Changes

Daniel (Bill): Yes. Thank you for your [[eloquent]] and thoughtful [[sharing]].

Daniel (Bill): Yes. Thank you for your [[eloquent]] and thoughtful [[sharing]].

Virginia: Teachers, I am sure I have been affected by what I [[read]] this morning in [[Tomas]]'s ''[http://www.harpofgod.org/bookstore.html Fruits of the Spirit]''. It was undying [[hope]], and I think in terms of how in my [[past]], religion has been ridiculed as "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Preacher_and_the_Slave pie in the sky by and by]." And that probably was the religion I had, I don't know. But at the same time I realize that the [[Teaching Mission]] has made my [[relationship]] to God much more real in my [[life]] and has been a real nudge to spend [[quiet time]] with my [[Indwelling Spirit]] and with God. And I know that it's different because I no longer beat myself up as much as I used to, even though there are those times that I wish my [[actions]] to be better. I know that there is [[forgiveness]] and [[relationship]] and [[growth]] and this [[hope]] is very real. And I look at the [[contrast]] that Tomas made that it is not just the yearning that you have but it is [[hope]] for personal life and for [[this planet]] and for everyone I love and for everyone that I wish the very, very best for. And one of the greatest [[insights]] for me, for someone else it may not be at all, through [[the teachers]] or through the inner spirit, I am not sure, but the [[realization]] that anyone I pray for, God loves them much more than I could possibly love, and therefore my [[hope]] is [[rooted]] in something that is going to be a reality, a good [[reality]] forever.

Virginia: Teachers, I am sure I have been affected by what I [[read]] this morning in [[Tomas]]'s ''[https://www.harpofgod.org/bookstore.html Fruits of the Spirit]''. It was undying [[hope]], and I think in terms of how in my [[past]], religion has been ridiculed as "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Preacher_and_the_Slave pie in the sky by and by]." And that probably was the religion I had, I don't know. But at the same time I realize that the [[Teaching Mission]] has made my [[relationship]] to God much more real in my [[life]] and has been a real nudge to spend [[quiet time]] with my [[Indwelling Spirit]] and with God. And I know that it's different because I no longer beat myself up as much as I used to, even though there are those times that I wish my [[actions]] to be better. I know that there is [[forgiveness]] and [[relationship]] and [[growth]] and this [[hope]] is very real. And I look at the [[contrast]] that Tomas made that it is not just the yearning that you have but it is [[hope]] for personal life and for [[this planet]] and for everyone I love and for everyone that I wish the very, very best for. And one of the greatest [[insights]] for me, for someone else it may not be at all, through [[the teachers]] or through the inner spirit, I am not sure, but the [[realization]] that anyone I pray for, God loves them much more than I could possibly love, and therefore my [[hope]] is [[rooted]] in something that is going to be a reality, a good [[reality]] forever.

Daniel (Bill): My dear, you do well. The "pie in the sky" has come to [[earth]], and you are enjoying the sweet [[savor]] of [[experience]] that is real, of [[hope]] that is not [[ephemeral]], of [[spiritual growth]] that has really changed you and [[radiates]] from you to those who are willing to have [[light]] enter their [[dark]] corners. I thank you for [[sharing]], and I say have another piece of pie. ([[Laughter]])

Daniel (Bill): My dear, you do well. The "pie in the sky" has come to [[earth]], and you are enjoying the sweet [[savor]] of [[experience]] that is real, of [[hope]] that is not [[ephemeral]], of [[spiritual growth]] that has really changed you and [[radiates]] from you to those who are willing to have [[light]] enter their [[dark]] corners. I thank you for [[sharing]], and I say have another piece of pie. ([[Laughter]])

Daniel (Bill): Whatever makes the crust tasty is fine with me. And you see this is the [[difference]] between phantasmal religion and [[real religion]]. The one is based upon [[fantasies]], wish fulfillment, nebulous philosophy perhaps and is characterized by [[alienation]] within the [[personality]], between the [[mind]] and [[the soul]] and the [[animal nature]]. Real religion is the [[integration]] of all the aspects of your life into meaningful, real, "rubber meets the road" kind of [[experience]]. And so I don't merely joke with you when I talk about eating the pie now. Nor does real religion [[ignore]] the needs of the world, for you are [[rooted]] in your lives in the [[matrix]] of the needs and [[interactions]] with others. You are not off in some [[monastery]] separated from the world, but you are all [[engaged]] at several levels and in different ways with the real world. Who would be next?

