1998-09-04-Teacher Effectiveness

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Topic: Teacher Effectiveness

Group: SE Idaho TeaM

Facilitators

Teacher: Daniel, Aaron

TR: Bill K.

Session

Opening

Daniel: "... I will commence this evening's time of transmitting. I welcome all of you who make the effort to work this event into your busy mortal lives. Yes, I am Daniel, your teacher, guide and friend. How delighted am I to greet each of you here tonight. It warms my heart to see the camaraderie you share with each other. When I look around this planet and see the sorry state of affairs which exists generally, we teachers take heart and say we are making a difference. With those words of introduction I now turn the time over to others."

Lesson

Aaron: "Greetings, my friends. This is Aaron. Tonight I come with intent to draw forth from you summaries of your experiences in this last year's time. I have a few inquiries. In some sense this is a fact-finding mission. An initial question that I would like your feedback on would be, 'how would you rate the effectiveness of ourselves, the teachers, in getting forth the message to you in a way that is understandable?' And Cathy, I would like you to begin, and feel free to go in a circle."

Dialogue

Cathy: "Aaron, when you say, 'the message' do you mean just hearing you guys in general?"

Aaron: "How effective do you feel we are in communicating to you? Are our messages...?"

Cathy: "For me, it is inversely proportional to my level of stress. So, it often seems like the times when I need you most, I can't hear a blasted thing! And that's really frustrating for me. And I know that's my problem, and not so much yours, because it's an inability in myself to obtain quiet, to get to that nice centered place, when things around me are chaotic and emotional and when I'm physically ill. I guess that's all."

Aaron: "Indeed does the level of communication become diminished through your own personal stresses and trials. Aside from your personal receptivity, how do you feel you have handled the ups and downs of your life in this last time period?"

Cathy: "Remarkable well. I feel that I've been dealt a blow that would have almost crippled me months, definitely years ago, and yet within a few days of diagnosis, I was able to comprehend why it was that it was so fearful for me... because of my past history... And to some level rise above that and to make a decision that I'm going to do whatever it is I have to do to be there for my children, to be there for me. Your presence has helped me tremendously with that, because I have very little fear of death. I still have a significant fear of pain! Having you guys around and even more so having this family around has made all the difference."

Aaron: "Thank you for you sharing, my friend. Bob, how do you feel we have done in our transference of communication to you in this last time frame?"

Bob S.: "I've always felt that the communication was clear. Unfortunately, on occasion, it's turned out to be inaccurate, unreliable, or it's invalid. The messages I've gotten haven't always turned out to be true and that doesn't particularly bother me, for I bought into the idea early that if the stuff I hear is in error, it will be cleared up later on. And I don't mind making a fool out of myself on occasion. That's not a particularly serious problem.

Looking back on the things I hear, they tend to be so general, they're open to a lot of interpretation, and that's where I'm not sure I'm doing a very good job. And maybe that's by design. If we were told exactly what we were to do, maybe that would take all the challenge and individual growth out of the whole exercise, I don't know. But I tend to be one who accepts whatever I hear at face value and tries to make sense of it and go ahead, rather than asking a lot of questions like, 'do you mean this by that, or do you mean this by that?' Maybe I should be asking more questions, I don't know."

Aaron: "Indeed, does your inquisitiveness bring about clarity, for in asking questions does the opportunity for clarification arise. The statement you made regarding the interpretative qualities of our messages holds some merit as we do not want to give concrete and definite answers so much as stimulation and thought provocation. And yes, the human element plays a significant degree in the process of communication. The danger is not that you would make errors -this happens frequently... and I do mean this in a general sense and not just you, Bob - the danger would be more in accepting messages as truth, rather than having a discernment about their validity, and making definitive individual choices regarding communication. Angie, how do you feel the communication process has been in the last year regarding our transference to you?"

Angie: "Your messages have always been clear, and understandable. I have (inaudible). a lot of time, and so I've felt (inaudible) . .. in reading the transcripts (inaudible)..."

Aaron: "Would you have any advice for Ester and for your teachers for how you would like to communicate with them at this point?"

