Tomas Vol III - Pittsburgh, PA - Sep 26, 1996 thru Dec 28, 1996 - Part 4 of 13

This section continues with and concludes Tomas' lessons on the fruits of the spirit. 

While our primary hostess Mrs. M occasionally wintered in Florida, we met at the home of Mrs. Ml, in her gracious estate on the golf course at Allison Park.  And on odd festive occasions we would meet at a restaurant. 

*****

PITTSBURGH, PA, USA

VOLUME III, Part 4 of 13

September 26, 1996 - December 28, 1996

C O N T E N T S

PITTSBURGH, PA, USA

VOLUME III, Part 4 of 13

*****

 DATE:    September 26, 1996
LOCATION:   Pittsburgh, PA, USA
T/R:     Gerdean

TEXTUAL STUDY:
Urantia Paper 113: Seraphic
Guardians of Destiny, continued

TEACHER SESSION:
Unselfish Devotion, further discussion

TOMAS:   Good evening, my friends.  I am Tomas ...
Group:   Good evening, Tomas.
TOMAS:   ... your teacher.  [Delay for adjusting circuitry.]

We have been quite busy, all of us. It is exhilarating to see your grasp of truth, beauty and goodness, to anticipate your eager hunger even before my arrival, by the very nature of your responses to the lessons. The thought processes which have taken place in your minds has up-stepped your own circuits such that your lives are more active today than they have been in quite some time, and I am proud to call you my students, for the unity in your diversity is becoming firm and real.

I am coming to depend on you as a family of believers, as a well-knit group, rather than a conglomeration of individualists. As a result of your growth, our growth, our developing friendship, our developing friendship with God even, we have been able to delve into some substantial realms of thought and subsequent behavior.

I have heard testimony from virtually each of you recently that confirms/affirms your reality response to our gatherings. This is not to my credit, but to the credit of you, my students, for there is no growth without your willingness to grow; and although it is and has been a steady increase for you since your own decision-making process in the ascent, it has been exciting for me, for us in the Teacher Corps, to behold how firmly and finely you have responded to the Mission effort.

Along those lines and in keeping with our lesson plan … our established format for the Pittsburgh pumpkins … I will address a furtherance of last week's lesson having to do with unselfish devotion. I know you have all had a chance to devote a quality moment in time to the substance of the lesson. You have all been able to review, at some point, what true devotions you have engendered in your life's experience. But I promised that this evening I would speak to you somewhat about how it is that you/we may take this fruit of the spirit to its nth degree, ascertain how it is that devotion to the Father will bring about the desired fruits in our lives.

How can we manifest unselfish devotion most effectively to help bring about His will in our lives and in the lives of others?  Have any of you given consideration to that?

Elizabeth:   Yes.

TOMAS:   Elizabeth, would you care to expound briefly?

Elizabeth:  I've been thinking about selfless devotion. I've been thinking about trying to do a couple more things, especially after you said what you said about soul-to-soul, and I was thinking about how much I value even my little [Sunday School] class, and I was wondering about that, and feel like I could give more in that area somewhere. I've been thinking about that. An opportunity seems to have been offered that I am thinking about.

TOMAS:  Very well. I am keenly cognizant of the work you have been doing, the pondering you have done, and the direction (to which) you are aspiring. Let me proceed in accordance with our mutual desires. (One moment)

There are many references in your text to unselfish devotion. I would point out a couple references for your consideration. There is a question asked early on if unselfishness is desirable, particularly when it is and has been necessary for the animal being to survive in selfish ways.* Survival in itself requires that you think for yourself, for your survival, and yet to survive in the spirit is a generous gift of life from the Eternal Source and so why is unselfishness desirable?

Because it is from God, it is brought to our attention by the Thought Adjuster. The spirit would have us be altruistic and selfless, as compared to the human animal which would have us be industrious and self-deceived in security. The spirit as our Source is worthy of our highest devotion.

We love God first because He is, then we love God because He is in us, and finally we love God because we are in Him. We become devoted to Him because we love Him and we are a part of Him, a part that is everlasting and worthy of the worship of all others.

In introducing our Father to others, in sharing Him through your inner life with others, it is not your mindfulness to be of service that is the earmark of your devotion, but that you do these things without regard for reward.

Self-forgetfulness is the closest approximation of unselfishness in this context, for to forget the self in order that you might serve your fellow men, is an assurance that you love the altruistic and ideal potential of your fellow human being.

You love him [your fellow human being] because he is. Secondly, You want to serve him or her because they are in Your life, they are in Your awareness, they have come to Your attention, they have been presented to You as an opportunity, as a challenge, as a privilege, as an adventure, as an occasion to serve. And thirdly, You serve because You are in Them. You see Them in You. You see Their potential. You see hope of Their eternal survival. You have faith in Them as the Father has faith in You.

This provides a new reality for all of your relationships, for they are not based on the material realms and all those entrapments and inducements, but are based upon spirit reality, potential absolute reality.

When you are so engrossed in doing what the Father has given you to do, in joy and in confidence, you have no thought for yourself but for the work at hand. And thus the fruit of the spirit, unselfish devotion, comes from the Father, through the Father, by the Father, to you, to see in your fellows that same relationship that you as His child have with Him.  And as the enlightened elder brother/sister of your siblings in the spirit, in potential, you have the opportunity to serve the God of all being through this simple fruit.

I have concluded my remarks, my prepared remarks, if you will, and with apologies for the choppy transmission, I will open the floor to your involvement. I know there are questions. Are there discussions from the floor?

Shalimar:  I don't have questions, but I'm feeling a lot of these qualities you talked about coming together. Like, I've noticed the one you talked about a long time ago having the certain authority that is different than your own authority. I feel that at work I have really noticed -- it's like the trusting thing, and being honest, and saying what you really are thinking, whereas before I would hold back a lot of times. I would really hold back out of feeling it was either not going to be -- you know, it would be useless to be saying what I thought my input should be, and so I really noticed that I have been more outspoken and having effects more, really having effects -- where something occurs, a change occurs. So I thought about this being really interesting.

Also, I've had an opportunity to have -- with a couple people who were suffering -- to kind of -- out of the blue I just told them … I didn't tell them that I'd do it, but I just told them instead of trying to solve the problem, to just give over their will and let it be God's will and to use that in that type of what we've been taught here, and it seemed to be taken a lot easier than explaining the Urantia Book or some of the other things. But I have been feeling very excited.

TOMAS:  I, too, am very excited that you would share a truth with your peers in a working situation that will lend value and credibility to them in their circumstances which, at this point in time, carries more weight in their lives than introducing them to a volume of two thousand some odd pages, in order for them to grasp the truth of their moment in time of need. Your sincere appeal to their souls to seek for spirit guidance was the appropriate thing to do. As we have discussed, do not pile boulders on the shoulders of those who can only carry pebbles, and oftentimes a handful of pebbles is sufficient for the day.

Indeed, your growth has affected others around you. I am graduating you from your valley of veils [Shalimar]. You have been bred into another name. You would like to know it. It is after the beatitudes, and a Urantia interpretation of your identity would be equated to "Beatrice." It is in the pronunciation that you will uphold your identity in this glorious name. It is strong and true.

Beatrix:   Thank you.

TOMAS:   Daughter.

Beatrix:  I've also used that same thing with my children, too, as a way of -- a simpler way of solving problems.

TOMAS:   Indeed.

Beatrix: I don't know if they've done it, but I keep repeating, "Just say this, even if you don't know what you're doing."

TOMAS: They are children. You are teaching children. When it begins to work for them, you may then find them searching for more reality, at which time you may be led to offer them more. If you are unceasingly diligent and unselfishly devoted to the Father, He will present these picturizations to you of the needs of your fellows, your peers, your children, in such a way that you will be eager to allow Him to use you to plant the seed, to cultivate the soil, to nurture the truth, beauty and goodness within your brother, your sister, as we discussed.

Beatrix:  I'm happy to hear that.  Can you say my name again?

TOMAS: Beatrix. It is spelled in this language with an "X" but it is pronounced with an "S."  Be-at ris.  Your sister Phyllis also has a new name. She is not among us [this evening] but I will tell you her name is Ruth.

It is wonderful to see your personalities take form and emerge from your shells of solitude and self-protection into the society of your family in the spirit. The identity of You-in-the-making is the You that You will be and become for eternity. From my vantage point I see you shining as lights, but each light has its own substance, its own quality, its own pulse, its own parameters, its own rhythm. It is delightful to work with you. We have come a long way.

I appreciate your growth more than I can say, for it not only honors the Father and gives praise to Michael, but it encourages we workers, as you see your friends and especially the young ones become aware of new truths, whose eyes light up in discovery and then take their learning in a parade of showing it to others. This is how you appear to me my children. I love you very much.

Students:    I love you, too.

Elizabeth:  We're so happy that you came. And we think we're so lucky to have a wonderful transmitter like Gerdean, because we know that this is a real gift.

TOMAS:  I am also happy to have Gerdean in attendance. It makes my work much easier, you see. However, it is a gift that can be developed in almost any of you, if you are so willing. It is desired that all of you begin to learn to communicate with your spirit helpers. It is unfair to Gerdean, in terms of possible future assignments, to feel she cannot leave here without abandoning the entire spiritual platform of the Pittsburgh pumpkins.

Beatrix:  Well, Tomas, let me tell you that you, probably more than any teacher that we've had, made me feel assured or have less doubt -- because I think all of us have our  doubts (and I'm very careful that way) -- but the lessons that come through are so striking and I have never had lessons where I feel somehow automatically compelled to learn them, and so just on those grounds alone, you know, I have to have less and less fear of doing it.

TOMAS:  It is your living, growing faith in action. I have confirmed your reality as a child of God and, as an acknowledged daughter of the Most Highs, you have set out to show yourself worthy. It is an honor to work with such eager attitudes. It is contagious.

Beatrix:  Well, it has to be connected to you. It falls on you somewhat because we didn't exactly have this with any of the other teachers.

TOMAS:  We will mutually, then, convey our eternal gratitude and untiring devotion to the work of Michael, as it is He who has established this marvelous fraternity of loving beings, of kindred souls, of helpful comrades, of allegiant colleagues in the work of establishing the kingdom on Urantia, in the work of bringing together his sons and daughters to build strength to forge ahead into the brighter tomorrows that lay in store.

As you have seen a glimpse of what can be done if you have faith, if you believe that by living the fruits of the spirit you can and will make a difference, our growth -- which has been real and measurable -- will become tenfold. Our numbers will become legion.  We will encompass the globe by connecting with other loyal groups of believers.

Loving service, unselfish devotion, merciful ministry, courageous loyalty, confiding trust, how real these fruits are is dependent upon how real you make them. They can be charming words etched in glass or caligraphied on scroll and hung on a wall or they can become living realities in your hearts, your minds, and your lives. It is pretty to see them on the wall but it is glorious to behold them in action.   And this is the Kingdom and we are His soldiers, His children.

Student:   Tomas?

TOMAS:   Yes.

Student:  And without them, you really can't be of service in this world.

TOMAS:   Except for prayer.

Student:  Without the faith, which gives you all the other fruits, you can't be of service. Because -- prayers would be included if you had that kind of faith. Is that so?

TOMAS:  Faith is a gift as you are given sonship, as are the fruits of the spirit. Many people operate unconsciously with their fruits. They have a vague idea that it is morally right to be fair or to have hope or to be loyal in varying circumstances. These fruits of the spirit enrich the lives of those who are not even spiritually consecrated. If you are devoted and consecrated, if you aspire in these matters, your faith is strengthened, your trust is emboldened, and you are entrusted with greater opportunities to utilize the fruits of the spirit even more. You may become great in the kingdom. Greatness is aligned with goodness, both of which are attributes of the Father.

Elizabeth:  I don't think I knew that I was supposed to DO anything until you started this course. I guess that sounds pretty bad, pretty stupid, for someone that considers herself as trying to be spiritual, but I didn't.  I mean, I'm glad that I have a sort of a plan now, or something. I feel that I do.

TOMAS:  I remind you that even the Bible has impressed people with the phrase "Faith without works is dead" and I suppose I have simply taken that adage a degree further, but it is a natural off-shoot of sonship that you want to be of service. As a result of knowing the Father you want to share Him with others. This is a natural result of a true, real, personal, spiritual experience.

In an intellectual and academic appreciation of theology and religion, it lacks that driving power. It may provide an intellectual understanding, but it lacks the driving power that the living truth compels by its very nature.  This is Living Love. It is a dynamic way of life. It is not just words and comprehensions, but actual doing, yes.

Elizabeth:  I think it was a way of examining my attitudes and my actions ...

TOMAS:   Indeed.

Elizabeth:  ... which I actually never had a system for before. This is like a system, which is more systematic. Right?

TOMAS:  It is rather systematic, in effect, for we have spent much time evolving the curriculum that we now enjoy. Not only has the curriculum been pre-planned by Machiventa and others in that Order, in conjunction with Michael, but, in this configuration of people here.  We worked to reach a point where we were willing to sink our teeth into something of substance.

We danced around a lot, we entertained each other a lot, we learned to enjoy, appreciate and love each other a little bit, and then we began to peel away the outer layers and discover our strengths and weaknesses and find that the love of each others' strengths outweighed each others weaknesses, and so perhaps we would have the stamina then, perhaps, to take a look at character, know it was and is invaluable to spirit work, and understanding that we all have a little bit of good and a little bit of bad and there is no serious error.

So we have been long in coming to this lesson plan of the fruits of the spirit. The study of character, however, extends far beyond the designated fruits of the spirit, but without the fruits of the spirit you shall surely die - and so it seems to be a viable place for all of us to start. We do care about one another; we do care that we all live forever … and I am no exception; and so it is a good starting point.

But we can indeed discuss character for months, even years, and develop quite an expertise on the subject intellectually, philosophically, and even experientially. As I quoted in a recent lesson, "Oh, well, I wasn't doing anything else anyway." (Group laughter.)

Elizabeth:  I always thought it was an impossible list to even contemplate. I know when I read it in all these descriptions of Jesus I just said, "Well, that's really nice!" but I certainly never thought that I should have to try to be like that!

TOMAS:   Why not?

Elizabeth:   Because I didn't think I could!

TOMAS:  But, you see, He has such faith in you.  He has sent me to help you.

Beatrix:   As you get little glimpses of some of these ....

Elizabeth:   That's it.  "Glimpses."

Beatrix:  ... you become more like your real self!

TOMAS:   Indeed.

Beatrix:  And then you think, "Why would you resist or be afraid to become your real self?" But yet--  It's so ridiculous! When I hear myself at work, saying things at work with more authority ... And then I think, "Well, I've always been that way," but why would I hold that back?  Not having trust or not being honest, or ... And they're all connected. I cannot "unconnect" them. Like when you do one, you enhance all of them.

TOMAS:  They are indeed all connected to your evolving soul, the morontial part of you, the real and enduring and lasting aspect of you. Please understand, when I say "real" I am not negating this existence. I am not downgrading a human experience, including growing pains and sufferings and humiliations and so forth.

Elizabeth:   I think we all know something about what is real.

TOMAS:  That is good, and that we reinforce each other's reality, that we begin to believe in the God Fragment within and associated with each other, gives credence to our very soul, our very existence. We are given authority then by our own understanding of the Spirit of Truth to speak for Him who sends us. We are becoming real. We are helping each other become real. We are important to each other.

Student:   That is so beautiful.  So wonderful.

TOMAS:   That is the good news of the gospel.

Elizabeth:   There was a story about "The Velveteen Rabbit" ...

TOMAS:   A wonderful story.

Elizabeth:   It reminds me of that.

TOMAS:   You do become real.

Mrs. L:  Tomas, I'd like to say that you don't realize when you slip back into old habits -- I never did.  And now I'm so aware when it comes to some of these things, like honesty, if something slips out that isn't totally honest, I become so aware now and I talk and I say I'm embarrassed at myself and I feel guilt and I feel … well, now I'm one step ahead of where I used to be. I'm catching myself. Like before, it's like ... And I just think it's been such an eye-opener, and it -- I guess it's going to take a long time, but I'm so grateful for everything that you're telling us and doing for us.

TOMAS:  Thank you, my daughter. Your spirit is invigorated and it gives me great pleasure to behold you thrive.

My delightful children, I am going to withdraw. We have had a sumptuous feast. I have been your guest this evening and I hope you have enjoyed this feast half as much as I have. It is a true pinnacle in my experience as a teacher to greet you thus this evening. I know we will prevail. Tonight I tell you I know we will succeed. I am confident.

I will see you next week.  Farewell.

*Urantia Paper 3, Attributes of God:  Is unselfishness--the spirit of self-forgetfulness--desirable? Then must mortal man live face to face with the incessant clamoring of an inescapable self for recognition and honor. Man could not dynamically choose the divine life if there were no self-life to forsake. Man could never lay saving hold on righteousness if there were no potential evil to exalt and differentiate the good by contrast.  (P.51 - §12 8.)

*****

DATE:    October 3, 1996

LOCATION:   Allison Park, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

T/R:    Gerdean

TEXTUAL STUDY:

Urantia Paper 160: Rodan of Alexandria

1.  Rodan's Greek Philosophy

The three drives of life

Problem solving and worshipful meditation

Prejudice and the recognition of truth

 2.  The Art of Living

 Socializing value of friendship

 The great value of marriage

TEACHER SESSION:

UNDYING HOPE

Q&A: Jury Duty

More on Names

TOMAS:  I am Tomas.

Group:  Hello!  Hi, Tomas.

TOMAS:  How are you this evening?

Group:  Full.  Wonderful.

TOMAS:  From my vantagepoint you all appear to be well.

Group:  Wound up, too, Tomas.

TOMAS:  As you might say, "fat and sassy"?

Group:  (Laughter)  Silly!

TOMAS:  It gives us pleasure when we see you enjoy yourselves in harmony.  Even when you disagree among yourselves and banter about in your various discourses, we are greatly heartened by the manifold work that has allowed your diverse personalities and opinions to prance about and entertain one another in comfort of knowing each other as a child of God, a fellow human being in the ascent.

Once again it gives me sublime pleasure to embrace you, to welcome you to our configuration of focus. We have been assembled here for a period of time in observation of your gathering, your stillness, your socializing and your study of Rodan's fine words. My words to you this evening are a continuance of our more formal study of the fruits of the spirit. I am excited about your growth, individually and as a community, as you take these fruits to heart and advance them in your personal experience.

