Changes

[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]]

 

 

Marin TM Group—Mill Valley, California—U.S.A.

 

 

Dear Mother Spirit and Michael: As we approach the season of celebrating the birth of a Creator Son as a small baby human on our planet, we feel again that familiar pull. On the one hand we have the hopeful expressions of an ideal—peace on earth, good will to men; which seems to make all the sharper the lacerating shards of reality—the pain and sadness that people deliberately inflict on each other. So once again we ask your help in accomplishing this stretch you have called upon us to attempt, standing firmly on our understanding of the real, and our acceptance of it, yet never forgetting to stretch so that at least our fingertips can touch the ideal. Amen.

Dear Mother Spirit and Michael: As we approach the season of celebrating the birth of a Creator Son as a small baby human on our planet, we feel again that familiar pull. On the one hand we have the hopeful expressions of an ideal—peace on earth, good will to men; which seems to make all the sharper the lacerating shards of reality—the pain and sadness that people deliberately inflict on each other. So once again we ask your help in accomplishing this stretch you have called upon us to attempt, standing firmly on our understanding of the real, and our acceptance of it, yet never forgetting to stretch so that at least our fingertips can touch the ideal. Amen.

NEBADONIA: Good evening my children, this is your mother, Nebadonia. I want to thank you for coming out on this blustery winter evening to share this visit with me. I know it is a very genuine and heartfelt warmth you derive when you do make an effort to follow your heart, to go where you know you are loved, and you can love in return. This is the real stuff of this, or any other season of your heart and your soul.

NEBADONIA: Good evening my children, this is your mother, Nebadonia. I want to thank you for coming out on this blustery winter evening to share this visit with me. I know it is a very genuine and heartfelt warmth you derive when you do make an effort to follow your heart, to go where you know you are loved, and you can love in return. This is the real stuff of this, or any other season of your heart and your soul.

 

 

Tonight I would like to talk about the living balance that constitutes human experience, and how, just as in your prayer this evening, it does call for you to stretch and keep open to these two polarities, these two ends of a moral continuum that sometimes seems to have you on a rack. For feeling that balance tipping back and forth between good and evil, between what is possible or only probable, between what is real and what is ideal, the feeling of this often comes across as a kind of anxiety and insecurity. We’ve labeled this as the impenetrability of the future, which can back up into, and overshadow your present. Let me suggest that this feeling of the living balance of these possibilities is the very essence of life itself, especially human life where you are beset by certain economic determinism’s. Here I’m referring to those aspects of your life—food, shelter, energy, time—in which decisions must be made of this or that, where, considering mankind as a whole, there has never been enough. I’m suggesting that this feeling of uncertainty tipping back and forth is largely uncomfortable because of some mass cultural illusions being held that actually represent a kind of immaturity, both of the race and the individual.

Tonight I would like to talk about the living balance that constitutes human experience, and how, just as in your prayer this evening, it does call for you to stretch and keep open to these two polarities, these two ends of a moral continuum that sometimes seems to have you on a rack. For feeling that balance tipping back and forth between good and evil, between what is possible or only probable, between what is real and what is ideal, the feeling of this often comes across as a kind of anxiety and insecurity. We’ve labeled this as the impenetrability of the future, which can back up into, and overshadow your present. Let me suggest that this feeling of the living balance of these possibilities is the very essence of life itself, especially human life where you are beset by certain economic determinism’s. Here I’m referring to those aspects of your life—food, shelter, energy, time—in which decisions must be made of this or that, where, considering mankind as a whole, there has never been enough. I’m suggesting that this feeling of uncertainty tipping back and forth is largely uncomfortable because of some mass cultural illusions being held that actually represent a kind of immaturity, both of the race and the individual.

Mankind has always dreamed of a golden age, sometimes putting it in the past as if it actually happened once upon a time, and in this the fall of Adam and Eve from grace does remind us there was, at least an ideal purpose of a Material Son and Daughter who actually did come to earth, whose children were to biologically up-step the aboriginal human races so that within forty or fifty generations there would be almost no persistence of negative biological traits. But there were also once illusions of the "noble savage," illusions of tribal communism where everything was joyously shared equally. This is where your Urantia book, and your more modern history, and even the Bible—concerning more recent centuries, go to some pains to remind you of the hundreds of thousands of years of incessant tribal warfare based on the principle of an eye for an eye, leading to revenge and retribution as a stark necessity of life. Those tribes who did not immediately avenge some aggression against them would simply be enslaved and dissolved/digested. You are reminded how all of the larger political/social units came about through conquest, right up to the nations of the present day. Even so-called voluntary alliances between tribes, or later, sovereign states, came about solely to address a balance of power against other alliances. This is the true history of your planet.

