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

 

Dear Michael and Mother Spirit, Welcome, dear Parents. We are Your children, Your well-loved children, and we know this—we can feel it. During these meetings we are also Your humble and curious students, eager to learn from You the ways of discovering our Father’s will, for we know too how we thrive by these discoveries, and abiding by them. They lead us to greater life, and it is our faith that God wants this most of all, for us and for our fellows. So we thank You for these gifts: Your spiritual ways, Your insights, Your suggestions. Amen

Dear Michael and Mother Spirit, Welcome, dear Parents. We are Your children, Your well-loved children, and we know this—we can feel it. During these meetings we are also Your humble and curious students, eager to learn from You the ways of discovering our Father’s will, for we know too how we thrive by these discoveries, and abiding by them. They lead us to greater life, and it is our faith that God wants this most of all, for us and for our fellows. So we thank You for these gifts: Your spiritual ways, Your insights, Your suggestions. Amen

MICHAEL: Well then, good evening, My bright-eyed, eager students. This is your teacher, Michael, also another humble student in the school of our Father’s universe. What a thrill it is to be in both these positions, all the more so if you can be here simultaneously, student and teacher. There is that wonderful notion in your Urantia book that you really know something when you pass it on, when you teach another. This is the idea that the whole universe is one vast school in which all sorts of beings are constantly learning from those sometimes only slightly ahead of them, and passing it on, teaching those who may be only slightly behind them.

MICHAEL: Well then, good evening, My bright-eyed, eager students. This is your teacher, Michael, also another humble student in the school of our Father’s universe. What a thrill it is to be in both these positions, all the more so if you can be here simultaneously, student and teacher. There is that wonderful notion in your Urantia book that you really know something when you pass it on, when you teach another. This is the idea that the whole universe is one vast school in which all sorts of beings are constantly learning from those sometimes only slightly ahead of them, and passing it on, teaching those who may be only slightly behind them.

 

 

What delight you can find in your human lives when you make full use of this principle. For as Mother Spirit was speaking about last week, in a lively and spontaneously creative conversation/exchange with another, you can achieve a nigh transcendent existence in an ever opening present moment, and in this openness you can learn so much, ironically, about what you’ve already ingested, but may not have quite yet digested—if you take My meaning. It is ironic, you all know so much more than what you can put your finger on and make use of. You are bombarded by so much raw data that a lot of your learning is how to organize this, how to understand it, how to derive meaning from the relationships.

What delight you can find in your human lives when you make full use of this principle. For as Mother Spirit was speaking about last week, in a lively and spontaneously creative conversation/exchange with another, you can achieve a nigh transcendent existence in an ever opening present moment, and in this openness you can learn so much, ironically, about what you’ve already ingested, but may not have quite yet digested—if you take My meaning. It is ironic, you all know so much more than what you can put your finger on and make use of. You are bombarded by so much raw data that a lot of your learning is how to organize this, how to understand it, how to derive meaning from the relationships.

This too feeds your wisdom, for this is the wise assurance you have a soul, and all those irreplaceable, unique moments of your particular life still exist on a more absolute plane than the one you know. These are glimpses into the Morontia level of existence, and they bring with them the assurance that this level truly transcends the one you are most familiar with. They assuage your fear about where you are headed. They give the lie to the notion that time is only passing, and that nothing holds, or maintains, or continues. For those of you who have known these moments of touching your own soul, know that this is proof enough of the existence of Spirit.

This too feeds your wisdom, for this is the wise assurance you have a soul, and all those irreplaceable, unique moments of your particular life still exist on a more absolute plane than the one you know. These are glimpses into the Morontia level of existence, and they bring with them the assurance that this level truly transcends the one you are most familiar with. They assuage your fear about where you are headed. They give the lie to the notion that time is only passing, and that nothing holds, or maintains, or continues. For those of you who have known these moments of touching your own soul, know that this is proof enough of the existence of Spirit.