This evening I would like to call to your attention the fruit of the spirit designated undying hope.

Hope is a quality of life that is a gift of the spirit.  And a clear realization of the value of hope is made evident in those situations where there is none.

In your own personal experience it would be possible to call up moments wherein hope was lacking, wherein you had aspired to attain some goal and found at some point that the goal was unattainable. Hope was dashed, and tremendous disappointment followed.

Sometimes as you lose hope, the door opens and the floodgates open, bringing the results of your hope to bear, bringing you to the appreciation of the gift of hope -- the gift of God that gives the results, the rewards that you had hoped for.

Ponder for a moment the immature personality, the individual even who is on the news frequently. Ponder the criminal, the battered wife, the molested child, the drug addict, the alcoholic. Ponder the destitute widow whose husband did not provide for her. Ponder the hungry, the poverty-stricken. Ponder the chronically ill, the cancer victim.

How can they survive, endure, without hope? Many have no hope of hope. They give up the struggle. They perish. Many take others down with them. Lack of hope has caused a blight upon Urantia. Social ills, economic imbalance, disease, are legacies disallowing the fruit of the spirit its own grace, its own space, its own time.

When you, in your spiritual plentitude, pause to give thanks for your Indwelling Adjuster, for the wonders which take place in your life and the lives of your loved ones, when you count the cost and find you have change left over, remember those who have no hope.  Why? For a better understanding, if for no other reason, of the value of this gift of the spirit, undying hope.

Now, in order that your hope stay alive and vital, in order that those who have no hope can begin to ascend out of such a hopeless and helpless state of mind and being, consider the merits of undying hope.  Where does hope come from? Yes, it comes from the spirit. But what of those who have cut themselves off from the spirit so far that they do not believe that God will speak to them? … that they have fallen so low that they cannot be smiled upon? 

This is work not only for the angelic hosts and the Thought Adjusters, but for the soldiers of the circles, to inspire hope in those who have lost it.  Undying. Undying hope.

You all have had hope of some thing, some attainment, some acquisition, some radiant manifestation of your worth, or your effort, or your vanity. Oftentimes these hopes are not met. Your expectations are flattened. What went wrong? Are you not taught to have undying hope? Do you not believe that you maintain within your soul a God-given right to have undying hope?

Let us look at undying hope in a pure and spiritual light. It comes to my mind the adage, the mota, that the disappointments hardest to bear are those which never come. (Urantia Book, pg. 557, #19) "The disappointments hardest to bear are those which never come."  Perhaps that disappointment, then, is that which you have hoped for but which is not of the spirit, but which is of your own mind, your own desires, and thus you experience disappointment for that which is truly of the spirit, that which is His will, will never disappoint you. It will always be provided. It is always forthcoming.

Ponder undying hope and realize that it is not the same as chronic yearning. Many of you chronically yearn for things, for relationships, for riches, for luck, for automobiles, for good health, for peace on earth, for Republican victory, but these fall short of the fruit of the spirit undying hope which is born of that which can never die.

And so, the ideal is to trust that hope which is based on our Father's destiny for you.  And when you hope for another, let it be that they, too, will discover the illumination of that Core Reality which provides not only undying hope but eternal assurance.

If you know someone who is scheduled to die of cancer, for example, do not put your hope in the mortal tabernacle which is finite and temporal, but place your hope in that personality, that it will traverse the spheres in life and light, for it is undying.

When you see a battered woman who is covered with bruises and finds herself entrapped in a life of hell out of which she can find no path, instill in her undying hope not that she may live to experience more hell, but that she may live anew in the hope of the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven … as she is loved, as she is respected by the Great Friend Michael and by her true friends, brothers and sisters in Christ.

When you see devastation brought about by drugs, and other substances designed to provide relief and escape from the reality of life as it is found on Urantia -- in some neighborhoods, on some levels of existence -- instill undying hope by sharing your own hope, by sharing that you have known also a feeling of being lost, of being separated from the Divine, of feeling not blessed, of feeling unworthy, of feeling impure and outcast. Instill this undying hope by sharing it with the God fragment that indwells the lowest and most humble of his creatures.  Undying hope is not a passive condition.  It is a call to service.

My friends, how may I serve you this evening?

Ruth:   Tomas.  This is Ruth.  Thank you for my name.

TOMAS:  Yes, my child. I am so pleased that you have received your true nomenclature. I would like to (1) apologize that it was not given to you in person, but it was ripe for plucking and so it was; and (2) I would like to say that your name acquaints you with/ associates you with a charmed order of women, the Order of Ruth -- those being those similar to the baby sister of Jesus of Nazareth who have always loyally and unquestioningly believed in him, have never needed conversion, have never needed convincing, but have always known, always loved, always believed in the Master. The Order of Ruth is a fine fellowship and it is an honor to have one of that Order in this family of believers. My daughter, I welcome you and bow to your grace.

Ruth:   Well, thank you. I hope that I can always continue to live up to those things that are representative. What I would like to talk to you about is (and I think that you are aware of what I am talking about) -- tomorrow I have to make a very heavy decision, and there is a lot of controversy, and I can identify with this person, I can understand exactly, almost, what ... Almost exactly. I can't understand everything, but I can understand a great amount of what this person has gone through and to some extent why the actions were taken that were done towards another human being. And I need help. We make a decision tomorrow and the effect of our decision will be on this person's life for the rest of this person's life.

TOMAS: Yes.

Ruth:    And I really need a lot of help.

TOMAS:   Yes.

Ruth:   So I would request that you help me, and guide me, and guide all of these people that I'm involved with, and help this person regardless of what decision we may ... and the rest of the family that is involved in this.

TOMAS:  I must say at the outset that you have given me far too much power here. I am a teacher and I am pleased to counsel you, my student, but I cannot guide and direct the individuals in the jury nor the defendant in the case. You are correct in your emotional assessments, however, and I will redirect them to higher authority than myself.

The question which you present to your teacher is related to the rules and regulations of your civilization, and you are in an enviable situation. I realize you do not feel that it is, but it is. It is a singularly private experience you are having, in spite of your peers, your fellow jurors. I am going to remind you of Michael's admonition to his apostles having to do with Caesar and with the rules and regulations of the day, of the government. 

I will also add, with his approval, that you in this position are in a position to abide by the law. These are the instructions you will be given and as a citizen of your country, entrusted with this responsibility, you can relieve yourself of some distress by abiding by the laws of the country as will be set out in the jury instructions.

If you feel that the laws of the land are infringing upon the laws of God, then we perhaps ought to have another conversation, but for now I will say that you have empathized and sympathized and felt understanding and indeed learned to love in this experience. You are becoming wizened in this process.

Remember that the mature civilization has a duty to uphold its civilization. You have, as a civilization, come far from the days, as you discussed earlier, of cannibalism. Granted your government has a long way to go before we can truly say that it is ruled by the Most Highs in all regards, but as a citizen of the realm, it is your duty and your responsibility and your privilege to uphold your society.

As an individual you may have feelings -- compassion, passions and so forth -- but these are a personal matter. In the context in which you serve, you are representing your government, your people, your civilization as it has evolved, as you hope to continue to evolve to maintain peace and order for all. The results of your decision are then consolidated with the decisions of your peers and the results will be presented to the judge who will follow the law as it also is presented to him.

When you remove yourself emotionally, as Rodan discussed, and look at the problem facing you for solution, and look at it objectively, according to the law, without the emotional involvement, you will be able to make your decision. As an individual you may utilize all those emotional feelings and apply them in personal prayer, in grieving, in anger, in joy, in service, in many, many capacities. Has this been helpful?

Ruth:   Yes, it has. It's been very, very helpful. Before I give up the floor, I would also ask you: I have a client you probably know about. I was talking to him just yesterday evening. And we discussed a number of things from the Book, and he's a professional man. He's come up to a lot of spiritual things and a lot of -- he realizes now there are means of care, and health, and he has problems in his life and I would ask for guidance when we talk so that out of my mouth comes the right things. I gave him some information last night. I'm going to lend him a Book and I would appreciate if you would help me and help him.

TOMAS:  Again, my daughter, you give me too many flowers. I feel that your asking me to guide your words is something you should ask Michael to do. It is He Who can speak through you, not me. I can teach you how to open yourself that He may speak through you, even that I could serve in that capacity as a Teacher through a T/R. Are you asking that of me?

Ruth:   Yes.

TOMAS:  Very well, we will have some conferences in this realm regarding your circuitry. I want you to know that your earnestness and sincerity will not let you down, that you well understand that you have a host of helpers, that we are all on hand for you, and that with your faith you will prevail. Your friend is indeed a lucky man that he is under your ministry in more ways than one. Let us all join in with Ruth's prayer that the words will be provided to stimulate this man's appetite for further truth.  How is your niece?

Ruth:   I'm not sure, Tomas. From what I've heard, she's not going to school and she's been staying away from home. I don't know. I've not been in contact with my sister this week because of jury duty, so I'm not quite sure, but she is not behaving herself as I see it.

TOMAS:   Do not give up hope.

Ruth:   I don't. Are you a father or a parent? I have no idea if you've been a parent.

TOMAS:   I had four sons.

Hunnah:   He's been tested!

Ruth:   Oh.  Okay.  I think sons are easier than girls.

TOMAS:  Perhaps that is why Michael assigned me to this group where I have so many daughters.

Ruth:   Well, that might be true. I don't give up hope. But I just keep searching for a way to reach her and I don't feel I've done that yet.

Hunnah:   May I ask a question?

TOMAS:   Yes, Hunnah.

Hunnah:  Oh, you love questions anyway. I was reading that transcript and some of the people in the group here haven't read it yet, where you have counseled Ruth, and I thought it was very good, of course, but I wonder if it would be proper to let this young person read that discourse, because it occurred to me that if it were to be so, you would be honoring the girl's ability to make judgments, even if you were only seeding that.

The counsel said, 'I care about you so much that in my prayer life, I have consulted Jesus,'. And the reply was true. Counsel is never for just one person. Ruth received so much wonderful counsel from that and it helped to objectify the situation, I thought. I benefited from that, and, once again, we're reminded to trust and to not judge -- she's been concerned for the girl's safety, but even if they get in trouble! It's like that, "If you cut your finger, it bleeds." We'll patch it up later. Yes, you could fall in the hole, yes you could this, this, and this. I thought it was excellent advice and would it be good to have her read it?

TOMAS:  I certainly have no objection in distributing our sessions together for I find them (to be) quality communications and (ones which) might induce others to engage in conversations in their own arena, if not with us. I would allow Ruth to make that determination.  Since she and I are old pals, if she feels that the transcript would be received by her niece, that is yet another jurisdictional decision she might make.

Hunnah:  Well, I was thinking the girl might take it and share it with her friends!

TOMAS:  That may be the case ...

Hunnah:  Oh, yes! because they want to be on their own ...

TOMAS:  ... but …

Hunnah:  ... and when they read it ...

TOMAS:  Hunnah.

Hunnah:  Yes.

TOMAS:  I appreciate your enthusiasm, but that is a decision that she would make.

Hunnah:  Oh, I understood that. I was thinking of the benefit of them, to solve their own problems! They like to think they're on their own and maybe that would certainly give them something to talk about.

Student:   They might take the exact opposite attitude if you give this to them. If they pick it up, that's one thing; if you hand it to them, they may ...

Evangel:    They may rebel.

Hunnah:  The only reason I said that was because Ruth is taught to trust.

Student:   Well, that's all she has to do.

Hunnah:   No, no. But it's telling -- when ... (Let's see if I can say this right, and I think this is very valid.) If I -- it happened to me, even.  If you get counsel for someone because you love them, and then you get counsel for both of you, you're saying to that person, "I took a chance and took my fears about you into my prayer..." No, but you're saying to them, "You're all right. You are all right.''

Student:   But they don't understand it that way always. Remember you're talking to people who are not progressed as far as you are.

Hunnah:  I don't know. From the looks of that transcript, this girl is just like everyone else. She has a wonderful Thought Adjuster. Okay. I've talked enough. But this can be applied in so many directions, that's why I was thinking about that.

TOMAS:   Thank you, Hunnah.

Student:   May I ask? I will not be with you next week because I should be in Orlando, Florida. I'm supposed to leave on Wednesday and return the following Wednesday. Do you see this as a successful trip? I'm flying.

TOMAS:   I have to polish up my crystal ball.  (Group laughter)

Student:   You don't see anything dark around it?

TOMAS:  Honey, you are a blazing light. Any darkness near you would be quickly extinguished by your dazzling personality.

Student:   Thank you.   I appreciate that.   I know it's from your heart.

TOMAS:  When you are in Florida, some of us will be also away and ministering joyously and so we will reconvene in two weeks in our normal configuration with everyone in attendance and establish our Autumn itinerary and compare notes on holiday activities, travel plans and so forth. When we dance, we dance. When we plow, we plow together.

Frank:  Dear Tomas.

TOMAS:  Yes, my son.

Frank:  I'm the new kid on the block.

TOMAS:  Yes, my son.

Frank:  And I guess you know that sooner or later you would be hearing from me.

TOMAS:   I am glad.

Frank:  I've had a problem. I'm under a lot of stress lately, with a move that I plan to make in selling my home and moving into the Pennsylvania area where I can be ... where I became acquainted with the Urantia Papers and the Urantia readers who have meant a great deal to me, and with the help of Gerdean I've come to love these sessions that we have. What I want to ask is, I wonder if I am going about things the right way in liquidating my home. I don't care about the monetary end of it, but what I want to know is if I am making the right steps and the right moves. Thank you.

TOMAS:  Thank you for your confidence, my son. I would like, however, to say that you are not, truly, such a new kid, for I have known you for a long time already and we have done much work together. We have truly been associates, colleagues and comrades in many regards. I appreciate your male presence; I appreciate the companionship and sense of security you have provided for my friend, Gerdean; I appreciate the courage that it has taken for you to set aside your lifetime's conventions in order to seek out and confirm for yourself this reality which has grown in your heart, in your mind and in your soul.

To leave behind that which is familiar and launch into that which is unknown is an exciting experience but one that, unfortunately in the human animal, is highly fear-inducing also. You are well trained in your mind as far as material concerns and so you will not shortchange yourself in that context. Have no fear. Your primary concern is the element of unsurefootedness, and this will pass as you place one foot in front of the other and find, on a daily basis, that you have not fallen, that in fact you have climbed to a Pennsylvania hillside which has offered a farther view than you had believed possible.

We here in this teacher base welcome you and will support your presence among us. I know I speak for all here present and for those of this flock who are meandering the hills this evening. Have no fear, my friend. It is good to see you present yourself to me this way, that we may share our relationship with the others, that you may share your inner life also with them.

How our family burgeons! Your faith is new, but it is determined, as you are determined. I will call you Jude. Welcome.

Ruth:   Welcome, Jude.

Jude:   Thank you, Tomas. Thank you so very, very much. I'm inspired by all the words that you have told me tonight. I'm very encouraged and it makes me feel stronger to keep pursuing what I'm after now and thank you.

TOMAS:  Yes, you are welcome. I will remind you that many, many moons ago Teacher Daniel spoke to you and encouraged your persistence in these odd events of the Teaching Mission in this time for Urantia and in your association with Gerdean. He promised you would be exposed to many new adventures and that you would grow from these experiences, and my brother Daniel was "right on" for he knew you well.  He had faith in you. He had undying hope that today would come and it has come.

Jude:   Thank you, Tomas, once again.

TOMAS:   Yes, my son.

Student:   Tomas, everybody has a name but me.  What's mine?

TOMAS:  One moment. You have asked me to reveal to you your name and your name is still in formulation. Your name will change again but I will give you a working name, one which will evolve into a fuller name as you grow into awareness of your potential self. Will that suffice?

Student:   Yeah.

TOMAS:   Hester.

Group:   Oooh!  Pretty!  Different!

TOMAS:   As you are different.  (Group laughter)

Student:   Does that have any special meaning?

Hester:    I don't know.

TOMAS:  Your name is spelled H-e-s-t-e-r for now but it will develop that your name will evolve farther. Hester is an ancient Biblical name. I am not inferring that you are ancient, my dear. . . (Outburst of group laughter)

Hester:   I am!  I am ancient!

TOMAS:  ... but in our group and with sincere respect, you are the ancient one. You are the grandmother, the esteemed and honorable elder. (Group laughter)

Hester:   Thank you.

TOMAS:   You laugh but you show disrespect in your laughter.

Student:   You didn't see what we saw.

TOMAS:  My point is that your sojourn here is one which provides the invaluable aspect of experience and those who have experienced much of life have gained wisdom and have attained endurance more than you have yet seen, and so the wise culture is the one which honors the elder. The Native Americans honor the Grandfather, the Grandmother. The Chinese also revere the elderly; their women are respected and not turned out to pasture. Your society's custom of disregarding the strengths of the elderly is a disgrace. The elders have seen, witnessed, suffered, endured, taught more than the average mind can hold, and so it is a privilege to honor Hester.

Hester:   Hester for now.

Ruth:   We can call her Grandma, can't we?

Hunnah:   She'll have us cuttin' her grass.

TOMAS:  We are getting to know each other. The thing is we have an external/exterior facade which we show to the public, but the real you underneath is the true you that we will urge to emerge in time. Your own strengths, your own radiant personalities are indeed honorable and respected. It is expected that you learn to love and respect yourself and each other. I am not suggesting that laughter is not important, but laughing at each other or at each other's expense is a paltry and shoddy imitation of genuine affection, unworthy of God-knowing sons and daughters. {Pause} Have I put you all in the corner?

Leah:   Yes.  Yes, we'll be good.

TOMAS:  Are there other questions or discourse?

Hunnah:  I have a question. Do you recommend that you refer to each other by these names, or think of each other by this name? It's not just our code of acceptance in the gatherings?

TOMAS:  It is an identity. It is an understanding of your true self. As anyone knows you and loves you can tell, they know the difference between Bev and Hunnah. Bev is liked, certainly, and silly and fun and a great cook, or at least a great hostess; but Hunnah is abundant and generous and lavish in her affection and mirth. It is a difference, a subtle difference to some, but a significant different to others.

I see you as you are. Sometimes you are your lesser self. Sometimes you are your more evolved self. And as I have said before, I love you both because I know in time you will become your higher self, and so I like the higher self but only if it is acknowledged and honored thus. I do not cater to making light of these names, like we would not call Gabriel, "Hey, Gabey" and I have admonished Gerdean that my favorite form of greeting is not, "Yo, Tomas!" (Group laughter). The baser aspects of you, the more childish aspects, enjoy "Big Mac" yes, but there's a difference between childish and childlike. A child of God honors the magnanimous Machiventa. These are perhaps moot points, but since you asked my opinion, I gave it.

