Changes

===Group: [[Pocatello TeaM]]===

===Group: [[Pocatello TeaM]]===

==Facilitators==

==Facilitators==

===Teacher: [[Altern]], [[Daniel]], [[Scaramouche]], [[Minearsia|Minearisa]] ===

===Teacher: [[Altern]], [[Daniel]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaramouche Scaramouche], [[Minearsia|Minearisa]] ===

===TR: [[Bill K.]], [[Bob S.]]===

===TR: [[Bill K.]], [[Bob S.]]===

==Session==

==Session==

===Opening===

===Opening===

Altern (Bill): Greetings my friends, I am Altern, and I have been given the honor of addressing you this evening. How pleased I am to be in your presence along with my partner, Lori. Indeed have we been partnering together in ways which have brought me great joy, and have been beneficial, of course, to this my dearest friend.

Altern (Bill): Greetings my friends, I am Altern, and I have been given the [[honor]] of addressing you this evening. How pleased I am to be in your [[presence]] along with my [[partner]], Lori. Indeed have we been partnering together in ways which have brought me great [[joy]], and have been beneficial, of course, to this my dearest friend.

But tonight I have the honor of speaking to you all. I wish to continue the [[metaphor]], but more than a metaphor, of altered [[perspective]], for indeed is this a key ingredient in a successful [[portrait]] of life. [[Your text]] describes the classic example of the restriction of perspective [[transformed]] by enlargement, so that the larger perspective holds considerably more truth and [[accuracy]]. ([[100:4|Ed. Note: In the Urantia Book there is the classic example of the narrow picture of a savage primitive man glaring and holding a weapon. The reader is not impressed with the man's ferocity until the picture is enlarged to include the saber toothed tiger in front of him and his family behind him. 100:4.5]]) [[Perspectives]] can be altered in many ways. One is by enlargement. Another is by a different [[Focal Point|point of focus]]. A third has to do with shading and lighting. A fourth has to do with [[direction]] of approach, which is similar to, but different from, [[focus]].

Let us begin with [[focus]]. What you pay [[attention]] to is what will occupy your [[thinking]]. This is obvious to all of you who give any thought to the [[education]] process, for without attention there can be no successful input of [[experience]]. If one's attention is focused upon what is wrong with the world, then indeed one's perspective will be [[distorted]] in the direction of that blackness, and so the world will appear to be largely a place of malevolence, discontent, despair, [[greed]], [[anger]], etc.. It is clear that there is enough [[darkness]] occurring about [[this planet]] that if one were to solely focus upon it, the light within them would be darkness indeed; and then how great would that darkness be! But, on the other hand, there is [[evidence]] of progress and [[hope]] which is ignored by many in the commercial news [[media]] because of the false belief that it would be [[financially]] unprofitable. Because of this focus on the [[negative]] it takes effort and [[intention]] to [[discover]] where God is at work in human [[hearts]] and associations . Coming from the direction of [[Spirit]] results in a different [[perspective]] than coming from the direction of [[self]]. Coming from the direction of self-centered [[ego]] one sees the universe in revolution around oneself. One sees other people as objects, as means to ends; one sees a world of [[scarcity]], of [[competition]], of [[conflict]] and of despair. But come from the Spirit, the [[direction]] of God, and the world is entirely different. One sees, instead of objects to be [[manipulated]], brothers and sisters to be loved. One sees a world of overflowing [[abundance]], of complete emotional and spiritual security, of a peace that drowns all conflict, and a love which smothers all hatred! Coming from the direction of the Spirit one happily allows oneself to [[orbit]] around the Center, the very [[First Source and Center]] of [[the Universe]], comfortable and secure in the bonds of [[love]] [[gravity]] which draw you to that Source.

