yes.

Student: There was a time that I understood that when we pray for others that it was more helpful to yourself. But as I began to reflect on that I had a hard time deciding in my own mind if I was praying for others for my own gain or theirs?

TARKAS: Your world is confusing regarding service, sacrifice, selfishness. In time you will sort these things out better. I hope you will agree with this for it is truly your decision, but if you choose to grow spiritually, your first priority is your own spiritual growth. And this is truly what the Father wants for you in this life.

In this process when you do service to others you receive back. This is something that you should be desirous of if it is truly motivated for the welfare of another and not for your own ego or sense of pride or elevation for the sake of what you do. It is good that you desire to do good to others, it is appropriate, it is not selfish and, yes, you do receive back much in geometric proportion to what you give out in this way.

This may seem to you to be selfish. But if you contemplate on this and you understand the aspect of sincerity and the desire to do good for others, how could this not be what the Father wishes for you to do? Could this be something that is self serving? It truly gives to you, it truly does impact your spiritual growth.

If you so desire to continue to evolve, you will reach the same place, regardless of how you act this out in this particular life or any particular situation. But I say to you, you will receive much in return if while on the (?) that you do as much good as you can. You will help others and others will spread this further and it will make a significant ripple. This sharing of love has ramifications far beyond what you can understand. You may never fully understand the full impact that your one small act of giving has.

We are beginning to talk a little bit more about service to others, but I wish to go back to prayer and worship and see if you have any additional questions. Did that answer what you were asking?

Student: Yes.

Student: Is helping others a form of prayer?

TARKAS: It is a form of service to others, and sharing the Father's love. Prayer is a form of service, however; it is also a communion with Michael.

Student: I gather that when you were talking about talking to the Father, that this is to be more of an informal conversation. Not that it is the worship aspect but the conversation that leads up to worship.

TARKAS: It may be formal or informal (tape changed and words lost). But always approach the Father in a manner that you feel comfortable with.

Student: Can you discuss spirituality now, or do you want to stay on (?)

TARKAS: Do You have a specific question?

Student: Helping others increases your spirituality. Are there other ways that would increase your spirituality?

TARKAS: We have discussed four of those -- specifically, prayer, worship, forgiveness of self and others, and service to others, or as The Urantia Book refers to it, sharing in the Father's love. Or another way to look at it is to understand your brothers and sisters as children of God just as you are and relate to them accordingly. Thus there are four clearly specific and distinct ways that will affect your spiritual growth. Is that what you were looking for?

Student: Yes

TARKAS: We have discussed prayer and worship. Are there more questions on prayer or worship, or should I go on?

Spiritual Pressure

Student: Continuing on spiritual growth, I got the impression that -- and I do not know if it was from one of the transcripts or not -- but at this time, I think the term that was used was spiritual pressure, on this planet was greater than normal, so that through our prayer and our worship, our spiritual growth would be accelerated. Is that a correct impression?

TARKAS: As you know, since the rebellion has been adjudicated, the communication channels are opened. Though you are not consciously aware of much of this communication, this has allowed much help to come to your world. In addition, Michael's specific mission and instructions to send those of us who are here as teachers. We are here at his request in this mission to help you in your world. This, if you want to look at it as spiritual pressure, and it is this fact that It is increased help. It is increased focus. It is more than I can share specifically with you.

There is much help being brought to your planet. If you could only see the numbers of beings that are here you would be truly awed. For there is much response to those needs of your planet, and the individuals.

This takes time, still, but it is true this will make the process happen in terms of time and space more complete. From the Father's perspective it is already done. This is difficult for you to understand, for you are living in a world that is dominated by time and space.

There will be additional help for you as you attempt to practice these things. But without your commitment, your will and your desire we cannot help you. We cannot force you or make your will be what it is not. We are not permitted to alter your world or your mind. But if you ask for help and truly desire this, you will receive much help. Is that what you were after, or were there more specific or more in-depth information that you were looking for.

Student: Yes.

Prejudice

Student: What would you suggest that we do to eliminate bigotry or hatred for blacks or Jews or other race conflicts. Is there any way we can open our hearts to see both sides of these conflicts?

TARKAS: Spiritual growth cannot be enforced. It is something that is up to each individual process. It is something that each person must desire in the world. There is still much strife and many problems in the world. You must start within yourself and in those you come in contact with. You must use your tools the best way by discussing them and focus on this.