Hunnah:  I appreciate it because I was seriously considering asking to be addressed as Hunnah under certain circumstances, simply to keep building that reality, so I think I'll go ahead.

TOMAS:  Yes. It has been observed that when individuals are addressed by their spiritual name, they have a tendency to respond spiritually. This furthers the cause. It reinforces the spirit reality of the individual and their identification with their evolving soul. It helps to elevate the mind from the petty troubles of the day. It adds sensitivity and even romance to an otherwise prosaic experience, rather like the mota.  It is a part of you. It is an identification of the real you. Some individuals dislike their spiritual name until they learn to like their Self. Some people hear their spiritual name and it causes them to respond at once, powerfully. Various individuals handle this in various ways. It is a new development, as you know, as part of the Teaching Mission, as part of Correcting Time.

It was not intended that you know your spiritual name until far, far later in your spiritual career, after leaving Urantia, but since the administrators have inducted this accelerated program in order that you might bring yourself up, out of darkness and into light following the adjudication of the Lucifer Rebellion, there were many among you who would respond well in advance of your peers, and so this was one of those inducements to help you identify your greater reality, to give you a sense of actual spiritual solidarity in the work at hand.

You could equate it perhaps to an army that provides titles like Corporal (background giggling) or Major or General, and these are titles which evoke a response and a respect, not that you need to salute each other but that you greet each other as fellow patriots in the work of the kingdom.

I take it I have caused great, amusement among the men at the table. (Group laughter) I must say I am delighted to hear the men laugh.

Hunnah:   Us, too!

Leah:   I have a question.

TOMAS:   Yes, Lean.

Leah:   I was wondering if you could give some validation to --well, when I was listening earlier, I kept seeing neon purple, or neon violet little "clouds" in my mind. Sometimes I see a neon green color, and other times -- particularly when I sense that my teacher is around (and I'm sure she's around nearly all the time), I sense a neon pink. I just wondered if you could tell me if there is any significance to this or am I hallucinating here.

TOMAS:  I have no idea, except perhaps something has raised a red flag. How it is that you see things in your mind, in terms of color, is a facet of your brain that I am not tapped into. I do understand that there are humanoids that are very impressed with color, with auras, vibrations, sounds and the like. I have heard it said that certain humanoids hear angels sing and, indeed, Gerdean reads words out of her mind which translate to be lessons from Tomas, a teacher in the Teaching Mission, and so how can I confirm or deny those things which I do not experience myself. I know I am real and she reads my words so I must assume that your purple neon lights represent something of significance and potential value to you and to others, but I cannot determine that for you. We have discussed color briefly in former lessons, but I cannot equate your color interpretations to various word phrases.

Leah:   Thank you. I was wondering. I know that when humans close their eyes very tightly they sometimes see blood vessels or little lines. It's more like something passing through; just a color but I probably equate it to a cloud, but it's something I never experienced prior to this Teaching Mission; that's all I want to say.

TOMAS:  I would also like to know more of it if, as you say, it is new since the circuits opened. If you would keep me apprised of any new developments in it, I would be interested. I would suggest you not press hard upon your eyeballs (Group laughter).

Hester:  There is a new color prognosticated, to my knowledge, and has been for several years. What it is I have yet to hear. Maybe you'll be the one to see it.

Ruth:   Tomas, do you think sometimes that your little group is a little loose upstairs? (Group laughter)

TOMAS:  I must tell you that, yes, I do. (Group laughter) But I knew that in advance of arriving. The truth is: I was chosen to come here ... (Group laughter)

Loreenia:   Because you'd fit right in.

TOMAS:   Because I would fit right in.  (Group laughter)

Ruth:   Well, thank you, Tomas! What a high compliment! You fit right in with us.

Hester:   What a delightful sense of humor.

Ruth:   What a charming gentleman

.

TOMAS:  Remember that laughter is the antidote for exaltation of the ego and we have some very wholesome, healthy and colorful egos at the table. It is refreshing to let down our reserve and our facades and laugh and bask in the comfort of knowing each other in the lack of negative judgment we place upon each other and just being divine children together.

Divine children, I will make my departure. I would like to say in good humor, also, that our Lord Michael is truly a wondrous Creator, for he has such Undying Hope for us. Farewell.

Group:   Good night, Tomas. Thank you. It's so much better than watching boring TV.

*****

DATE:   October 17, 1996

LOCATION:   Pittsburgh, PA, USA

T/R:    Gerdean

TEXTUAL STUDY:

Urantia Paper 160

Rodan of Alexandria, Cont'd.

TEACHER SESSION:

FORGIVING TOLERANCE

TOMAS:  I am Tomas.  Good evening.

Group:   Good evening, Tomas.

TOMAS:  Dear ones, it gives me great pleasure to be with you again as you are pleased also to be back in your customary realm with your peers. The familiarity of your home environment, our teacher base, is a solace and a comfort and a grounding experience following the tumultuous ride we just took in our neighboring community.

My prayers are with all of those who attended, for there will be growth ramifications. Not only were many seeds planted but also much earth was moved to allow for these seedlings to sprout and grow. Oft times the mere stirring of the dirt is enough to cause a tender seedling to collapse, to fall over in fear of the birth, and so I say my prayers are with them. And to those of you whose shoots are well-developed and strong, who are standing tall in the sun, who are putting forth fruit already, be tender-hearted with those new sprouts, that when your fruit-bearing has ended, they may take your place in the orchard of the Lord.

My friends, this evening I would like, with your permission, to proceed with our customary format and address again an aspect of character. This evening I would like to call to your attention and spend some time chewing on the fruit of "forgiving tolerance." This fruit is somewhat of a paradox and resembles perhaps a pomegranate, for in spite of its appearance, it is full of many-faceted aspects of feeling, attitude and emotion, which belie its smooth surface.

In the first place, I will refer briefly to the word "tolerance" and point out that tolerance, as an admirable trait in itself, even so, bespeaks a certain superiority. It is an endurance, this tolerance. A putting up with. Totally lacking in fruit of the spirit by itself, tolerance is meaningless without the qualifier of "forgiving" (tolerance), for in forgiving, you have brought godlikeness into the picture and broadened tolerance from a mere stance of endurance to a condition of reality which has true life and love reverberations.

And so I will spend a moment discussing forgiveness. You may have heard it said that it is unnecessary of the Father to forgive his children, for He already sees all there is to see and is in complete and total understanding of all His myriad children. There is nothing for the Father to forgive, for He is love, and in love, looks upon His children with tenderness and compassion.

The human being, however, is not so easily forgiving, for in the human realms there are betrayals and offenses and thoughtlessness and these bring about emotional feelings which make forgiveness difficult. The human cannot see with the eyes of God.

And yet you are given the fruit of the spirit, forgiving tolerance, thus we know it is possible that you can learn forgiveness, that you can practice forgiving tolerance. Not only that you can practice forgiving tolerance, but that forgiving tolerance can become your very nature, and when you encounter your fellow human beings who would give you offense, you can see with the eyes of the Father.  Now how is this attained?  What, after all, is forgiveness?

Anything, anyone, different from you is external to you and meaningless unless you personalize the experience. When you personalize your experience, you are at once vulnerable and subject to feelings. You are at once exposed to the danger of having your feelings hurt. This can be brought about through misunderstanding, ignorance, or deliberate viciousness on the part of unbelievers.

In recognizing the Father's viewpoint, in appreciating that from His point of view all is human error, you can look then, impersonally, at the situation in terms of human error. Who has erred and for what reason? How have you been damaged by the error? What is your responsibility in the error? In the damage? To err is human, to forgive is divine; and so you must transcend your own human foibles and frailties, and this is difficult, for then you must let go of your righteous indignation. You must let go of your opinions, your prejudices, and your fears. You must learn to see that mortal being as a child of God who is subject to human error.

In some cases you can ascertain their motives, their intentions in causing you harm, in causing your hurt feelings. Sometimes you cannot understand why they would behave in such a way. Sometimes you believe that the violation is so great that you are justified in withholding forgiveness. Only as you forgive are you yourself forgiven. As long as you hold in your heart that animosity, that hatred, you are holding within yourself that block against the spirit. You hold in yourself a door closed against truth.

To find the courage to open the door and forgive is to become as a little child, to recognize that you are in the hands of the Eternal Parent who loves you and who loves all His children. When you can give he/she who has offended to God, to do with as He will, when you have unburdened your soul of the responsibility of judgment for that other individual, you have opened the door to allow yourself to be set free, washed clean of the block of anger, offense, hurt, fear, and superiority,

I tell you, my students, that as you familiarize yourself with this position of childlike acceptance and obedience to His will, you rise above the anger and the pain. You are made free. You are released from that which you held hard in your heart and you are forgiven your anger, and now when you see individuals who are different, who are ignorant, who are offensive, you are able to understand that they are immature, that they have not learned.  Perhaps, like you, they seek to know, and forgiving tolerance now becomes a way of life.

It is not a matter of putting up with, for you would, in essence, reflectively, just be putting up with yourself, and that is no way for a son or daughter of God to live, to feel, or to respond to the magnificence of the gift of the awareness of being part of divinity.

All of you have an understanding of forgiving tolerance. All of you also have an understanding of when it has been that you have impatiently cast aside an opportunity to grow or serve because you were unforgiving. Be therefore tolerant of yourself, and forgiving of yourself as you seek to attain the better approach, the better way of life.

This fruit, this pomegranate that you can hold in your hand and feel as a marvelous solid red vibrant fruit of the spirit, is filled with little seeds, with membranes separating pockets of seeds from each other, and this is the condition of the human who has many emotional seeds of distrust, despair, anger, resentment, fear, prejudice, conceit -- these marbles of mortal madness are made sweet and wholesome, are turned into a fruit of the spirit, by the understanding that this fruit has been created by God and its ripened juice is sweet, its purpose is nourishment.

Forgive me for rambling. I have missed you. Those of you who did not attend the conference, be assured we had a wonderful time, we are glad to be home, and we are glad to include you in our embrace. Dear pupils, how are you? Have you questions for discussion this evening?

Leah:   Tomas, I'd like to ask if forgiving tolerance is the same as unconditional love.

TOMAS:    No. It is not the same, although forgiving tolerance may attain to that. As you aspire to attain unconditional love, which is, yes, a ripe pomegranate, you must perforce await its ripening, and in its ripening you learn first forgiving tolerance. This is so because of your conditioning, because of your ripening process.

Unconditional love is largely a fantasy, an ideal. It is almost always unattainable, but it remains a high ideal to aspire toward. The human always has a condition, always has a motive. It may be the most divine motivation available, but there is a condition. There must be life forthcoming, responding, resounding, somehow. And so they are different.

It is not a fruit of the spirit that you have unconditional love, for that is virtually unattainable. Even the Father, who has in His hands the unconditional love of all his diverse family, has a condition upon His love for us, and that is that we should know Him and love Him in return.

When you are admonished to manifest the fruit of the spirit "forgiving tolerance," you are applying the spirit in your work in the field, in your relationships with others. Unconditional love can be had perhaps for an infant by a mother, but even children grow up and get into things and try their mother's patience.  Has that helped to clarify?

Leah:   Yes. Yes, it does, especially the analogy of ripening. I heard you say it was unattainable but then you said the thing about a mother's love which, I guess, in our human sense it seems attainable. I'd like to ask something else.

Forgiving tolerance. In our earthly realm, as we start to mature and explore and discover things, it seems that there is talk of values and what you can allow and what you can't allow. What struck me is that if a boundary has been violated, that the person who feels that something has been violated, and this continues to happen, on the earthly plane there is the opportunity for detachment mentally or physical separation, but from what I'm hearing you say, there is something to look at in the self. If this behavior is considered offensive, something needs to happen. Would you just comment?

TOMAS:  Let us take the example of a love-saturated soul whose immediate agenda of time and space in radiant joy of the spirit is only to expose his or her loving soul in response to the spirit and in response to the presence of his brother or sister in the flesh; and let us say that this other brother or sister in the flesh is equally a love-saturated soul.

Here there are no boundaries; there is total union, spiritual oneness. There is nothing to forgive. There is nothing to tolerate, for it is a moment of relative perfection on Urantia. These moments, these experiences are infrequent, in the norm, for as you go about your life in your maze of patterns and programs, you are a jumble of behavior patterns and responses. The spirit is set aside, forgotten. There is no room for the spirit in, for example, a. corporate environment or a domestic dispute because the emotions or the profit motive or whatever is involved. These are the realms wherein offense is easily given and taken.

In the normal course of being a human being, a man among men, a fellow among fellows, it is so easy for you to misunderstand each other based on your own unique mental outlook. Your outlook is yours and yours alone, and this is created and altered by your life experience and your exposures to your various cultures and the myriad personalities who have impacted you. A simple phrase that is a common everyday phrase for you, uttered lightly, may, in another's mind, have inferred to them a slight, a rejection, a vulgarity. These are a result of being human. By and large they are harmless except as they compile and it becomes a real wall between you. And so these offenses may not be because of meanness but out of ignorance.

Only as you attain higher and higher spirit reality levels in your dealings with others, do these possibilities diminish, for as you know another in the spirit, you understand their intentions, you recognize their motives, you appreciate their differences, you respect their personality, and so they can be found (to be) funny, original, ingenious, mind-expanding, by comparison to the situation which lacks sufficient spirit content to give it that edge, you see. The more spirit you can bring to any situation, the more sweet your fruits will be.

Student:  It certainly takes less energy when you don't have to react and react and react.

TOMAS:  It takes a different kind of energy. Much of it now is divine energy, instead of emotional energy, and emotional energy is exhausting.

Leah:    Let me give a far-fetched example. Suppose someone came over to your house and swept your walk after you swept it and that irritated you. Now, that's not really that offensive, it's just something which you state to a person you really don't want them to do anymore, and they continue to do it. My question is, is there something wrong with you because you don't want them to do it? Or should you allow something because you want to be tolerant, because it seems the lesson is about "not putting up with."

Now I understand the gist of seeing this person as a child of God. Initially the example was put forth of a non-believer or someone who is immature, but if this person were the person sitting next to you, who certainly understands that you don't want something done, and they still continue to do it, I just don't know what to do with the situation.

TOMAS:  Have you studied their motives? Have you tried to understand your brother? For you are aware of the analogy, the picture in the Urantia Book that describes the man, the primitive man, with his club upraised...

Leah:   I'm familiar with it.

TOMAS:  .. and the point of it is that if you understand someone and understand their motives, you can learn to love them. If you understood why this individual insisted on sweeping your walk even after you had swept it, you might understand that it was a gesture of love or a request for attention or a way of getting you to engage in discourse.

Also remember that some immature mortals engage in irksome behavior so that they can get attention, even if it means being yelled at or punched because that is what they learned early on as a way of getting attention, and sometimes the only attention they have known is offensive and abusive attention. Look to the background of the individual who you are feeling intolerant of so that you will understand if it is necessary to apply forgiveness in the situation. And if there is, then you will know what you are forgiving.

Leah:   What if there is nothing to forgive?

Hester:  I have to ask Tomas, how does one go about investigating the background of someone who is only a neighbor whom you really don't know and have difficulty approaching because they don't want to be approached?

TOMAS:   They are on your front step!

Hester:  So I own the steps. I have a right to ask them not to do that.

Elizabeth:   She did ask them and they kept on doing it.

Hester:   That's right.

TOMAS:  Question also your own motives in territorially. It would be possible to stand in the doorway with the screen closed between you and discuss the beautiful autumn leaves or the political debate to open the door of conversation between you. It sounds like an unusual behavior pattern if you are truly being bothered by someone who insists on sweeping your steps. I cannot understand why you would be offended.

Elizabeth:  I feel like I have to get in on this. My idea is that this goes back to something about the way you were treated as a child of the family. This sounds like a repeat, and it arouses the frustration you felt as a child when you were ignored and you would say, request something and it was just going to be slid over, and that might be the reason somebody feels bad about their reaction. They really don't have to feel bad about it because it's something that's rooted in the past. I mean, I don't know whether that's right or not, but I'm just thinking that that's something that --that came to me.

Beatrix:  I remember when I was at that conference and we talked about cosmic consciousness and this was -- I can't believe how much we let people keep doing what they want! -- and she gave an example.  Now, maybe it's a different slant on it. Maybe it's something that doesn't have so much to do with forgiving, but just a boundary, and I think when it interferes with your self, your respect of yourself, like your value of yourself, that then you were permitted ... that you don't have to be rude. Is that kind of what you're -- because you're ... It's not that you're angry, it's that they're going past the line that becomes abusive in a real slight way. Was that an actual example that you gave?

Leah:   No.  I'd like to expand on this a little.

TOMAS:  I would like to say that your example, then, is rather like a dog who consistently urinates on your garbage can, and I am addressing a fruit of the spirit in terms of your relationships with other human beings in which you have some degree of contact and communication. This person that you set out as an example is obviously not communicating with you, and so it may not even apply that forgiveness is an aspect. Indeed you are perhaps simply enduring a situation that would do as well to call the authorities.

Student:   A what?

Student:   A cop.  A policeman.

Student:   Well, this example, it's not a normal ... I mean ...

Student:   It could be me!

Student:   Perhaps it's someone who has no more intelligence than a five year old, who thinks it's important to help someone because his mommy says you help people. And he's got that mentality that he won't accept the fact that you say you don't need it done and you don't want it done.

Student:   It's not a real example.

Student:   If it's a situation with a normal person ...

Student:  You're really talking about your integrity.  If you've already done something and somebody does it, which is in some way, I'm picking up, a disrespect....

Leah:   No.  I set a boundary and the boundary was violated.

Student:   Okay.

Leah:   I also want to put this in because I also had an incident at the conference where I felt that I did something right. I really wasn't conscious of what I had done until that person told me that what I had done to them was entirely offensive, and I was so taken aback by this, that I just couldn't believe it! And it was a gesture, and the analogy that I originally wanted to report -- I didn't really want to get entirely into this, but -- it was a similar situation, where it was stated to me that the boundary I felt was violated, the party informed me that their motive was not the way I thought that it was.

But I always thought that if you're going to end up with a broken leg, it doesn't make any difference whether somebody pushes you down the stairs or if they trip you or if it was just an accident, they bumped into you, you still have the broken leg.

