1993-01-24-Finding Truth

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Topic: Finding Truth

Group: Unknown

Facilitators

Teacher: Tarkas, Machiventa

TR: Linda M.

Session

Opening

TARKAS: Greetings to all. This is Tarkas, your teacher. I am very pleased to see so many gathered today. There are many new faces. I hope that you will continue to attend our sessions.

I am pleased to be beginning with this group. We have been with you for some time. We are anxious to share our teachings with you. There is much happening on your planet. We welcome you to join us in the mission that we are assigned. Our goal is to bring about greater love, harmony, and peace on your world.

Lesson

We wish to help you by teaching you tools to aid you in your spiritual growth and aid you in serving your brothers and sisters with their spiritual growth and to share with them the love of the Father.

Our lessons are prepared by the Melchizedeks and we teach from these basic lessons, adding our own emphasis as is required or dictated by the individuals within our group or our own style of teaching.

You will find in the transcripts from the other teachers and from my lessons much common information, for these are the tools and the lessons that we wish to share. We ask that you look at these lessons as not just an intellectual study, but take each of the topics or tools and attempt to experience this on a deeper level and to practice it in your daily interactions and within your own growth process for yourself.

This seems simple. Many find it too simple intellectually and feel they want more depth or more interesting information. But I encourage you to realize that the greatest truths are simple. It is a matter of how you learn to live these truths and that you take them to the greatest depth that you can.

We are blessed with a visitor today who wishes to speak to you, briefly. I will commence when he is finished.

MACHIVENTA MELCHIZEDEK: Greetings, this is Machiventa. I am pleased to be here this afternoon to witness this meeting. Tarkas has been anxious for your group to meet more regularly and we are pleased to see your plans to do so. I wish to share with you my pleasure, personally, that each of you has joined this group to hear the teachings of Tarkas. He is loving. He is wise. He has had experiences on other worlds that have been in isolation and will serve you well. I hope that you will trust in him as you would in my teachings.

Know that the Father loves each one of you individually and wishes for you to grow in your relationship with Him. Continue reaching towards the Father as He is with you and lives. He personally experiences your trials and joys with you. Continue with your own growth. Know that we are with you. There are so many gathered with you today that you cannot see and who are here to support you.

I will leave you at this time and allow Tarkas to continue his meeting. Always remember that you are loved by the Father and that there is much support for each of you and this mission.

TARKAS: This is Tarkas. It is always impressive to those of us who are your teachers to be in the presence of the Melchizedeks. We are honored to have Machiventa here with us today.

I wish to encourage each of you to support one another as you think about the lessons that are taught, as you deal with this mission. We realize, that for most, this type of communication is new and not something typically experienced on your world. There is often skepticism and doubt. It is normal for each of you to have these feelings and to work through your own fears and doubts.

I wish that you realized that this is normal and human. It is important that you develop the ability to decipher the truth, to be open to what is around you, to listen to those components that ring true within your own heart and develop wisdom to sort through what is truth in your experiences.

Truth

There is truth in many places in your world, there is truth in individuals, there is truth in different reading materials, there is truth in various interactions. Begin your conscious learning process in regard to identifying for yourself the truths that ring true for you. For you will continue in this way throughout your career.

You are fortunate to have much information revealed to you in a concise text of The Urantia Book. It is a source of information that you will find very useful if you choose to partake of it. It is the most complete source of truth available at this time, but, as I said, there is truth in so many other directions as well. I encourage each of you to study this in addition to our teachings, for many questions that you will ask will be at least in part answered in this text. There are several in your group who have studied for a considerable length of time. They will be an excellent resource for you.

We have spoken before about the basic tools that we wish for you to practice. I will briefly mention them and then we will have a brief lesson. Then you will be able to ask some questions. We have mentioned before, and for those who have not yet read the transcripts of those lessons, I will just review them briefly.

Worship, Prayer

In developing your relationship with the Father, your worship is important. We encourage each of you to set aside a piece of time in your day, each day, that you can worship the Father. Focus on your thanksgiving for those things in your life and around you that you are thankful for. This is your way of giving back to the Father some of the love which He offers to you.

After you have given your thanks, quiet your mind and allow the Father to speak to you. You may not hear words but you may feel His love present in you. There may be answers to your thoughts that will come to you later. But if you do not allow the Father time to answer you, how can you expect a response? The Father wishes for you to come to Him as you would your own human father to discuss with Him those things that you celebrate in your life and those things about which you are troubled.

The second tool is one of prayer. As prayer is answered and dealt with within your local universe, we wish for you to focus on Michael, who lived his life as Jesus on your world, Urantia. He is your creator; he also is your brother. It is through his supervision and loving care that prayers are answered.

When you make a prayer request, make it as specific as you can. Realize that it is the Father's will that determines whether a prayer will be answered or not. If you make a prayer request that is not in line with the Father's will, do not expect it to be answered.

Do not pray for a specific result that you perceive another would require. Rather, pray for them to receive wisdom and guidance, that they may choose the path that is in line with the Father's will and will bring the best results for them. Break down the request into smaller components and pray for those aspects.

This has been discussed in greater detail previously and I encourage you to read those transcripts. Ask your brothers and sisters, for many have discussed this in more depth.

Forgiveness, Service

The third tool or practice we wish you to keep in mind is one of forgiveness of others as well as yourself. You are not perfect. You cannot be perfect in this material lifetime. But you can strive to accept one another for who you are, to love each other as you would Michael, to recognize that within each of you is a piece of the Father, that you will all arrive at the same place in truth, in time.

Your text refers to loving the sinner but not the sin. If someone behaves in a way that you cannot accept, you can develop an ability to see beyond that behavior and still have brotherly and sisterly love for that individual. You must have your own human law in order to live together, as you have not evolved sufficiently to be associated without such constraints. But know that the Father is very merciful, that He forgives your transgressions.

