IntroductionAndrew070404Tomas-Abraham-Dani-Bob_DeathExperience
DATE: July 4, 2004
LOCATION: Dorenda’s
TEACHERS:
Teacher TOMAS as Host
Archangel ANDREW on The Death Experience
Teacher ABRAHAM on You Can Take it With You
Midwayer DANI on Conscious-izing Spirit Reality
Cherubim BOB on the Merit of Negative Feelings
MUSIC: Elena: An Adagio, by Mozart
T/R: Gerdean
TOMAS: We have truly passed through the portals of heaven and stand within the pearly gates. What an enchanted moment we enjoy here with you in your serenity and repose. With the waters trickling and the breeze carrying the adagio over the universe broadcasts to Havona, we are surrounded by that which our soul longs for – that peace which passes all understanding.
I am Tomas, your Teacher. I am glad to see you here. I will not be holding forth at length. In keeping with your agenda, we have visitors today. We have a number of potential speakers in our midst. Perhaps a selection, to deal with the various questions that lay upon your mind, will be forthcoming. I will return later, as your host. One moment.
ARCHANGEL: I am an Archangel. I am new to this venue and to this transmitter/receiver. I am new to you in many ways, but you will recognize me, or at least a facet of my function, for if you were watching the television show "Touched by an Angel" you would recognize me as Andrew.
Group: Welcome! Is that your name?
ANDREW: You may call me Andrew. It suits the purpose of introductions.
Group: Welcome.
ANDREW: It will not come as any surprise to you, therefore, to recognize that my major function has to do with "crossing over" as you say in your realm. Passing on from this life to the next. When Tomas spoke of pearly gates, he introduced the image that comes to mind when most believing mortals perceive of life in the hereafter, based on limited thought and the adequacy of that image to present to the time-bound mortal the fact that heaven’s grace far transcends the stress and toil of the material existence.
Death is such a misunderstood aspect of your experience, and yet it is my experience always that the life, resident within the material vehicle of the flesh, is no different than the life that emerges triumphant on the shores of Mansonia. It is the trappings of your consciousness that makes the difference.
The aura of dread which overshadows the passing from this life to the next is based on fear of the unknown as well as the emotional loss of companionship, but those of you who realize that life extends into the great beyond, also realize that you will see your friends again in the mansion worlds and throughout the universes, if for no other reason than because of your mutual birthing place on this world of the cross.
The grieving that comes from your personal loss is a temporary loss because it is emotional, and the emotions are mastered through time by the ministry of Universal Mind who takes away the pain, leaving only that which has lasting value, which brings sublime joy. And so, in the course of time, all these vicissitudes of life, which come from the fact of your evolving, are destined to fall away as part of the carcass which contained your spirit, which is now free to resume its destiny path without the encumbrance of the fear of death or the fact of its experience.
Death is a part of life on almost every inhabited world in all the 7 superuniverses. I say "almost" because there are those which are so advanced as to provide the alternative means of departure, understood by you as "fusion". Even fusion is a separation from that which was and takes you to that which will be, but it does not involve the process of dying which is so familiar to you here, and perhaps even more familiar to you than many because of the Adamic default, as that has given rise to more disease and less ways of curing them than would be found on a normal world where the Material Son and Daughter had succeeded in their mission.
We regret the inconvenience that death causes you on this world. The very fact of the death and fear of death that comes from the war that your planet is now witnessing, is enough indeed to slow down the process of revelation, for it dominates the brain waves of humanity to the extent that the fear of God truly supplants the love of God, and in the face of such barbarity, it is difficult to see God as a loving and merciful God. Even those of you who have not known the horrors of war have certainly encountered the fact of death and dying in your many years of experience, either personally or closely through association.
While we regret the experience some of you must undergo in the process of taking leave of your material plane of existence, I would like to convey somehow to you how, in retrospect, every single entity who has resurrected is a marvel of health, vibrancy, vitality and inexpressible gratitude for having mastered the bridge from here to eternity by going through that portal of death which you recall as "the pearly gates." Much like childbirth renders the mother fairly relieved of the memory of pain in the delight of her child, to the extent that she would bear more children, is how death is seen on this side of the veil.