Elizabeth:  Well, we've gotten a lot of good ideas about forgiving tolerance from Tomas. I think that we're going to read those transcripts and, as usual, they are going to be very meaningful.

TOMAS:  I would like to add something for the record, that I noticed that the dialog following the lesson went downhill by accentuating the examples of ways in which you are offended rather on the ways in which you can grow in the spirit of forgiving tolerance. The point of the lesson is to take to heart, for your own growth, your own nurturing of this fruit of the spirit within yourself.

This is not to say that any of us do it perfectly, but we are trying to ripen the fruit through the spirit. As always, the practice of Stillness brings us back to a closer understanding of our failing to be tolerant and forgiving. Always there is a reflection on the self of how I could have done it better.  How could I have shown more tact and tolerance? How can I reach my brother, my sister, more affably, more lovingly? How can we develop understanding between us and not allow the misunderstandings to damage the relationship?

Rather than focus on the negative, focus on the positive, even as you sit in Stillness and seek forgiveness for your misguided feelings. Why, indeed, are you offended? How is it that your brother or sister offended you even when they did not intend to? Because you interpreted it in some way that was unsatisfactory to you!  It is therein that you need to keep your side of the street clean. Always are these (lessons on) fruits of the spirit intended that you take a look at yourself, that you may better learn to nurture your own fruits of the spirit through the help of the Master Gardener.

Always is it the relationship between you and the Father, which is primary, and then the relationship with you with yourself, and then the relationship of you with others.  Keep your priorities in order.  You encounter others in order to serve. When you encounter others to have your needs filled, you run into trouble. Only the Father can provide your needs. Only He can forgive you for being so needy. And then you can forgive others because you understand how it feels to be wrong.

My children, I am going to bow out as gracefully as I can from this lesson.  I perceive that I have struck some emotional chords as --

Student:   Tomas?

TOMAS:   Yes.

Student:  I was reading a line today that said, "Hope causes the energy" and I thought that was wonderful, and then I thought all the fruits of the spirit probably cause us to have more energy than we might have.

TOMAS:   As they are mastered, yes.

Student:   As they are mastered, yes.

TOMAS:   But as you read in Rodan, these habits, better habits are time-consuming and exhausting at first, and so the work of the spirit is indeed work until you have your self polished sufficiently that you can rather gleam through some of life's vicissitudes which used to trip you up.

Yes, as you attain maturity, you have more time on your hands and many of the difficulties of your more troublesome brothers and sisters no longer even come to your attention and are no longer bothersome for you, for you understand they are not yours to deal with. You have learned to transcend through forgiving tolerance and other fruits of the spirit.

Student:    I'll bet our brain really loves those fruits of spirit.  Then it can really work.

TOMAS:  Your mind enjoys working harmoniously with Infinite Mind, absolutely! It is the animal mind that balks, and once you and your Thought Adjuster act as an animal trainer and get that cat to "heel!" you can begin putting on a real show.

Student:   Good!

TOMAS:  Dear students and precious friends, embrace one another as I embrace you. As Michael has taught us, love one another as He has loved you. This is the challenge of the ages, but it is the most meaningful adventure.

Student:   And we embrace you, too, Tomas.

TOMAS:   Dear Celeste, thank you.  I will not give you an assignment.  I know you have enough to do.

Beatrix:  I was going to say, you'd better give us a couple weeks for that one!

TOMAS:   Enjoy the autumn finery.  Farewell.

*****

DATE:  October 24, 1996

LOCATION: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

T/R: Gerdean

Urantia Book Study

Rodan of Alexandria, Continued.

TEACHER SESSION

COMFORTING PRESENCE

Letter from J.N.

Dream Interpretation

Counsel for Jude

TOMAS: Good evening, group.  I am Tomas

Group: Good evening, Tomas.

TOMAS:   How are you this evening?

Group:   Great.  Full.  Full of mischief.

TOMAS:   Have I not dubbed you "little rascals"?

Group:   Um-hum.  Yes you have.

TOMAS:   Actually, your behavior is improving. For a moment there I felt like a true teacher, one who comes in and raps on the desk or on the blackboard, so thank you for that flash of awareness of how it is in your literal classrooms.

It is a pleasure for me to be here with you as always, and my pleasure grows as you grow, individually and as a group. It gives me pause to celebrate when I perceive the growth of the greater community, as well. It is easy to become single-minded in your own realm/ in our own realm, so busy are we at our sundry tasks, but the plan is all-encompassing; the growth extends far beyond this teacher base.

The experience at the [Grailville] conference was a small sampling of the actual spiritual awakening taking place all around you. Other groups are coming into being; other teachers are coming on-line; all of these advances are made possible because of Michael's dedication to calling you forth into a living loving ideal of personal spiritual experience.

Well, let me give my lesson and then we can discuss some other things, which I know you are eager to put on the record.

I am going to continue in my program of discussing fruits of the spirit, but this evening I am going to introduce a fruit which is not listed as one of those designated fruits of the spirit, as we have been discussing and assimilating into our life's experience for weeks now, that being the fruit of "comforting presence."

Before I delve deeper into this fruit, I am going to comment to Leah that I have had a chance to study the painting which you painted recently describing the vine as faith and the fruits of the spirit as the branches, and find your picture analogy to have great worth, for without faith none of these fruits are possible, and so in introducing "comforting presence" it assumes, again, that you have known living love through the Master, from the Father, that you are now putting forth His presence through you in your very life.

In addressing presence, you well know that you are indwelt by an aspect of divinity, your faithful Thought Adjuster, whose presence brings you into the family of the gospel, the family of kingdom believers. This presence has been also referenced in the phrase, "The presence of God surrounds you." And so it is true that as you walk in the light, you are a living presence, a vital and dynamic personality presence, because of this indwelling God Fragment, this spark of divinity which you are making your own by your soul-ascending decisions.

Your presence, then, affects people. Let me say, while I am dwelling on the presence of God, that in your comings and goings it behooves you to recognize the presence of God in others, to recognize when it is that the mortal being who provides the tabernacle for this Living Presence, is functioning in cooperation with its Indwelling Adjuster or not.

Let me now return my focus of attention to the qualifier, the descriptive qualifier of "comforting". It has been said and it is true that only the Father can provide true comfort, that even as those who practice merciful ministry -- care-givers, mothers, and others who provide succor and nourishment -- are in truth only acting as a vehicle for the comforting inherent in divinity.

The Comforter is one of the designated names given our Creator Son. And so you, his child, are able to provide comfort to those in your life, as you pass by, since it is from Him. This new fruit of comforting presence is available to you as a son, as a daughter, of God, and as you remain close to Him, you then can provide a comforting presence to your peers.

I would like for you, this week, to think about your relationships. First, about the relationship between you and the Father. See and feel how it is that He provides you with His comforting presence, and how meaningful it is to you when you thus bask in the knowledge that He is there to comfort you. Think also of your relationship with yourself and how it is that your presence is comforted by the understanding that the God of all is present with you and comforts you.

Having now taken this as a, reality for yourself, turn it outward toward service in terms of those with whom you have contact, with those with whom you have relationships and associations, and portray yourself as an embodiment of comforting presence. In the prayer of St. Francis, he asks, he seeks, that he may comfort rather than be comforted, and I ask you now this week to take this fruit and savor it and to feed His sheep with the fruit of your understanding of comforting presence. Report back to me then and to each other how it has affected your associations.

Dear ones, I am eager to interact with you. I offer myself as your friend and servant. How may I help you this evening?

Leah:   Tomas, I'd like some help in this response to J.N.. It seems that their group is interested in the Teaching Mission but it also seems that they're going through the wondering and exploration process and I'd like to send her an answer she could understand, so any inspiration that could be given to me would be appreciated.

TOMAS: I will be happy to provide you with a response. I would appreciate if someone could succinctly state, for the record, what it is that I am responding to, Abram, would your logical mind allow for that service?

Abram:  I don't think so. I'm not sure exactly what this lady in Canada is after. The only thing I picked out of the information related to us was the fact that she's afraid of the transmitters and all the other information being received is from Caligastia, and the only thing I can see is a response to that. That's all I can say.

TOMAS: Thank you.  Leah?

Leah:  Yes?

TOMAS: What is it that she says?  Read the ... quote.

Leah:  In regard to Caligastia?

TOMAS: No.  In regard to what she's asking for.

Leah:  "I am full of questions." She wanted to know ... she just mentions that she was in a Martha syndrome, that she was not able to spend time with us at Jesus' birthday party but she wanted to know "if the lady (Gerdean) in the red blouse was a T/R. Please enlighten me. What is going on? And indeed, if the Buffalo group is having meetings like that," she feels that certain members of her group might like to be present and feel the atmosphere. I believe she is a Reiki person and that's why she made that comment. That's just my opinion and conjecture.

She writes:  "Have you entertained any doubt that it might be the works of Caligastia, the wily one?" and she puts this statement, "who caused the shift between the Foundation and the Fellowship by working on their egos? I feel I must be totally clear in my intent and integrity, to be without a shadow of a doubt. Too much is happening on this planet. We cannot afford another screw up. Please find time to answer my questions."

TOMAS:  Thank you, Leah, and thank you, also, to the lady who has inquired. What is her name?

Leah:    J.N.

TOMAS: I remember when Teacher Ham spoke to the General Counsel of the Urantia Fellowship several years ago, and I remember after he had introduced himself there was a long silence wherein everyone present asked these same questions. I remember vividly that Teacher Ham addressed the group and said that no matter what he said, it would have to be the decision, the determination of the individual as to whether or not he was real, and so, truly, this is a singular moment in time for you, J.N., and no matter what I, Teacher Tomas, may say, it is your free will that makes an experience worth while or not,

I will add that when I began transmitting through this receiver, Gerdean, her immediate concern, before she would even allow my words to pass through her, was precisely your concern regarding Caligastia, for she, like you, feared influence by the evil one, and also like you, was concerned about the possibility of yet another default on Urantia, having to do with the unfortunate schism between the Fellowship and the Foundation.

I can only convey to you, my dear, my understanding of the quandary you face, and urge you to listen in the Stillness of your soul for the guidance of the Spirit of Truth. You might take a lesson from one of the more experienced Teachers and ascertain for yourself our purpose, and determine for yourself if it is in alignment with your ideals for Michael's gospel and his kingdom here on Urantia.

We eagerly anticipate your acceptance of our association. We are a wondrous family indeed, and if I dare say so, have robustly infused the beloved teachings of this primary Epochal Revelation with living love, with vitality, and with a reality which pleases our Master, Christ Michael. Ask for guidance. Be assured that love is more contagious than hate, that Caligastia has no more influence over this realm, and that you as a sincere daughter of the living God are protected from even the residue of that debacle in time and space.

Work with us now in the loving spirit of the Lord to begin bringing in the new age of light and life for Urantia. Should you, as a group, discuss what is going on in what we call the Teaching Mission, which is part of what we call Correcting Time, ask for a Teacher to be assigned to your group and wait until one of you is advised that you will be brought on-line through a transmitter/ receiver who will serve in that capacity. Good luck! And peace be upon you.

Abram:   I think that's a great explanation.

Leah:   Thanks very much.

TOMAS:  I told you I am happy to serve … as are you all. I am going to begin to reference the fact that we have soon been together for a full year. As we come up to our anniversary date, which is Thanksgiving or thereabouts, I will ask you to begin to think about our next year's agenda. I would like to begin to see you take a more active role in our community. I would, therefore, like for you to begin to ponder in your heart how you might bring about that which you perceive yourself or this group as doing.

Do not get hung up on it at this point, but we cannot sit forever in the lap of comfort and truth and not ultimately feel compelled to go out and proclaim, publish, this good news. It is to that end that I ask you to consider this in the next month or so along with all the other things that I have asked you to think about and ponder.

Elizabeth:  Well, I already have been thinking, and I know you don't want to entertain these things right now, but we just have this wonderful Border's Book Store and they will do a book fair for us, and it will feature a book in that certain way that they do, but I will let that hang.  But I have a question or two.

TOMAS:   Please.

Elizabeth:  I would love to call Theresa, who has such a wonderful spirit, by her spiritual name. Maybe she will someday ask to know what it is, because I'm dying of curiosity myself.

Theresa:   I thought maybe it was the same thing.

TOMAS:  Indeed, my dear, it is the same thing. Your name is Mary Theresa. I have not made a deal of it for you have not, and it is so close to your natal name, it was only natural for me to call you Theresa, but I tell you I always had to pause and delete the Mary, for you were not familiar with that, but now we know who you are.

Mary Theresa:  I am very pleased because Mary was my mother's name and we named our first child after my mother and my husband's mother because they were both wonderful women, mothers. I am very pleased to have her name. Thank you.

TOMAS:  You are welcome.

Elizabeth:  I have another question. I don't think I got much understanding of courageous loyalty, is that the term?

TOMAS:   Are you referencing this evening's lesson?

Elizabeth:  No, no. It was another lesson but I never could pick up on that very much, I didn't think. Maybe everybody else did.

TOMAS:   Courageous loyalty, yes.

Elizabeth: Maybe there was a big long teaching on it.  I ...

TOMAS: There was.

Elizabeth: Okay.  I'll find it.  Thank you.

TOMAS:   You are welcome.

Elizabeth:   I have another question.

TOMAS:   Yes.

Elizabeth:  You will probably tell me it's a curiosity question, but it's really not.

TOMAS:   Ask.

Elizabeth:  It has something to do with life and death and how much control or right we have to exercise over it, and I really would like to know if you could give us any input on Dr. Kavorkian.

TOMAS:   I have discussed him as well. Elizabeth:   Okay.  I'll find it.

Beatrix:  Tomas, I got a call from a radio station yesterday morning inviting me to interpret some dreams for people over the radio. I accepted it. I'm just counting on faith that I'll be able to do it because I have not practiced doing that very much, but I'm going to do that in November. In the past when I've done that people dig holes in their spiritual journeys when I do that.

TOMAS:  Might I suggest that you take with you a celestial artisan or two, for this dream interpretation is artistry at best, and although they are bringing forth questions about their spiritual nature, their spiritual understanding, in response to their spiritual hunger, if you are speaking through dreams, it is very likely a garbled message from the Thought Adjuster and so I would suggest you take a creative approach and utilize the services of a celestial artisan in helping to fill in the blanks, to color in those visages that they present, that you might adeptly and creatively infuse in them some real truth.

Beatrix:   That's a great idea.  That's wonderful.

TOMAS:  I am delighted with your opportunity to broadcast, Beatrix. Your gifts are being well used already. Remember who you are and whom you serve.

Beatrix:  I will. I had, I thought, a very unusual dream myself. It was one of those that I don't try to interpret because it didn't seem like I could interpret it, but it was unusual because it was something like the air, where there was like a space opened up above me, to the right above me. I can't explain, but the air just opened up and this stuff just flew up, out, down, and in the dream I did recognize this but I have no idea what it was now. And then next it actually went down into this grassy indentation in the ground a little bit and I actually took it out and looked at it and then this, right next to me, it was like the ground went down in a circle, kind of like those crop circles you hear about. And it's kind of -- I'm not sure what to make out of it because I couldn't interpret that even to myself too good.

TOMAS: I am not going to be any fun here, I'm afraid. Dream interpretations are, as I said, a creative endeavor. It is perhaps great fodder for a psychologist and I know there are mortals who have elevated dream interpretation to a high art, but as a Teacher of your soul, I cannot contribute to dream interpretation.

Perhaps your personal teacher might spend time with you helping you analyze the symbolism of your dream. These are some of the uses a personal teacher can be put to. It is good companionship for you in attempting to ferret out true growth from the underbrush of the subconscious and many submerged fears and anxieties, some of which are not even your own.

I am glad to see you back with us, Jude. I understand you had a difficult furrow to plow.

Jude:   Yes, I sure did, Tomas. I was looking forward to making the trip to Cincinnati, to Grailville, and in the meantime I got sick and missed more than half of it. I came home and remained sick and I had a visit from -- I'm not sure who it was yet, but I rebelled against everything that was said with my mission, what I am to do. I rebelled against everyone. I'm afraid that I hurt Christ Michael, Daniel who trusted me, you Tomas, and all my brothers and sisters in this room here. I rebelled with anger against Gerdean who you know I love very much. And I have never been a quitter or a coward. I felt like I was both this time. I need everyone's forgiveness.

TOMAS:   Jude, my son.

Jude:    Yes, Tomas.

TOMAS:  It is not necessary for you to seek forgiveness from your brothers and sisters nor from me, for you have truly done us no harm. You have not hurt Christ Michael, you have not hurt the Teachers, and you have not hurt your peers in the Mission. You have only temporarily hurt yourself and even now you are growing stronger in your own living faith.

It is not uncommon for the animal mind to balk when it is spiritually provoked to growth. You have not even rebelled. My son, you have no concept of rebellion. You are harmless, trust me. I say that lovingly, for I have seen true rebellion. The sickness of Urantia has been because of rebellion and all life hereon has been affected. You have merely balked, and you have not taken others down with you. You suffered alone, except for your stalwart spirit companions who have faith in you, who, like myself and Daniel and Michael and even your friends here, have faith in you - more faith than you have in yourself.

Lift up your chin, Jude. Lift up your eyes to the glory of God who seeks for you only joy and freedom in the spirit. You have not been lost, and yet it is good that you have been found, and so I say to you, again, that we are glad that you are back among us.

Jude:   Thank you, Tomas. My heart has been heavy since this happened and you helped to lift it from me. Thank you.

TOMAS:  You are welcome. Growth is difficult, but in the kingdom there is always a happy ending. It may not be what you expected, it may not be what you thought you wanted, it may not be what you had imagined in your wildest dreams, but it will come to pass and it will satisfy every longing of your heart.

Jude:    Thank you, Tomas.

TOMAS:   You are welcome, my son.

Hunnah:   I appreciated Jude's confiding trust.

TOMAS:  He is a good student, you see. He is sincere; he admits his struggles; and he celebrates openly his joys. He is a good kid. All of my students are good kids. All of Michael's children are good kids. Little rascals or little angels, it matters not. You are all enveloped in His comforting presence.

And now that I have been comforted by your presence, dear flock, I leave you to comfort one another. Until we meet next week or in private session before that, I leave you.  Farewell.

Group:  Good night, Tomas.  Thank you.

