Changes

==Session==

==Session==

===Opening===

===Opening===

[This [[Transcript]] contains the [[narrative]] accounts of David and Eric, beginning [[T/R]]’s, of their trials in [[learning]] to [[trust]] a teacher [[connection]] and how to deal with the [[anxieties]] associated with [[transmitting]] a teacher. This Transcript also contains fragmentary [[discussions]] from the [[teachers]] themselves. -

[This [[Transcript]] contains the [[narrative]] accounts of David and Eric, beginning [[T/R]]’s, of their trials in [[learning]] to [[trust]] a teacher [[connection]] and how to deal with the [[anxieties]] associated with [[transmitting]] a teacher. This Transcript also contains fragmentary [[discussions]] from the [[teachers]] themselves. -

So the next [[morning]], I got up and what I have tried to do here is reconstruct a lot of this. I did not start [[writing]] it down until Wednesday, so I have recorded a lot of [[things]] just from [[memory]]. I got up Monday morning and [[meditated]] for a few minutes before I watched the morning news on television. I meditated from 6:15 to 6:25. I sat there [[quietly]] and nothing happened, as usual. I got up and turned on the television and the cable was out on all of the channels. There was nothing but [[static]]. So I turned it off and [[decided]] to [[meditate]] some more.

So the next [[morning]], I got up and what I have tried to do here is reconstruct a lot of this. I did not start [[writing]] it down until Wednesday, so I have recorded a lot of [[things]] just from [[memory]]. I got up Monday morning and [[meditated]] for a few minutes before I watched the morning news on television. I meditated from 6:15 to 6:25. I sat there [[quietly]] and nothing happened, as usual. I got up and turned on the television and the cable was out on all of the channels. There was nothing but [[static]]. So I turned it off and [[decided]] to [[meditate]] some more.

That is when someone started [[talking]] to me. The [[words]] came smoothly. One at a time in short [[phrases]], making complete sentences, just as if another [[person]] was [[speaking]] to me. I have not experienced any mental attempts to produce any of those words or make up something to say to myself. If it ever stops, I just sit there and wait until it starts up again, which it always has. There is no audible sound. It is like a word, thought in my mind. They talked from 6:30 to 7:00, for a solid half-hour. It seemed to me like only a very few minutes. I use the word "they" because they used the word "we". I do not remember much of what they said, but I do remember a couple of specific sentences:

That is when someone started [[talking]] to me. The [[words]] came smoothly. One at a time in short [[phrases]], making complete sentences, just as if another [[person]] was [[speaking]] to me. I have not [[experienced]] any mental attempts to produce any of those [[words]] or make up something to say to myself. If it ever stops, I just sit there and wait until it starts up again, which it always has. There is no audible [[sound]]. It is like a [[word]], [[thought]] in my [[mind]]. They talked from 6:30 to 7:00, for a solid half-hour. It seemed to me like only a very few minutes. I use the word "they" because they used the word "we". I do not [[remember]] much of what they said, but I do remember a couple of specific sentences:

"We congratulate you on the way you decisively yanked yourself free from the downward drift of materialistic tendencies". Right in the middle of talking about other spiritual matters, they suddenly and without warning said, "You need to take better care of your body. You need to lose weight and get more exercise. You are going to be around a long time and you will be better able to do what is asked of you if you are in the best physical shape possible. You will have more stamina and feel more capable of doing the work." I started my diet that morning at breakfast with hard boiled eggs and dried toast.

"We congratulate you on the way you decisively yanked yourself [[free]] from the downward drift of [[materialistic]] [[tendencies]]". Right in the middle of [[talking]] about other [[spiritual]] matters, they suddenly and without [[warning]] said, "You need to take better care of your [[body]]. You need to lose weight and get more [[exercise]]. You are going to be around a long time and you will be better able to do what is asked of you if you are in the best [[physical]] shape possible. You will have more [[stamina]] and feel more capable of doing the [[work]]." I started my diet that [[morning]] at breakfast with hard boiled eggs and dried toast.

As I have said, I do not remember much about the specifics of what they said. My general impression is that it consisted mainly of encouragement to continue to press on in my quest for further spiritual development. At one point I asked, "How can this be happening to me?" I have never had the slightest hint of a psychic bone in my body. They replied, "This is not a psychic phenomenon. It is merely communication."

As I have said, I do not [[remember]] much about the specifics of what they said. My general [[impression]] is that it consisted mainly of [[encouragement]] to continue to press on in my quest for further [[spiritual]] [[development]]. At one point I asked, "How can this be happening to me?" I have never had the slightest [[hint]] of a [[psychic]] bone in my body. They replied, "This is not a psychic [[phenomenon]]. It is merely [[communication]]."

I also asked, "How did you do that to the television?" They said, "We are not permitted to interfere with material communications. That was mere happenstance." I also asked, "Why is this suddenly now possible?" The answer was, "Your heartfelt declarations of readiness to do the Father's will, wherever it led, and your asking to do this if it is possible, helped to clear the final hurdles." It ended like it always has since, with them saying, "We will stop for now. We know you have to get ready for work. Farewell." They always say goodbye when they stop.