Once again, My children, I would like to repeat that all spirit is personal. These living fields you find yourself in, these extra dimensions to being human, are generated by the very nature of personal spirit beings such as Mother Nebadonia, such as Myself, such as the Infinite Spirit and the Eternal Son, and our Universal Father. You yourself have a creative spirit that is not bound by antecedent causality. You yourself can bring something new into time and space. You do this most readily by relaxing the mental and physical concerns pulling at you, and let your own spirit swell forth. Let your creativity come into play. And then notice, however so minutely, but actually, your whole world has just changed.

Once again, My children, I would like to repeat that all spirit is personal. These living fields you find yourself in, these extra dimensions to being human, are generated by the very nature of personal spirit beings such as Mother Nebadonia, such as Myself, such as the Infinite Spirit and the Eternal Son, and our Universal Father. You yourself have a creative spirit that is not bound by antecedent causality. You yourself can bring something new into time and space. You do this most readily by relaxing the mental and physical concerns pulling at you, and let your own spirit swell forth. Let your creativity come into play. And then notice, however so minutely, but actually, your whole world has just changed.

Does God love roller-coasters—or, deep down, do you? I‘ll let you ponder on that a while. Maybe it’s both. We freely admit: you’re inextricably caught up in an eternal adventure. You might as well relax and embrace it. Make it your own. If you have any questions or comments this evening, these are always a bit of an adventure for Me.

Does God love roller-coasters—or, deep down, do you? I‘ll let you ponder on that a while. Maybe it’s both. We freely admit: you’re inextricably caught up in an eternal adventure. You might as well relax and embrace it. Make it your own. If you have any questions or comments this evening, these are always a bit of an adventure for Me.

 

Student: Father Michael, I find it very interesting to know that You and Mother are learning about the Heavenly Father right along with the rest of us, although on a much different level. I had not realized how much support we get from our spirit community--beings in the spirit community. My question is: what is commitment, and how do I know I’ve made a commitment? Can you have more than one commitment at a time?

Student: Father Michael, I find it very interesting to know that You and Mother are learning about the Heavenly Father right along with the rest of us, although on a much different level. I had not realized how much support we get from our spirit community--beings in the spirit community. My question is: what is commitment, and how do I know I’ve made a commitment? Can you have more than one commitment at a time?

MICHAEL: Yes, My son. The question of commitment goes to the heart of decision, the nature of decision. What is it to decide? For commitment is essentially deciding to do something in such a way that you are willing to invest part of your soul, part of who you feel yourself to be, in the decision. So in this sense it is a profoundly deep decision that engages as much yourself as you can consciously involve in whatever project you envision.

MICHAEL: Yes, My son. The question of commitment goes to the heart of decision, the nature of decision. What is it to decide? For commitment is essentially deciding to do something in such a way that you are willing to invest part of your soul, part of who you feel yourself to be, in the decision. So in this sense it is a profoundly deep decision that engages as much yourself as you can consciously involve in whatever project you envision.

Then, continuing on in time, it is the constant re-dedication to that original decision--since you human-type beings do find yourselves coming and going with yourselves, losing yourselves— wonderfully so at times, then reappearing, changed. Commitment has to rise above being a mere

Then, continuing on in time, it is the constant re-dedication to that original decision--since you human-type beings do find yourselves coming and going with yourselves, losing yourselves— wonderfully so at times, then reappearing, changed. Commitment has to rise above being a mere habit if it is to remain a conscious intention in the face of everything which would deter you from fulfilling it. You will find a necessity for this conscious rededication. Sadly, this idea disillusions many people. They feel there should be some way in which that original decision would be enough, and shouldn’t need to face any challenge.

 

habit if it is to remain a conscious intention in the face of everything which would deter you from fulfilling it. You will find a necessity for this conscious rededication. Sadly, this idea disillusions many people. They feel there should be some way in which that original decision would be enough, and shouldn’t need to face any challenge.