I will answer this question and then I think you will understand even more as we go on and discuss forgiveness and service. Let’s take one example, and that is one you shared. Let us take the conflict between the races within your country. If you wish this to change, how might you address this. Can you think of some ways . Anyone can respond.

Student: Looking for opportunities to be of service to persons of a different race.

TARKAS: Yes, I would say that you would wish to serve all your brothers and sisters as you find them, as they are regardless of their background, their ability, their race, their sex, their socio-economic status. This is a good answer.

Student: We must learn or understand that people that we do not like or accept all the time are bridges of God like the rest of us. It is hard, I guess being human, to stop and say that Jesus loves them as much as he loves me. I can do this for a short time but the old bigotry keeps coming back.

TARKAS: There are two aspects to what you have said and you are very honest in your answer. Many will say that, yes, they wish to do that act as they wish. But in reality few are really able to do this, for, as you say, you are human. Yet you must accept that your growth will take time.

You can, as we said before, look to your brothers and sisters and see in them the Father fragment, look at them and relate to them as if they were Michael Himself. Look past those behaviors or those aspects of things that you are uncomfortable with. If you do this, it will be much easier for you to view within yourself the love of the Father more than as a brother and sister. It will be easier for you to have patience and tolerance with them when their actions do not match what you want or expect or desire.

You can also pray to Michael to give you this insight to strengthen your desire and your will to live with your brothers and sisters in this way -- to help you grow in your intellect and your emotions and in your ability to love your brothers and sisters so that this might be more of a process that is automatic for you.

I am pleased that you are ready to practice this, and I encourage you to continue. You may also discuss with the Father when you come on a situation how you are feeling about it, what you think would be a good course of action, and how you did act and how you felt about that. As you discussed these with your Father this will also strengthen your outlook and your ability to truly believe that is according to this situation.

So you see you can bring these areas of prayer, worship, forgiveness and service into most of the situations that you are thinking about. Let us go on for the moment and discuss the other two aspects of spiritual growth. We can have your questions afterward.

Sharing

Since we have just begun to talk about looking at your brothers and sisters as brothers and sisters of the universe, let us start with service and sharing in the Father’s love.

You may think that only the big steps, the big actions are, as you would say, significant, that are what is important in offering up to others the love of the Father. But I say to you that even the smallest act that we make is very significant. Whether it be opening the door, helping to pick up something that was dropped, offering a smile, a hug, a kind word. All of these kinds of things are very significant. For if you stop to think, in your experience, have you ever been in a place where you have felt downhearted, where you are allowing the poisons to enter your mind., of anger, of fear, of disappointment.

And did someone never cross your path who gave you a heartwarming smile. Or a friend who gave you an embrace without your even asking for it because they recognized where you were in your emotional state. Did this not change how you have been relating to this person, what happened inside of you regarding your own inner feelings as well as your emotional reactions to what happened eventually. Has anyone had this occur?

Student: Yes

TARKAS: Can you see how this has a rippling effect, from one to another to another. Can you see how this expands geometrically. This is what we mean by sharing the Father's love. It does not take some great act, some terrific feat. It is even tiny small things. For think of the Father in his creation. Think of Michael as he washed the feet of his apostles. It is true what you do unto the least you do unto the Father.

So do not wait for those terrific missions, those wonderful assignments to act out the Father's love in your life. It is by these actions along with your decisions that your soul growth is possible. Yes, this does serve you also, but it does much good for all around you. If everyone on your planet were to behave this way, would you not see a magnificent change on this world?

Practice this daily in every minute and action. You are fortunate to have the opportunities to help each other in these ways. Your world offers more opportunities than most worlds to reach out to others and to share the Father's love.

Enjoy this experience. You will also share the Father's love in different ways, including, as you are already doing, sharing the messages, the truths that you know about the Father, about His love, about your own careers.

But do this with discretion. Allow a framework to be established. Let others see the fruits of your labors and they will come to you and you will know that it is time to share with them in more detail and more about your beliefs and values, and about your understanding of the truths. Do not be so eager to start in that place. Do the little things and the big things will follow.

You will know when it is right. Listen to your inner guidance and realize that the Father knows best what is best for each individual. You will not be able to make this decision yourself. So you may see a specific thing that you think would be best. But I ask you to take time and pray on this and seek guidance that you will discern what is needed, that the Father can work through you to provide the essential element that is needed by that particular person.