Mankind has always dreamed of a golden age, sometimes putting it in the past as if it actually happened once upon a time, and in this the fall of Adam and Eve from grace does remind us there was, at least an ideal purpose of a Material Son and Daughter who actually did come to earth, whose children were to biologically up-step the aboriginal human races so that within forty or fifty generations there would be almost no persistence of negative biological traits. But there were also once illusions of the "noble savage," illusions of tribal communism where everything was joyously shared equally. This is where your Urantia book, and your more modern history, and even the Bible—concerning more recent centuries, go to some pains to remind you of the hundreds of thousands of years of incessant tribal warfare based on the principle of an eye for an eye, leading to revenge and retribution as a stark necessity of life. Those tribes who did not immediately avenge some aggression against them would simply be enslaved and dissolved/digested. You are reminded how all of the larger political/social units came about through conquest, right up to the nations of the present day. Even so-called voluntary alliances between tribes, or later, sovereign states, came about solely to address a balance of power against other alliances. This is the true history of your planet.

Yet you had the introduction of a counter-balancing or competing principle, one that fully accepts with insight the one of an eye for an eye—retribution—and simply asks with foresight--projecting this on into the future—how can one put an end to this? And this is the principle of forgiveness and love. This is the understanding that sooner or later there has to be an undeniably arbitrary decision that the retribution stops now, with you. However ones gross sense of justice is offended, however much one knows of certain horrific acts that need to be retaliated, there has to be found some way to forgive ones enemies, to embrace them and turn them into friends. This is all the more critical in today’s world where so many who are caused to suffer are truly innocent of any evil intentions, and have only a racial, or religious, or cultural connection with the original conflict. Indeed it was some small but necessary measure of civilization in these past few centuries when warfare was at least attempted to be limited to the older males as combatants, a principle that fell apart rather dramatically in the last century with the waging of total war against civilian populations.

Yet you had the introduction of a counter-balancing or competing principle, one that fully accepts with insight the one of an eye for an eye—retribution—and simply asks with foresight--projecting this on into the future—how can one put an end to this? And this is the principle of forgiveness and love. This is the understanding that sooner or later there has to be an undeniably arbitrary decision that the retribution stops now, with you. However ones gross sense of justice is offended, however much one knows of certain horrific acts that need to be retaliated, there has to be found some way to forgive ones enemies, to embrace them and turn them into friends. This is all the more critical in today’s world where so many who are caused to suffer are truly innocent of any evil intentions, and have only a racial, or religious, or cultural connection with the original conflict. Indeed it was some small but necessary measure of civilization in these past few centuries when warfare was at least attempted to be limited to the older males as combatants, a principle that fell apart rather dramatically in the last century with the waging of total war against civilian populations.

So let yourselves feel this balance. Your sense of morality is one of the great prerogatives of your personality, innate in your very being. You need to feel this as you go through your days. Those of you who are a little bit older and are hearing or reading my words, can recognize immediately how this assurance has grown within you over the years. You can think back on some of your earlier quests for the truth of life and the hopes you would have some definitive experience that would settle the matter once and for all—whether you called it Enlightenment, or Realization, Satori, or whatever Then came the slowly dawning truth that truth itself is alive, and growing, ever reaching out to be all-inclusive. Principles are limited or contained by their opposites. Those who cling to just one principle to the exclusion of all others—shall we say that of revenge or retribution—to achieve justice, forgetting about mercy, and love, and forgiveness, are setting their feet upon an endless round of violence.

So let yourselves feel this balance. Your sense of morality is one of the great prerogatives of your personality, innate in your very being. You need to feel this as you go through your days. Those of you who are a little bit older and are hearing or reading my words, can recognize immediately how this assurance has grown within you over the years. You can think back on some of your earlier quests for the truth of life and the hopes you would have some definitive experience that would settle the matter once and for all—whether you called it Enlightenment, or Realization, Satori, or whatever Then came the slowly dawning truth that truth itself is alive, and growing, ever reaching out to be all-inclusive. Principles are limited or contained by their opposites. Those who cling to just one principle to the exclusion of all others—shall we say that of revenge or retribution—to achieve justice, forgetting about mercy, and love, and forgiveness, are setting their feet upon an endless round of violence.