We would inconvenience you all to bring you across to the threshold of the rest of your eternal adventure, more than making up for your inconvenience and your distress at the process of discarding that which no longer serves, in order to embrace that which now embraces you – eternally.
I came only to give you condolences and understanding in the deaths you have all mentioned, have made reference to and known, and which you also face yourselves at some point in the process of becoming all that you can be, as sons and daughters of this living and wondrous God we call Our Father. Thank you.
Group: Thank you, Andrew. Thank you so much for coming.
Paula: You know, I don’t think there’s anything about death that I’m afraid of. My father sort of just slipped away. He shut his eyes and that was it; he was gone. It was a little bit different when George died. He had been flat on his back with his head on his pillow for oh, hours and hours and hours, before he died. An old friend of mine, who was a nurse, came over because she knew it was just about time, when all of a sudden, in a burst of strength I didn’t know he had, he was up on one elbow, sort of half sitting up, and he was looking at something that neither she nor I could see, but he was just staring. He was fascinated! Then he laid back down. What, I wonder, was it he saw. Was it his parents, or … maybe he saw God, how do I know?
Thoroah: Maybe the Archangel.
Paula: He saw something that we could not see. And where he got the strength to get up on that elbow, I don’t know.
TOMAS: It will be interesting to hear you sit around the campfire of the resurrection halls and discuss with each other how it was that you left your mortal sphere.
Paula: I’ll probably object. I won’t want to go! I want to stay right here with Carl! I don’t want to go anywhere.
TOMAS: It is very romantic to say so. Perhaps you will go together.
Paula: Could be.
TOMAS: At any rate, it is wonderful that you so enjoy your life and your loved ones. You have, as they say, been born with a silver spoon in your mouth, or, born under a lucky star. We have no problem with those of you who have found life an enjoyable experience more than you have found it a trial, that does not eliminate both ends of the spectrum but, rather, appreciates the fact of life for themselves.
This is Tomas acting as moderator in anticipation of our next guest. One moment.
ABRAHAM: I am Abraham.
Group: Welcome!
ABRAHAM: I feel welcomed in your home, and I welcome you, as well, to my presence, which is not to laud my being but to rejoice in the give and take of human greeting. In fact, I come to you today as one who has lived. I sometimes perceive the students of this Melchizedek classroom as escapees from the human condition. In reaching for the insights on high, you are lifted out of the fetters of your daily grind into those ethereal and peaceful realms of harmony and bliss which comes from lack of conflict, unconditional love, and essential adventures in discovery.
But I would like to remind you today of the fact that all of us have lived a material life – all of us ascending sons. We know the experience of birth and death as you do. Within the realm of our society, we have experienced the same emotions you experience. We have struggled with the same challenges, had similar regrets, and enjoyed a variety of successes based on our capacity as a man among men.
There is so much of my human experience that I continue to carry with me, and I do this consciously and jealously. Leaving the earth behind is not closing the door on your human experience, it is merely packing away your valuables in spiritual baggage that you can take with you. The memories that you have that present pictures of your joyous trek, which brought you insights, which opened doors of perception, which allowed you to know and feel a connection between you and others, the necessary disciplines which you employ now in order to accomplish certain things or convey certain values, will still be a part of you. The world you encounter when you leave here will be not that much different from what you know now. While it may be less dramatic in its presentation, nonetheless, you will know the wonders of nature. You will still find challenges, and you will still have disappointments.
By way of these words I hope to convey to you that what you know now is part of you forever if it is worth knowing. Therefore, find strength within your own self and your own experiences. Look at your own insight as if it were a mirror to life beyond the veil. Recognize that what you love and treasure, which is essential and eternal, will be with you today and tomorrow as it was yesterday.
There is a song in this T/R’s consciousness, as well it might be in yours: "No, no they can’t take that away from me. The way you tip your hat; the way you sip your tea." These treasures of the material existence are part of you. They are the refinements of your culture that denote your civility; they are patterns of perfection that you have built up through the centuries as a part of your inheritance as a homo sapiens. And this nobility and these refinements are a part of you and will remain a part of you, even as you approach Paradise.