 

Let us begin with focus. What you pay attention to is what will occupy your thinking. This is obvious to all of you who give any thought to the education process, for without attention there can be no successful input of experience. If one's attention is focused upon what is wrong with the world, then indeed one's perspective will be distorted in the direction of that blackness, and so the world will appear to be largely a place of malevolence, discontent, despair, greed, anger, etc.. It is clear that there is enough darkness occurring about this planet that if one were to solely focus upon it, the light within them would be darkness indeed; and then how great would that darkness be! But, on the other hand, there is evidence of progress and hope which is ignored by many in the commercial news media because of the false belief that it would be financially unprofitable. Because of this focus on the negative it takes effort and intention to discover where God is at work in human hearts and associations . Coming from the direction of Spirit results in a different perspective than coming from the direction of self. Coming from the direction of self-centered ego one sees the universe in revolution around oneself. One sees other people as objects, as means to ends; one sees a world of scarcity, of competition, of conflict and of despair. But come from the Spirit, the direction of God, and the world is entirely different. One sees, instead of objects to be manipulated, brothers and sisters to be loved. One sees a world of overflowing abundance, of complete emotional and spiritual security, of a peace that drowns all conflict, and a love which smothers all hatred! Coming from the direction of the Spirit one happily allows oneself to orbit around the Center, the very First Source and Center of the Universe, comfortable and secure in the bonds of love gravity which draw you to that Source.

A small perspective is of necessity less truthful than a larger one, for less information is contained in a smaller space than in a larger one. Because we are mortal to begin with, our perspectives are limited by our finite condition. But these mortal limitations are seldom ever reached by the average person. Most people are content to work within a very small framework on a very small canvas. Take a larger pallet, use more space, and you have the opportunity for greater truth, beauty and enhancement to a life of goodness. In order to enlarge one's perspective, change and growth is imperative. This has been one of your major tasks for years now and I merely point out that it continues to be a task which we will be embracing all the way to the Paradise Corps of Finality, and even beyond that into the unknown expansion of God the Supreme, the Ultimate and the Absolute! When the light of life shines in your hearts, when the wells of eternal water spring up from within your souls, then will your shading and your color, your mood, as it were, be altered always in the direction of spiritual enhancement. Often a mood will color events in a person's day so that when the events are described to another, that person may interpret the meaning of those events quite differently than the speaker does. Let us say the speaker's mood is depressed, gloomy, possibly grouchy, and then the events of the day will all feel and taste and smell and look gloomy, grouchy and depressed. However to another person, who is in a good mood, the events can be interpreted in quite a different fashion , s very positive experiences indeed. You are all familiar with fact that mood can alter memory so that its hard to remember what one thinks and feels like in a very different mood than the one that you may be in.

A small perspective is of necessity less truthful than a larger one, for less information is contained in a smaller space than in a larger one. Because we are mortal to begin with, our perspectives are limited by our finite condition. But these mortal limitations are seldom ever reached by the average person. Most people are content to work within a very small framework on a very small canvas. Take a larger pallet, use more space, and you have the opportunity for greater truth, beauty and enhancement to a life of goodness. In order to enlarge one's perspective, change and growth is imperative. This has been one of your major tasks for years now and I merely point out that it continues to be a task which we will be embracing all the way to the Paradise Corps of Finality, and even beyond that into the unknown expansion of God the Supreme, the Ultimate and the Absolute! When the light of life shines in your hearts, when the wells of eternal water spring up from within your souls, then will your shading and your color, your mood, as it were, be altered always in the direction of spiritual enhancement. Often a mood will color events in a person's day so that when the events are described to another, that person may interpret the meaning of those events quite differently than the speaker does. Let us say the speaker's mood is depressed, gloomy, possibly grouchy, and then the events of the day will all feel and taste and smell and look gloomy, grouchy and depressed. However to another person, who is in a good mood, the events can be interpreted in quite a different fashion , s very positive experiences indeed. You are all familiar with fact that mood can alter memory so that its hard to remember what one thinks and feels like in a very different mood than the one that you may be in.

[[Category: Altern]]

[[Category: Altern]]

[[Category: Daniel]]

[[Category: Daniel]]

[[Category: Scaramouche]]

[[Category: Unknown]]

[[Category: Minearsia|Minearisa]]]]

[[Category: Minearsia|Minearisa]]]]

[[Category: Bill K.]]

[[Category: Bill K.]]

[[Category: Bob S.]]

[[Category: Bob S.]]

[[Category: 2001]]

[[Category: 2001]]