Changes

And yet here we are moment to moment feeling ourselves living, all the past and all the future encompassed and tipping on our next breath. Can you feel this actuality, this completeness—now? For every moment not only leads to the next, but is a fulfillment of all that has ever been. And it is yours.

And yet here we are moment to moment feeling ourselves living, all the past and all the future encompassed and tipping on our next breath. Can you feel this actuality, this completeness—now? For every moment not only leads to the next, but is a fulfillment of all that has ever been. And it is yours.

===Lesson===

===Lesson===

===='''''Stillness'''''—the ongoing discoveries)====

===='''''[[Stillness]]'''''—the ongoing discoveries)====

Indeed this present moment is in motion, especially for your order of living being. Yet you can rest right in this motion. This is not an exercise of imagination, my children. Stillness is not something you have to pretend exists. Rather it is letting go even that most subtle activity in discovery. This is the closest you can come to being aware of yourself as a pure time-and-space transcended personality. You are the eye that sees, but cannot see itself. You are this kernel of experiential being, this God-created focus upon which is built an eternal soul—the story, the summation, by a fragment of God himself, of your unique experience.

Indeed this present moment is in motion, especially for your order of living being. Yet you can rest right in this motion. This is not an exercise of imagination, my children. Stillness is not something you have to pretend exists. Rather it is letting go even that most subtle activity in discovery. This is the closest you can come to being aware of yourself as a pure time-and-space transcended personality. You are the eye that sees, but cannot see itself. You are this kernel of experiential being, this God-created focus upon which is built an eternal soul—the story, the summation, by a fragment of God himself, of your unique experience.

Think of how radical this is compared to any other human activity, and how it necessarily transcends an innate animal fear of doing nothing—so consciously; which is why it is a spiritual exercise, this attempt to simply relax any and all activities as they arise spontaneously. Consider how difficult, even impossible, this is for some people, how it can bring up an insurmountable terror of ceasing to exist. These are those folks who are precariously committed to hanging on to every desperate thought they fill their minds with in order to maintain even the thinnest sense of self-value and -justification. There are even those who can no longer hold on and are swept away in a terrifying deluge of hallucinations, and are truly suffering with various psychoses. For them there is no stopping, no pause, no peace.

Think of how radical this is compared to any other human activity, and how it necessarily transcends an innate animal fear of doing nothing—so consciously; which is why it is a spiritual exercise, this attempt to simply relax any and all activities as they arise spontaneously. Consider how difficult, even impossible, this is for some people, how it can bring up an insurmountable terror of ceasing to exist. These are those folks who are precariously committed to hanging on to every desperate thought they fill their minds with in order to maintain even the thinnest sense of self-value and -justification. There are even those who can no longer hold on and are swept away in a terrifying deluge of hallucinations, and are truly suffering with various psychoses. For them there is no stopping, no pause, no peace.

===='''''Freedom'''''====

===='''''[[Freedom]]'''''====

And so you can see how the achievement of stillness must be developed to where you have some choice, some way of relaxing right in the midst of the most demanding situation. Think what enormous freedom, what genuine spiritual creativity this gives you. This is the way you can take a break, refresh yourself in your actuality, your real existence, and then start afresh—not only from the blissful unconsciousness of sleep, but in the highest consciousness where you can connect with Mother Spirit and myself, and with the fragment of God that indwells your being.

And so you can see how the achievement of stillness must be developed to where you have some choice, some way of relaxing right in the midst of the most demanding situation. Think what enormous freedom, what genuine spiritual creativity this gives you. This is the way you can take a break, refresh yourself in your actuality, your real existence, and then start afresh—not only from the blissful unconsciousness of sleep, but in the highest consciousness where you can connect with Mother Spirit and myself, and with the fragment of God that indwells your being.

Last week Mother Spirit introduced certain notions, certain concepts to help you understand the nature of evil actions, for it is our contention, our sure knowledge that evil is inherently different from goodness, and is only a transient reality born of a twisted mind that willfully embraces it. Also there was some question last week after the events at Virginia Tech as to whether, on balance, it was good to show the videos that the killer himself made. I can only ask you to see from our viewpoint how this was beneficial, in spite of the pain it may have cost some people. It is necessary for you to confront the reality of how such a person thinks, and sees himself and the world around him.