*****

DATE:    October 31, 1996

LOCATION:   Pittsburgh, PA, USA

T/R:    Gerdean

TEXTUAL STUDY

Paper 87: Ghost Cults

1. Ghost Fear

2. Ghost Placation

3. Ancestor Worship

4. Good and Bad Spirit Ghosts

5. The Advancing Ghost Cult

6. Coercion and Exorcism

7. Nature of Cultism

TEACHER SESSION

Unfailing Goodness

Father, Mother, Creator, we come to You for the experience of Your presence. In knowing You, we come to know how we can be more like You. Gather with us in our attempt at understanding, to the best of our capacity, Your wondrous nature. Give us the willingness to understand what You would have us learn, in order that we might develop ourselves to the glory of Your infinite love. Help us pass away from the fears of our ancestors and the fears of our surroundings and give up all vestiges of fear, in faith of Your protection and divine overcare. Be with us always, vitalize us with Your spirit, and reign over us with your perfect peace. Amen.

TOMAS:   Good evening, my friends, I am Tomas.

Group:   Good evening, Tomas.

TOMAS:  It is wonderful to be in your presence again, to experience your peace, your camaraderie. It is wonderful to have with us a new daughter of the Father, a family member. Welcome to you, Kate. We look forward to your enveloping embrace in the spirit as we embrace you.

My friends, I will speak with you this evening regarding "unfailing goodness."

In the early course of your evening, of course, we observed. We find great substance in your sharing. We learn much of you as you express yourselves in this company. It gives us clues as to where we might reach you, for it is our purpose as Teachers to address you where you are, that we might help to bring you forward. And we observed your discourse regarding your own expectations of yourselves in terms of the fruits of the spirit.

These fruits, which we have developed over a course of weeks and chewed on and taken into ourselves as nourishment, these fruits of the divine spirit are already yours because you are professed believers, because you have opened yourselves to the spirit, because you are sons and daughters of the living God; you are open to the influence of your Indwelling God Fragment. 

And so within you dwells that aspect of perfection, which has as its base the qualities of the fruits, and so it is not impossible for you to manifest these fruits.  Indeed, it is vital that you do, but it is understood that you are only relatively perfect, and that as you seek to grow and become more godlike, as you seek to develop within your own nature the nature of God, these fruits will become more apparent and more ably manifest.

And so we come now to "unfailing goodness" and who would not acknowledge a bad moment now and then, where you harbor ill will toward your neighbor or murmur expletives at rude drivers? How many of you have not known resentment, or those facets of imperfection which you would regard, even philosophically, as undesirable to a clean heart, a clear mind? At the heart of each of you there is God, and so there is good, but how can we be good without fail? Without fail!

You can be unfailingly good because you will not be failed by the Father. Even as you voice your malcontent and your resentment, your righteous indignation or rightful judgment, that within you which is divine will point the way out of that darkness. Unfailingly it will lead you into further goodness. (I only want to point out briefly that good is not necessarily nice. There is a difference. )

Good is a quality of greatness, of divinity, for divinity seeks only good, can do only good, can be only good, for it is perfect. It is love. It is the desire to help, to share, to express, to serve, to comfort. Unfailingly does God reach for you and unfailingly is He there when you reach for Him. Unfailingly He is good to you. Are you unfailingly good to God? Unfailingly good to your brothers and sisters?

If you find yourself caught up short in twisted behavior or twisted thinking, the goodness of God will reveal to you your error, and with goodness return you to your clear path, clear thinking, right behavior. When you manifest these fruits of the spirit, such as enlightened honesty, it is the fruit of unfailing goodness that allows your honesty to be given and received, for who denies good? All seek good - in each other, in themselves.

"First make the tree good" and this good tree will produce good fruit. Do not be alarmed when you discover that sometimes as a mortal you fail to recognize the opportunity to be good. Turn only to that opportunity as soon as you know that you have been unaware of goodness.  In your loving service, be good. The Master said, "be good to those who spitefully abuse you."  The human retaliates, (but) the divine comprehends, manifests forgiving tolerance, understanding that justice is a law of the universe and is in Our Father's hands.

There is a book recently on the market that wonders why bad things happen to good people, and it reminds me of a story about a man who traveled the world far and wide seeking the answer to this question to which he received many, many answers and finally he ended up in the garden of a great guru. The guru could not answer his question, but sent him out to talk to the gardener who was lame and hunched over. The man talked with the gardener who had lost his wife and his children, had lost his career, had lost his home and his standing in society, but had come to find a place as a gardener of the Great Guru, and when the man asked the gardener why it was that bad things happened to good people, the gardener replied, "I don't know. Nothing bad has ever happened to me." He was a man of simple faith, you see, and in him, God's goodness was evident by the quiet joy in which he went about doing good, in the garden, uncomplaining.

I am not a guru; I am your friend. I am glad to be here with you and I am eager to hear from you. How are you, my dear flock?

Celeste:   Wonderful.  Tomas?

TOMAS:   Yes.

Celeste:  The way I read, guru means -- "gu" means dark and "ru'' means light, and it means "out of the darkness and into the light" and, if so, I think you are a guru.

TOMAS:  I accept that, under those definitions. Thank you. I hope to provide light, but you already have light, you see. It just needs revealed within yourself, and even you can do that, but I understand that it is a lonely job unless you have the companionship of others. I enjoy helping you see the light in your own life, in your own appreciation of your own God-consciousness. Perhaps even more, I enjoy seeing you in concert with others, building community of fellowship.

Elizabeth, were you successful in tracking down my words having to do with confiding trust?

Elizabeth:  Well, I've been working on reading the transcripts over again more carefully and I've been having such a dog-gone good time that I'm just enjoying them, I'm just totally enjoying them! And I always knew I would enjoy them when you first started the whole thing and now I truly enjoy . . . and I've been keeping some late hours and enjoying it.

I've been thinking about it, though. I've been thinking about the whole concept, and I'm just enjoying "comforting presence" because I just had a big siege of dental work and I was telling Celeste about it and she was a very comforting presence! I told Gerdean that and she said, "Yes, Celeste is a very comforting presence." I love her new name.

TOMAS:  By any name she is a comfort. I am glad you are enjoying the lessons. I understand they are like leftovers; often they taste better the next day when the spice has had a chance to permeate.

Elizabeth:   That's a good description.

TOMAS:   Shall we call us "refried beans"?

Elizabeth:  I love those!  It does seem you find more in them when you go back over them, but I had actually missed reading a couple of them because I had been out of town a couple of times, and I don't think I was systematic in my reading of them. I was sort of haphazard, but I--

TOMAS:  I know that you are an eager student and that you would not have allowed one to go unnoticed on purpose.

Elizabeth:  I'm still working on finding a couple of those questions that I had and Gerdean is helping me.

TOMAS:  She maintains a record of sorts. Are there questions this evening?

Elizabeth:  Is unfailing goodness in the list, in the Book? Or is this also a new one?

TOMAS:  It is a designated fruit of the spirit. Perhaps we should pause in this presentation and look it up and read it from the text to familiarize ourselves with the nature of these lessons. We will be in recess.

[From the Urantia Book, pg. 2054: "Peace be upon you.... And the fruits of the divine spirit which are yielded in the lives of spirit-born and God-knowing mortals are: loving service, unselfish devotion, courageous loyalty, sincere fairness, enlightened honesty, undying hope, confiding trust, merciful ministry, unfailing goodness, forgiving tolerance, and enduring peace. If professed believers bear not these fruits of the divine spirit in their lives, they are dead; the Spirit of Truth is not in them; they are useless branches on the living vine, and they soon will be taken away. My Father requires of the children of faith that they bear much spirit fruit. If, therefore, you are not fruitful, he will dig about your roots and cut away your unfruitful branches. Increasingly, must you yield the fruits of the spirit as you progress heavenward in the kingdom of God. You may enter the kingdom as a child, but the Father requires that you grow up, by grace, to the full stature of spiritual adulthood. And when you go abroad to tell all nations the good news of this gospel, I will go before you, and my Spirit of Truth shall abide in your hearts. My peace I leave with you."]

TOMAS:  A gourmet delight, is it not? I have great admiration for the authors of the revelation. Would that I had such mastery of the language, but you understand that I am dealing with the English language in and through a publican, so you must take me as I am until and unless we become more of a committee of workers. Sometimes I can speak rather eloquently, Kate, but I still doff my hat to these wonder workers of words.

Elizabeth:  I enjoy your figures of speech and I enjoy your vocabulary and I enjoy your use of the language and I enjoy your use of so many things from our culture that I think are quite amusing to me, to think that you who have come from such a distant place are learning these sometimes seemingly irrelevant things, but I find it quite delightful. I don't think I could learn a language quite so well as you have.

TOMAS:  I have not necessarily learned a language. I have been afforded the opportunity to tap into the language center of this transmitter/receiver and so I am working with those raw materials. I have long since graduated from the tongue as a mode of communication. I have been utilizing a wonderful technique, as have all the viable teachers in the Teaching Mission.

Elizabeth:  Well, do you float around the bookstores and find out what's on the best seller list, like "Why Bad Things Happen To Good People?"

TOMAS:  No, not necessarily. I don't like crowds. But I do compare notes with my peers as you compare notes with your peers. As you can imagine, we have some in-depth discussions about where you are, where you have been, and where you might possibly go next in terms of your learning process. As I perceive them, these perceptions then are translated into your language. I am not, forgive me, inclined to indulge this line of discourse this evening for it focuses on interesting things but they are not particularly of value in terms of what we just took in, in that divine message of one of the Master's morontia appearances having to do with the fruits.

I will tell you one of the things that I chatted about with my peers here, and that was, paraphrased, "Well, don't you think that's going to frighten them? that if they're not manifesting these fruits they'll be cut down and let die? What about all those people, friends of theirs, who are not spirit-led and God-knowing who are in the dark? Do you suppose they are going to wonder whether their relatives will be found worthy of survival since they seem to choose to remain ignorant?" Do you indeed have those kinds of thoughts?

Celeste:  You mean while we're thinking and talking about the fruits of the spirit?

TOMAS:   Yes.

Celeste:  I know how I feel. When I read those, I feel closer to God than I ever have felt before! That's really true.

TOMAS:  It is surely a reflection, then, of your ability to understand and appreciate the value of those character traits, those soul manifestations.

Celeste:  It isn't so much that you're there, but you really want to be there. You know, to understand it?

TOMAS:  How I cherish you as a pupil, Celeste. You often please me by your childlike approach to the spirit. That is what it takes, and it is not so much the mental appreciation of what it might or might not mean to your relatives, but truly what it means to your own living experience.

Elizabeth:  Well, I find that I can talk to people about this without trying to talk about the Book, which is a big help for me, because when I talk about the Book it doesn't go anywhere usually, but when you talk about this type of thing -- I mean everybody understands it, reacts to it. I think it's a possible way, which I've been thinking about, to talk about the Book without talking about the Book.

TOMAS:   What, was the gospel that Jesus taught?

Hunnah:   That we love one another.

TOMAS:  The Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, the living reality of this family. And that was how it was set out in his time and it is no different today. The gospel is not The Urantia Book, it is not A Course in Miracles, it is not the Holy Bible. It is the living experience of the Father by the son, and the recognition of us that we are family, and as family we care for each other in terms of these fruits.

To be courageously loyal: who cannot identify with being loyal, and courageously loyal to that which is meaningful? And unfailing goodness: when you see that someone you have loved has perhaps in your eyes behaved in a way that you perceive as not good, are you able then to go to him in confiding trust? hopefully to have some merciful ministry? or provide some loving service that might help clarify the situation? that you might understand better their motivation? that you might continue to love and celebrate the living reality of the relationship?

These fruits are much of what comprises life, and when it is taken in the context -- as Leah has stated/picturized, the fruits are the fruit of the branches of the vine of faith.  In faith these fruits are activated, otherwise they are intellectual appreciations.

We have almost completed this formal study. I will have to meet with my supervisors as to the next leg of the journey here. I may need to be away for a brief period. If so, I will advise you. Fear not. I will return. We are not finished by a long shot.

Hunnah:  It's interesting you said you would be away because I just looked down and it says, "And then the Master disappeared from their sight." This is what I read.

TOMAS:  I am quite concerned that you maintain a proper understanding of my status. I am more experienced than you, but I am not worthy of being equated quite that way, and it feels awkward to me that often I am put in that position. I call you my flock; I call you my children. I have even myself made an occasional comparison, and you now, Hunnah, say, "And then the Master departed from their sight."

Hunnah:  Well, a master is one who understands and can apply his skills that he is teaching his students.

TOMAS:  Again, I appreciate your respect. I am pleased, indeed, that you respect your teacher. It is well that we respect each other, for this is good. And I will allow for some reference, since I am a teacher, as He was a teacher, but I will defer from being called a Master, for like you, I am a student. It behooves me to maintain my camaraderie with you as a student in this ascent, even though it, seems I do most of the talking.

I will say again, for Kate's benefit, we do have an active mutual admiration society here. We have gotten accustomed to hearing each other make testimony of divine affection for one another. It is not uncommon for us to break forth in delighted glee and downright giggling of our feeling good about our relationship. This is a result of knowing that we are loved by the Father, that we live in a loving universe, that we are free to love each other and admit that we all need to be loved and to feel free to love others.

This great expression of love in such freedom, in comfort and security of this fellowship of believers, is one of our most poignant character aspects, and it is a direct gift from Our Father who loves us, His children, and the Mother, who loves us, Her children. We have long since ceased to be embarrassed by the love we regard for each other. It has benefited us all immeasurably.

One of the things that has been so important in this Teaching Mission has been our initial message, understanding and experience of the truth of the love that you receive from Paradise. You are dearly loved. We try not to get too spoiled. You are quiet this evening. Are you bashful in the face of company?

Group:   No, not at all.

Elizabeth:  Well, I've always said that when I read this in the first place, I just thought it was a great page but I never even contemplated that I would ultimately some day think about each of these traits as something that I could integrate into my life. So this is a whole revelation to me that affects my reaction to the entire Book, in a sense.

TOMAS:   Indeed, it should alter your entire reaction to life!

Hunnah:  I'd like to comment on something we just read. "I will go before you and my Spirit of Truth shall abide in your hearts."  I had an opportunity today to talk to two people in an office that had emptied out, and I was talking to them about Reiki and I was able to combine it with what we're doing here, and I had rapt attention. I didn't have it, but the combination of three being gathered together -- without saying we are three gathered together. It was just apparent to me that we were -- and the timing was there that in the readiness and the concerns in the daily lives of the people I was talking to, it was appropriate timing, proper timing -- and that was one of the things that [Edgar] Casey talked about was proper timing, and I was very gratified because I just feel that I can smell water almost, that there is more receptivity in the nursing field toward self-care and self-maintenance and the spirit expanding this spiritual awareness, and I really found it exciting.  And since you're letting us talk some more, I thought I would share that.

TOMAS:  And I will pick up on that and add to my discourse about who we are and where we have been headed in terms of our philosophy of being, in terms of Correcting Time, in-as-much as we Teachers are here to help bring Urantia back into a spiritual alignment, with its natural place in the harmony of the universe following a lengthy isolation due to the effects of the Lucifer rebellion, which have recently ended all such overt influence.

Correcting Time now is the time of flowering resultant from the spiritual circuitries being reconnected.  Since you are no longer-held in quarantine and uplifting is in order, these spiritual circuitries and energies have been flooding your planet. Much attention is directed onto Urantia at this time.  Indeed, not only this local Universe, but the superuniverse and even Paradise have been eagerly observing the developments of this planet upon which Christ Michael lived out his seventh and final bestowal as a mortal. And subsequently this planet, Urantia, has been designated "the planet of the cross," and so the planet of the cross has been in the news throughout the universe broadcasts. There is a lot going on in your realm in terms of advances [being made] due to this spiritual opening, this spiritual flowering.

Elizabeth:  Well, this sounds so wonderful. My daughter is always saying to me when I tell her that Lucifer was adjudicated, she always seems to say, "Well, you might think he's gone but I seem to see his influence everywhere," so might I ask you, Tomas, are there just some psychic shadows left? Or how could you describe what is left from his former great influence?

TOMAS:  Well, my dear, of course I have a couple of things to say. One of which is -- and I don't mean to be discouraging, but look at your reading from this evening having to do with the ghost cults, and how long it is that the effects of a pervasive belief or behavior lends its residual effects on a people -- in that, it will be a long time before Lucifer's influence is completely eradicated from Urantia. For eons you will be feeling and whiffing the effects, but they are not crippling and captivating as they were.

Indeed, you have heard it suggested that you look at your planet and its activities not as a black orb with small spots of white upon it, but rather as a white orb with small spots of black upon it, for this is a matter of perception. As you outlined it, your daughter is seeing the black background with a few white dots and you are seeing the white background with a few black dots, and you wonder "do we live in the same world?"  There are still many, many evils floating around, but Lucifer and Caligastia and Satan are no longer contributing.

In fact, the case is closed, and the door has opened. The spiritual circuits are being reconnected -- as you are being reconnected to your rightful heritage as a living child of God in a living organism, this organism under the administration of the Eternal Paradise Trinity. These effects of spirit re-encircuitment will quickly pervade all facets of your planet, rendering the effects of Lucifer weaker and weaker.

As Hunnah has stated, the field of health care has been richly imbued of late with holistic aspects, with alternatives to surgery and pharmaceuticals. There are tremendous advances being made in that realm, as are there tremendous advances being made; in politics (in spite of the current popular view), in economics, education, environment, and so forth.

Some of these effects are more apparent and indeed are some are going to be easier to bring forward. Some are going to hang on more dearly to the old way for they have a lot to lose (those who have been enjoying the reign of Lucifer and his values), but they will lose impetus because there is nothing except their own egos to reinforce it. 

And as we well understand, love is more contagious than hate, and even though these peoples around the world are having millions of different approaches and understandings of what's going on, they are none-the-less being spiritually activated and progressed because of the circumstances outlined above.

Elizabeth:  Are there any lesser spirits left around the planet? So many people have said that and--

TOMAS:  I know that you are asking that as a rhetorical question, for there are no residue evil spirits at all. It is, once and for all, a friendly universe. The disease of the Lucifer rebellion is done. The cancer has been cut out. There are no active cells left alive. The organism is whole. Not in remission, but cured, whole.

Mary Theresa:  Where does the evil come that we have on our planet today? People with their senseless killing and starvation of innocent children.

TOMAS:  We see a lot of ignorance. We see a lot of prejudice. We see a lot of fear. And these in many ways are a result of your animal origin, but they are compounded greatly by the influence of the Lucifer regime.  In order for me to explain or discuss that thoroughly, I would rather begin early in the evening. I am not avoiding or ignoring your question, I am as fascinated by it as you are.