Of course, some commitments are rather easily carried out. But for the difficult ones--facing deep fears, or seeming impossibilities--accept the spiritual triumph, My son, that is possible in these rededication’s. Accept the necessity for them. You may need to recommit yourself again and again. The triumph is in the dedication, the intention. The fulfillment, the result, will always be partly God’s, just as it is with all human endeavor. Does this help clarify your grasp of what a commitment is?

Of course, some commitments are rather easily carried out. But for the difficult ones--facing deep fears, or seeming impossibilities--accept the spiritual triumph, My son, that is possible in these rededication’s. Accept the necessity for them. You may need to recommit yourself again and again. The triumph is in the dedication, the intention. The fulfillment, the result, will always be partly God’s, just as it is with all human endeavor. Does this help clarify your grasp of what a commitment is?

Student: Yes. I had not recognized that re-commitment is part of it. I was one of those who thought that one or two good commitments ought to be enough. But I was thinking as You were speaking, of Your life as Jesus, your dedicating Yourself to doing the Father’s will constantly. Also I was wondering if, speaking of decisions, if my incorrect decisions and my bad

Student: Yes. I had not recognized that re-commitment is part of it. I was one of those who thought that one or two good commitments ought to be enough. But I was thinking as You were speaking, of Your life as Jesus, your dedicating Yourself to doing the Father’s will constantly. Also I was wondering if, speaking of decisions, if my incorrect decisions and my bad

decisions are part of my soul, as well as the good decisions, the correct decisions?

decisions are part of my soul, as well as the good decisions, the correct decisions?

MICHAEL (with much humor}: Oh, yes… (group laughs) very much so. This is why We encourage you to--as much as possible--consciously remember well all that is and was involved in your day to day lives. Never forget, My son, that as you grow and mature, what is good and what is bad is also constantly

MICHAEL (with much humor}: Oh, yes… (group laughs) very much so. This is why We encourage you to--as much as possible--consciously remember well all that is and was involved in your day to day lives. Never forget, My son, that as you grow and mature, what is good and what is bad is also constantly

Student: Yes Michael, just a thought about good and bad decisions, and the duality of all of that: who is to say what is a good or bad decision? It seems like a value judgement, and something may seem bad because we didn’t get the outcome we had hoped for. So, the decision we made was based on the beliefs and understandings we had at the time, and the points of view we’re holding onto, that are dear to us. But who is to say? Maybe the outcome was in our better interest, or for a higher good.

Student: Yes Michael, just a thought about good and bad decisions, and the duality of all of that: who is to say what is a good or bad decision? It seems like a value judgement, and something may seem bad because we didn’t get the outcome we had hoped for. So, the decision we made was based on the beliefs and understandings we had at the time, and the points of view we’re holding onto, that are dear to us. But who is to say? Maybe the outcome was in our better interest, or for a higher good.

MICHAEL: My son, one way of dealing with this is to remember that value

MICHAEL: My son, one way of dealing with this is to remember that value

Student: Yeah, I kind-of knew that—if someone murdered someone, you know, based upon their own misunderstanding, but I guess I was coming from a place of spirit, of understanding man’s true nature—so to speak. When one is in this place of God, that won’t happen. If I come from this place of God within myself, I have no desire or concept of wanting to hurt another. That is where I was coming from. But I can gather that true evil is when one is aware of God, within themselves, but over-rides that and does commit atrocities.

Student: Yeah, I kind-of knew that—if someone murdered someone, you know, based upon their own misunderstanding, but I guess I was coming from a place of spirit, of understanding man’s true nature—so to speak. When one is in this place of God, that won’t happen. If I come from this place of God within myself, I have no desire or concept of wanting to hurt another. That is where I was coming from. But I can gather that true evil is when one is aware of God, within themselves, but over-rides that and does commit atrocities.