This is unusual for you on your world to allow the Father to be an active part of your life in this way. This is expected as a part on worlds like mine in light and life. We did not have to work hard to make this part of our life. It was so attainable, so much a part that it was much more than normal forgiveness of others and yourself. You must forgive yourself for any actions or transgressions that you perceive that you have made. For you see the Father has already forgiven you. If you cannot forgive these in yourself then you block the Father's love from flowing to you. You do not allow these gifts to be well received within you. The Father wishes for this. Why, if the Father can forgive you, why do you not forgive yourself? Are you wiser than the Father?

Student: No

Student: No, it is that we have been taught that we do exactly the right thing or we will be punished. We are expecting God to punish us.

TARKAS: Are you afraid?

Student: Yes.

TARKAS: When your child misbehaves, when they did misbehave when they were young, just little children, did you hate that child for any act of wrong?

Student: No

TARKAS: Did you stop loving him?

Student: No

TARKAS: Can you imagine the Father being any different than your own relationship with you child? The Father does not punish. He loves you too much for that. It is true that you, you punish yourself. This is not helpful This does not truly help you in your growth. Yet it is so much a part of your world and your thoughts and your religious teachings. It is difficult for you to let go of these teachings, to not allow these to become a part of your daily existence.

But I encourage you to practice this; don't let go when this thought enters your mind, stop and think about the Father as a loving Father, as the parent he is to you. He would never want harm to come to you. When you think of the toddler who is beginning to understand his world, and he makes a mistake and hits another child, do you think he is a bad person? Do you want to hurt him in hopes that he would gain something in this regard. You rather would redirect him in a new direction, you would rather teach him to think of others differently, to relate to his peers differently.

This is how the Father relates to you. You do not need to accept behavior, from your brothers and sisters that is inappropriate. You do not need to love the acts that are wrong. But you need to learn to grow in how to love the individual. Do you understand the distinction?

Student: Yes

TARKAS: Did that answer your question?

Student: Yes

TARKAS: So you see that you can look at each other and yourself as a child, for we truly are children in terms of the vast scope of your eternal career. Then you can better learn to practice this forgiveness of yourself and others. You have much ahead of you that you cannot even begin to imagine. Your career, your life has only begun.

Service

Let us talk briefly about service to others. When you can see your brothers and sisters as God’s children, when you can see Michael within them, when you know of their true destiny and realize that you do not know what relationship you will have with them the rest of your career, it will be so much easier for you to act upon each and every situation you encounter.

Sharing the Father’s love as we discussed has great impact, not only on your planet but upon the whole universe. Someday you will truly understand this. Do not hesitate in any situation to act upon the motivation that enters your mind.

You may see a soul sitting there feeling sad or hurt. You may be motivated to go over and say hello, to give them a handshake, or offer a smile from across the room. Do not hesitate to do this. This is truly acting the Father's love .

Try to put aside your emotional reactions and interactions with your closest friends and family. Stop for a moment and think -- I am reacting to something from outside myself. I am reacting to a behavior that I do not want to see happen, that I do not like. But if I look at this person and try to understand why they are behaving in that way . .. perhaps they are feeling alone, unloved . .. perhaps they are struggling inside themselves in some way, either with love for themselves or with some particular event in their life.

If you could step back and look at that and see them as the sons or daughters of the Father, can you not then act back out of love rather than react with emotion. This is not easy to understand. But if you stop when you are in the situation and try to think of these things I believe that you will experience the Father's love even more and find it much more a part of your life to take those kinds of love.

When we grow spiritually, we recognize our relationship to one another and to the Father. This understanding deepens as we grow and as we go through our careers. You begin to be able to truly love and experience this sense of oneness with your brothers and sisters. This oneness deepens all the way until we reach Paradise and you truly are one with the Father and with one another.

This is your goal. It cannot be accomplished in an hour, in a day, in a year without (?) . .. Your career is very long. Do not expect perfection at first. But do not quit trying. Thus you see four aspects of service, forgiveness, prayer and worship begin to overlap and blend in your spiritual growth. This creates a harmony inside of you and a harmony with your brothers and sisters. There is truly even a harmony on a physical sense in terms of a particular vibration that you experience. This is part of what is necessary to make the changes in your growth that you all desire so much.