I also asked, "How did you do that to the television?" They said, "We are not [[permitted]] to [[interfere]] with [[material]] [[communications]]. That was mere happenstance." I also asked, "Why is this suddenly now possible?" The answer was, "Your heartfelt [[declarations]] of readiness to [[do the Father's will]], wherever it led, and your asking to do this if it is possible, helped to clear the final hurdles." It ended like it always has since, with them saying, "We will stop for now. We know you have to get ready for [[work]]. [[Farewell]]." They always say goodbye when they stop.

I got ready for work and had breakfast with Melissa, telling her about my experience and generally just trying to stay calm. After I got in my UPS truck and left the center, they started talking again. As I was going up the "on""ramp to the interstate, they started. I said, "Don't tell me you are going to try to do this, in this noise and visual distraction." I could hardly hear myself think, much less be able to be attentive to thoughts that I consciously had to listen for. It was difficult at first, but after a few minutes, all the sensory input around me faded into the background, and I was able to follow what they were saying with ease.

I got ready for [[work]] and had breakfast with Melissa, telling her about my [[experience]] and generally just trying to stay [[calm]]. After I got in my UPS truck and left the center, they started talking again. As I was going up the "on""ramp to the interstate, they started. I said, "Don't tell me you are going to try to do this, in this [[noise]] and visual distraction." I could hardly hear myself think, much less be able to be [[attentive]] to [[thoughts]] that I consciously had to [[listen]] for. It was difficult at first, but after a few minutes, all the sensory input around me faded into the background, and I was able to follow what they were saying with ease.

They talked for the solid hour it takes me to drive to Madison and, I swear, it seemed like ten minutes. I was concentrating so on listening to them that I do not remember the drive at all. I can recall only a couple of things they said. There was a lesson on beauty and goodness and the relationship between them. I remember the specific statement at the beginning: "When mortals think of beauty, they think of a sunset, a mountain, or the face of someone who meets a particular set of specifications that define what is generally accepted as beauty. In the spiritual realm, the concept of beauty is not confined to the appreciation of physical shapes or the combination of colors or sounds. It is also the observable result of goodness which is of behavior. More crudely put, beauty can be the aroma or atmosphere created by the actions of goodness."

They talked for the solid hour it takes me to drive to Madison and, I swear, it seemed like ten minutes. I was [[concentrating]] so on [[listening]] to them that I do not [[remember]] the drive at all. I can recall only a couple of things they said. There was a lesson on [[beauty]] and [[goodness]] and the [[relationship]] between them. I remember the specific [[statement]] at the beginning: "When [[mortals]] think of [[beauty]], they think of a sunset, a [[mountain]], or the [[face]] of someone who meets a particular set of specifications that define what is generally accepted as beauty. In the [[spiritual]] realm, the concept of beauty is not confined to the [[appreciation]] of [[physical]] shapes or the combination of [[colors]] or [[sounds]]. It is also the observable result of [[goodness]] which is of [[behavior]]. More crudely put, [[beauty]] can be the aroma or [[atmosphere]] created by the [[actions]] of [[goodness]]."

They said much more about this subject, but that is all I can remember. I have since looked up beauty in the Concordex and can find nothing in the Urantia Book that described beauty in these terms. It is a totally new concept to me. There is one other statement from that morning that I can remember clearly: "Even a wrong moral choice has positive value if it is later acknowledged as such and rejected." The rest of the presentation is lost to me. I can recall so little of what was said early in the week because I did not start writing things down until Wednesday, after Melissa suggested that I get a notebook and start doing so. Before that I was so astonished and so intent on receiving the teachings, that I had not even thought of it. Coming home from Madison that night, I felt like there was an attempt to communicate, but I was so tired that I was unable to concentrate well enough to receive anything.

They said much more about this subject, but that is all I can [[remember]]. I have since looked up [[beauty]] in [http://openlibrary.org/books/OL2537607M/Concordex_of_the_Urantia_book the Concordex] and can find nothing in the [[Urantia Book]] that described [[beauty]] in these terms. It is a totally new [[concept]] to me. There is one other [[statement]] from that morning that I can remember clearly: "Even a wrong [[moral]] [[choice]] has [[positive]] [[value]] if it is later acknowledged as such and [[rejected]]." The rest of the presentation is lost to me. I can recall so little of what was said early in the week because I did not start [[writing]] things down until Wednesday, after Melissa suggested that I get a notebook and start doing so. Before that I was so astonished and so [[intent]] on receiving the teachings, that I had not even [[thought]] of it. Coming home from Madison that night, I felt like there was an attempt to [[communicate]], but I was so tired that I was unable to [[concentrate]] well enough to [[receive]] anything.

Some of this gets rather embarrassing to me but since this is what is going on and this is what was said, I will read it. Previously that afternoon Melissa asked Will about what I told her at breakfast. The following is from her notebook:

Some of this gets rather [[embarrassing]] to me but since this is what is going on and this is what was said, I will read it. Previously that afternoon Melissa asked Will about what I told her at breakfast. The following is from her notebook:

QUESTION: Is what David experienced this morning legitimate? Were you talking to him?

QUESTION: Is what David [[experienced]] this morning [[legitimate]]? Were you [[talking]] to him?

===Dialogue===

===Dialogue===