Here is another fine balance between your insight into reality--that your mind and your spirit give you by living in the moment and being open to all it contains, finding its counterpoise with foresight—the ability to extrapolate certain trends and behaviors into the future, and allowing this to affect you now. You try as best you can to foresee the consequences of your actions. Without this you are just groping around blind, knowing only what is under your hand at the moment. On the other extreme you have those who are always living in the future. They feel they can only start living when this or that condition finally comes to pass, straining to see so far ahead, and basing their present moment on that, they can literally miss living fully now. This is a kind of paradox if you approach it from the position that there is some settled reality, some final truth, if you could only realize it, for it would be worth any price you had to pay in terms of sacrificing now.

Here is another fine balance between your insight into reality--that your mind and your spirit give you by living in the moment and being open to all it contains, finding its counterpoise with foresight—the ability to extrapolate certain trends and behaviors into the future, and allowing this to affect you now. You try as best you can to foresee the consequences of your actions. Without this you are just groping around blind, knowing only what is under your hand at the moment. On the other extreme you have those who are always living in the future. They feel they can only start living when this or that condition finally comes to pass, straining to see so far ahead, and basing their present moment on that, they can literally miss living fully now. This is a kind of paradox if you approach it from the position that there is some settled reality, some final truth, if you could only realize it, for it would be worth any price you had to pay in terms of sacrificing now.

If you have any questions or comments this evening, let’s feel our way through them.

If you have any questions or comments this evening, let’s feel our way through them.

 

Student (with much nervous laughter): Yes, Mother, once again your topic tonight seems appropriate—finding balance in all the feelings I’m feeling. I had a session with Michael on Saturday, concerning the possibility of a relationship with a woman who is quite young. I was reflecting on the conversation you and I had a few weeks before on an ideal relationship, and the so-called dating game. What I’m feeling toward this young lady: it seems my soul desires to share so much of myself, I feel that life has kind-of taken me on a magic carpet ride. I feel out of balance; I feel a tug of war going on inside me. Either I can resist it, or see where it takes me. It feels rich with possibilities. As long as I stay out of trying to impose my will on her, and just allow it to take its course, then the experience—the wealth of that experience could be immeasurable. But I have no idea, because she is young; yet she must think something of me if she is willing to go to the symphony…

Student (with much nervous laughter): Yes, Mother, once again your topic tonight seems appropriate—finding balance in all the feelings I’m feeling. I had a session with Michael on Saturday, concerning the possibility of a relationship with a woman who is quite young. I was reflecting on the conversation you and I had a few weeks before on an ideal relationship, and the so-called dating game. What I’m feeling toward this young lady: it seems my soul desires to share so much of myself, I feel that life has kind-of taken me on a magic carpet ride. I feel out of balance; I feel a tug of war going on inside me. Either I can resist it, or see where it takes me. It feels rich with possibilities. As long as I stay out of trying to impose my will on her, and just allow it to take its course, then the experience—the wealth of that experience could be immeasurable. But I have no idea, because she is young; yet she must think something of me if she is willing to go to the symphony…

So that’s what’s percolating in me right now, like I’m on the verge of tears so much because the yearning and feelings are so strong. I am keeping a watchful eye on myself.

So that’s what’s percolating in me right now, like I’m on the verge of tears so much because the yearning and feelings are so strong. I am keeping a watchful eye on myself.

NEBADONIA: My son, this is a perfect living example of what I was talking about. With respect to a future relationship, you do have those ideals of how you would like it to come out, or develop, yet your wisdom tells you that there is this other person with her own ideals, her own wishes, and hopes, and fears. Tonight I merely wanted to assure you that there is no easy way out. This is the stuff of life itself, this unknowing yet taking a chance and reaching out that occasions a nervous humor as you consider the dating game. Right within the reality of that moment to moment contact—taking a walk, going to a movie or a dinner, whatever—you can’t help but reach for an assessment of the potential; or as you put it: is there any future in this? That’s the foresight part. Sometimes a very pleasant-seeming present moment can suddenly go hollow with a feeling that there is no future here. That occasions another decision. Do you continue with what is pleasant enough—now, and add that to your soul, or in the economy of never enough time and only one life to live, do you end this relationship so you can reach for another? This is what is entailed. So as Michael gave you his blessings in the attempt, (more nervous laughter…) let me add mine too. Proceed with your eyes wide open. (and Mother joins in)