So you see, you think that you pray to focus on your own spiritual growth. This may seem small when you are eager to do so much. Let’s start there, for you see this impacts even those big things that you have in your minds. If everyone took this active role, the change would be instantaneous. But this is not where you are now and it will take much time for this to unfold.

Focus on your own process, and in time you will impact many around you. Be patient! Allow this to happen. I wish to stop the lesson at this point in time and to entertain questions. If you wish to first ask questions that pertain to spiritual growth and harmony, please ask those first and then we will entertain other questions.

Transmitting

Student: One that is maybe slightly related has to do with: If we desire that these changes be made in our mind, are there actually changes made?

TARKAS: Are you referring to being a TR or are you referring to the aspects of spiritual growth?

Student: It is in respect to the TRs.

TARKAS: Yes, in terms of playing that role to be a channel or communication as a transmitter/receiver, we refer to those that play that role. There are things that you can do actively on your part and there are things that we must do as well. There are a few physical changes that we can make in someone's mind.

These are not destructive in any way; we would do nothing to harm you. Michael would not permit this even if we so desire this.. But rest assured, no one who is here on this mission has any desire at all to harm you. We are here to help you. If you desire to fill this role, this will be accomplished at some time.

There are things that you need to realize about your physical body. It is not always simple for us to make impressions into (?). There are blocks to this. Your ability to quiet your physical tension, to quiet your mind from all of the global thoughts and anxiety are two aspects of this. When you allow thoughts to continue to flow through your mind there is a difference in the energy activity level of your body. All of these things make a difference in how we can communicate with you.

Your biochemical make-up is affected by many things. By how you have chosen to direct your eating habits, or exercise. In terms of your own physical health, this affects your own biochemical make-up, your electrical activity. You are also affected by many poisons as well. These are in your air, your water and your food. It is truly impossible for you to escape these at this time. These also make a difference. Your genetic development on this planet has not been typical, thus your bodies are different than they would be if your world had evolved differently. Communication would have been easier. (Tape turned over—missing a sentence)

So you see that there are many things that are not in your control to change immediately. But as you are cognizant of these things and practice changes in your life, this makes this easier. But we are learning much too in our process and we are able to overcome much now. It is true that for some we do make physical changes. But these are not anything you would be able to perceive in your physical process, in your day-to-day emotional feelings, or anything of such nature. It does not impact you in this way. It is only a means of opening a channel, creating a better ability to connect with you.

These changes are not identical with each person and they have changed over time with our understanding of factors and experience. If you are concerned about these things or have particular questions about things that you have personally been experiencing, you may wish to discuss these things at a private session.

Student: Are these changes then not necessary if you are not to be a TR.

TARKAS: It is only for those who will desire to receive communication from us, whether that be for guidance or for playing the role of a TR. There are other ways that guidance is offered, as you know, and those not willing direct communications in this way will still receive guidance. Is that helpful?

Student: Yes.

TARKAS: Consider it much like you might try to hook up a telephone. You would need to make some changes to do that. You cannot just place a telephone in your home and have it work. To talk to someone else you need to run a connecting cable and this must be a part of a larger system. And thus it is for us, but I can not give you the specifics. This is much an over- simplification but it is very similar actually.

Student: Do we express God's love, using our love by smiling or by opening the door, etc.

TARKAS: Any act of kindness or service to your brothers and sisters is truly an act that impacts the Father. This is an impact in which you allow the Father's love to flow through you to another.

Care, Expression

Student: How are we to cope with some of the terrible things that are going on in the world, such as people starving in Somalia?

TARKAS: This is truly difficult; It is difficult even for us. We must trust the Father that he has already made changes. Realize that if you look at this from a cosmic perspective, that this life is such a short term. This is hard to imagine in your place in your career but this period of time is only brief. Though there may seem to be much suffering, it is only a brief time.

You may worry about these individuals in terms of their abilities to have a healthy body and mind, to have the opportunities to grow in their careers. You must begin to accept that there are things that you can impact and things you cannot on a individual level, but by offering your prayers, by sharing your concerns with the Father, by doing what actions that you can that will reach these people you are caring.