Last week Mother Spirit introduced certain notions, certain concepts to help you understand the nature of evil actions, for it is our contention, our sure knowledge that evil is inherently different from goodness, and is only a transient reality born of a twisted mind that willfully embraces it. Also there was some question last week after the events at Virginia Tech as to whether, on balance, it was good to show the videos that the killer himself made. I can only ask you to see from our viewpoint how this was beneficial, in spite of the pain it may have cost some people. It is necessary for you to confront the reality of how such a person thinks, and sees himself and the world around him.

===='''''Justification'''''====

===='''''[[Justification]]'''''====

Here you are face to face with the universal need of every individual to see himself or herself, if at all possible, as sane, as living a meaningful and justified life—however distorted or spitefully painful that meaning is. Here you can get some idea of what sense this individual made of things, and perhaps from that, understand how this came about. For there is a distinct difference between a psychopath, who remains fully functional, and a psychotic, who cannot. You even have a useful term of social-pathology, or a sociopath, to designate those who single-mindedly, and with great intelligence and planing over quite a period of time, carry out such horrific anti-social acts.

Here you are face to face with the universal need of every individual to see himself or herself, if at all possible, as sane, as living a meaningful and justified life—however distorted or spitefully painful that meaning is. Here you can get some idea of what sense this individual made of things, and perhaps from that, understand how this came about. For there is a distinct difference between a psychopath, who remains fully functional, and a psychotic, who cannot. You even have a useful term of social-pathology, or a sociopath, to designate those who single-mindedly, and with great intelligence and planing over quite a period of time, carry out such horrific anti-social acts.

This is quite a challenge, for each individual's inner need for meaning and sense require such self-justification, I'm sure you can feel the main difference here is that most of you, very early in life, accepted the necessity of conforming yourself, by admitting within yourself, the viewpoints, and feelings, and attitudes of others. You accepted the pain of rejection involved when your advances were rebuffed, or you failed to get any advances from others—all the way back in the sandboxes of childhood.

This is quite a challenge, for each individual's inner need for meaning and sense require such self-justification, I'm sure you can feel the main difference here is that most of you, very early in life, accepted the necessity of conforming yourself, by admitting within yourself, the viewpoints, and feelings, and attitudes of others. You accepted the pain of rejection involved when your advances were rebuffed, or you failed to get any advances from others—all the way back in the sandboxes of childhood.

===='''''Evil''''' from the inside-out)====

===='''''[[Evil]]''''' from the inside-out)====

Yet for some excessively shy and inwardly fragile individuals, this risk of failure is not acceptable. On deep and unconscious levels very early on they are determined not to so engage their fellows, and thereby miss all the social skills that come of this trial and error. They end up justifying themselves as having the true integrity, for to them this social intercourse is a compromise of weaklings they are not willing to make. They see themselves having the strength to be alone, and can only regard with a growing contempt and disdain what they consider to be weak people who need each other. Deprived of the feedback from dozens upon dozens of other viewpoints, all this wealth of individuality you have to offer each other, they become arrested and locked up in their own world, meeting the fundamental demand for growth by cultivating excessive self-pride and self-flattering cynicism and narcissism. They end up masking their real insecurity by denying their most essential nature—that of being an experiential being—by refusing broader experience and genuine growth.

Yet for some excessively shy and inwardly fragile individuals, this risk of failure is not acceptable. On deep and unconscious levels very early on they are determined not to so engage their fellows, and thereby miss all the social skills that come of this trial and error. They end up justifying themselves as having the true integrity, for to them this social intercourse is a compromise of weaklings they are not willing to make. They see themselves having the strength to be alone, and can only regard with a growing contempt and disdain what they consider to be weak people who need each other. Deprived of the feedback from dozens upon dozens of other viewpoints, all this wealth of individuality you have to offer each other, they become arrested and locked up in their own world, meeting the fundamental demand for growth by cultivating excessive self-pride and self-flattering cynicism and narcissism. They end up masking their real insecurity by denying their most essential nature—that of being an experiential being—by refusing broader experience and genuine growth.