NEBADONIA: My son, this is a perfect living example of what I was talking about. With respect to a future relationship, you do have those ideals of how you would like it to come out, or develop, yet your wisdom tells you that there is this other person with her own ideals, her own wishes, and hopes, and fears. Tonight I merely wanted to assure you that there is no easy way out. This is the stuff of life itself, this unknowing yet taking a chance and reaching out that occasions a nervous humor as you consider the dating game. Right within the reality of that moment to moment contact—taking a walk, going to a movie or a dinner, whatever—you can’t help but reach for an assessment of the potential; or as you put it: is there any future in this? That’s the foresight part. Sometimes a very pleasant-seeming present moment can suddenly go hollow with a feeling that there is no future here. That occasions another decision. Do you continue with what is pleasant enough—now, and add that to your soul, or in the economy of never enough time and only one life to live, do you end this relationship so you can reach for another? This is what is entailed. So as Michael gave you his blessings in the attempt, (more nervous laughter…) let me add mine too. Proceed with your eyes wide open. (and Mother joins in)

But I have no idea where I’m going—as we’ve talked about many times before.

But I have no idea where I’m going—as we’ve talked about many times before.

NEBADONIA: As your Urantia book puts it: for human beings insight definitely has to proceed foresight. You have to live as fully as you can today to see what you are capable of, what life is offering you, in order to project. At the same time, you know certain inevitabilities are on their way—possible injuries, accidents, the surety of old age and its attendant decrepitude—all of these are very foreseeable. So there is no substitute for making plans, making provision, giving up something now as a gift to that future you. Even the animal kingdom knows this lesson well, right down to the ants versus the grasshoppers.

NEBADONIA: As your Urantia book puts it: for human beings insight definitely has to proceed foresight. You have to live as fully as you can today to see what you are capable of, what life is offering you, in order to project. At the same time, you know certain inevitabilities are on their way—possible injuries, accidents, the surety of old age and its attendant decrepitude—all of these are very foreseeable. So there is no substitute for making plans, making provision, giving up something now as a gift to that future you. Even the animal kingdom knows this lesson well, right down to the ants versus the grasshoppers.

Student: And you will be with me as I go on this date… Please… (much laughter)

Student: And you will be with me as I go on this date… Please… (much laughter)

NEBADONIA: We’ll be there for both of you. I hope this evening I’ve given all who may come to read these words some insight as to the desirability of feeling what may have occasioned anxiety in the past. Hopefully this can lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the complexity of your kind of being where you have different aspects of yourself acting somewhat independently at times. Because there is a wisdom to that. In his discussion Saturday, Michael mentioned the anxiety you will feel approaching a new person, or a new job, a new situation—what actors call stage fright, which is actually the deep wisdom of foresight within you releasing enormous stored energies so you can come up to the moment. You feel yourself queasily shifting gears inside in preparation. So it is nice to know that right beneath the surface anxiety of feeling yourself being moved, you can have confidence in this deeper wisdom/energy that is rising to meet the occasion. This confidence is another priceless pearl you have to earn, yet that earning is helped by reflection; sometimes even by the stubborn courage not to panic--(Mother chuckles).

NEBADONIA: We’ll be there for both of you. I hope this evening I’ve given all who may come to read these words some insight as to the desirability of feeling what may have occasioned anxiety in the past. Hopefully this can lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the complexity of your kind of being where you have different aspects of yourself acting somewhat independently at times. Because there is a wisdom to that. In his discussion Saturday, Michael mentioned the anxiety you will feel approaching a new person, or a new job, a new situation—what actors call stage fright, which is actually the deep wisdom of foresight within you releasing enormous stored energies so you can come up to the moment. You feel yourself queasily shifting gears inside in preparation. So it is nice to know that right beneath the surface anxiety of feeling yourself being moved, you can have confidence in this deeper wisdom/energy that is rising to meet the occasion. This confidence is another priceless pearl you have to earn, yet that earning is helped by reflection; sometimes even by the stubborn courage not to panic--(Mother chuckles).

 

This is what we mean by your being an experiential being. The larger purpose of your present life is to experience, to be open to experience, to be aware of and to eschew all those life-robbing techniques of avoiding experience. Always remember, my dear children, nothing of true spiritual value is ever lost. Every spiritually meaningful experience is yours forever. Be in my love. Good evening.

This is what we mean by your being an experiential being. The larger purpose of your present life is to experience, to be open to experience, to be aware of and to eschew all those life-robbing techniques of avoiding experience. Always remember, my dear children, nothing of true spiritual value is ever lost. Every spiritually meaningful experience is yours forever. Be in my love. Good evening.