Hunnah:   May I make a quick comment? TOMAS:   Yes, Hunnah.

Hunnah:  I had an excellent teacher, prior to my coming here, who was talking about something similar, but this will help. Something you can do, she said, to help reduce the perpetuation of the ignorance. Supposing you are in a dialog and you have an old conversation going -- a member of family would probably be the easiest example. You say this and I say that, and we've done it before and you say this and I say that. And you want to live differently, so you want to cut that off and you have to do it for the world. You have to not reply. And when you don't reply, you're not feeding that which you fear, and it's like, "why do we draw certain people to us?" We fear them so much we pull them in and seem to feed it more, and so, yes, you can say, "Yes, I hear it," but your participation and your responsibility is not to help that -- that force that's coming at you -- to continue it's mis-use of itself.

I hope I've said that right. But it's something that I've said often in different circumstances in daily living or in the news: if I stop, helping one individual, then that collectively can make a difference.

TOMAS:  Thank you, Hunnah, for your exposition. It does personalize the solution.

Hunnah:  But it doesn't take it out of my head! and I have to deal with it in my head sometimes. And then that's another place that needs to be cut off. When you have the thoughts, you need to abandon them. At least that's what I try to do. A renewing of the mind.

TOMAS:  It is one of the reasons why I incessantly stimulate the concept of community among kingdom believers, for you uphold each other in your faith and you strengthen each other by your comforting presence. It is when you are alone and up against the wall and see the madness and the mayhem of the moment that you despair and give in and buckle in and they see that they have won. When we uphold each other in our faith, in our reality, then we become an army. We become the army that Abraham and Machiventa Melchizedek refer to, the "soldiers of the circles."

The fight is on -- the good fight of faith -- and we are already overcoming. The effects are already being felt, manifested and appreciated. We are quite encouraged. We eagerly await the next unfolding. Your contributions as spirit-born, God-led individuals in grasping these fruits of the spirit and allowing them to effectively permeate your world, tells the shadows and the darkness that God is alive. He is standing up through you, his noble ambassadors, for those values that Jesus taught, and that you teach by your very way of life.

Thank you very much, my friends, and my students. I am going to leave you for this evening. It has been a pleasure. I have enjoyed a nice rapport with you this evening. I am eagerly anticipating our next encounter and I will leave you with an assignment in your core being, in your own understanding of goodness, and when you ponder whether or not you have been good, look and see if you have not been truly unfailingly good because of that resident God within.

You may have acted ineptly, you may have done it awkwardly, you may have done it from tradition or habit, but it was not evil or purposely bad, for you are inherently good in your core. Study that philosophy, that concept, as you go about your business this week. Look at your own self and ascertain your own goodness.

Farewell.

*****

DATE:    November 7, 1996

LOCATION:   Pittsburgh, PA, USA

T/R:    Gerdean

TEXUAL STUDY

Urantia Paper 88:

Fetishes, Charms & Magic

1. Belief in Fetishes

2. Evolution of the Fetish

3. Totemism

4. Magic

5. Magical Charms

6. The Practice of Magic

TEACHER SESSION

SINCERE FAIRNESS

Dear Jesus. It is known that when two or more are gathered in Your name, there You are in the midst, and so we trust that You are with us; that You have breathed into us the Breath of Life; and that You would have us follow You and live in trusting faith as You lived Your life and as, even now, You reign supreme. Be with us this evening, righteous Father/Brother. Unerringly lead us in the way You would have us go ~ for Your sake. Thy will be done.

TOMAS:   Good evening, tender flock.  I am Tomas.

Group:   Good evening, Tomas.  Welcome back.

TOMAS: I am glad to be with you this evening. I have been away on a short jaunt but I would not miss this opportunity to conjoin with you again in the spirit, in our regularly established format of this teaching platform of the Pittsburgh teacher base. Suffice my absence to say that there are many growths resultant from the many spiritual seeds planted, the great spiritual stimuli, and I commend you, my pumpkins, for many of your seeds have contributed to your surge forward.

We are quite excited in the Teaching Mission. More will be revealed to you as it is affirmed for us, but it is accelerated, and those of you who have prayed for an accelerated pace of upliftment, your prayers have been answered, for we were not prepared for the vigor with which you who follow him have jumped on the bandwagon of supporting each other in your appreciation of your spirit helpers.

In reflection, of course, it is no surprise, for long did we hear of the cry for help from many souls who had suffered long in isolation. Isolation has ended and the surge forward is truly triumphant, Be assured of steady growth, however, for there are dangers inherent in over-rapid growth, and so do not become impatient or demand signs, but trust that we are advancing.

In observing your conversations this evening, I will let it be known that it is likely you regard me, Teacher Tomas, as a rather dull sort, for the imaginations and creative aspirations of the spirit-minded mortal are (there is no word!).  It has been said that there are as many ways to the Father as there are individuals who will walk the path, and so it is true. Even you, who sit here at the table this evening, have tales to tell of your encounters with life's wonders and mysteries which give your unique approach to your personal relationship with deity its own fingerprint, its own readily acceptable and undeniable truth for yourself.

In your intercourse with one another and with the world at large, in your sharing your inner life with others, remember to be fair in your assessments of the worth of another individual's experience. In keeping with my format of late I will attempt to discuss with you this evening the fruit of the spirit designated sincere fairness.  How can one identify sincere fairness much less practice it as an attribute of a God-knowing, spirit-born individual?

You know from your text that one of the ways that you attain growth is through sincerity, sincerity, and more sincerity. That as a child who comes to the Father without suspicion, in total trust of guidance, your sincerity resonates from within. Even those beings you read about this evening who sincerely believed that the soul of the departed was in the stone or in the bone, were sincere, and so sincerity is a relative state. As I have said before in other groups, in other lessons, a person can be sincerely evil, sincerely deceitful, sincerely greedy, and so we must assume the sincerity of a faith-born child.

We must assume that your sincerity is that which is born of the spirit and not born of ignorance, and yet, since we are ignorant, since we aren't finished growing yet, since we have not attained infinite perfection, how do we know our sincerity is adequate to the task? Inasmuch as we acknowledge that we do not know everything, that our wisdom has not attained the wisdom of the Ancients of Days or One High in Authority, we must therefore be fair. We must be fair in our assessments -- in our assessments of ourselves and our own stature as an evolving being, in our stature as a fledgling soul, as a potential immortal soul, and we must be fair with others who are like you in that context.

No one has a total handle on ultimate truth here on Urantia. You have that truth within you which resonates with the Spirit of Truth and yet even your perception of that truth is relative to your capacity at the time, and this reflects upon why it is that you are in no position to pass judgment, for no one is superior over the other; no one is "chosen" above another; all offspring of the Eternal Parent are beloved, and each offspring of the Eternal Parent is growing.

In your assessments, then, of a situation or a circumstance involving yourself or another individual, you must be fair and acknowledge that you do not know all that has gone into comprising the situation or the circumstance, for you are not all-seeing, all-knowing. Only the Parent, the Creator, knows his children. And look at how sincerely fair he is on your behalf! He does not require more of you than you can give; he does not bless you more abundantly than you deserve; he sees your acts and makes the best of them and is happy for your desire to please him, no matter how faulty your application.

Fairness in the material realms is not honored. Life is not fair.  And many things that happen to one do not happen to another. How many children have said, "That's not fair!"? How many adults look at a situation and say, "That's not fair." And it is true that there are gross injustices, but these are not the realities of the Kingdom, for in the kingdom, the Paradise Trinity is unerringly fair, and Jesus is sincerely fair with his children.

It may be necessary, as Jesus did, to become firm with a wayward child, to bring him back in line, but He is fair and will allow sufficient space for the erring individual to determine which way he would go. And so in your dealings with others, be fair.  Be sincerely fair.  Not just socially fair, academically fair, temporally fair, no, but sincerely fair -- as a faith-son -- understanding the relativity involved.

How are you this evening? You were quite attentive to my words. I wonder if perhaps I did not merely provide a soft blanket for you to rest upon, following the rigors of your lively conversations earlier?

Elizabeth:  Oh, no. No. I think we're just all really interested in our study of the fruits and we know when you announce the weekly subject it 's going to be an important part of our coming week and it's going to enrich our Inner relationships with other people, because last week-- well, today! ... I went to the doctors and there was a lady sitting there and I was thinking, "How could I be of some comfort to her?" because I could tell that -- this doctor has a lot of very ill patients, and so (I was not one of them, but) I was leaving and was wondering how I could be a comfort, and as I sensed her difficulty and was watching her, she began to fall and because I was looking at her, I was able to run over to her and partly break her fall, and so it was a kind of a moment when I thought, "Well, that, was a good thing to be able to do that!"

TOMAS:   I am very happy that you have relayed your experience, for it is a clear testimony to everyone that you are sincere in your own growth and in the application of these fruits of the spirit which are born in your life, and now you are conscious of these fruits and looking for places to be of service. I am happy personally for your telling; it makes me feel that my lessons have truly taken root.  And, last but not least, is the lady that you helped, that child of God that you were able to give ministry to, Elizabeth. It makes for a much richer life, does it not, than merely going around thinking only of your own little agendas that can make for a mean life.

Elizabeth:  Well, truly I've always loved words and I think I may have been thinking along these lines, but having a word for this coming thinking is helpful. I think, to me and I assume it would be so to others.

Leah:    Well, you were a comforting presence to her.

Elizabeth:  And I've been talking about it to my son because it's more effective than just talking about the Book. And he needed to be a comforting presence to somebody. One of his young friends is very desperate because his mother is suddenly seriously diagnosed as extremely ill and will not live for a very long time and these young people are in a complete quandary over this and I was talking to him about it and he was listening and I was mentioning that he could be a comforting presence to these young people, as you had said, to think of her as she will be and not to think of her material self. You said that in one of the papers, and I think I explained that as well as I could.

TOMAS:  You are being effective, and this is pleasing to your peers in the spirit. You are a worker in the field. It is how we plant those seeds in His garden. Are there questions this evening?

Elizabeth:   I have a question.  I was watching this description of this new kind of Mohammedism called Tomin where they are very rigid and very fierce and hostile to their women having any tiny bit of freedom and I was trying to figure out -- I don't want to be judgmental about it right off the bat. You had said something about, scaffolding?  Is this use and other hurtful . . . but maybe perhaps a primitive philosophy ... a scaffolding of some sort?

TOMAS:  I do not perceive of it as being scaffolding, no, but I will attempt to essay it fairly and call to your mind the pendulum. In psychological terms you understand that in cultural change, or psychological change, it is not uncommon for the pendulum to swing very far in one direction and then again very far in the opposite direction before it finds a stable center balance, and it well may represent this fundamentalist Islamism as stringent in their need to maintain the security of the sacredness of their roots -- as some of the fundamentalist Christians or even fundamentalist Urantia Book readers -- to help balance the other side of the pendulum which is becoming quite liberal or New Age or unorthodox. This is part of the cultural growth of the evolutionary aspects of spiritual growth.

Elizabeth:  Thank you. I think that's a good help for me to think about that.

Kate:    Tomas?

TOMAS:   Yes, my dear.

Kate:    Earlier we were talking about reincarnation?

TOMAS:   Yes.

Kate:    And I mentioned being multidimensional…

TOMAS:   Yes,

Kate:   … in relation to the concept of reincarnation? I was wondering if you could talk about that?

TOMAS:  Yes, I can. I am not proscribed from discussing it. I have discussed the concept of reincarnation a number of times.  The multidimensional aspects of it lends a bit of abstraction which I find more delightful than the regimental approach which I have been presented with before, but you, even so, are discussing something akin to quantum mechanics and these reflect a mental state of understanding a concept of on-going and eternal life.

There are, to be fair, many facets of the cosmos that relate to energy and pattern, including life, which is repetitive and mechanical and exciting. It is not unlikely that in grasping for higher realities the evolving mind will grasp those reflections of Paradise pattern and energy and so forth and incorporate them into their own DNA aspects of reality, thereby eventuating a philosophy which incorporates a vast -- and to all intents and purposes -- an all-encompassing interpretation of infinity and reality.

For it is true that in some ways you are capable and some do live on several different levels of reality at one time; it is also true that your genetic compounds maintain memory all the way back to the first life implantation here on your material world; and it is also true that the God fragment that is resident within you is aware of its pre-personal existence. And so it is not any wonder that these concepts not only hold great fascination and provide great validity, but also (as many elements of a philosophy will do) allows the mind great latitude and great joy in its own comprehension of a reality which is well beyond the reality of a zip code.

In discussing the Eternal Mother, the Infinite Spirit, Paradise pattern perfection, we also consider Infinite Mind, and as I said earlier, there are as many ways to the Father as there are individuals who will take the path. The mind is a gift from Paradise Deity and it works in harmony with Itself. The Infinite Mother Spirit would not give you a mind that would deliberately work in opposition to the indwelling God Fragment of the Eternal Father for they work harmoniously in everything, and this greatly augments your creative appreciation for such concepts since you are allowed to do so.

Your mind is there for your utilization, and what wondrous worlds we create! We have built civilizations on our co-creative imaginings, all under the sanction of an experiential life on a decimal planet, all looked over, all looked after, all held in the palm of His hand. And so in sincere fairness of the millions of minds, which are the offspring of the Mother, who works in harmony with the Father, you have indeed, a relative truth!

How shall I discuss it? How can I help you in your comprehension of what you presented to me?

Kate:    I think you did give me an awful lot of information already.

TOMAS:  Indeed, I have given you a lot of information. I have not, however, infused you with the spirit, … and this is not my prerogative, but it is where I would take you. For you to then ask in your heart (that heart which opens to divinity) to be shown the Way, for the Way is alive and living (as you have experienced, as you have thrilled to) and the eternal career is a thrilling eternal adventure -- onward and upward and forward!  When the soul is born it begins. You begin.

And isn't it amazing that all of this magnificent cosmos of divine pattern and energy, mind and matter has been provided that you might, come to be, that you might find yourself a living part of this organism of the universe, to take personally as a child to its Father, to its Mother.  It is the personalization that removes it from the realm of science and philosophy into a living reality.  Has that been helpful?

Kate:   Yes, it has.  Thank you very much.

TOMAS:  I have an answer to another question, having to do with faith. What does it mean to take a "leap of faith"?  To make a leap of faith is to leave behind the solid ground that you have known; it is to dive into the unknown, knowing that you will be caught or carried. It is not stepping off a cliff and falling down (although even there you would be comforted); but it is taking a leap across a chasm, from one known reality to another and hopefully higher reality.

To take a leap of faith is to promote your own growth, to contribute to your own reality, and in some ways perhaps to lead the way for others to follow. If you have been asked by the Master, "follow me," then take that leap of faith, knowing that He is holding your hand and you will not fall; that if you stumble, He will help you up; if you act in faith that it is His will, it will be revealed.  But if you stay put, if you deprive yourself of that experience of that leap of faith, you will never know; you will never know within yourself the exhilaration of contributing to that extent to the Evolving Supreme.

Thank you for bearing with me as I answered a question from one outside our group.  Are there other inquiries of me this evening?

Elizabeth:   Thank you, because that gives a whole new meaning to "a leap of faith" for me, and I appreciate it. 

Leah:  I'd like to thank you for the wonderful answer you gave to the group in Canada. I believe they look forward to meeting you soon and having maybe a Teacher of their own.

TOMAS:   Indeed, we are quite excited.  Perhaps I should not say "excited" for excited connotes an emotional condition and emotions can be exhausting; therefore, I will not say, "excited." I will say we are "gratified."

It has been spoken of in your text that it is possible (when the Urantia Book was written) that the world may need to await those men and women who would valiantly serve and devote their life to Jesus, and those men and women are now standing up. They have been so infused, they are so consecrated, they are so devoted, they have stood up to be counted among those who will follow Him, who are willing to count the cost, who are the vanguard of the Age of Light and Life.  They are those who have opted to step out of the religions of tradition into the living Love of Christ Michael and his plan of ascension to the Father.

Think not that the Father loves those who do not stand up any less, but he appreciates, as we appreciate, those who do. And thus I correct myself and say, we are not excited but we are appreciative, yes.

I have been in contact with our sister cities. As I indicated earlier in the evening there was much activity afoot.  You might also be interested in knowing that Columbus [Ohio] is getting a teacher, and so the cities of Indianapolis [IN], Cincinnati and Columbus will comprise a new triad of communities. 

It is our hope, of course, that a triad of cities could develop with Hamilton [Canada], Buffalo [NY] and Pittsburgh, but these goals, these aspirations are entirely dependent upon the free will, choices of the mortals, and I will remind you -- at one point when Jesus admonished the throngs that if they were not willing to be his apostles, then they should turn back in peace, and those who turned back in peace were not banished from his sight, but I make the analogy to show that it is free will and we cannot interfere with free will.

Leah:   Thank you.  Those words will be very comforting.

TOMAS:  I hope they don't construe that as some kind of cosmic political pressure!

Group:   (Laughter)

TOMAS:  I will state that it also says in the text that there is indeed "a conspiracy" and I myself have been known to be a bit of an opportunist. In fact, I have often referred to myself as Tomas the Opportunist, for I am shameless in my aspirations to evolve your world into a loving orb, worthy of its Creator. It is an ambitious undertaking but that is why I am here; otherwise I could be somewhere else doing something interesting. How about you?

Leah:   This is where I want to be.

Loreenia:  By the way, Tomas, rules were made to be broken. God's laws aren't broken.  Rules are made to be broken.

TOMAS:   Whose rules?

Loreenia:   Man's rules.

TOMAS:  They are easily broken. They are indeed almost made to be broken for the mortal is a defiant little rascal and will test his boundaries.

Loreenia:   All children do that when they're little.

TOMAS:   Here, here.

Loreenia:   Can you tell me who came into me, Tomas?

TOMAS:  No. I will point out that phrase about "invasion of privacy." Be assured, however, that there are (as always) many beings in attendance.  Some come only to look in and sniff, the atmosphere, if you will, and go on; some stay for the duration; some wouldn't miss it on a weekly basis.

Hunnah:   Cosmic TV.

Celeste:   Tomas?

TOMAS:   Yes.