And, finally, I wish for you to realize that your sharing of the Father's love has a significant impact on this world. It may seem small in one situation or relationship but this has an affect that is passed on to others and then on to others. There are many effects for your actions and decisions of good will and love that you do not witness and do not realize the impact created by these actions. Think about this as you relate to one another throughout your day and week. Even the smallest act of kindness is significant. Michael lived this in his life. Read the section on how he lived his life and you will have more insight into this if you have not already done so.

I will pause for a moment. If there are any specific questions regarding these things I have just reviewed, I will entertain them. If someone would keep the time so that we do not run too long in this area. Perhaps, five or so minutes.

Are there any questions regarding prayer, worship, forgiveness and serving your brothers and sisters?

Dialogue

QUESTION: You instruct us to keep specific in our prayer and yet you say pray for wisdom and guidance. So, are you saying to be specific about the who of our prayer? Much of the instruction which I've had in prayer has indicated that the highest level of prayer is to pray that God's will be done. Could you say more about that?

TARKAS: Yes. If you chose something that you witnessed on your planet that you were touched by or moved by and which triggered in you a sense of brotherly and sisterly love, there are many examples. There have been natural disasters within your own country, there have been tragedies in other countries. If we chose one of those types of situations, offer a prayer petition.

If you pray for world peace, think about the process of prayer. When you make a prayer that is God's will, an angel or other spiritual being is assigned the task to carry out that recorded petition. If you were this being, and you were assigned world peace, how would you begin with the amount of resources you had available? This is such a large task. It will take much effort and much time in your reference of time and space.

So you see, if you pick a situation such as the difficulties in Bosnia and break it down, think about what problems there are there. They are numerous. If you were interested in seeing some supplies reach those in need, that would be one category. Within that, you might break it down into a request for guidance and wisdom to those who are obstructing the flow, those individuals who are stopping the vehicles and removing the supplies, that they might find in their hearts love for their brothers and sisters. And that they might overlook a vehicle passing by. You might pray that those individuals who are suffering feel the Father's presence, that their faith might be bolstered.

Those are examples of what I mean by more specific requests within your prayer. Once you have prayed for a specific subject such as this, repeated praying for the same specific does not necessarily create more reaction. Numerous individuals making the same petition would certainly allow a greater effort to be made. You can pray for one specific about Bosnia today and a different tomorrow and so on. Thus you can assist in affecting change in your world and serving your brothers and sisters through prayer.

Are there further questions on prayer?

QUESTION: How do you pray for the seriously ill. Is it best to pray in groups or singular? What do you ask for?

TARKAS: Group prayer is more effective than individual prayer but both are effective. Again, think about a situation. Do you have a specific in mind?

QUESTION: Well, it's not so much an illness as it is an addiction, which to me is an illness. How do you pray for improving that addiction? How does an individual overcome that addiction?

TARKAS: You might pray for that individual to become more aware of their difficulties, that they might be guided to seek assistance and guidance, that they might be open to this assistance and guidance, that they might use the information that they receive to affect their own process and healing and to grow in their own relationship with the Father. Does that answer your question?

HUMAN: Not really. What I'm trying to say . .. Is there anything more? Can we induce other people to pray? You said group prayer is great.

TARKAS: There are many ways of praying. Some within this mission and within other organizations in your world have developed different systems to bring these situations to light for group prayer. You can begin your meetings or end your meetings with a prayer if you choose. You can individually share topics for others to join you in prayer through the week. You can create a phone connection to share these kinds of issues. There are many ways to affect this communication for establishing a group effort.

It is up to you as a group to determine what is best for you. Perhaps one portion of your group would prefer one approach and another something different. As you create these opportunities, those who wish to participate have that choice.

Since we are discussing prayer, would someone in the group like to assume the responsibility to choose a topic for prayer for the next meeting whether it is with my communication or your own individual meeting, whichever is first? And to offer an effective prayer that all may focus upon in their silent prayer and stillness following the prayer? Is there a volunteer?

HUMAN: I feel somewhat called upon to volunteer, but the word effective frightens me because it doesn't seem that I'd be the one to know whether it was effective or not.

TARKAS: I believe that you know this in your heart. It is your sincerity, your true intentions, and that you be as specific as you can. I think it would be a good opportunity if you wish to take on this responsibility. I would like for you to do so.

All right. If there are no further questions, I will proceed. But I will open the floor a moment longer if there are more questions.

QUESTION: Tarkas, you mentioned that repetitious prayer is not more effective. But if some period of time has passed since you've made your petition, is it then acceptable to make it again?

TARKAS: Once a petition has been made and it is in line with the Father's will, it is recorded and acted upon. You need not pray repeatedly for these same aspects of the problem. I believe if you examine the situation, you may have a new insight into what else may be beneficial. You can pray again for that situation but from a little bit different perspective.

QUESTION: When I sit down to eat my meals, I always pray to God and thank Him that I have something to eat and I pray for the starving. I do this repeatedly at my meals before I even take a bite because I want God to know how much I appreciate the fact that I have something to eat, but some of these people don't. Now this is repetition, so it wouldn't be advisable for me to say this every time before I eat?

TARKAS: You may do this, but what I am trying to share with you is how to serve others more effectively. We are trying to bring about much change and if I arm you with more effective tools and abilities then you can join with us in being more effective. Continue what you do but rather than pray for world peace or ending world hunger, pick a particular location or a particular individual with a particular problem and pray for them. There is much news known to you through your news media. I do not think you will run out of topics if you do this. You know many individuals in your own interactions and many situations come to your awareness. I do not think you will run out and find yourself in need of praying for these things repeatedly.