Angie: "No, they're doing good, they need to give me a swift kick sometimes so I'll sit down and talk with them. I enjoy them very much."

Aaron: "As do they enjoy their relationship to you. Robert, my friend. How would you characterize the capabilities of ourselves to communicate to you in this past time frame?"

Robert: "I haven't been here for most of that time frame, so I have no comment."

Aaron: "You do realize, my friend, that I was also referring to personal relationships in the communication as well as on the group level, and the degree of comfortability with the communication?"

Robert: "I understand."

Aaron: "Thank you. And Barbara, how do you feel regarding our efforts at communicating with you?"

Barbara: "Sometimes it's very clear and sometimes there are long absences, although I think I try to find the quiet time in order to listen. The times when there's been frequent visits, frequent conversations have been very special to me. I'm not sure how to increase it, maybe I don't need to. This has been a challenging year to say the least, and there are a lot of times when... I've had a lot of time by myself, and so quiet time isn't always just sitting and waiting to hear something. There's a lot of times that I... whether I'm having a conversation with myself or I'm hearing teachers, those are the times when I'm able to cope better with whatever is the challenge at the moment.

And the thing that makes me question whether it's teachers or myself, is that there really isn't any announcement of who's talking to me. I may be out working out in the yard, or just doing anything, and it's inside my head, and I don't know if that's my talking to myself or teachers talking to me. But that helps, whether that's teachers or not. And when the teachers are clearly identified, that's very helpful to me. I just wish you'd come around a little more often, or I'd be a little more receptive."

Aaron: "Indeed, friend, are we there quite often, and you do pick up on some insights that we impart. You could be a bit more attentive to the personal transference, but this is all within your own willingness. We do not feel slighted by our incapability to communicate with you, any of you, at any time, so you should never truly feel that you've done us a disservice. More so, should the questions to yourselves be, 'with these resources available, how well am I utilizing them for my own benefit in developing an increasing understanding of spiritual reality?' The other question I would like to pose here is, 'how do you feel regarding our communications, do you feel that you are more motivated toward service in life? If you honestly look at it, do you feel that you are more compelled in motivation to be of benefit to those who pass your way?' Barbara?"

Barbara: "Absolutely. I think that's been one of the major changes in the last couple of years, is that I look at people differently. I'm still judgmental, but much less so than I used to be."

Aaron: "Robert?"

Robert: "No more so than before I became associated with the Teaching Mission."

Aaron: "Angie?"

Angie:"Yes, yes, I think I have been. Although I procrastinate and haven't gotten around to doing anything, but I will!"

Aaron: "Bob?"

Bob S.: "I'm not sure. In terms of how I view other people, I don't see I've made a lot of progress there. I think the communication with me personally has helped me to look at a lot of personal bad habit typethings, and take a serious look at trying to do something about those. But I don't think I do see other individuals any better than I did a year or two ago."

Aaron: "Cathy?"

Cathy: "I feel more grounded in my role as student and teacher than I did before. I don't dismiss people as easily as I did... even a chance encounter. I figure that coincidence is God's way of being anonymous. So I try to learn whatever is there for me gain from whatever situation. I'm also becoming progressively more aware that preaching at somebody, telling somebody how to answer is probably the worst way to perform service. I think the best thing I can do for other people, and particularly for my kids, is to try to be the best person that I can be, and that I may not see what impact I have right now, and it may be just a subtle shift but (inaudible). I'm done."

Aaron: "Thank you. And the final question is, 'what about our being here do you find most important in our communications over these years? What brings you a sense of purpose, if you do feel one, regarding our relationship to you?' Cathy?"

Cathy: "The greatest thing about meeting every week and talking to you is simply the reinforcement that we are not alone. The greatest gift of this Teaching Mission for me is the knowledge that no matter what deep, dark, scary things may be out there in the future, I don't have to face any of it alone."

Aaron: "For one moment, I had an image of your response being, 'the food'! (laughter) Thank you for allaying my fears. Bob, what about our being here as a part of your life motivates and inspires you more than any other factor?"