I only go into this, my children, to show you what is needed to contact such a person who had spent years in this kind of mentality, who willfully rejects as weakness or compromise your overtures of friendship. You can only appreciate the challenge—as they would see it--of having their whole world collapse by acknowledging how many years were wasted ducking this larger social reality. If you apply this challenge to your own life, it would be like admitting that from very early childhood on so much was a horrible mistake, a tragic and stubborn, stunted nowhere-ness. But this is empathy, my children, this is appreciation for the lives some folks live, and why they are so terribly dangerous.

I only go into this, my children, to show you what is needed to contact such a person who had spent years in this kind of mentality, who willfully rejects as weakness or compromise your overtures of friendship. You can only appreciate the challenge—as they would see it--of having their whole world collapse by acknowledging how many years were wasted ducking this larger social reality. If you apply this challenge to your own life, it would be like admitting that from very early childhood on so much was a horrible mistake, a tragic and stubborn, stunted nowhere-ness. But this is empathy, my children, this is appreciation for the lives some folks live, and why they are so terribly dangerous.

===='''''Peace''''' (The blessings of peace of mind)====

===='''''[[Peace]]''''' (The blessings of peace of mind)====

I thank you for opening your hearts and your minds, to feel and try your best to understand what I had to offer this evening. You can feel truly blessed if you can touch upon what is meant by peace of mind, for indeed, what a triumph of spirit this is. If you have any questions of comments, let us welcome them.

I thank you for opening your hearts and your minds, to feel and try your best to understand what I had to offer this evening. You can feel truly blessed if you can touch upon what is meant by peace of mind, for indeed, what a triumph of spirit this is. If you have any questions of comments, let us welcome them.

MICHAEL: Yes, my son. You're sitting in the middle of it right now.

MICHAEL: Yes, my son. You're sitting in the middle of it right now.

===='''''Spiritual Science''''' (Spirit, science, and mathematics)====

===='''''[[Science]]''''' (Spirit, science, and mathematics)====

In addition, this is why the Urantia book goes to such lengths to assure all seekers of truth there is absolutely no conflict between the scientific method and true spiritual seeking. They are just two different modes of discovering truth—God's will, the way of the universe, universal or natural law. One pertains to empirically demonstrable facts, whereas spirit is the living context within which you experience and value these facts. They are like your two eyes that give you depth of vision, your two hands that work together with your marvelous tools, your two feet that carry you forward.

In addition, this is why the Urantia book goes to such lengths to assure all seekers of truth there is absolutely no conflict between the scientific method and true spiritual seeking. They are just two different modes of discovering truth—God's will, the way of the universe, universal or natural law. One pertains to empirically demonstrable facts, whereas spirit is the living context within which you experience and value these facts. They are like your two eyes that give you depth of vision, your two hands that work together with your marvelous tools, your two feet that carry you forward.

We've pointed out that your most fundamental human experience is one of feeling.

We've pointed out that your most fundamental human experience is one of feeling.

===='''''Feeling'''''====

===='''''[[Feeling]]'''''====

From this point of view thoughts, concepts, relationships, all what you might consider the realm of mind, are just extremely finely articulated feelings. And so being open to feelings you may not yet be able to understand, or even articulate, is the way to go. This is what we mean by stillness, by relaxing as much as you can all your habitual concepts and trains of thought, to experience what your spiritual home base has to offer—this time. This is how you achieve spirit and creativity, by real-izing—making real--that your intrinsic personality is not necessarily bound by antecedent causality. It seems, my son, you've already had some feeling, some intimation of spirit and infinity. Does this answer your question?

From this point of view thoughts, concepts, relationships, all what you might consider the realm of mind, are just extremely finely articulated feelings. And so being open to feelings you may not yet be able to understand, or even articulate, is the way to go. This is what we mean by stillness, by relaxing as much as you can all your habitual concepts and trains of thought, to experience what your spiritual home base has to offer—this time. This is how you achieve spirit and creativity, by real-izing—making real--that your intrinsic personality is not necessarily bound by antecedent causality. It seems, my son, you've already had some feeling, some intimation of spirit and infinity. Does this answer your question?

MICHAEL: Let me ask you where you got these concepts or notions of intrinsic wealth?

MICHAEL: Let me ask you where you got these concepts or notions of intrinsic wealth?

===='''''Higher Mathematics'''''====

===='''''[[Mathematics]]'''''====

Student: From direct experience. I've been frustrated by the inability of that notion of intrinsic potential or wealth of spirit to penetrate into the community and the conceptual framework of science which relies so heavily on existing mathematical models of reality. It seems to me that there must be a higher mathematics that could reflect the nature of that experiential domain that has highly non-linear qualities the current framework cannot express.