Celeste:  [Indistinguishable] … but I was at a church healing service this morning that was just absolutely beautiful. There were just nine people there. We were sitting in the area where the choir normally sits.  It was so simple, so beautiful. Everybody that was there was there to pray for somebody else.  It was absolutely . . . and I've been floating ever since.  I was so happy to be in a church and to find such simplicity and such love.

TOMAS:  I am happy, too, that you had that experience and that you shared it with the group, for it is easy to get the impression sometimes that the churches are not an advanced place of spirit, and obviously your testimony proves that is not the case. It is important to remember that the sincere believer attends all types of worship services, even many which do not lie within Christianity, and their faith is simple and pure. The sincere believer occupies all strata of life and attends to all religious orders. 

It is they who are the children of God; they are not the problem. They are your brothers and sisters with whom you can share your understanding of the fruits of the spirit -- perhaps one day, and even one day soon, to help build an Interfaith family, a oneness of spirit which would transcend the differences in dogma and ritual . . . but I wax rhetorical, for that is an understood goal coming from Michael.

I am glad for your experience, my child. I am glad as always when yon know and see the spirit of God reflected in and through others back to yourself to reinforce your own reality, that you might then give it back out and keep the mighty flame of faith alive.

Dear ones, I sense that you have been filled for now, and I will take my leave with some reluctance for as you know it is satisfying to me that I spend this quality time with you in your embrace, in your comforting presence. 

Be sincerely fair, now, in your dealings with one another in this upcoming week, and I leave my love with you as you go. Farewell.

Group:   Thank you, Tomas.  Our love is also with you!

*****

DATE:    November 14, 1996

LOCATION  Pittsburgh, PA, USA

T/R:    Gerdean

TEXTUAL STUDY 

Urantia Paper 89: Sin, Sacrifice & Atonement

1. The Taboo

2. The Concept of Sin

3. Renunciation and Humiliation

The continence cult

4. Origins of Sacrifice

5. Sacrifices and Cannibalism

TEACHER SESSION

Merciful Ministry

Put Yourself in their TA's Shoes

Avail Yourself to Serve

Victim Mentality

TOMAS:  Good evening, my friends.

Group:  Good evening, Tomas.

TOMAS:  How are you this evening?

Group:  Wonderful. Great.

TOMAS:  It pleases me as always to be with you and to share with you, from my vantage point, what I understand about those spiritual matters which will allow your active participation in life as you find it.

We have discussed many of the "fruits of the spirit" and you have taken this basket of fruit home with you and savored each fruit to the extent of your hunger. It has nourished you and, in time, you will again remember much of this spiritual nourishment. As you go about doing good in your lives, refer to them and add to them as you will, as you pass by, for such is the nature of this Teaching Mission: that, as you grow you also teach.

The Teaching Mission, you see, is not only about the invisible teachers; we have come to teach you to be teachers. And from savoring the recent series of lessons, as you have voiced, you have discovered ways and means to bridge communication gaps with your peers. In being able to share with them your emotional content, shrouded in and through the fruits of the spirit, you have been able to approach and catch people in their emotional realms and give them a boost into their own spirit realms. 

For always is this the case, that none of us sit on a throne or on a plat form, but always bring truth, beauty and goodness to the door of he or she who knocks, that they may open the door for Michael, and his Spirit of Truth to enter, that they might enjoy also their sonship daughtership with the living God.  And so you must always give it away.  You must never hold these truths to yourself for fear of hunger or scarcity. Spirit fruit is abundant. The more individuals draw upon the spirit for their own nurturance, the more we will have advanced into the realm of light and life.

As we advance, as comrades, learning to trust each other in the spirit, learning to depend upon the spirit in each other as a viable reality that will help to reflect our own reality back to us, we have solidified and become whole as an organism, one which by its fruits will become so fragrant that others will be invited in their hearts to know what you know, to share what you share.

Kingdom-building thus becomes a focal point of our endeavors. Ever when you teach, remain the student. Ever as you learn, be willing to be a teacher.  Keep truth alive, flowing.  Do not allow your truth to crystallize into a mere social forum. The Living Water pours through all who open that conduit of the heart, to wash itself in the glory of knowing God.  Therefore, whet the appetites of your associates by your charm of personality, by your forgiving tolerance, your confiding trust, your courageous loyalty, your unfailing goodness. 

Tonight I will speak with you regarding the fruit of merciful ministry.  As you minister, as you pass by, your heart will be touched. You will feel compassion. As you hear with ears to hear, you will hear the cry of the lost, of the angry. As you see with eyes to see, you will see the confused, the forlorn, the sick.  Remember that as apostles you are admonished to teach and preach the gospel and that when circumstances are such that you cannot teach or preach, you are to minister to the needs of your fellows. 

In ministering to the needs of your fellows, it is important to remember that ministry to them is what they perceive as their needs and not what you perceive; therefore, ask how you may serve.  And this ministry is done through your mercy.  Many times merciful ministry is unpleasant work.

We have discussed "loving service" and I have indicated that loving service is that service which is done in love, and if it is not done in love, it is not a service.  If service it is done out of a sense of obligation, it is not loving service, but may rather be merciful ministry, for merciful ministry is not glamorous work.  It is reaching the needs of those to whom you cannot otherwise teach or preach.  In merciful ministry you are up to your knees in mud; your sleeves are rolled up in effort on behalf of your brothers and sisters. 

Somewhere along the way there was an impression that the Women's Evangelical Corps would go and minister to the sick, and given the nature of the feminine, they have often been the given the role of caretaker, and the one who provides merciful ministry as a way of life. Henceforth, when you perform your cultural heritage's duty of midwifery or hospice, observe your merciful ministry, as it might add new light to this fruit of the spirit, for it is not the case that women alone are consigned to merciful ministry, nor are they to be expected to provide merciful ministry, for merciful ministry is a free will choice Of an individual who is moved by the spirit of God to serve, to help, to minister "as you pass by"; it is not a duty.

What makes merciful ministry a fruit of the spirit is your heartfelt need to do something for the one who suffers, who has need. You who have your roots firmly implanted in the soil, who have life holding you up, who have your arms as branches reaching to the sky, to the Father, you who are giving forth these fruits of the spirit, look not with disdain at those small shrubs who have not yet flowered.  Do not trample on those small saplings, but glory in the life to come for these young ones.

In your studies earlier this evening, you were repulsed by your ancestors of long ago and their practices. As you familiarize yourself with the Master (and his times), you wonder at the audacity of those who would jeer at Jesus and how he could state with forgiveness that they were not aware of the harm they did. Your world, my flock, is comprised mostly of those who jeer. They do not know the glory of God. Those are the ones we are here to salvage, to embrace, and to introduce to living love. These "filthy savages" are indwelt by God! and their Indwelling Spirit yearns to adjust the thinking of the mortal it indwells so that it, too, may attain the stature of a dignified faith son/daughter.  You who raise your hands high with your many fruits have cause to celebrate, but look with merciful ministry on those who follow.

Dear ones, I embrace you this evening. I bask in your presence. Our interchange time is upon us. I am eager to hear from you.

Hunnah:   Your words, for me, carry a prophetic quality.  Am I right? Or is that just an impression?

TOMAS:  I like to think you are correct because you are alive, you see, and as we live and breathe and grow in the spirit, the organism of the Evolving Supreme itself is activated and we are activated in it, and so your remark encourages me and is testimony to you all that we are succeeding in our mission of advancing the spirit on Urantia, for that call to serve which stirred within your heart is that which furthers all.

Yes, as you grow, as we grow, so it grows.  It is alive, and as you take the ball and run with it, then we prepare and enable the next set of circumstances to come into being.  If this were a dead theology, a mental machination, it would not provide you with that stirring power. As you are called to act, the spirit lives in you and will then act around you.  As you know,  "The act is ours, the consequences God's" and so we will act in accordance with His will for the unfoldment of His plan. 

I suspect that some of your sense is cumulative, for we have rather concluded a long series of subjects and soon we party.  Soon we celebrate an anniversary and begin yet a new "routine" of growth. I had asked you some time ago to give thought as to what you individually or you as a community might consider being able to do in the next time frame, and perhaps my words this evening regarding merciful ministry have struck a chord in your personality as what you feel you might do or what you feel the group would benefit in doing.

I am not in a position you see, to tell you what to do.  I cannot say, "Hunnah, go out here and turn left and walk four blocks" and so forth, you see, for that is your destiny. That is your adventure. But I will say that I am glad that you felt a stirring for there is much work to be done.

Hunnah:   Thank you.

TOMAS:   Thank you, Hunnah.

Elizabeth:   Today I heard a program that stirred me greatly. It was regarding this case of the young police officer who killed a man, and the program addressed the question, 'What can the churches do to give voice to their anguish over the whole situation?' -- Not that we think the verdict was incorrect, because there was no possible verdict that could be really right, in the sense that it cannot bring the young man back, and it has been difficult for the Afro-American community to live with this situation, but I thought the man who is running the radio station was so good because he was saying, "Can't we evidence our caring as a community? Can't we do something?"

And so, of course, I was thinking that merciful ministry would be to somehow let the Afro-American community know that many of us feel very sad about this happening, and nor that we wanted this young man to be put in prison, because there is probably nothing about this man that would have wanted to kill this Afro-American.  I'm sure he certainly didn't want to kill him and it was some poor training or something, but it did seem to me that, my own family could give some money for a scholarship or something for some Afro-American, so that something good can come out of this terrible thing. But it is a good opportunity to think about merciful ministry, I think.

TOMAS:  It is. It is a significant thing to consider in terms of merciful ministry, for your racial differences on Urantia are such that periodically, in different geographic areas, a certain tension develops.  This is evolutionary and progressive and often tumultuous but it is also a wonderful opportunity to consider merciful ministry in these circumstances such as you recounted about your geographic racial situation and exemplified by that case in point.

Let me take you into an understanding of merciful ministry here, for I appreciate the worth of a scholarship.  I acknowledge your ability to provide that kind of gift, and do not decry its value but I would like to take you all on a bit of an understanding venture if I might, having to do with the nature of the turmoil at hand in your city … if you are willing.

Elizabeth:    Yes.

TOMAS:   I am going to ask you to what some would consider the impossible, but what, in the Course in Miracles, is "the way."  I will ask you each, in the privacy of your own heart and soul, to embrace yourself as a black person.  Embrace your Thought Adjuster inside you, given that which you have been given in this society: your heritage, your pride, your fundamental nobility, your language, and your gifts as a son or daughter of God. You have children; you love your children like any man or woman loves his or her child. You feel those same feelings. Your Thought Adjuster cries out to be seen and known, through its personality expression, as Thought Adjusters do in everyone they indwell.

And ask yourself what has this City allowed these Thought Adjusters to do?  It has allowed them to play ball; it has allowed them to dance and sing. But they have not been allowed to maintain their dignity, to find work, become part of your world, or intermingle with you racially.  They have been kept separate.  And I sit here, as the Thought Adjuster of a black person in Pittsburgh the same as a Thought Adjuster would sit here inside the mind and soul of any mortal of Urantia today and say, "I love you, my child. I crave your love for me.  I want for you your freedom and your happiness. I want for you to know the joys of life.  I want for you to sing the music of the heavenly choir and to sing to your children as well."

That people are racially different is only a part of their unique, colorful character, their cultural contribution. Inside, in God, we are all one. We are equal. And as religionists, that is the only consideration that there is, that we love one another. There are no differences between us.

And so the Mayor and others have taken the problem to the churches, understanding that civilly speaking the civil arena is the wrong place to take the issue, not because there cannot be justice or that there cannot be equity, but that there cannot be life at all until we all embrace each other in the spirit, and as we embrace each other in the spirit, we will walk arm in arm. We will cease to fear one another, for we will not see each other as different, but the same. We are all children of God, our Father.

When you encounter people, experiment by allowing yourself a moment to embrace that person in your soul and say, "I am that person" or "That man is my son.  That woman is my mother" in the highest possible sense of the word.  Bring with it all your nobility of thought and sincerity of feeling as a God-knowing faith son or daughter, and embrace that individual as you embrace yourself.  Cease to look upon others as different from yourself. Cease and desist to say "they" and "we" as a separation, for we are one in the family of God.

"This is idealistic," you might say, but I tell you it is the only way.  It is the only way.  It is truly the kingdom builders that will change the face of Urantia.  It is your merciful ministry of seeing your brothers and sisters in need and standing by them and helping them in their powerlessness to bring them up to the dignity of faith son status.

I appreciate your experiencing that which you allowed to experience.  It is difficult, I realize, to put yourself into another man's shoes, or see through God's eyes, for even though you have advanced far beyond the realms you studied this evening …

Hunnah:   Thank you.

TOMAS:   … you still have rather brutal practices that are socially acceptable, and it truly is time for these brutalities to desist. The challenge may seem overwhelming, but it is not.  We are growing. You are growing. The circuits are open. Much spirit help is forthcoming, activated, and those of you who are willing to walk the second mile can do great works.  Now is the time.

Have I addressed the concern, Elizabeth?

Elizabeth:   Yes, you have. Thank you very much for your insight.  I'll like reading it, and am looking forward to reading it, because that always is a second good chance to think about your words and to try to …

Hunnah:   My impression is that we won't have to go looking for things to do, that they will find us. I had a friend one time who said if you just hold to that which is with you and do it the best you can, and if someone is out there in need they will touch your life as your assignment.  If you do that which you feel is right, nine times out of ten you don't think about it, you just do what needs to be done. 

We are do-gooders and we are project minded, and sometimes we get obsessed with staying in a particular situation and I don't think that's always necessary. Would you like to comment?

TOMAS:  Yes, I have a couple of comments. I want to ask you first, however, when you say, "We are do-gooders; we are project-minded," what do you mean by that?

Hunnah:   That's a whole almost another subject. Seeing people as being different instead of seeing people, as you pointed out, as having a Thought Adjuster who has brought them to you.  It could be for material, possessions, it, could be for direction, it could be for spiritual food -- and then you honor that Thought Adjuster and you shift that person, you go on to something else.

We have a lot of things going on in our society to keep people in a mental state of self-pity, lacking in self worth.  Now, helping people in their resourcefulness--

There is something else.  But it's too late. Yes, let me get rid of it, because it's-- it has to do-- something to do with someone addressing him or herself as an alcoholic. I have heard this for just so long, and it is so deeply ingrained in our consciousness and I have trouble watching them not let go of this. 

TOMAS:    Let me offer you this.  You have seen newsreels of the Holocaust, have you not?

Hunnah:   Yes.

TOMAS:  And you have heard its victims and its survivors aver that we must never forget what happened so that it may never happen again.  This is the purpose of such a recitation as "I am an alcoholic."  It is an acknowledgement of not forgetting where you came from.  Perhaps this is why you found the Paper this evening so distasteful.  Indeed, in your history, in your DNA, you were a cannibal -- and it is most undignified to acknowledge that your ancestry includes such barbarity.

It is not a matter of shame from having been in such a place, but an acknowledgement of an historic epoch that had a profound impact on the development of the individual.  It is better for a person to say, "I am an alcoholic" than to not have the courage to acknowledge the problem at all, for that [denial] is a far more devastating state of mind, and one that might cause even more concern and destruction, if you see what I mean.

Hunnah: Well, I still see it as being tethered by a kind of fear, any particular fear.  I will…

TOMAS: You have contributed a lot to this stew Hunnah. Unfortunately, as is often the case, your vegetables are diced so finely and mingled so thoroughly, it is hard to garner the taste of a carrot from celery.  I would have made more of your soup, but I could not get a handle on it.

Hunnah:  So much for my cooking.  (Group laughter)

Elizabeth:  Well, Tomas, do you think that -- We're coming up on our anniversary, and I think we're feeling real happy about having read that deeply and talking about the spiritual things that we talk about.  And we're going to be at a party.  And I'm just wondering if you would like to comment on that in the quiet in this room because it will be such a different atmosphere when we're celebrating, and so we're thinking of a lot of different things, everybody around this table.

I'm thinking that I'm very grateful for the Teaching Mission, and I'm very grateful for the reading we've done, and for the persons we have been able to maintain.  I've heard of other study groups that have done well, and others that haven't been able to keep it together, and I would be interested in your comments.

TOMAS:  Yes, Elizabeth.  I would only like to comment that the gospel is not the Teaching Mission. And I realize that it is a powerful vehicle toward accelerating spirit reality on Urantia, and it is our supreme pleasure to serve as Teachers and to see you activated as students who are also teachers.  It pleases us greatly to see your spirit lights come on and shine brightly.  But I am not in understanding of why the atmosphere around this celebratory table would be so different.

Elizabeth:  Well, it's quiet here, and when you have a party, it tends to have its intermittent moments. 

TOMAS:  As does this group.  (Group laughter)  Let me get back to Hunnah and her merciful ministry.  It may be true, yes, that as you go about doing good, it is not necessary to go out of your way to seek realms in which to help. It is often true that they will come to you. But by the same token, you must avail yourself, for you mortals get very caught up in your maze of life, your habitual, paths of endeavor, your -- as you say -- "programs."  And it is difficult then for a timid soul to venture into your arena. It is also easy for you (not you personally, Hunnah, but you collectively) to become so enthused or busy in your program, that you find it a pleasant prison and thus you bar yourself off from the distraction of someone who is needy.

And so it depends a great deal upon your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health as to whether or not you will be brought into contact with those you would serve, you see.  It is not their job to come looking for you. Nor is it your job to go looking for them, this is true.  It is made possible by each seeking the other. Opposites often attract. Often it happens that way that each may learn, and so you must always remain the student, for even as you seek to serve, you are often taught in the process. And so it is the attitude that matters -- the attitude of a love-saturated soul, and that, my dear, is between you and your Thought Adjuster.

Hunnah:  Most of us here at this table have experienced that serendipity experience of happening to show up at a particular place to meet someone who had a particular need and -- it's sort of like two together, the believer tries to assist.  And we were talking about serving mankind in general, were we not?

TOMAS:  Yes, ma'am.  Are we not?

Hunnah:    Absolutely.  You have branched out.

TOMAS:    I assume you have also.  (Group laughter)

Hunnah:  It works that way, every day.

Leah:  I think the gist of what I hear is when is it inappropriate to assist?

Hunnah:  I don't want to be like he pointed out tonight.  I don't, want to be, you know.  This may not mean anything to you, but it means a lot to me.  And being appropriate is so important.  Timely and appropriate.  And I don't mean to come off as (being) without compassion! But I want to be where I'm supposed to be and not where society thinks I'm supposed to be.

TOMAS: Let me add, then, that appropriate is as appropriate does. Who is determining what is appropriate? Are you assigning that to your social mores or to your divine path?