Bob S.: "I think it's probably the best thing that's happened to me. The thing that frustrates me is that I don't act like this. Intellectually I understand them, but in terms of my actions I don't seem to be acting as one who's had this marvelous experience. But I believe it's the single most important thing that's happened in my life, and it's certainly helped me to become more faithful, trusting, patient (inaudible). And, it's helped me to become grounded, I think, not only among the teaching corps but the other mortals that are here listening to you. It's helped me to become more centered, I think. I think I really needed that and it's a source of considerable satisfaction."

Aaron: "Angie?"

Angie: "I certainly do look forward to our meetings every week, and to your presence with us. And I feel like Bob does, that it's probably the most important thing that's happened to me. Also I feel like Cathy, particularly with Ester and my mother and father. I no longer feel so alone, and it's helped me a great deal."

Aaron: "And Robert?"

Robert: "I'll pass."

Aaron: "And Barbara?"

Barbara: "A lot of what I was going to say has already been said. I think if I had to name one thing, I think the experience of teachers and the group and personal interactions with the teachers, all of that has added meaning to my life that wasn't there before -- meaning and purpose and something much larger than myself."

Aaron: "Thank you, my friends, for your responses to my inquiries this evening. It has been a duty given to me to provide a status report of the Teaching Mission, the Correcting Time, as it is in this group. And before I would give you my views on status, certainly it is equally as important for us to have your views and perspectives regarding this experience in your lives.

The Mission is moving ahead on all fronts. What may be perceived as a diminishment certainly is the limitations of human viewpoint. The greatest degree of our message that has been comprehended to this point was the most critical factor in Michael's commission to us. And for this, we are grateful and we have a feeling of success that you are aware that there is more purpose in the universe than your own trial and struggles, and in a large part do you feel that you are not alone in those individual struggles and trials. Michael's initial command was to bring you into the family in such a way that you recognize that you are not alone. This in itself is a success. To the degree that you can make this awareness available to those in your lives, do you aid us in our service to humanity.

Also, we perceive the up coming time to be one of importance regarding your personal decisions as individuals in relationship to this mission, for much of how this Correcting Time proceeds is linked to how you perceive the Mission moving forward. We have purposed to bring you a sense of community, to give you an awareness that there is an order in the universe, and that you are participating as a part of this planetary upstepping. At the same time has there been an equal amount of pressure applied to swing you away from gravitating into crystallization of concepts, and the closing off of potential through overmuch ritual and procedure.

We are curious as to how this Mission will proceed with the subtle influences trying to bring about balance, for neither are we seeking to build a church with rules and regulations, procedures and processes, and neither are we seeking you to flow aimlessly about into a sense of randomness such that the awareness of community and purpose fade. Wisdom is needed, not only by ourselves but also by our human counterparts, as to how we can proceed in such a manner that does not promote instability nor inflexibility.

As you may see by viewing the various groups and friends that you have met in this Mission, you can see that the flavor of each does exist and that both have their value. By learning to incorporate each other's viewpoints into a functioning community of tolerance, perhaps something more profound may occur than the human directionalization that can gravitate away from spiritual intent into promoting either a need for comfortability or an overblown need for freedom. In short, as we proceed in our mission with you it is important that you allow us the opportunity to lead, and yet may you have the ability to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove... to perceive what steps have value and which may need to be questioned.

It is our hope and desire as the years unfold that this progress will not bring about a scattering and a diminishment of potential, nor a figurehead speaking of the right way and the wrong way. I hope these perspectives offer you some idea as to how we as a spiritual administration are proceeding, for always are we careful to institute measures that promote a healthy balance between randomness and stifling.

Indeed, are you all proceeding individually at a pace that is bringing you into a higher degree of comparative morontial development. But as the movement proceeds on the community level, may you rest assured that we are still quite capable of leading the way into more sublime trails of personality realization and a sense of the Supreme developing in your relationships to one another on this path.

Closing

Those are my words for you this evening regarding the status of the mission. Thank you for your perspectives regarding the status from your viewpoints.I now withdraw. Good evening."