It is not necessary for each of to go to Somalia and try to feed the hungry. There is much work on many levels in many countries. But you can support your political leaders in taking these steps. You can show your support for many things. You can pray and you can share with the Father. For you see, even this mission is the result of many individuals doing just that. It is in response to those pleas and requests from those who were suffering and those who witnessed this suffering for the Father to assist you and to end this process.

These individuals who suffer so in this world will not suffer after they transition from this world. It may seem an eternity in time, but is only a brief moment in your career. You are will creatures. The Father has given you your free will. He does not mean to interfere with this free will. Free will that is not restrained with a spiritual outlook and a cosmic perspective, often causes many problems. These things are, in time, a result of this process.

As persons grow spiritually, they assume the responsibility that is theirs. Seek the Father's will; you will see these things change. This is hard to understand. It is hard even for me at times to understand from the place that I dwell. But I know the Father loves all of his creatures and would do nothing to harm them. Have faith in the Father, for He is truly deserving of this faith.

Mansion Worlds

These individuals in the transition will be given special help in many things. So do not worry about their eternal career, but do take action when you can, as a brother or sister for them in this world, for you see you will have relationships with them on the Morontia Worlds.

When we die, does it make any difference if we are cremated or buried?

In terms of your spiritual progression you leave this body. You do not need this body in the next portion of your career. For when you enter the Morontia worlds, you are given another body of a different form. As it is said, your body returns to the earth from which it came. It is insignificant what way that this is accomplished. This is for you to decide.

Student: How long does it take for our soul to reach the Morontia worlds once you stop breathing?

TARKAS: I refer you to the text to read about the transition to the Morontia worlds. It is a very quick event.

Meditating

Student: If we are meditating, is it better to do it before going to bed?

TARKAS: Meditation is skill, practicing the ability to quiet your body, to quiet your emotions, to quiet your mind, to open up and listen and feel the Father's love and to feel the guidance that is there for you. It does not matter whether it is at bedtime or not. It would be different for some individuals depending on their biochemical make-up as to what they find most helpful.

If you feel that this makes a difference for you, experiment and decide for yourself if this has an impact. If you find that it does, then practice what works best for you. The same is true as to whether you use music or do not use music, or what type of music. There are some melodies as you are aware that do help attune you, to help your body to find a balance point that allows a greater efficiency. But you may practice, and practice in your mind that regardless of these things you will achieve this end. But anything that you find helpful to make this process go more efficiently then please do so.

Student: Would a mantra help to get into a meditative state?

TARKAS: There are those in this world who use this system effectively, and there are those who are not comfortable. It is truly an individual process. It is not necessary to have any particular form of mysticism or particular process, specific step by step type process. It is only that you grasp the essential ingredients and practice these. For each individual there may be differences and this is fine. In time you will grow to understand what all these are, essentially.

Student: I am normally a very patient person, but lately I am making no connection at all. I do not get any feedback. Do I do something wrong?

TARKAS: It takes time. Be patient and persist. Sometimes when we attempt to contact one, you anticipate this kind of approach, or you are so eager that you reach out for us. This is not necessary for you to reach to us. We will make the contact when it is possible, and when you are able.

There are many things that fill our attention that we must accomplish. It is a priority that we make connections with this group and we do work on this with you. Try to allow your mind to (?). Try to continue to pray about what you desire. Think about your commitment and sincerity in your desire. Practice the stillness associated with your prayer and worship, but also practice the stillness at times when you do not pray and worship. And if you have a thought come in your mind when you are quiet and waiting for an answer, or for a communication, speak up what you hear.

You may find it helpful to have a tape recorder there so that you can afterwards review and discern for yourself what you think this speaking out was, whether it is a thought from your mind, whether it is truth from the commission. Continue to persist in your practices, continue to pray on this.

Guidance

Student: I gathered from a previous time you do not read our mind. At least not unless we give you permission. Are you able to read our minds if we so wish?

TARKAS: We have an ability to scan some aspects of your mind. As you know, your mind has many layers and it is a somewhat complicated structure. But we have the ability to scan some things in your mind and to work with you in that way. We request, however . .. for the most part we prefer not to do this. We feel that it is more beneficial for us to work with you in a more direct relationship involving direct communication and thus allow you and your will to work with your mind.

We cannot impact your will; we must respect this at all times. We do not wish to go in and live your life for you, to direct your life. But we do wish to offer you guidance and support and help if you desire this. There are times when in a session of teaching with an individual, when one’s emotion will block communication, and to facilitate we have on occasion scanned one’s mind to identify those things that you most desire to obtain guidance about. But as a rule we do not practice this.