Student: From direct experience. I've been frustrated by the inability of that notion of intrinsic potential or wealth of spirit to penetrate into the community and the conceptual framework of science which relies so heavily on existing mathematical models of reality. It seems to me that there must be a higher mathematics that could reflect the nature of that experiential domain that has highly non-linear qualities the current framework cannot express.

Student: It would be great to revisit the distinction between stillness and worship as you have covered before. But in the current context, and especially because in the Urantia book the distinction is not drawn with any detail, would you be able to say more about it? Sometimes I do wonder if, in stillness, I'm transitioning into something I feel is worship. And then sometimes in worship I'm going back to stillness. Or is it really a helpful distinction at all?

Student: It would be great to revisit the distinction between stillness and worship as you have covered before. But in the current context, and especially because in the Urantia book the distinction is not drawn with any detail, would you be able to say more about it? Sometimes I do wonder if, in stillness, I'm transitioning into something I feel is worship. And then sometimes in worship I'm going back to stillness. Or is it really a helpful distinction at all?

===='''''Worship'''''====

===='''''[[Worship]]'''''====

MICHAEL: Yes, my son, both these terms—stillness and worship—have such depth of meaning and significance we do end up talking about them quite a lot. Stillness is this very strange activity of relaxing all other activities, which is why some folks refer to meditation as a not-doing. This leads to all sorts of seeming contradictions of an intense not-doing.

MICHAEL: Yes, my son, both these terms—stillness and worship—have such depth of meaning and significance we do end up talking about them quite a lot. Stillness is this very strange activity of relaxing all other activities, which is why some folks refer to meditation as a not-doing. This leads to all sorts of seeming contradictions of an intense not-doing.

And so what I've been pondering is the display of my life. And if my outer life and my inner life are not two, is this display a reflection of my understanding, of my cosmic actuality of who I am?

And so what I've been pondering is the display of my life. And if my outer life and my inner life are not two, is this display a reflection of my understanding, of my cosmic actuality of who I am?

====''''''Mundane''''''====

====''''''[[Mundane]]''''''====

MICHAEL: My son, let me offer an notion for your consideration: that this mundane world you perceive is a personal illusion. We've teased you with the concept that you are surrounded by infinities in every direction and dimension. And so there is no reality to this mundane-ness other than a kind of mentality that comes about when you are most two—as you say—and not one within and without. When you are self-removed and perhaps a bit bored in one part of you with what this other part of you is doing, you are losing sight of the uniqueness of each moment and each event within it. You never really sliced this particular onion before; you have never pulled that particular weed.

MICHAEL: My son, let me offer an notion for your consideration: that this mundane world you perceive is a personal illusion. We've teased you with the concept that you are surrounded by infinities in every direction and dimension. And so there is no reality to this mundane-ness other than a kind of mentality that comes about when you are most two—as you say—and not one within and without. When you are self-removed and perhaps a bit bored in one part of you with what this other part of you is doing, you are losing sight of the uniqueness of each moment and each event within it. You never really sliced this particular onion before; you have never pulled that particular weed.

It's all part of being the kind of being you were created to be, with this freedom. And if I might say so, this is one of the prime lessons you have to learn here, being so bound up by time and space. As Mother Spirit once said, time can be a terrible agony just dragging by; and there can be no bottom to that terrible-ness. This is where your will comes in, and your sense of recognition—to recognize when you are in this mentality, and simply rededicate yourself ever anew, over and over and over again, to paying attention, complete attention, forgetting yourself to become one with what you are doing. The uniqueness will emerge—because it is there!--even though it may still be an article of faith for you that it is.

It's all part of being the kind of being you were created to be, with this freedom. And if I might say so, this is one of the prime lessons you have to learn here, being so bound up by time and space. As Mother Spirit once said, time can be a terrible agony just dragging by; and there can be no bottom to that terrible-ness. This is where your will comes in, and your sense of recognition—to recognize when you are in this mentality, and simply rededicate yourself ever anew, over and over and over again, to paying attention, complete attention, forgetting yourself to become one with what you are doing. The uniqueness will emerge—because it is there!--even though it may still be an article of faith for you that it is.

