Changes

==Heading==

==Heading==

===Topic: '''''Self-power and other-power'''''===

===Topic: ''Self-power and other-power''===

===Group: [[Lightline TeaM]]===

===Group: [[Lightline TeaM]]===

==Facilitators==

==Facilitators==

===Lesson===

===Lesson===

Michael: Good evening, this is Michael. Mother Spirit and I are happy to receive your love. It gives us such great power for in this we are like you. We derive such power from those we love and those who love us, those who are happy to share their life with us and add to our souls. In this we are very much like you, my children. We have our own power stemming from the very kind of beings that God has created us to be. We have the spiritual power of creativity, our amazing ability to generate something right out of ourselves.  And in your case, being a very time-and-space bound being, this is so critical, this spiritual power of yours, because it gives you the possibility of choice. You are not just a part of the landscape. You are a relatively autonomous being and your creativity gives you this choice, this possibility for free will, and to have your own life.  

Michael: Good evening, this is Michael. Mother Spirit and I are happy to receive your love. It gives us such great power for in this we are like you. We derive such power from those we love and those who love us, those who are happy to share their life with us and add to our souls. In this we are very much like you, my children. We have our own power stemming from the very kind of beings that God has created us to be. We have the spiritual power of creativity, our amazing ability to generate something right out of ourselves.  And in your case, being a very time-and-space bound being, this is so critical, this spiritual power of yours, because it gives you the possibility of choice. You are not just a part of the landscape. You are a relatively autonomous being and your creativity gives you this choice, this possibility for free will, and to have your own life.  

===='''''[[Power]]'''''====

====''[[Power]]''====

*(Self-power and other-power)  

*(Self-power and other-power)  

This is a direct gift of our Father’s--your own unique life, and you share it with us. But then there is not only self-power, there is other-power, the power we derive from being a host, a friend, a companion to God.  He is part of our lives, in your case a separate, unique bestowal, a gift of his presence that can generate discreet thoughts.  At some of your most trying, desperate moments, if you have the courage to still your panic and ask of him, he can say: Have you thought of this?  Have you considered that?  The next step is always there and if it is not in your possession, it is definitely in his.   

This is a direct gift of our Father’s--your own unique life, and you share it with us. But then there is not only self-power, there is other-power, the power we derive from being a host, a friend, a companion to God.  He is part of our lives, in your case a separate, unique bestowal, a gift of his presence that can generate discreet thoughts.  At some of your most trying, desperate moments, if you have the courage to still your panic and ask of him, he can say: Have you thought of this?  Have you considered that?  The next step is always there and if it is not in your possession, it is definitely in his.   

Your Urantia Book says that personality--this personal being that you are--is characterized by morality, an innate ability to choose.  Yet we’ve suggested that, like a physical muscle, this spiritual quality needs to be exercised.  So in your morning meditations or anytime throughout the day--your little mini-meditations, your little stopping to wander--one of the most devout and truly humble prayers is: Dear Father, what is the best thing to do next? There is that dimension of morality: What is the best thing I can do next? You see this opens you up, and in opening you up, it opens up the world that you are living in.

Your Urantia Book says that personality--this personal being that you are--is characterized by morality, an innate ability to choose.  Yet we’ve suggested that, like a physical muscle, this spiritual quality needs to be exercised.  So in your morning meditations or anytime throughout the day--your little mini-meditations, your little stopping to wander--one of the most devout and truly humble prayers is: Dear Father, what is the best thing to do next? There is that dimension of morality: What is the best thing I can do next? You see this opens you up, and in opening you up, it opens up the world that you are living in.

===='''''[[Reality]]'''''====

====''[[Reality]]''====

*(Realists and Romantics)   

*(Realists and Romantics)   

Maybe a Realist believes that “seeing is believing”--your whole empirical scientific method is based on this ability to work up an experiment and see what happens. That’s the determining factor. But your Romantics know that “believing is seeing.” Your whole orientation towards reality determines what you pick out of it as significant; what you disregard as insignificant; who seems to be telling the truth; who seems to be fabricating lies. It’s your inner sense of what you believe, what is your personal philosophy of life. This is what you will see reflected. So there is nothing more important; there is nothing truly more humbling and a gift you can give to all your fellows: to know what you believe and know how that is influencing what seems to be basic perception. For a better world, a better society can only come about when individuals more and more recognize their projections, recognize how they are interpreting their situation, and literally take responsibility for it.   