There are additional records that we have, of various portions and decisions of your life that are registered, and we may refer to these at times. But it is different than scanning your mind.

Dreams

Student: Do you ever answer through dreams? Are there ever messages sent through dreams?

TARKAS: Are you familiar with what the Urantia Book says about dreams?

Student: No. I have not gotten to that part.

TARKAS: OK. You may consult with those that know the Book better in locating this section if you desire. But your text mentions that your Thought Adjuster works with you when your mind is quiet. It attempts to make impressions and may communicate with you in this way.

There are others who offer guidance in this way as well. At times your mind will misconstrue this message, will make some assumptions, will attach these impressions to other experiences. Generally, dreams are not a complete impression. Generally they occur when this communication has not fully succeeded. There are occasions when one is given inspiration through what you might refer to as dreams. For the most part it is best for you to be cautious about taking to heart those things which you have received in dreams. It is best for you to develop your communication through the avenues that we practice with you.

Student: Thank you.

TARKAS: If there are no further questions, we may consider quitting, but if there is a lingering question, do not hesitate to ask.

Student: I have this so-called water purifier that I brought from Austria. It is supposed to purify the water. Is it worth the money, or is it a phony?

TARKAS: I cannot give you this type of information specifically, but I will say that it is true that your water on this planet has been contaminated. Whatever you do to try to remove them is a step in the right direction. There are many products, there are many companies. Some are truly offering a service and some are far more interested in a profit motive. You must discern this for yourself.

Student: Are companies going to realize and substitute service for profit?

TARKAS: This is truly our hope and in time this will be the case, yes.

Student: In our lifetime?

TARKAS: I cannot be that specific. I believe that changes are beginning now in your lifetime, yes, but much of what will change will take more than one generation. You must be patient, but you can have hope for you see much that is beginning to change already. It is partly your own perspective. If you look back to the time when Michael walked this planet, life was very different. And if you compare this to your time you will see there are changes. And yet you can look over your lifetime and you will think there is little change. It is a matter of perspective in what you are measuring the change by.

Race

Student: In The Urantia Book concerning the racial interpreters,(48:6.11) does this refer to any kind of race or does this refer to black and white races?

TARKAS: Would you read that portion for all that they may know what we are speaking of.

(Reads about (Racial Interpreters)

TARKAS: What exactly is your question?

Student: Does this refer to blacks and whites or all other ethnic groups and races as well?

TARKAS: I believe that it outlines the specific races of your planet. There are races of the different colors described there in your text on phases of the evolution of your world. These become blended. Your world did not grow in the same manner it would have had it not had the difficulties that it has had. There is quite a bit of information in the text on this. I would suggest that you read this and then we can discuss this further.

It is true that there are many racial genetic patterns in this world. Some you still perceive as very distinct and some are not so distinct. In time all of these will become one. You see the differences they refer to there . .. think that there is a process of tolerance, forgiveness, acceptance, brotherly attitude that also plays a role in this life. This blending will also be a part of your learning through the Morontia worlds.

Student: A friend of mine strongly believes in reincarnation as taught by the Eastern gurus. This friend has mentioned Sai Baba who I also read about in one of the transcripts as being a key person to bring the Eastern understanding to the West.

My question is: Will Sai Baba teach reincarnation after the Eastern tradition? And has he published anything yet in English?

TARKAS: I am not personally familiar with this person, but I will consult with others and get back to you on this. I would say that the understandings, and you may already understand this, the concept of reincarnation has evolved in part from misunderstanding. There is some enlightenment that has been misconstrued.

If you understood that after this life you are living now that you would live other lives and you did not have a cosmic perspective, would you not confuse this and think of it as coming back to live in this world? This is how this concept has evolved. There is much of this entwined even in what is taught today.

Closing

Linda is becoming tired, and thus we are not communicating quite so well. But to answer your question, there are still components of this in (?) teachings . In regards as to what is published, I do not know this at this time.

I think that we should close the meeting. Linda is getting very tired and I think that we will have many more occasions in the future. It was wonderful for me to be with you all tonight. I am pleased that your group is going to embrace this mission and I am going to be working with you on it. Thank you for your work. God bless you and keep you.

(Numerous Thanks)