Daniel (Bill): Whatever makes the crust tasty is fine with me. And you see this is the [[difference]] between phantasmal religion and [[real religion]]. The one is based upon [[fantasies]], wish fulfillment, nebulous philosophy perhaps and is characterized by [[alienation]] within the [[personality]], between the [[mind]] and [[the soul]] and the [[animal nature]]. Real religion is the [[integration]] of all the aspects of your life into meaningful, real, "rubber meets the road" kind of [[experience]]. And so I don't merely joke with you when I talk about eating the pie now. Nor does real religion [[ignore]] the needs of the world, for you are [[rooted]] in your lives in the [[matrix]] of the needs and [[interactions]] with others. You are not off in some [[monastery]] separated from the world, but you are all [[engaged]] at several levels and in different ways with the real world. Who would be next?

Bob: I'll give it a shot. I think Carol, my [[wife]], is probably the best person to [[explain]] how I've changed since [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988 1988]. It is many small things and perhaps nothing too great. [[Patience]] is probably what I've learned the most, probably because that's where I had the furthest to go, and I am still a very impatient person. Things happen all the time which demand patience and I seem to be able to deal with that now much better than before. My [[religion]] prior to 1988 was solid. I felt [[good]] about that, but now its not so [[superficial]], its more full, its deeper, its has depth to it. It is not just something you can talk about, but I can actually feel it, and I think convey that to other people. That is even more amazing, I think, that you can convey those [[ideas]] to others. And now since 1988 I think I have something to say. Before that [[religion]] was more than [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Preacher_and_the_Slave pie in the sky], but not much. It had meaning, but it didn't have the depth. It was just so many words. And now those words seem to have substance. And I am delighted with what's going on in my life, probably for the first time I think I am on the right track. Those things just seem to resound, you seem to know when the [[light]] goes on in your head, you seem to know that THAT'S RIGHT! And those [[experiences]] were few and far between before. Well, I've said enough.

Bob: I'll give it a shot. I think Carol, my [[wife]], is probably the best person to [[explain]] how I've changed since [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988 1988]. It is many small things and perhaps nothing too great. [[Patience]] is probably what I've learned the most, probably because that's where I had the furthest to go, and I am still a very impatient person. Things happen all the time which demand patience and I seem to be able to deal with that now much better than before. My [[religion]] prior to 1988 was solid. I felt [[good]] about that, but now its not so [[superficial]], its more full, its deeper, its has depth to it. It is not just something you can talk about, but I can actually feel it, and I think convey that to other people. That is even more amazing, I think, that you can convey those [[ideas]] to others. And now since 1988 I think I have something to say. Before that [[religion]] was more than [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Preacher_and_the_Slave pie in the sky], but not much. It had meaning, but it didn't have the depth. It was just so many words. And now those words seem to have substance. And I am delighted with what's going on in my life, probably for the first time I think I am on the right track. Those things just seem to resound, you seem to know when the [[light]] goes on in your head, you seem to know that THAT'S RIGHT! And those [[experiences]] were few and far between before. Well, I've said enough.

Daniel (Bill): Well spoken, my [[friend]]. And as each of you opens up to the [[guidance]] that your [[Indwelling Spirit]] provides you there is less work that the [[guardian angel]] has to do to arrest your [[attention]] and divert you from unproductive [[paths]]. This does not mean that you are magically removed from the ups and downs of life, but your [[experience]] of them [[changes]] so that instead of [[struggle]] and [[effort]] and [[confusion]] you experience [[confidence]] and [[patience]] and a very quick return from [[error]] to the [[truth]], and a sense of [[presence]], conscious at times of that Lover of [[your soul]], [[Ta|that Father]] of your soul who dwells within your very minds. There is no substitute for [[experience]], and there is no refutation of experience. Instead of remaining at the level of "I [[believe]]", you can at times move to the level of "I know." I know for I have experienced it. I am very [[gratified]] by all of you so far. There are still more who may wish to contribute. I would love to hear what you might have to say.

Daniel (Bill): Well spoken, my [[friend]]. And as each of you opens up to the [[guidance]] that your [[Indwelling Spirit]] provides you there is less work that the [[guardian angel]] has to do to arrest your [[attention]] and divert you from unproductive [[paths]]. This does not mean that you are magically removed from the ups and downs of life, but your [[experience]] of them [[changes]] so that instead of [[struggle]] and [[effort]] and [[confusion]] you experience [[confidence]] and [[patience]] and a very quick return from [[error]] to the [[truth]], and a sense of [[presence]], conscious at times of that Lover of [[your soul]], [[Ta|that Father]] of your soul who dwells within your very minds. There is no substitute for [[experience]], and there is no refutation of experience. Instead of remaining at the level of "I [[believe]]", you can at times move to the level of "I know." I know for I have experienced it. I am very [[gratified]] by all of you so far. There are still more who may wish to contribute. I would love to hear what you might have to say.