QUESTION: Tarkas, are you willing to tell us how we can improve in our study and our relationship with each other? Possibly to move a little faster in the direction you want us to move.

TARKAS: I am pleased that you brought this up. I think that meeting frequency is one that you must decide. We will not demand of you any particular frequency but we are looking for your commitment when you are ready to make such a commitment. We are looking for each of you to hear these words, determine their truth, and determine if you wish to play a role in developing your own spiritual growth and serving your brothers and sisters. If you make these decisions, this does not mean you will not have periods of doubt or of fear that you must work through. But if you make these decisions and you wish to be part of this Teaching Mission, then we encourage you to be committed in your study, in your daily living of these lessons.

In order to truly do this, I believe that once a month will be a fairly slow rate of progress. There is much happening on your world. Things are happening on an increased intensity daily. Others join us every day from all parts of the universe of universes. It is quite a sight if only you could see and appreciate what I can see. There is much desire for things to move along. There will be events in the future that will speed the process and require more of all those involved. The base that you lay to prepare for this will allow things to progress most effectively.

It is ultimately your decision, what fits in your lives in terms of time, what level of commitment you are able to make. Talk amongst yourselves, determine what you wish to do. You can talk to other groups around the country. These things are decided differently . .... Recently, new groups have sprung up to study more in-depth or at a faster rate. There are groups that are now beginning to address prayer as you have discussed. And there is some focus on healing there as well. This has become a very big focus for many.

Some in this group do not have time to participate in all aspects, in fact, most do not. Each individual must make their individual decision . .. I encourage those of you who have friends in various groups to share with your peers the options that have been tried. But most importantly, you must decide what will work for your set of circumstances. You are a unique group, you are unique individuals, your needs and your abilities and your time constraints are different than other groups.

There are several in your group who are working hard at receiving my communication. I believe they will be ready soon to do at least a portion of your meeting. You will have opportunities then for more private sessions. I think this will also extend your experience. Encourage them in their efforts, for it is truly a commitment on their part. Does that answer your question?

Names

QUESTION: Yes, I have another one. I understand that we have spiritual names that are not our names today. Is that correct?

TARKAS: Yes, that is correct. You are given a spiritual name that will be with you for your eternity.

QUESTION: When will we receive that name?

TARKAS: Generally, that name has not been shared with individuals in worlds such as yours in this stage of your experience. But as you know from reading other transcripts, we have offered these names to individuals within our sessions. This is truly not significant in terms of your spiritual development. It was a means of developing our rapport with you, helping individuals to gain greater personal sense of connection to our process. And we understand. Most of us have been mortal and understand your curiosity.

If you wish in your group to learn these names we can entertain this at another session. It would take quite a bit of time to go around and give those names to each of you. You may find in a private session that this can be offered. You may wish to wait until there are more TRs available in your group.

There is also at this time some concern amongst all TRs in receiving names precisely. This is something we are working on for this is the most difficult along with numbers to communicate accurately. You will find that around the country this is something that many are working with us on. We have done some experiments in communicating a particular name through the same teacher and various teachers to a variety of individuals and they come up with various communications. We will continue to work on this and this will improve.

Do not be concerned, for your names of things are not very critical. What is most important is that you receive the lessons and truths from a spiritual perspective. If there is an error that is of importance on a spiritual nature, it will be corrected. Have no fear about that

QUESTION: What is our most important assignment at this time?

TARKAS: To work on your individual spiritual growth, to practice these tools that have been shared, to bring them into your own experience, and to add them to your daily life. As you become more God-conscious, you will become more effective in all of these things.

Shall we go on?

Love

There are so many lessons that are good. I have difficulty deciding which I want to share today. I believe that I will present a little bit on love. I will, in the process, ask you to join in this discussion. So as you collect your thoughts, be prepared to share them.

The term "love” is the highest word. It is not adequate in many respects, but it is the best that we have. The Father's love is always present. It is omnipresent. It is around you and has always been there for you. It is through many aspects of your living, your own teachings, and your own experiences, that you are not more aware and conscious of His love.

You have more control in receiving this love and experiencing it than you may realize. This love is beyond description. Its intensity is so vast. Your book states that it would not be possible for a mortal to survive the presence of the Father at this stage of their career. This is true, for His love is so intense and so strong that it would not be possible for you to be in His presence.

But His presence is around you; it is in you. He is able to downstep, so to speak, his love intensity to be able to live within you and experience your very life. He is in a personal relationship with each one of you. He knows of your trials and your joys.

It is remarkable to us to think about the Father, the source of all, to be able to be present in each and every one of His little creatures in this way. Can you imagine what this is like? To be in that level of relationship and communication with each of His creatures. It is quite incredible to us. This helps you to see the love that He has for you.

We are appalled at many of the beliefs in your world that share the Father with your children and with you as you develop in your religious life, as being a Father who punishes, who brings great wrath upon those who do not follow His will, who brings catastrophe and great ill upon His children. Can you imagine, if any of you are parents, or if you think of your own parents, treating your children in this way? The Father is not this way. He has never been. He is very loving. He wishes for you to seek the truth and good, and to have those things in your life.

He has given you free will. It is through the free will decisions that those on your world have made through the ages that have resulted in much of the problems that you experience. There are other issues that you are aware of that affected your world. But you have more control than you are taught, than you know about in your lives. We wish to help you grow in understanding this and developing those decisions that you wish to make that will bring you closer to the Father.