MICHAEL: This is not necessarily the case. There have been men who committed enormous evil, who believed in their heart of hearts there is no God, there is no ultimate morality. Over a course of years, for various reasons, an ultimate cynicism took over their souls, and many truly believed they were acting in accord with a law of nature: that this was what all

MICHAEL: This is not necessarily the case. There have been men who committed enormous evil, who believed in their heart of hearts there is no God, there is no ultimate morality. Over a course of years, for various reasons, an ultimate cynicism took over their souls, and many truly believed they were acting in accord with a law of nature: that this was what all persons would do if they simply had the power. They felt they were acting in accord with some great, fundamental truth, and indeed, it was this very self-assurance—for however long or short a time it lasted—that humanly enabled them to do what they did. We gave a lesson one time on how individuals so minded can form a tight group, and though from any broader perspective you could consider them all spiritually insane, still as human beings they had the necessity to see themselves and each other as sane, and sharing their great truth. Can you see how some of these cliques, these political units have come about, mainly through the lack of any knowledge or touch of God?

persons would do if they simply had the power. They felt they were acting in accord with some great, fundamental truth, and indeed, it was this very self-assurance—for however long or short a time it lasted—that humanly enabled them to do what they did. We gave a lesson one time on how individuals so minded can form a tight group, and though from any broader perspective you could consider them all spiritually insane, still as human beings they had the necessity to see themselves and each other as sane, and sharing their great truth. Can you see how some of these cliques, these political units have come about, mainly through the lack of any knowledge or touch of God?

I think what you were trying to define, or reach for, were the limits of intention, of good intention, where through misunderstanding or misperception, a painful event comes about. But here if the instigator is open-minded enough, and courageous enough, they can realize the result. Learning can take place. This particular kind of mistake need not happen again.

I think what you were trying to define, or reach for, were the limits of intention, of good intention, where through misunderstanding or misperception, a painful event comes about. But here if the instigator is open-minded enough, and courageous enough, they can realize the result. Learning can take place. This particular kind of mistake need not happen again.

I think this workshop you’ve just completed has been helpful in this endeavor. Even your feeling that you were spiritually dying there for a while, was a true assessment was it not? (Yeah) Because you were! (both laugh) But then, as you mentioned last week, you were able to recognize a true spiritual contact when you encountered her. This is touching your soul, touching the spiritual record of your life, that I liken to a steel cable, running through all you’ve known and done.

I think this workshop you’ve just completed has been helpful in this endeavor. Even your feeling that you were spiritually dying there for a while, was a true assessment was it not? (Yeah) Because you were! (both laugh) But then, as you mentioned last week, you were able to recognize a true spiritual contact when you encountered her. This is touching your soul, touching the spiritual record of your life, that I liken to a steel cable, running through all you’ve known and done.

From one perspective, My son, it is all positive, in time, but we must humbly acknowledge that within the realm of possibility that God endowed us with, with a free will, life does include within finite, temporal limits, also all the deliberate evil that men have inflicted upon each other. So that too is simply what has happened, and deserving of our respect for its actuality. The human race is truly of animal origin, and were man not endowed with a very fiery temper indeed, he would not have made it up through all the tooth and claw there is. But he is learning, most of all by

From one perspective, My son, it is all positive, in time, but we must humbly acknowledge that within the realm of possibility that God endowed us with, with a free will, life does include within finite, temporal limits, also all the deliberate evil that men have inflicted upon each other. So that too is simply what has happened, and deserving of our respect for its actuality. The human race is truly of animal origin, and were man not endowed with a very fiery temper indeed, he would not have made it up through all the tooth and claw there is. But he is learning, most of all by

Student: So You’re saying that we don’t want to go forward with the illusion… You’re losing me… I should thank God…His intention of free will for us—included evil?

Student: So You’re saying that we don’t want to go forward with the illusion… You’re losing me… I should thank God…His intention of free will for us—included evil?