Be encouraged that much of what you know today is the platform upon which you will build your eternal life. The stresses that you experience are not for nothing. They are evidence of your accomplishments and your capacities. They are work for you and for your fellows to reveal the divine influence over all. Your life is a testimony to the goodness of God that allows you the privilege of choice and design to enhance your mortal experience and the experience you know and love – even those you disdain and do not love. These latter, however, will fall away as unwanted baggage when you come to recognize they will not be necessary when you unpack upon your arrival on the shores of Mansonia.
Enjoy, indeed, your lives and your day together, understanding that you will be associated for an eternity, sharing the experience of living after experiencing dying, into worlds beyond. You are a precious group here, a true family of soul fellows. It gives me pleasure to be with you and to hear your spirits return that value to me through your love, which is God’s. Shalom.
Group: Shalom. Thank you, Abraham, for being here.
Paula: You know, we’re not in any hurry to get there. We’re having such a good time living, we figure there will be plenty of time for the other later and we’re aiming for 100. Aren’t we dear? I’ve got a cousin who is 105. She’s still perfectly rational and when I talk to her on the phone, her voice is just as strong as it was 20 years ago, but she kind of hobbles around the house. She kind of hobbles, and she’s lost weight, but Kathryn is still having a good time and I figure if she can do it, we can do it. So we’re aiming that way.
Men-O-Pah: You remember that song the choir sings, Elena, that old Negro spiritual, "I Ain’t Got Time To Die". I thought it was most unusual, it came on the radio when we were on the radio, "I’m so busy working for the Kingdom, I ain’t got time to die." (Group Laughter)
Maria: Well, I’m too busy to die.
Paula: I can just see my father up there. He’ll be putting on a play. He’ll be saying, ‘We’ll do this, we’ll do that, and let’s have fun.’ He was like that. The kids all loved him to pieces because he was so much fun. Of course, he had been on the stage for years so he just brought that along with him.
Elena: Is there anyone else here, Tomas?
TOMAS: Only one more to speak. Therefore let me introduce your friend, Dani, the midwayer.
DANI: Can I come in?
Group: Come on in, Dani. Please do!
DANI: You know how we midwayers like to stir things up. Sometimes you’re more willing to hear me talk than to follow through with my enthusiastic confidence in your ability to – as your Dad, Paula – get something going! Let’s put on a play! Let’s strike up the band. Let’s build a business. Let’s do something. This is my theme song, in case you hadn’t noticed, but it’s only a beginning. After you’ve decided you want to do something, then we get more specific -- break down how to go about it, get some assistance, and set some goals. As you are busy taking care of that, my fellows and I are out drumming up an audience, or a customer, or a prospect so that you don’t have to do it all by yourself.
This remains my theme even when you are acting as individuals, rather than as a group. And it is our privilege and pleasure to help you in your efforts. It is not every configuration of human beings who have a thread in common adequate to create a working format which might move mountains. Some of you are busy in your own realm, undertaking challenges that we try to help you unravel and bring light to. We are always busy, working for the kingdom, but in our case we don’t have to worry about dying, we just move on.
And yet, the point of your story, Men-O-Pah, is quite true: if you keep busy doing what you love to do, you will not have time to die. And this is not only true in the physical sense but in the psychic, emotional and mental sense as well -- even in the spiritual sense -- for there are certain exercises that must be undertaken as a way of life in order for you to keep your spirit in good running order. Stillness being at the top of the list, certainly, but there are many other things you know you need to tend to in order to keep your spirits up and your mojo workin’.
Anytime you think you need a lift or an assist, come talk it over with the troops. Anytime something physical gets in your way that you cannot find your way out of, don’t be ashamed or afraid to sit down and call on us to see what we might suggest. It’s our job to follow through with the instructions from our superiors, so when you put things in a prayerful state of mind and express that state of mind, even through your attitude, it can be perceived on high and the results can eventually be forthcoming.
The thing we like to do is conscious-ize those thoughts, bring them out into the open, reveal them as a relative reality that might be gone over in such a way as to help you determine if this is something you would like to pack into your eternal luggage or leave behind. Conscious-izing your relationship with spirit reality will help you do all things material better. Prioritizing your time in terms of what you value will enable your life to roll along with time left over to enjoy the luxury of meditation and the leisure to create.
