Changes

==Session==

==Session==

===Opening===

===Opening===

Iruka: . ..surrounds you, the Light of God enfolds you, the power of God protects you, wherever you are He is. Good afternoon, I am Iruka, I am your friend and teacher. What a delightful afternoon this has turned out to be. The warm sunlight and the birds are a sign of spring, and it is so nice to be able to sit outside. I wish to express to you my affection and my delight in your spiritual growth. You are working very hard, you have made this a priority in your life and you are indeed showing love to those around you. You have grown towards the Father, you have taken steps towards the light, it has not been easy. Can you pause for a moment and look back on where you were six months ago? How you approached a problem, how you approached an undesirable or unlovely person, someone you wish to avoid? Can you see the strides you have grown in just a few short months, that now you show love where before you avoided them. Now you engage them in conversation when before you only said what was necessary. I can see a growth, but I wanted you to be able to see your own. As you grow, you learn to love more. Growth is not easy, it is sometimes painful, but can you see how good it feels to have this love shine through you? You can walk with confidence and love and talk to almost anyone, and they cannot be a threat to you because you have the love from the Father. Sometime this week, think about the changes that have happened within you and marvel that this is just the beginning, this is just the first step. There are so many more exciting things to learn, to develop, and grow. Following the Father is truly an adventure, a thrill, not always easy but always worthwhile. This was not my lesson for this afternoon, but I see I have gotten carried away. But I did want you to recognize your own growth.

Iruka: . ..surrounds you, the [[Light]] of [[God]] enfolds you, the [[power]] of God [[protects]] you, wherever you are He is. Good afternoon, I am Iruka, I am your [[friend]] and [[teacher]]. What a delightful afternoon this has turned out to be. The warm sunlight and the birds are a sign of [[spring]], and it is so nice to be able to sit outside. I wish to [[express]] to you my [[affection]] and my delight in your [[spiritual growth]]. You are working very hard, you have made this a [[priority]] in your [[life]] and you are indeed showing [[love]] to those around you. You have grown towards [[the Father]], you have taken steps towards the [[light]], it has not been easy. Can you pause for a [[moment]] and look back on where you were six months ago? How you approached a [[problem]], how you approached an undesirable or unlovely [[person]], someone you wish to avoid? Can you see the strides you have grown in just a few short months, that now you show [[love]] where before you avoided them. Now you [[engage]] them in [[conversation]] when before you only said what was [[necessary]]. I can see a [[growth]], but I wanted you to be able to see your own. As you grow, you [[learn]] to love more. [[Growth]] is not easy, it is sometimes [[painful]], but can you see how good it feels to have this [[love]] shine through you? You can walk with [[confidence]] and [[love]] and talk to almost anyone, and they cannot be a threat to you because you have the [[love]] from [[the Father]]. Sometime this week, think about the [[changes]] that have happened within you and marvel that this is just the beginning, this is just the first step. There are so many more [[exciting]] [[things]] to learn, to [[develop]], and [[grow]]. Following [[the Father]] is truly an [[adventure]], a thrill, not always easy but always worthwhile. This was not my lesson for this afternoon, but I see I have gotten carried away. But I did want you to [[recognize]] your own [[growth]].

Our assignment for last week was to change the course of a conversation that was turning, or that had already turned, negative. This is hard to do at first, but with practice it becomes easier and if you had a chance to try it the reaction is not nearly as negative as you fear it will be. I would like to pause and see if anyone had the opportunity to change a conversation and if you feel comfortable, relate it to the group and tell if it was a positive experience to share your feelings and thoughts with others.

Our [[assignment]] for last week was to [[change]] the [[course]] of a [[conversation]] that was turning, or that had already turned, [[negative]]. This is hard to do at first, but with [[practice]] it becomes easier and if you had a [[chance]] to try it the [[reaction]] is not nearly as negative as you [[fear]] it will be. I would like to pause and see if anyone had the [[opportunity]] to change a [[conversation]] and if you feel [[comfortable]], relate it to the group and tell if it was a positive experience to [[share]] your [[feelings]] and [[thoughts]] with others.

I [[appreciate]] those who did, it is taking a [[risk]]. I think that half the [[battle]] is being [[aware]] and just noticing that the [[conversation]] is getting [[negative]] and noticing what you are saying, your [[words]], how you are [[communicating]] or even how you are saying your [[words]]. And this is what I wanted you to become [[aware]] of, and I think that it can be [[difficult]] because so often times we talk without [[thinking]] or we talk without [[meaning]] what we say. So this was an [[exercise]] for you to notice your [[words]]. I will leave you with the same [[assignment]] since it will be several weeks before we meet like this again. Just notice how you say your [[words]] and what words you [[choose]], and the [[impact]] they have on the other [[person]]. It is just something to become [[aware]] of, how others are [[perceiving]] you. If your [[goal]] is to show [[love]], of course you want others to be [[aware]] of the love. You don't want certain phrases or [[attitudes]] to take away from that [[love]]. So you see this is the next step, you are showing love very, very freely. Now we are working on the [[perception]] of how people are seeing you and this love. I will now take [[questions]].

===Dialogue===

===Dialogue===

S1: Hello Iruka, I got an interesting phone call from the west coast of the United States. There will be someone joining us from the nation of Chile. Are you aware of this gal, do you know anything about her or anything we could do to help her get settled here?

S1: Hello Iruka, I got an interesting phone call from the west coast of the United States. There will be someone joining us from the nation of Chile. Are you aware of this gal, do you know anything about her or anything we could do to help her get settled here?