Imagine the love He has for you, to offer you this kind of free will, realizing also that He experiences your decisions with you. If you choose one that brings about suffering, He is also conscious of this suffering. So His true desire is for you to always choose to align your will with His, but you are free will creatures. This is a process of learning that you have for you. Your angels, your Thought Adjuster, we as teachers cannot do anything that would force you to do something against your will. Trust in this. Your will has the final authority in your life and in your world. Therefore, you see the importance of your role in working with us to bring about changes in your world.

The Father is truly a loving parent. You are able in your lifetime to grow more conscious of the Father, to feel His love within you to a greater depth than anyone in this room feels at this time. You must open yourself up, you must allow Him the opportunity to share His love with you. By practicing what we have discussed, and seeking what has been termed the stillness following your prayer and worship, or at other times in your day, you open yourself up to feel His love.

Those who are involved with healing have experienced sensations that can be linked to feeling the Father's love. This is many times only a bare beginning of what this can be. Share this with your brothers and sisters if you have an opportunity.

If each of you would think for a moment of a time in your life when you felt more aware of the Father's presence or were touched by some act in your life that stirred the feelings of love within you. Take a moment and think about a situation in your life that fits this. Is there anyone who would be willing to share this with the group?

HUMAN: I'll share. When I'm in church especially, even though it is a repeated prayer, the Lord's Prayer, at a certain time toward the end of the prayer, to do His will and Thy Will Be Done, it touches me very deeply. I cry a lot when I feel His love because it is so vast. I feel so small and humble. That came to mind when you asked us to share something.

TARKAS: How does that feel in terms of a sensation within you?

HUMAN: Very deep gratitude. Embraced, accepted for what I am with all my faults, very extensive love.

TARKAS: Thank you for sharing that. Does anyone else have an experience?

HUMAN: I can share an experience. I found The Urantia Book in 1976 and in about three weeks I was reading about the Thought Adjuster. I was awakened one night about 3 o'clock in the morning with an incredible feeling of love surrounding me. I heard a voice, something like a tape recorder going on in my mind which I, at first, wasn't paying any attention to. But when I listened to it, I was rather astounded. It said "Robert, I've been with you a long time and I will be with you forever.” I had this incredible feeling of being surrounded by God's love, so I should jump up and write that down so I shouldn't forget. But I realized I didn't need to write it down because I would never forget it. It's given me great joy ever since.

TARKAS: Can you describe that feeling of being surrounded by the Father's love?

HUMAN: It's truly different from anything I've ever felt before. A warm feeling of security, of confidence, and of feeling the presence of Someone who truly knew me and cared for me.

TARKAS: Thank you for this description. These are two examples that will give you insight. Each of you has your own religious experience. Some will not be eager to share this experience with others. You know within you what you know. Hold onto those things that you feel most sincerely associated with in this regard. Continue your search in reaching for this kind of sense of the Father's presence in your lives. In time, you can feel this more often. Ultimately, you will be able to experience this all of the time. The intensity of this grows as you evolve and develop.

Many in your world, unfortunately, never truly become conscious of this sense of God's love. But you have a rare opportunity to be guided and nurtured in developing this consciousness. As you do this, and it becomes more a part of your life, and you feel it within you, and you fill yourself with this feeling, you will have no difficulty allowing this to flow through you to others. All the things we are encouraging you to practice now will become more automatic. It is truly what God wishes for each to do at some point in order to progress in their careers.

If you do not make these decisions in this life, you have opportunities after you transition from this world and you will experience this. If you desire in this lifetime, and you continue to strive for this, and you support one another in striving for this, I believe each of you will come to know what I am discussing. This is a gift that is more beautiful than anyone can put in words for you. It is truly incredible for each of us to witness this. Even though we have experienced this personally, we are still amazed as we watch each of you in your growth as well. The Father is truly remarkable. His love is for every individual.

You had a visitor last week. Some of you were able to meet and talk with him. Can anyone describe what struck you most about his message and what he had to say to you?

HUMAN: I think the most important thing I got out of it was his love

TARKAS: Did you feel the love of the Father from him as you talked to him?

HUMAN: I did.

TARKAS: Were you aware of how this has changed his life?

HUMAN: No.

TARKAS: How is this emanating from him now in a way he has never experienced before?

HUMAN: Because he is surrendering.

TARKAS: Surrender is not a word that really suits the situation. It is truly one of free will, active decision on your part. It is not a matter of needing to bow down under the wrath or the control of the Father. It is a loving gift He is extending to you. All you have to do is accept it and grow with it.

Take a moment now if you will and think of something you are thankful to the Father for. Something you are sincerely appreciative of. Let us take a moment of silence to think about this. And then after you have expressed to the Father in your mind what you are thankful for, quiet your mind of all thoughts, quiet your body, and allow the sense of God's love to surround you.

Did you all feel the presence of the Father? There is a lot of love in this room at this moment. Think about how this feels as you pursue your own worship. Share these experiences with one another as you grow.

If you think of the difference between the love that is expressed between siblings, between peers, and the love that is shared from a parent, what would you say some of the differences are in the type of outpouring of love? Can anyone comment?

HUMAN: The Father's love is unconditional. He wishes the highest good for each of His children and will give as much good to each one as they are willing to accept or wish to accept. There's really no limit to what a child of God can receive from God except by his own free will.

TARKAS: Thank you. Are there other thoughts that could be shared?

HUMAN: A parent's love is more understanding and accepting than a peer's love, often times.

TARKAS: There is much tolerance and understanding in this type of love. The Father and the parent can perceive the child's potential and do not judge or see them solely by one component of their actions. The parent or the Father maintains a perspective of the individual as a whole and of their future growth. Can anyone else comment on what strikes them about Fatherly love compared to brotherly or sisterly love?

HUMAN: It seems to me that the Father's love is consistent and constant whereas the brotherly love is more periodic and sporadic. And He is always forgiving, no matter what you do. You're forgiven before you do it. All you have to do is start over and that's it.

