Changes

==Session==

==Session==

===Opening===

===Opening===

Ham: Greetings, children, I am Happy you have chosen this evening and have honored me with your [[presence]] tonight. I am Ham and I am your teacher/friend. Once more we shall discuss the [[stillness]] and the importance of creating [[time]] to [[practice]].

Ham: Greetings, children, I am [[happy]] you have chosen this evening and have [[honored]] me with your [[presence]] tonight. I am Ham and I am your teacher/friend. Once more we shall discuss the [[stillness]] and the importance of creating [[time]] to [[practice]].

===Lesson===

===Lesson===

When your lives are pressured and hurried, then your schedules are disrupted and you have less time to relax and to honor the Father with your approach toward him in stillness. But that is the very time when you need this spiritual refreshment. Stillness is a time when you release your control over time, over your [[mind]], over your [[thoughts]]. It is a time to [[experience]] pure [[being]], a time to experience the now completely, to release the worries of the day and to just experience your [[breath]]ing, your [[heart]] beat, and to invite the [[Thought Adjuster|Father's spirit]] to enter and to [[commune]] with him.

When your lives are [[pressured]] and hurried, then your schedules are disrupted and you have less time to [[relax]] and to honor [[the Father]] with your approach toward him in [[stillness]]. But that is the very time when you need this spiritual refreshment. Stillness is a time when you release your [[control]] over time, over your [[mind]], over your [[thoughts]]. It is a time to [[experience]] pure [[being]], a time to experience [[the now]] completely, to release the worries of the day and to just experience your [[breath]]ing, your [[heart]] beat, and to invite the [[Thought Adjuster|Father's spirit]] to enter and to [[commune]] with him.

Often, it is helpful to discuss your day with the Father, what it will be like, what is has been like, what your worries are so that you are open to receiving his counsel. You cannot receive guidance when your minds are filled with your own thoughts, when your own mind is rushing from here to there and back, when you are worried about doing an endless list of little chores. There is no [[space]] for receiving those thoughts the Father wants you to concentrate on, thoughts of charity, thoughts of [[love]], thoughts of kindness, thoughts of giving of yourself.

Often, it is helpful to [[discuss]] your day with the Father, what it will be like, what is has been like, what your worries are so that you are open to receiving his [[counsel]]. You cannot receive [[guidance]] when your minds are filled with your own [[thoughts]], when your own mind is rushing from here to there and back, when you are worried about doing an endless list of little chores. There is no [[space]] for receiving those thoughts [[the Father]] wants you to [[concentrate]] on, thoughts of [[charity]], thoughts of [[love]], thoughts of [[kindness]], thoughts of giving of yourself.

[an interruption]

[an interruption]

Just as in stillness, during transmission, the mind must be extremely calm and receptive. When you learn to practice stillness, you will find that sometimes it is easier to achieve this level of being in the now than others. Sometimes, just like with this cat crying, the mind is continually drawn to another topic. There is something which is annoying you, worrying you, that is difficult to release. And this is not to say that you have failed in your stillness, not at all, rather you have gone to the Father with a problem and even if you cannot release it enough to receive guidance at the time, you have still brought this concern to him. You are asking for help and this effort, this [[motion|movement]] on your part, is what releases the Father's help for you.

Just as in [[stillness]], during transmission, the [[mind]] must be extremely calm and receptive. When you learn to [[practice]] stillness, you will find that sometimes it is easier to achieve this level of being in the now than others. Sometimes, just like with this cat crying, the mind is continually drawn to another [[topic]]. There is something which is annoying you, worrying you, that is difficult to release. And this is not to say that you have failed in your stillness, not at all, rather you have gone to [[the Father]] with a problem and even if you cannot release it enough to receive [[guidance]] at the time, you have still brought this concern to him. You are asking for help and this effort, this [[motion|movement]] on your part, is what releases the Father's help for you.

The Father's aid is always available, it is sitting right before you so to speak, but you must reach for it, you must ask. So often, I watch you children rush through your busy live, worried distracted, and you are ignoring the great resources that are set before you. It is almost as though you would feel weak if you reached out and instead you want to feel strong.

The Father's aid is always available, it is sitting right before you so to speak, but you must reach for it, you must ask. So often, I watch you children rush through your busy live, worried [[distracted]], and you are ignoring the great resources that are set before you. It is almost as though you would feel weak if you reached out and instead you want to feel strong.

The Father's help is complete, the Father's help comes in ways that subtly change your attitude, subtly help you see aspects that you had not previously seen. The Father's help doesn't come in blinding flashes of [[insight]] so much as little nudges here and there. It is easy to allow the stress of the [[moment]] to fog your [[thinking]], to cloud your judgment, and when you reach out to the Father it is like that cloud lifts and you can see a greater [[reality]] than you could see a moment ago.

The Father's help is complete, the Father's help comes in ways that subtly change your [[attitude]], subtly help you see aspects that you had not previously seen. The Father's help doesn't come in blinding flashes of [[insight]] so much as little nudges here and there. It is easy to allow the stress of the [[moment]] to fog your [[thinking]], to cloud your judgment, and when you reach out to the Father it is like that cloud lifts and you can see a greater [[reality]] than you could see a moment ago.