Maybe a Realist believes that “seeing is believing”--your whole empirical scientific method is based on this ability to work up an experiment and see what happens. That’s the determining factor. But your Romantics know that “believing is seeing.” Your whole orientation towards reality determines what you pick out of it as significant; what you disregard as insignificant; who seems to be telling the truth; who seems to be fabricating lies. It’s your inner sense of what you believe, what is your personal philosophy of life. This is what you will see reflected. So there is nothing more important; there is nothing truly more humbling and a gift you can give to all your fellows: to know what you believe and know how that is influencing what seems to be basic perception. For a better world, a better society can only come about when individuals more and more recognize their projections, recognize how they are interpreting their situation, and literally take responsibility for it.   

Absolutely nothing else works. But if I just drop everything and lapse into stillness, I know I’m in God’s hands and I get anchored, and focused, and centered. That way I can just focus on this instant and not on expectations of me, or what I thought I had to do, or what I was worried about, or what I was eager to accomplish--whatever it was. Because anything can send me into panic mode, it seems. It’s just amazing how fragile I feel these days. But I do take heart that I have the strength to know enough to run home, to spiritually run home and take cover in the Citadel of the spirit that you provide. So I just wanted to reinforce that idea that, if we can deal with the panic first, it will unfold. This too will pass and we’ll be in a good orderly direction. Thank you.

Absolutely nothing else works. But if I just drop everything and lapse into stillness, I know I’m in God’s hands and I get anchored, and focused, and centered. That way I can just focus on this instant and not on expectations of me, or what I thought I had to do, or what I was worried about, or what I was eager to accomplish--whatever it was. Because anything can send me into panic mode, it seems. It’s just amazing how fragile I feel these days. But I do take heart that I have the strength to know enough to run home, to spiritually run home and take cover in the Citadel of the spirit that you provide. So I just wanted to reinforce that idea that, if we can deal with the panic first, it will unfold. This too will pass and we’ll be in a good orderly direction. Thank you.

===='''''[[Practical]]''''', '''''[[Stillness]]'''''====

====''[[Practical]]'', ''[[Stillness]]''====

*(The practicality of stillness)

*(The practicality of stillness)

Michael: Thank you, my daughter. You bring up a very strange word that’s not always associated with spiritual things, and that is: practical. This is something you earn, this being able to be still.  And of course the sooner you can get your children started on it the better. (Michael laughs) This is something you earn. You’re building up this home base in spirit--as we called it one time, and it is the most practical thing in an emergency because often you are… It’s a fundamental fact of human life that you can be overwhelmed and not only by an accident where you are terribly injured yourself, but how about if you are driving along and come across such an accident.  In these moments of panic your mind can be fluttering everywhere trying to deny or avoid what is happening.   

Michael: Thank you, my daughter. You bring up a very strange word that’s not always associated with spiritual things, and that is: practical. This is something you earn, this being able to be still.  And of course the sooner you can get your children started on it the better. (Michael laughs) This is something you earn. You’re building up this home base in spirit--as we called it one time, and it is the most practical thing in an emergency because often you are… It’s a fundamental fact of human life that you can be overwhelmed and not only by an accident where you are terribly injured yourself, but how about if you are driving along and come across such an accident.  In these moments of panic your mind can be fluttering everywhere trying to deny or avoid what is happening.   

Student: Hey, Michael, this is Cal.  What do I need to do to make the most out of my life?  That’s it.

Student: Hey, Michael, this is Cal.  What do I need to do to make the most out of my life?  That’s it.

===='''''[[Morality]]'''''====

====''[[Morality]]''====

*(Exercise your sense of morality)  

*(Exercise your sense of morality)  

Michael: Well, yes, my son. Did what I say about having an innate sense of morality, did that register with you? What a challenge it is, and yet what a necessary thing it is to ask yourself and exercise this, just like a muscle. It’s like learning a job, to do a necessary task. Spend some time to reflect on your life, like what did you do today?  What have you been doing for the last week or two? What do you need to do? What do you want to do? With all these dimensions swirling through you, the best thing to do is enter stillness. Take some time out of your busy life and sit down and, if you want to, keep a notepad, and spend twenty minutes living with yourself.   

Michael: Well, yes, my son. Did what I say about having an innate sense of morality, did that register with you? What a challenge it is, and yet what a necessary thing it is to ask yourself and exercise this, just like a muscle. It’s like learning a job, to do a necessary task. Spend some time to reflect on your life, like what did you do today?  What have you been doing for the last week or two? What do you need to do? What do you want to do? With all these dimensions swirling through you, the best thing to do is enter stillness. Take some time out of your busy life and sit down and, if you want to, keep a notepad, and spend twenty minutes living with yourself.