TARKAS: Each day brings opportunity for new decisions and choices. And you are correct -- the Father's love is always present and there to support and uplift you. Anyone else care to comment?

HUMAN: Within my family there is often joking and teasing about who is loved most and favored. I do not sense that I need to jockey for a position with the Father.

TARKAS: This is a good point. The Father loves each of you individually and uniquely. There is a unique relationship between each of you and the Father. No two of you will have identical relationships. The Father loves each one equally. He does not play favorites as you say.

As your text states, He is not a respecter of persons in that regard. You cannot jockey for a higher position with the Father; this is true. He loves you equally no matter where you are in your evolution, your stage of your career, no matter what being you are, and what your destiny may be.

This is truly something that is nearly impossible for you all to fully understand in your present world. The more that we all grow to understand this and live this as the Father does, the greater our joint effort will be and the greater love we can share with one another, and the more harmony there is.

These are such good points, I would like to ask others to comment, if they desire.

Contemplate this week. Think, within your lives, about times that you have felt Fatherly love from others. You need not be a parent to fully appreciate this. Understand that you strive to exhibit this type of love but it is difficult to expect yourself to be perfect in this demonstration of love. But in time this is what you strive to do. In different relationships you will find yourself conscious of different types of love.

The Father's love is there with you to uplift you in all that you do. I would like to ask if anyone has any particular questions regarding love, for I think we would need some time today for some general questions also. We will likely have other lessons on love in the future as I feel this has only begun to scratch the surface.

Gender

QUESTION: Perhaps, Tarkas, you could characterize the difference between Fatherly love and Motherly love.

TARKAS: This is something that many on your world struggle with. We have the problem of language in terms of describing concepts we wish to share with you. Your language does not have an effective term to incorporate the Motherly and Fatherly love into one term. Parental love works to some degree but is less personal to most.

You see our dilemma. The Father is truly a composite of both. I understand that particularly the women of this world are at times offended by the use of Fatherly love as the term for the Father. Understand that He is the source for all, that His love is so vast it cannot even be described for those of us that are working with you as teachers. So you see, it is a concept that does not have the language to support it at this time. We choose the Fatherly term in evaluating the language available. It seems to be the most appropriate. But truly the Father's love is Fatherly and Motherly. There is no distinction in terms of how the Father feels about each of you.

I would actually like to make one more comment. Do not let these language barriers affect your own spiritual growth in your ability to draw close to the Father. This is truly insignificant. It is the feeling in your own life experience of the Father's love that is important. It is your feeling yourself this love and sharing it with others that you must focus upon. Do not become bogged down by wordings or insignificant discrepancies. Seek the truth of the message, of the request for each of you to grow.

QUESTION: In one sense I get the Father's love is an energy; in another it’s an attitude. Is this a paradox?

TARKAS: It is all of these things. Your thoughts truly impact your being on many levels. By thinking thoughts that are of love and good will, you truly change who you are both within your mind, within your heart, so to speak, and within your very physical being. This is not something that you can see very readily with each decision or thought that you experience, but in reality it is a fact. So you see, both are true. As you attune that energy, that is one level upon which you experience the Father's love, the heat, the warmth that was described, the sense of security and support. It is also an attitude, especially as you share it with others. Your attitude of allowing the Father's love to be experienced by yourself and to flow to others. That is a good question.

QUESTION: Are we also love?

TARKAS: You have a piece of the Father within you. The Father is love and more than love. You are surrounded by love, you can grow to become more a part of the Father's love. You are also made up, as you know, of a material body, of a material being that has various organs. You have a mind that is distinct from your brain and this mind is associated with a common mind that is truly closely aligned with the Father's love. In that regard, I would say, yes, you are love. Again, it is your will that is important in accepting and sharing the Father's love with others.

QUESTION: Can you explain the term "Love thy neighbor as you love yourself" as stated in the commandments?

TARKAS: How would you describe this?

HUMAN: My interpretation is that I don't love with a physical love, but a love of respect and honor and seeing the love of God within them, and honoring that love that I know is there. We've talked before about continuing that love despite what happens between that neighbor and myself. How can I improve loving my neighbor, how can I get my neighbor to love me?

TARKAS: And there you come to an important point. You do not have control over another. Just as I do not have control over you. It is that neighbor's free will that determines their expression of the Father's love, their receipt of the Father's love. All you have control over is your own attitude, your own actions, your own feelings, and your own perceptions of others. Continue to grow in knowing the Father's love in your own life, in your own understanding of who He is and your relationship, in your feeling this love within your very being, in your ability to allow this love to exhibit itself to others in the smallest to the biggest effort that you know to make. This will help you grow both for your own spiritual growth and it will allow you to show your brothers and sisters the love you are capable of showing to them.

If you think of the opportunities you have to share love. They can vary from the simple thing, such as greeting someone as you pass, offering them a smile, a pat on the back, opening the door for them . .. to doing something more significant, setting aside time to listen to their concerns, to truly get to know who they are and what they deal with in their lives as the Father knows them . .. to doing some major task for them, to allow someone to receive an organ from you.

You see your offerings to others are varied. The situations offer you an opportunity to give in many different ways. You must decide for yourself in what way you can be of service to each you come in contact with. There is no mandate, no requirement of the Father that you must abide by, as such. It is your free will. It is up to you to make this decision for yourself how you wish to relate to one another. By giving to your brothers and sisters, you get back manyfold. This is not something you are cognizant of, but in time you will come to understand this and you will look back and recognize this as truth.

HUMAN: I'd like to share this with everyone and with you, Tarkas. I've had the feeling for sometime that through the Father I love everybody, and that I can help everybody. It's not so much me but the Father working through me that has brought incredible joy to me in my life, spiritually and physically. It's really a marvelous feeling.