MICHAEL: Yes—the possibility. As you know, there were those high beings—Lucifer for one—who have now been adjudicated, and annihilated--taken out of independent existence, if you will, by thoroughly identifying with evil. In a way their past continues to exist as part of the Supreme Being of time and space--the Soul of everything that has happened out here--but they no longer have a self-existence apart. Yes, the creation of free will--the endowing of immature, imperfect beings with a relative free will does include tragedy.

MICHAEL: Yes—the possibility. As you know, there were those high beings—Lucifer for one—who have now been adjudicated, and annihilated--taken out of independent existence, if you will, by thoroughly identifying with evil. In a way their past continues to exist as part of the Supreme Being of time and space--the Soul of everything that has happened out here--but they no longer have a self-existence apart. Yes, the creation of free will--the endowing of immature, imperfect beings with a relative free will does include tragedy.

Student: What You have just said to me kind-of unsettles me. Because I was under the impression that God can only know Himself, or Itself. God is perfection, and absolute love, and absolute peace, and absolute joy. That is just who He is…and more. So how can He create something that He is not? Or even conceive of that?

Student: What You have just said to me kind-of unsettles me. Because I was under the impression that God can only know Himself, or Itself. God is perfection, and absolute love, and absolute peace, and absolute joy. That is just who He is…and more. So how can He create something that He is not? Or even conceive of that?

MICHAEL: Here, My son, you are face to face with the absolute reality of His creation: you. This is why We say you do participate in the Deity Absolute in the very fact of your existence as a personal being. He gives you this freedom; He created you in this freedom--even from Him! You can deny Him. You can deny His reality, and choose to cease to exist.

MICHAEL: Here, My son, you are face to face with the absolute reality of His creation: you. This is why We say you do participate in the Deity Absolute in the very fact of your existence as a personal being. He gives you this freedom; He created you in this freedom--even from Him! You can deny Him. You can deny His reality, and choose to cease to exist.

in a universe that has its own trend, its own physical and mental and spiritual laws. You cannot limit God by saying He knows only Himself, as if all His creation were not free—even from Him.

in a universe that has its own trend, its own physical and mental and spiritual laws. You cannot limit God by saying He knows only Himself, as if all His creation were not free—even from Him.

Again, this is where your Urantia book has to resort to pure poetry—in your

Again, this is where your Urantia book has to resort to pure poetry—in your language—and say that God created the finite, time/space universe to "escape the fetters of infinity and absoluteness."

language—and say that God created the finite, time/space universe to "escape the fetters of infinity and absoluteness."

But it is getting late and these deep paradoxes to human reasoning cannot be settled in a few sentences.

But it is getting late and these deep paradoxes to human reasoning cannot be settled in a few sentences.

Student: Oh why not! (much laughter) But I do grapple for understanding and truth, and I don’t want to delude myself.

Student: Oh why not! (much laughter) But I do grapple for understanding and truth, and I don’t want to delude myself.

 

MICHAEL: Then let Me conclude by saying that Mother Spirit and I know how many of you consider the Urantia book far too complex, far too intellectually challenging, or needlessly detailed, but this is why it sometimes takes many, many pages--hundreds of pages all so minutely interrelated, to explain these seeming paradoxes that have puzzled the human race ever since it began to wonder, and try to put together a coherent philosophy of life. But I thank you for these questions, My son, and I encourage, I salute your desire to get to the bottom of things…

MICHAEL: Then let Me conclude by saying that Mother Spirit and I know how many of you consider the Urantia book far too complex, far too intellectually challenging, or needlessly detailed, but this is why it sometimes takes many, many pages--hundreds of pages all so minutely interrelated, to explain these seeming paradoxes that have puzzled the human race ever since it began to wonder, and try to put together a coherent philosophy of life. But I thank you for these questions, My son, and I encourage, I salute your desire to get to the bottom of things…

MICHAEL: This is why you sometimes—need--My peace. Good evening.

MICHAEL: This is why you sometimes—need--My peace. Good evening.