===='''''Dedication'''''====

===='''''[[Dedication]]'''''====

But this is an ability, my son, you will practicing for quite some time, because it is also a striving for a perfection that is, as you intuit, itself enormous, and not accomplished overnight. So don't feel put off that you cannot just do it once and have it be forever. The dedication, the re-dedication must also be continuous. Ultimately you develop a tenacity of character, a tough oneness between your still home base in spirit and your activities. Your personality will finally be able to unite even these two.

But this is an ability, my son, you will practicing for quite some time, because it is also a striving for a perfection that is, as you intuit, itself enormous, and not accomplished overnight. So don't feel put off that you cannot just do it once and have it be forever. The dedication, the re-dedication must also be continuous. Ultimately you develop a tenacity of character, a tough oneness between your still home base in spirit and your activities. Your personality will finally be able to unite even these two.

Student: Michael, much of our conversation this evening was based around experience. Today I was reading another account of a woman who had a very unique experience with you. And as usual that little tinge of jealousy sneaked to the surface. I have such a strong desire within me to have my own personal and unique and enhanced experience with you. And so I just look forward with great anticipation to growing to reach a point where I too can have these types of experiences with you—actual visualizations--like a little kid just wanting to see something more. I just wanted to share that with you.

Student: Michael, much of our conversation this evening was based around experience. Today I was reading another account of a woman who had a very unique experience with you. And as usual that little tinge of jealousy sneaked to the surface. I have such a strong desire within me to have my own personal and unique and enhanced experience with you. And so I just look forward with great anticipation to growing to reach a point where I too can have these types of experiences with you—actual visualizations--like a little kid just wanting to see something more. I just wanted to share that with you.

===='''''Communion''''' - with Michael)===

===='''''[[Communion]]''''' - with Michael)====

MICHAEL: Thank you, my son. You do me a great honor in valuing me so. Please know I do feel your yearning, and as hard as it may be for you to credit yet--because your own notions of who and what I am, and what contact with me is, stand in the way of that very thing; it will still be a matter of faith for you in a progressive process of elimination until you can realize how much I am already a part of that yearning.

MICHAEL: Thank you, my son. You do me a great honor in valuing me so. Please know I do feel your yearning, and as hard as it may be for you to credit yet--because your own notions of who and what I am, and what contact with me is, stand in the way of that very thing; it will still be a matter of faith for you in a progressive process of elimination until you can realize how much I am already a part of that yearning.

===='''''Journaling'''''====

===='''''[[Journaling]]'''''====

So keep reaching toward me, my son. I appreciate it very much, and am doing my best, as your spiritual father, to help you experience me. If you want a particular activity, try what you could call journal-ing. Deep in your stillness just ask if I can speak to you this way, then write it down. You've already successfully transmitted other beings; see if you can recognize me right within you this way. For sometimes the thoughts I can express to you are too fleeting, too ineffable, to remember. Whereas actually writing down this discourse might help you sense and realize that part of what now seems to be only you, is actually extra-you—myself, along with your Father fragment. Don't be discouraged if you cannot segregate us: very few human beings can, or even need to. But you can have those unmistakable flashes of recognition that are part and parcel of your worship. So I thank you again for your devotion and your honoring me so. Be in my peace.

So keep reaching toward me, my son. I appreciate it very much, and am doing my best, as your spiritual father, to help you experience me. If you want a particular activity, try what you could call journal-ing. Deep in your stillness just ask if I can speak to you this way, then write it down. You've already successfully transmitted other beings; see if you can recognize me right within you this way. For sometimes the thoughts I can express to you are too fleeting, too ineffable, to remember. Whereas actually writing down this discourse might help you sense and realize that part of what now seems to be only you, is actually extra-you—myself, along with your Father fragment. Don't be discouraged if you cannot segregate us: very few human beings can, or even need to. But you can have those unmistakable flashes of recognition that are part and parcel of your worship. So I thank you again for your devotion and your honoring me so. Be in my peace.

===Closing===

===Closing===

[[Category: Worship]]

[[Category: Worship]]

[[Category: Mundane']]

[[Category: Mundane']]

[[Category: Dedication]]

[[Category: Devotion]]

[[Category: Communion]]

[[Category: Communion]]

[[Category: 2007]]

[[Category: 2007]]