TARKAS: It truly is. Thank you for sharing this.

I wish to comment in another way. You are surrounded by opportunities for service; for allowing the Father's love to do its work. We who lived on worlds that did not have the problems yours have, we who have moved on in our careers, do not have these same opportunities. You do not understand fully what a privilege it is to serve one another.

One day you will look back and be cognizant of the privileges that you had in this lifetime. You will come to cherish the times you were able to live your life in this way. We all look forward to these opportunities in our careers even at this stage, for they give you an opportunity to grow, spiritually for yourself and to serve others. This is important in your careers; this is important to the Father.

There have been many who have volunteered to come to your world to help you, for example, but not all have been able to have this opportunity, not all will be sent on this mission. It is one of great concern for all of the universe. Many have watched the progress on your planet. There is a tremendous outpouring of love to your world. Many wish to be a part of what is transpiring. Those of us who are present are very privileged to work and serve you in this way. We are very thankful to the Father for these opportunities.

I hope that in your working in this group, you will come to view, at least in part, this kind of attitude and perspective. I would hope that you could begin to appreciate the privileges to serve that you have in your daily lives. We are tapping individuals around the entire planet to be of service in this way. The magnitude of this effort is beyond your imagination.

Evil, Lucifer Rebellion

QUESTION: On reading the transcripts, I know the Lucifer rebellion has been adjudicated, but how do I respond to friends who note all the horrible things happening in the news and feel there's a great evil at work. How do I also keep from being disillusioned from seeing all of this every day?

TARKAS: Let me first say it is partly a matter of perspective. You see, from the Father's perspective, your world has been healed. He experiences your world and its realities as you see them through your life experiences. But in His own experiences, He does not experience things in terms of time and space. So for Him, authorizing this mission through Michael to proceed, for Him this mission is complete. For Him, it is already happened.

But for those living in time and space, it does not happen in the same way. The adjudication is ended; it was a very touching experience, sad experience for many of us to realize that these individuals have not chosen to survive, have not chosen to go on in their careers. They have not chosen to return to the Father. They will never see another sunrise; they will never experience the Father's love. It is very sad to us that anyone would choose this path.

The impact of what they have done, the way in which they have denied the Father, and have acted of their own free will has many ramifications. It is not the only source of these problems you see on your world. Many problems are created by the decisions of individual mortals throughout the ages. I understand your confusion. It is difficult for us to see these things, as well. But if you realize the gift of free will that has been given you, if you could understand what you will know by having lived through the trials that you have on your world, what they will prepare you for is beyond what many of us could be prepared to do. For you must seek the Father's love to deal with these situations. The Father does not want individuals to suffer, but He wishes for free will creatures to have free will, totally. And thus you see the results are sometimes less than what you wish to see.

There are many changes on your world which I think you can see also that are beginning to change this process. He is there with them. They look forward to much love and many opportunities after they transition from this world as you do. In the end it makes little difference, for in your eternity career this is but a very small portion of time.

Pray for your brothers and sisters; support them as you can. Thank the Father that you are fortunate enough to not experience some of these atrocities. Trust in the Father that His will be done as things work out. I know this is not a very satisfactory answer for you, but there is much that I cannot specifically share with you. Know that the Father's will does win out in the end. Share what you know, the truth that you learn with each other. The more that each of you share with each other, and the more individuals that do so around the world, the less you will see of these difficult situations.

It is truly by your will as individuals, as groups of individuals, as countries to not be open to the Father's will to act unlovingly to one another that creates these situations. It is not the Father who is creating these situations and imposing them upon you. There is no evil force as an entity or being dominating or fighting against the Father in this way. That is all I have to say on that.

QUESTION: How do we explain to people . .. I have a very good friend whose daughter has cancer and she said to me, ‟How can God do this to my beautiful daughter?” And I tell her that God does not do it. Is there a better way to explain it?

TARKAS: There are many things on your world that are creating illness and disease. This is in part why this mission has been authorized. You have requested through your prayers, through the generations, for help. This help has been granted. We are doing much that I cannot share with you, to assist you. We are working closely with individuals to make some changes.

Your scientists predict cancer rates will increase significantly. They predict that one in three will have cancer by the year 2050. Our estimations are even greater than this if nothing is done to change things. You continue to recognize what you do to your own world -- the pollutants, the contaminants, in the air, in the food, in the water. It is not possible for you to avoid taking these things into your bodies. They are so omnipresent that you cannot find a source of food, of water, of air that will isolate you from these problems.

You are also contaminated by fear and doubt and negative emotions. All these things together are what create many diseases, including cancer. It is not the Father's will that you experience this; it is the product of many decisions, of many things. You have control on your world to change these things, but you have chosen not to exercise it. There is a tendency for mortals to wait until things become so significant, so severe, that they then have no choice but to react.

It is unfortunate that there is not a greater unified effort, but I tell you that we are working on this, and you can work on this for yourselves. If you practice these tools I have shared with you, you can improve your own physical well being and aid in preventing these kinds of illnesses in yourself.

Your faith is paramount in this process also. I know this is difficult for your friend. I do not have any easy answer for you to give her. This is part of the process of developing faith in your world. There are means of healing and this may be something that your friend or her daughter may be open to. Some in your group are growing in this way of sharing the Father's love through healing. But realize that, even in those situations, it is the individual being healed’s faith that determines the ability for them to be healed. Even if a petition is offered and the Father grants a full healing, it will not occur if that individual does not have the faith that they can be healed.

There is much to be learned in dealing with any of your difficulties. Your friend’s daughter can find many lessons in dealing with her illness. This is not to say that we wish for you all to suffer in order to learn lessons. But if you think back about difficult times and struggles you have had, I believe that you will come to realize that you grow much by working through these and finding that faith that carries you through.