Do not expect that by practicing the stillness that you will reach that state of nirvana in a flash and be permanently changed all at once. But do expect to experience small changes all along. Expect to have your insight deepened just enough that you do change a little bit.

Do not [[expect]] that by practicing the stillness that you will reach that state of [[nirvana]] in a flash and be permanently changed all at once. But do expect to experience small changes all along. Expect to have your [[insight]] deepened just enough that you do change a little bit.

Maturity is the art of always seeing beyond yourself. When you are in various stressful situations, always the first reaction is to narrow the focus to your own immediate self-interests. That is the temptation you must learn to resist. Maturity requires that you always see the other person's side, that you always see the bigger picture all along.

[[Maturity]] is the art of always seeing beyond yourself. When you are in various stressful situations, always the first [[reaction]] is to narrow the focus to your own immediate self-interests. That is the [[temptation]] you must learn to [[resist]]. Maturity requires that you always see the other person's side, that you always see the bigger picture all along.

Therefore, it is those times when you are most under stress that the stillness is so valuable because instead of shrinking down into yourself, it requires you to reach out of yourself. Then you can calmly assess whatever the situation is with the aid of a greater grasp of reality.

Therefore, it is those times when you are most under [[stress]] that the [[stillness]] is so valuable because instead of shrinking down into yourself, it requires you to reach out of yourself. Then you can calmly [[assess]] whatever the situation is with the aid of a greater grasp of [[reality]].

When you are stuck in your own narrow [[frame of reference|world view]], then it is easy to lay blame on everyone else, to see only your rightness and everyone else's wrongness. But when you reach out of yourself and ask for the Father's help, you immediately see yourself as just part of the bigger picture and you recognize others and their problems and [[perspective]]s so that whatever problems you had suddenly it is modified and tempered by your understanding of other's problems.

When you are stuck in your own narrow [[world view]], then it is easy to lay [[blame]] on everyone else, to see only your rightness and everyone else's wrongness. But when you reach out of yourself and ask for the Father's help, you immediately see yourself as just part of the bigger picture and you [[recognize]] others and their problems and [[perspective]]s so that whatever problems you had suddenly it is modified and tempered by your understanding of other's problems.

The last thing I wish to discuss is that the stillness takes you out of your immediate [[emotion]]al state. The stillness brings with it a peace and calm that washes out the fears, anxieties, anger, stress that often clouds and interferes with your better judgement. Emotion is the most difficult thing to control because it is so immediate and so [[force]]ful. The stillness is a [[power]]ful tool to help you temper your emotions and by being completely in the now, it takes you out of the immediacy of your emotional state.Emotion is often based on fear of a possibility as much as fear of something actually happening. Anger and frustration directed toward others is usually not about the immediate moment but about something in the past or something that might possibly happen in the future. The stillness gives you that perspective.

The last thing I wish to [[discuss]] is that the stillness takes you out of your immediate [[emotion]]al state. The stillness brings with it a [[peace]] and calm that washes out the [[fears]], anxieties, [[anger]], stress that often clouds and interferes with your better [[judgement]]. Emotion is the most difficult thing to [[control]] because it is so immediate and so [[force]]ful. The stillness is a [[power]]ful tool to help you temper your emotions and by being completely in the now, it takes you out of the immediacy of your emotional state.Emotion is often based on fear of a possibility as much as fear of something actually happening. [[Anger]] and [[frustration]] directed toward others is usually not about the immediate moment but about something in the past or something that might possibly happen in the future. The stillness gives you that perspective.

I cannot stress enough how important stillness practice is. It must be daily, it must be regular, but also use it during times of emotional stress, reach out, take a moment to breathe deeply, to withhold your immediate reaction and you will find much greater self-control is yours.

I cannot stress enough how important [[stillness]] [[practice]] is. It must be daily, it must be regular, but also use it during times of [[emotional]] stress, reach out, take a moment to [[breathe]] deeply, to withhold your immediate reaction and you will find much greater self-control is yours.

The goal of all [[wisdom|wise]] men throughout the ages has always been increased self-control. Always they have prayed for help in tempering their emotion, controlling the appetites of the [[body]], bringing the lower mind under the leadership of the higher mind. Have [[faith]] that you can do this with the help of the stillness practice. Always may your first primary goals be spiritual progress and let all your other goals, no matter how worthy they may be, let them be secondary.

The goal of all [[wisdom|wise]] men throughout the ages has always been increased self-control. Always they have prayed for help in tempering their [[emotion]], controlling the appetites of the [[body]], bringing the lower mind under the [[leadership]] of the higher mind. Have [[faith]] that you can do this with the help of the stillness practice. Always may your first primary [[goals]] be [[spiritual progress]] and let all your other goals, no matter how worthy they may be, let them be secondary.

Are there any questions at this time?

Are there any questions at this time?