You may not be able to feel what I’m feeling. It may not be conveyed through the words spoken through the T/R, but believe me when I tell you my heart is bursting with intrigue to see how we could advance together. How can we keep our kingdom-building going so as to keep ourselves alive in the sense of eternal jubilation in the task at hand?
This is heaven! Heaven on earth, and beyond, as well. See you around campus. Later!
TOMAS: And this is Tomas, your host, anticipating your next move. Are there questions?
Elena: I have a question. We read the Religious Paper 101 in the Urantia Book where they had the 12 items that are difficulties that improve your ethics and your morals, and the question that I have had to do with going through that kind of circumstance and whether or not the negative thoughts that you have, that arise as you are going through that, are affecting your outcome or are they just part of going through that difficult situation? Have I expressed that clearly enough?
TOMAS: I cannot say. I will ask someone to respond.
WHAT-ABOUT-BOB?
Elena: Hi, What-About-Bob. Welcome!
BOB: Those negative feelings you have are there for a purpose, and they are part of the process of formulating reality. They impact the experience and will, in fact, influence the outcome of the experience, depending on how you utilize them. Here your underlying motivations are made apparent. It is here where they say you reveal what is truly in your heart. When you are tested. What you do with this insight is the testimony to the caliber of your own evolution as a being.
Now, let me just say that this is strictly for assessment purposes, not for judgment purposes. No one can judge anyone in the sense that your eternal soul is affected, yet you can, in fact, influence your behavior and thus the behavior of others, to some extent, depending on how you handle what you know. If you see someone’s blatant selfishness expressing itself, you may use that as a wedge between you for the rest of your lives if that is your choice, and that will certainly influence how they feel about you and/or the experience that gave rise to their relative reality.
However, knowing that about that person in that situation is also a means whereby you may use that as a springboard for the spirit to recover you both and, therefore, let bygones be bygones, and this gives each of you an opportunity to make another choice, perhaps even to become friends, even knowing that "that ugly moment" occurred – that unhealthy exchange of emotions or attitudes. It is not enough to curtail your advance and theirs in your work in kingdom-building, if you are unwilling to allow it.
This is not the same, however, as the spirit of intuition, which might tell you that this individual is unsafe to be around, that their consciousness was such that they would willingly do you harm without a second thought. That kind of insight is there for a reason. It is to help protect you. It is, perhaps, even a reflection of your guardian seraphim advising you to be cautious, and to close the door between you and danger. There is no blanket answer to the question, except to say that these things are there for a reason, and you can grow from them or allow them to hobble and cripple you forever, depending upon your choice and your potential.
Every choice you make has an impact, has a repercussion. Whether it is positive or negative is, in large part, due to the wisdom of your choice, and wisdom only comes through experience. Therefore, fear not these lesser experiences, but use them as lessons in life that will enlarge your ability to discern the difference between good and evil. And as often as possible, if not in every case, return good for evil. For that is the divine way.
Without putting yourself in the path of danger, allow Father to guide you in these choices, pausing every time you have doubt, to ask the Spirit of Truth, so that the Spirit of Truth will say "This is the Way" rather than consistently acting on instinct and digging yourself a deeper hole to climb out of after you’ve all gotten filthy dirty from that experience. Is this helpful?
Elena: Yes, it is. It’s certainly given me some things to think about. And some guidance. Thank you.
BOB: These are gifts from the Mother, you know, these adjutant mind spirits, that will give you insight into human character that is intended to be loving. In closing I will say it is good to be here with you again. It is always a joy to be a part of your conscious-izing. I return you to Tomas.
TOMAS: And I pause one more time to inquire: are there questions? (None)
Next week we will once again be in the configuration which allows for you to practice the art and craft of contacting that Well of Infinity which lies within you, to draw from it those buckets of living water which formulate in the personalities and characters of the many teachers who seek to quench your thirst and fill your needs. Nebadonia is on the agenda next week, and I, for one, look forward to hearing Our Mother come through each one of you, as I know She is looking forward to the experience, also.
In the spirit of your holiday, I wish you Independence – independence from the shackles and chains that bind you unhappily to that which serves you not, into the liberty of the Lord, without undue license, but with the intent to carry forth the bell tolling truth, beauty and goodness. Amen and farewell.
END