Encourage your friend to share her love with her daughter. Encourage her, if she is able, to be open to thinking of the Father's love, for her to pray for her daughter, for her daughter to focus on the Father and to pray and worship.

QUESTION: Tarkas, in the beginning of our session this afternoon, you had mentioned that you had been around Cincinnati for quite some time. And just a little while ago you mentioned there has been help for generations. I was wondering, was this mainly you who have been with us or exactly what you meant by this.

TARKAS: When I spoke about generations, I was referring mostly to the requests from men in their prayers for greater assistance. When I spoke about being around the group for a long time I spoke as “we”. I have been here on your world for several months as many of you know. But others have been here preceding me. They have done much to evaluate those who are open to working with us, to evaluate where groups exist and who might become a part or is a part of those groups.

Much work had been done prior to my arrival. There is a process of looking at a teacher's skills and abilities, previous experiences and their own personality and character traits in matching them with a group who are a composite of many traits and resources as well. By looking at this situation the match is made. There are many who would like to have had this opportunity to be with your group, but I was fortunate to be assigned. We have much time to spend together and to grow closer. I look forward to getting to know each of you better, and I hope that you are interested in working with me.

Teacher Contact

QUESTION: Tarkas, I wonder how much knowledge you have of us. Do you just have a superficial knowledge of us or do you know us a little more deeply, more intimately?

TARKAS: This is a good question, for many have struggled in their relationships with the teachers, not fully understanding. We cannot fully disclose everything about this to you. We have ability to communicate with your angels. Your Thought Adjusters have ability to communicate with us, but they generally do not share in much detail anything in particular about you.

If there is a need, they can share with us. We are your brothers and sisters. For the most part we have lived on worlds of light and life and have progressed, most of the teachers are fused with their Thought Adjusters. We, through our growth, have ability to understand and recognize aspects about you just by being in your presence. The details of this I cannot disclose. But we do not exercise the ability we have to read your minds as such, unless there is a specific purpose and you have granted permission. We, therefore, develop our relationships with you not too much differently than you do with one another.

It is true that we have a greater insight into you than you have with one another. But if you approach us with that concept in mind, that you will share with us as you would get to know one another, the process will be smooth. We do know some about you, but we do not know all. We do not know you as the Father does, as your Thought Adjuster does, as your angels do, or as Michael does. We are, in the whole scheme of your eternity career, not that far from you in some respects.

It is interesting, isn't it, to think of some of us being thousands of years old and yet we are still closely aligned as brothers and sisters. There is a vast career ahead of each of you. It is amazing how much we have to learn, is it not?

QUESTION: Tarkas, to obtain a teacher for a specific group whom should we ask?

TARKAS: If you wish to request a teacher or if others that you know wish to request a teacher, you can bring this to me at our meetings. You can phone other groups and have the request go through their teachers. Do you wish to request a teacher?

HUMAN: Yes, I do request a teacher for our study group in Columbus.

TARKAS: I am pleased that you have made this request. It is recorded. We will let you know when we have a specific name of a teacher for your group. We have been aware of this group for a while.

Thank you very much Tarkas.

Surrender, Terminology

HUMAN: Regarding prayer, I have heard spiritually-learned persons say that when you end a prayer with “thy will be done”, it is negating the prayer, because it shows your lack of faith. Is this true and could you expound on this?

TARKAS: I would not say this is true. I think that you all know that no prayer will be answered if it is not the Father's will. To pray that His will be done is something that we all wish on many levels. This is not evidence of lack of faith. It is not necessary, however. Praying for your will to align with the Father's will is the greatest gift that you can offer the Father.

HUMAN: How can you do that without surrender?

TARKAS: Your term surrender I do not like in reference to choosing to do the Father's will.

HUMAN: Then define yours.

TARKAS: Surrender is somewhat of a negative term, a term that would indicate that there is someone demanding that kind of obedience, that kind of control over you, much as you might ask a pet to surrender to your will and obey you. Your relationship with the Father is very different than this. You have free will to choose to do His will. He does not require this of you. He does not demand it to happen in a year or a hundred years. You must, at some point, make a decision to go on with your career, but He gives you so many chances, so much latitude, so much mercy.

The Father does not demand your obedience. He reaches to you and asks you to choose to align yourself with His will. You have free will to join Him and align yourself with His will. There is no requirement to do His will to be loved or to be cared for. Does that help you understand my concept.

HUMAN: I do not think in terms of negatives when I use the term surrender.

TARKAS: Thank you. Many in your world would, though, see this as a negative, and it does indicate a different relationship than truly exists between you and the Father. This seems to me to be a product of many of your religious teachings that teach the Father as a punitive, angry being. This is not how the Father is; we do not wish to support these beliefs. Therefore I choose to clarify when you use that term, surrender. Does that help?

HUMAN: I thought I was clear on the term surrender -- when you give in to God to do His will. Then you have a direct connection and, therefore, you can follow what he provides for you.

TARKAS: You can use this term if you choose. I would not be comfortable with this term. I rather think of it as a gift He is offering you and a choice you make to accept it. But if you understand the concept as I describe it and this term feels comfortable to you then I think you understand exactly what you need to understand.

HUMAN: I do.

TARKAS: This is fine. You may use this term. Understand, though, that in talking to others they may not always have your understanding.

Prayer, Healing

HUMAN: Should we pray to (for?) others without their permission?

TARKAS: It is not necessary to have another's permission to pray for them. But you know that you cannot effect yourself a change in their will if they do not believe in the Father and do not have faith and are not open to assistance. The effectiveness of your prayer will be altered but do not hesitate to pray for others. They need not be aware of your prayer or give you permission to pray in this way. Others would appreciate knowing that you are praying for them and find great comfort in that and great support. You have the wisdom to assess this in your relationships. Does that answer your question?

HUMAN: Yes, Thank you.

HUMAN: I had a similar thought about healing, extending healing energy to someone, because oftentimes people will say that they will never do this unless you ask a person if you can do this. I can see that the person’s acceptance of the healing energy is very important and that everything is aligned with the Father's will.

TARKAS: If you have the opportunity to share the Father's love with another through prayer, through healing, why would you not do so? It is not necessary for that person to know that you are doing this or give you permission. But you know that the consequence of such actions is predicated on their own will, their own faith. As long as you understand this and have not the expectation that you will affect them regardless of their will, then there is no problem that I can see.

If you were to ask them and they were to say that, ‟No, I really don't want this,” I would abide by their will. That is a decision that you must make. There may be some who outwardly will say no, but truly would any of you refuse the Father's love if you truly understood what it was, and if you truly understood your relationship with the Father? I think few would ever refuse this support, but you must decide what is right for you.

HUMAN: Tarkas, I have a question. I was just wondering, and for lack of a better way to express this, how did you end up on your particular planet? And how did we end up on such a planet that is in such bad shape. I mean, some friends of mine have once said that, and this is using religious terminology here only to express the point, before the foundations of the earth that we stood before the throne of the Father and offered to go down to this particular planet. I was wondering how much truth there was to that. How is it that we are on such a destructive planet as opposed to a planet that could be more peaceful?

TARKAS: This is a big question. It has many components that would take much time to answer in great detail. I will give you a partial answer, but I will reference you to some sources for some greater information. Those who are readers of the text of The Urantia Book will understand what I mean when I say much of this is well described in great detail in many pages within this text. But I will give you a superficial view. I ask you to seek out those who are students of this book, talk with them. There are many papers that would help you grow in this understanding. It is not a simple answer.

Urantia

Your world is an evolutionary world as are many worlds. My world was also an evolutionary world. I lived on my world when it was at a stage beyond where yours is. What we are here to do is to help your world move on to evolve to a place where these things do not exist. All evolutionary worlds go through difficulties, go through times where there is immaturity, where there is more of a material, or on your world an animalistic sort of domination of behaviors, and evolve to become more spiritual. This is what we are giving you an opportunity to help us do in your world -- to move things spiritually and, therefore, all other aspects will move with this.

This is something that has been blocked in your planet’s development in comparison to a typical world. Your book does a nice job of delineating those things that have interfered. I wish for you to refer to this, but as you know there was a rebellion of Lucifer and Caligastia that affected much on your world. There was the default of Adam and Eve. There were many things that have altered the course of your world.

But do not become alarmed, for your world is truly loved. Michael chose it to experience his seventh bestowal on, to live amongst you. Your world is well known in all of the universes. It is loved more than you can imagine. In many ways you are a very special world, even though your progress has not been typical.

What you can do individually is to work on your own spiritual growth, share the love with others. This will encourage them and support them in changing themselves. As more individuals do this, there is a resonance, a harmony struck that will change your world. That is what we are about in this mission.

Thought Adjusters

Regarding standing before the Father and choosing to be on this world . .. your Thought Adjusters at the time of your first moral decision, did, in fact, come from the Father by their own choice. They volunteer for service with you after understanding your capacities for spiritual growth and intellectual growth. They evaluate the life plan that is created for you, and many volunteer to serve with you and ultimately fuse with you if you desire. And one of those is chosen.

So in that regard, the part of you that survives spiritually has in fact volunteered to live amongst you. By your decisions, if you choose to act in ways that are not aligned with the Father's will, your Thought Adjuster must experience this with you also. Realize that in some ways this is somewhat tormenting to them, to have to watch you suffer and go through your trials and tribulations. Yet they are there to guide you and to share with you the Father's love and guidance.

Your animal being did not stand in front of the Father in a material form as you know it and to request to live on this world. I believe that some truths are known but the cosmic context is not known and therefore the misunderstandings are developed.

I sense that it is getting late and that some need to leave. I would suggest that we take one more question and then close for the evening. We will have more opportunities in the future.

QUESTION: I have one question. Are you going to give us some homework?

TARKAS: What kind of homework would you like? (laughter)

HUMAN: Just to see how serious the group is, I think you should give us some homework like you do with other groups and see how they get going or lollygagging or whatever. (laughter)

TARKAS: If I didn't know better I would think you were a school teacher. (much laughter) I think for you to study what has been written, transcribed from other lessons, for you to contemplate on the Father's love, the difference between Fatherly and brotherly/sisterly love and to read your text for those who have it and for others to inquire of those who do in terms of information from it, and perhaps to purchase and pursue this is sufficient.

I wish for you to practice what we have talked about with prayer and worship, forgiveness, and love. Most specifically, focus on your prayer and worship. If each of you, for your homework, if you wish homework, would make time every day for your prayer and worship between now and when we meet again, I would be most pleased.

I do not believe this is a small request. I think for each of you to discipline yourselves daily to do this would be a great effort and show much commitment to yourselves and to the Father. If the person who volunteered to prepare the prayer would do so, and if you would choose a volunteer at the next meeting for the following meeting I would like this also to be a part of your homework.

Closing

I thank you for the opportunity to be with you all today. I enjoyed this very much. I hope that many of you shared my feeling and understand the value of our lessons. Imagine if everyone in your world would take time to study as we are studying today, what the changes would be on your planet. I encourage each of you to evaluate these teachings for yourself. I look forward to seeing as many of you as are interested to meet again. Good night.

CLASS: Goodnight, Tarkas.