Hunnah:  For myself, it's my own path.

TOMAS: Yes.

Hunnah:  And we have lots of things going on in our society which have not patched up, with this bottomless pit of woe, out in the world of people who are [indistinguishable].

TOMAS:   Leah, what were you saying?

Leah:   Just that.  Who decides what's appropriate?  But I feel like I am always walking on eggs-- But if I could go back to another subject.  Hunnah made the statement about the alcoholic. You know, Hunnah, that: it's important that a diabetic take insulin.

Hunnah:   Uh, yes!

Leah:   And if a person was diabetic and they made that statement to you, you would know at once.  It's the same thing with an alcoholic, they can't have alcohol.

Hunnah:   No, I understand the physical consideration. I was talking about the mental thing that keeps them in that space.

Leah:   A diabetic takes insulin, and an alcoholic-- 

Hunnah:  I don't think they should be compared.

TOMAS:   Perhaps--

Hunnah:  I was talking about that they can't go any further because of that identity…

TOMAS:   Consider--

Hunnah:   … and that pain that they experienced.

Leah:   Yes, I agree, because my own personal feeling is that if they are going to say, "I am," then they should say they are in the process of recovering.  I do not like the "I am" statement.

Hunnah:   I have a particular person .in mind and they--

TOMAS:   Let me ask. Is either of you alcoholic?

Leah:   I am a compulsive.

Hunnah:   I have my own problems.

TOMAS:   I ask you that because you discuss it with such authority.

Hunnah:   Well, we live with people who have these obsessions and they affect other people, is what I am saying. The world can't revolve around them.

TOMAS: Nor does it.

Hunnah:   No.

TOMAS: I am confused.

Hester:  Well, alcohol is only one problem, and we're getting away from the avenue that was being opened . . .

TOMAS:  What I see happening is that you have once again drawn a line between you and another individual and said, "They are different from me. I am different from them." And it has caused another separation.

Leah:  Well, excuse me, Tomas, but you're the one who asked the question! No. I am not an alcoholic but I feel very strongly that you ...

Hunnah:   Yes, and I did not mean to imply-- (He told us to talk to him like he was a relative!)

Loreenia:   [Indistinguishable under the other two voices.]

TOMAS:   Just don't all talk at once!

Hunnah:   All right.  What I was simply pointing out is that there is a victim status where people get stuck. Whether they're black or aged or are alcoholic or have been abused, they seem to have-- It's like a club today …

Loreenia: Which, white woman ...

Hunnah:   ... where they're regurgitating their past and …

TOMAS:   I think I see now where you're coming from.  I do believe I see your analogy and the picture, and I appreciate it.  In fact, it could keep us busy for another year.   Let me say that you are addressing deep psychic wounds that you are tired of because you are powerless to do anything about them and it seems "they are caught in a 'can't win' situation, and so let us go on with what we can do something about."  In a way you are correct, for many will not survive the situation of the day.  But many will.  And it is in undying hope of those who will that we keep that facet of ministry open.

There are victims today.  As I have said before, you are all victims of the Lucifer Rebellion and the Adamic Default, and these wounds go deep.  As you put yourself in another's position, consider in sincere fairness what they have had to contend with and the anger that must be existent in the injustice of the situation.  After all, had we not experienced the Adamic default and the Lucifer Rebellion, these situations would not be, and the victims are not responsible for the mess the world is in that they were born into.  They are not to be blamed for their circumstances, nor are they expected to have sufficient courage and wisdom and dignity to rise above it.

It is a field of endeavor that is being approached, as you might say, Leah, "on eggs," for it is a delicate balance.  It is artistry to work with a wounded soul.  It is skilled ministry of a high order that goes in and lances the wounds of time and heals the soul.  It is working with God that makes it possible.  It is not work anyone must do if they do not feel qualified, equipped.  As was said, count the cost and if it is too much, return to your homes.  You will not be blamed; you will only miss the thrilling opportunity. 

You might not think of this as an opportunity, but it stirs you, my dear, it stirs some part of you.  That part which is stirred lives in all normal-minded mortals.  And regardless of their historicity, they are all entitled to know God and to know men as their brother, their brother and sister in the spirit, in the flesh.

Yes, this Teaching Mission is exciting.  Vibrant and alive -- and challenging! -- but it does produce results.  Not only do we have parties, we are breaking down walls right and left.  We will soon incorporate the whole of mankind.  We will place this emerald isle of a planet nobly in the universe where Michael smiles supreme. 

My little ones, it is time for me to close my remarks for the evening.  We have had a true repast.  A lot of good bones were chewed on, and the meat was truly succulent (group laughter).  May I now bow out gracefully in humble appreciation of your presence.  Farewell.

Group:   Thank you, Tomas.   Farewell.

*****

DATE:  December 12, 1996

LOCATION:  Buffalo, New York, USA

T/R:     Gerdean

Textual Study: Urantia Book

Reading from Paper 124,

"Later Childhood of Jesus"

Group Stillness

TEACHER SESSION

As an Elder Brother

Prayer: 

"Dear Father, we come to you this day, this group of your children, desirous of Your overcare, Your love, Your direction and Your blessing. We seek to know You, Father, in our mind, our heart, our soul, that we may then reflect You and be an honor to Your gracious name. Teach us how to be, and teach us how to be with each other ~ for Michael's sake. Amen."

A MELCHIZEDEK:  Good afternoon, assembled friends.

Group:  Hello, Tomas.

A MELCHIZEDEK:     I am sorry.  I am not Tomas. Ordinarily you would first hear from him -- and he will present a lesson during the course of the day -- however, I am a Melchizedek and I am summoned to greet you, to open this meeting today in appreciation for the great strides which have been made by your several communities in bringing about this unique gathering of seekers after truth and workers in his vineyard.

Your development has been fascinatingly watched by myriad celestials. Not only are we personally delighted at your individual evolutionary status which would lend your interest to our mission, but also to the joint workings of those of you in the flesh and in the spirit who are commissioned to bring about beauty, truth and goodness in your lives en route to light and life for all of Urantia. And thirdly we are delighted that the boundaries of nations have been superceded, for as you conjoin as sons and daughters of the living god, you tear down all barriers between you, you open yourselves to the flow of divine will.

You are all His children. Black and white, Canadian American, young old, male female, rich and poor. All of humanity are Michael's charge, our charge, and so I have been the emissary today to greet you and to praise your efforts, your decisions which have brought you here today.

Let me, with that greeting, now return you to Teacher Tomas with whom some of you are already intimately familiar. Good afternoon.

TOMAS:   I am Tomas.  Good afternoon.

Group:   Good afternoon, Tomas.

TOMAS:  It is wonderful to be here again with you. I have been with you all a lot recently. I have been spending more time up here than I have been in Pittsburgh where most of my students have been bowed under the flu virus. Not only for that reason have I attended these more northerly climes of late, but because of the increased interest in this Teaching Mission of Correcting Time and your personal growths and developments.

Midwayers have been engaged almost incessantly in this process of bringing you all under one roof this afternoon. I regret, on your behalf, that our influence over the Physical Controllers cannot stop the snow. We will, however, do our best to oversee your safety in your comings and goings.

I understand there are some time constraints, as there almost always are in your realm, but while we have a moment, I would like to speak briefly on the facet of being that was alluded to in the reading of Michael as a boy: Jesus as an elder brother. In your study of the Urantia Book (which is our text in the Teaching Mission), you will read, if you have not read and learned already, that the golden rule involves brotherly love, but that Michael would have you go farther and begin to perceive each other with a fatherly love and I will call to your attention today the beginnings of a fatherly affection for one another if you could construe yourself as the eldest, the eldest daughter, the eldest son, and look upon your brothers and sisters as if they were your younger siblings. In this way you may begin to perceive of human failings as immaturities and as an elder brother, elder sister, you can serve as an example. Not to box their ears, but to establish a role model of maturity or aspiration for behavior that is becoming to a son or daughter of the Most Highs.

It is wonderful to have children present here today -- little children as well as big children -- for the presence of a child always renders an environment more tender, more sensitive. Always are adults aware of the presence of children. They mind their behaviors better; they mind their language better, and this is what I call to your mind and ask of you to think of today, that you yourself are the elder brother or elder sister to each other.

I am aware, again, of time constraints and I am aware, too, that there are many questions. I will allow the hostess to direct us to some extent. That is to say, if and when we need an intermission, let it be known. If and when you tire, let it also be known. I have long awaited this opportunity, this joy today, and so I am at your service. How may I help you or assist you?

Charlotte:  (Paraphrased) We are in a spiritual state of mind and are eager to proceed.

TOMAS:  Indeed, gracious hostess, we are in a spiritual state of mind. It is very evident from our vantagepoint that the energy levels are high, as you might say. Your lights are burning steadily, as you might envision. It is an interesting thing about working with you who are in the finite realms, for you have heard us make reference to density, the density of the material realms, and this density is a reality, for as I speak with you here, as you all could if you would sense the elevation of "energy" in the room, the atmosphere, if you will, it is lifted, and not dense.

When you are ill or tired or fearful you become completely enshrouded in the density of your material existence. It is always refreshing to see you come up from the morass of material life into the more illuminated realms of the spirit, that we may then gain strength in these realms, in order that we may begin to function in the more morontial range of thinking, being, doing and so on.  Are there questions?

Jeff:  Yes. I have three questions and what I'll do is just ask them one at a time and get an answer?

TOMAS:   Yes.

Jeff:   A member of our group is concerned about the transmissions. The first question is "on whose authority is the T/R Mission being conducted?"

TOMAS:  As you might imagine, it is a well-organized local universe, and Christ Michael has inaugurated this Teaching Mission and is working it through the Melchizedeks . Primarily it is a function of Machiventa Melchizedek, your current Planetary Prince. He, Machiventa, is operating under the authority of Michael and the many teachers who have volunteered to begin to contact and teach the many teachers and believers of the mortal realms, fall under his jurisdiction.

There are other administrative nuances. Abraham was one of the first to make contact in this context, made public, but even prior to the more formal inception of what we call Correcting Time, there were many midwayers who had made contact with certain minds of the realms toward this new beginning. There is an administrative staff, of course, but we are all under the banner of Michael of Nebadon. Does that clarify?

Jeff:   Yes. I guess we are on the second question. The second question was "at what level of administration in the order of the sons of God was the T/R mission approved?"

TOMAS:  As you know, my son, you are on an experimental planet, a decimal planet, and you also are on a planet of unique history in terms of default, rebellion and so on. And whereas your, shall we say, negative polarities have been great, so also are your positive polarities, to coin a phrase, for you have been visited by the Creator Son himself, and similarly, the Teaching Mission has been proscribed as a response to the relative emergency status of your planet at this time.

Be aware, too, that the Teaching Mission purports the end of the Lucifer Rebellion, that the adjudication is final, that Lucifer, Satan, Caligastia, Dalagastia and those non-repentant hosts of space are no more. We are embarked now upon Correcting Time which is a method, if you will, of rejoining Urantia with the cosmos, of re-establishing those circuits that were disconnected, if you will, at the time of the rebellion, and so as you are reconnected, as the circuits are being reopened, you are being flooded, barraged, beleaguered and blessed with spiritual energies.

The upshot of these spiritual energies lambasting your sphere is a handful.

Correcting Time is a time to bring you all into alignment with the First Source and Center and it is understood that, given the history of Urantia and given its evolutionary religions and many other variable factors, it is quite a challenge. Therefore the teachers who have come and who are coming through the Melchizedek Order are intending, hoping, planning, working, conspiring, to contribute to the easy adaptation of this convoluted world into the next stage of its growth, those first rungs of the ladder toward light and life.

And so our purpose is to bring all of Michael's children together in some degree of respect and tolerance and indeed love that will enable all to transcend, while still incorporating, the myriad colorful backgrounds of belief systems and historicities and cultures and so on and so on that comprise the peoples of Urantia.

It is a big order. We ask for your assistance and we are here to assist you. And so this is a communal effort, you see. It is a matter of co-creating. As we encourage each other, as we reaffirm each other's true reality, faith grows, trust grows, the living brotherhood grows. It is viable, palpable. It can be recognized, seen and felt by those who have not touched spirit with the same yearning as you have.

Part of our format are the many, many lessons that have been outlined and overseen by Machiventa and even Michael to bring to you pieces of truth for you to chew, to assimilate, to take as nourishment that will feed your spirit, that will help you become strong, have stamina for your work in the field of bringing good cheer to the forlorn, of having courage in the face of despair and cowardice, in truth, of manifesting the fruits of the spirit in your daily life and doing it with an eye to serve the Master and his family.  Has that responded to your second question?

Jeff:   Yes. In other words, in one sentence, this level of administration is the Melchizedek's, under the direction of Michael of Nebadon.

TOMAS:   Correct.

Jeff:  Thank you. The third question: "when was the mandate for the T/R Mission received?"

TOMAS:  It has been underway for quite some time. It was incorporated initially as a possible parallel with the textbook, the Fifth Epochal Revelation. It has been ("it" — the Fifth Epochal Revelation) has been a long time in coming also, as you know. The Book, having been issued, having been protected for a period of time, having been intellectually assimilated and emotionally appreciated, and certain growths and strengths having resulted from its very existence, it was and is and remains a natural support of the Fifth Epochal Revelation ("it" being the Teaching Mission).

It has been approved, and for many decades workers have been learning how to make contact with certain mortals without rendering them fanatics, or unbalanced, for the process of making contact between the mind of a mortal and the actuality of a celestial personality, is a progressive development. It has taken time to make certain inroads. It also has required your growth, your crisis, your decisions.

The rift, the chasm, which occurred between the legal aspects of the revelation and the social aspects of the revelation [Ed.-- Foundation and Brotherhood] was the natural occasion for the announcement of our existence, our purpose, our agenda. There is more to come.

Jeff:    May I ask a question, Tomas?

TOMAS:   Yes.

Jeff:   Can you be more specific in the time this Mission was issued? Time, as it is known on Urantia?

TOMAS: Well, let me say that in your time frame, Teacher Ham, who made first contact with the Woods Cross group in Utah in 1991, made his announcement to the General Counsel of the Urantia Fellowship February 1st, 1992, and so that day was the day that is recorded as the inception, the official beginning of Correcting Time. You may know however that a preliminary notice was sent out from New Zealand in the late 1980s indicating that something was afoot.

There are many mortals who will testify to their own uncanny, unexplainable experiences with the spirit since perhaps 1912 or so, and these have increased as your planet has approached a point of ripening sufficiently for the Fifth Epochal Revelation to make its appearance.  And then, of course, there are the subsequent effects of such a mighty impression on a given world. Has that helped?

Jeff:   Surely. Surely cleared it up for me. And I'll pass that information on to the person who was concerned with that. Me personally, I can't think of anything. Anybody else?

Perihan:   Hi, Tomas.  Good to see you.

TOMAS:  [It is] good to see you, Perihan, wonderful to be in your exuberant personality presence once again. You have been a busy girl and we are grateful for your many efforts.[You are] a worker in the field. What have you brought for me today?

Perihan:  I think you are aware of the contacts that have been made with the group in Grand Prairie Alberta and the Sunshine folks? Yes?

TOMAS:   Yes.

Perihan:  And their plans for the solstice celebration of light and life next June. As soon as I heard of it I felt called to be there and I'm trying to do what I feel to be training for what needs to happen there. I would like to have any input, confirmation about this upcoming event.

TOMAS: Spiritual festivals and gatherings are going to replace family reunions. Or perhaps I should say they are going to embellish the concept of a family reunion.  And I am not making light of your inquiry, but I will say that in future you will discover there are many, many joyous events. Indeed you will be hard pressed, in time, to know which to be called to attend. It is with joy, then, that we anticipate the future.

J.N.:      Thanks for asking the question. So the enlightened ones are with the Melchizedeks.

TOMAS:   You know that it is a divine conspiracy ...

J.N.:  Oh, thank you.

TOMAS:  ... and if it has to do with the First Source and Center, Second Source and Center, Third Source and Center, Christ Michael, his consort Nebadonia, our local universe, or our neighbors in our neighboring superuniverses, we are mightily interested. You are being re-assimilated into the living cosmic neighborhood. You are in the kingdom in the spirit and in the greater kingdom at large.

It is natural that you should see, feel and perceive the effects of these causes, one of which is gathering together in full awareness and appreciation of each other as a living child of God. And, of course, when children meet to celebrate they have fun, they raise their energy level, they feel good, they praise God, they give off good energy, they take good news home to their arenas, and this is supportive, but there is work in this effort as well as play.

It is a great heartening to you when you realize that we are here to help you in your work, in your work in your own personal growth and in your growth development with your myriad relationship situations: your spouse, your children, your boss, your parents, your neighbors, your politicians, your bankers, your farmers, your starving artists and your starving children in Ethiopia.

There are many, many realms of growth development, as well as joy and, yes, reward that will come. If you are interested only in the celebration and the party, you will not be able to withstand the actual work, and so I say, it is fair to forewarn you of the work involved, the responsibility of being an elder brother, an elder sister to your siblings.

Who is going to transmit your teacher, now? Have you discussed this among yourselves? Have you discussed this in your own mind with your indwelling God Fragment? Oh, but, I rush you. We will instruct the jury to ignore that remark. (Group laughter)

Jeff:    Is that a question to our group? in Canada?

TOMAS:  Indeed, it is. I would also, of course, like to see Buffalo become active on-line.

Judy:    Wouldn't it take a lot of self-discipline?

TOMAS:   I suspect that what it takes is devotion.

Jeff:   I would suggest that it takes a lot of devotion, a lot of commitment.

TOMAS:  A leap of faith. Yes, sir. It is that, but it is also very satisfying, very fulfilling. Let me compare it, if you will, with a hobby you love to do. Some of you may like to work on automobiles, some of you may like to work on computers, some of you may like to cook and some of you may like to sew. That which you truly love to do is not difficult to do. If you are eagerly learning how to cut out a new pattern two sizes larger than last year's pattern, you are excited by the challenges and eager to apply yourself to the role and the occasion, having full confidence that despite some normal fear and anxiety, the end result will be divine, will be delightful, for you have sewed, you have cooked, you have done this task joyously for many years, for a long time.

It's the same thing. Very much the same thing. Except that this entails perhaps a little more intimidating aspect of creativity in that there is a certain sense of responsibility on the part of the transmitter/ receiver, but surely and truly as the transmitter/ receiver becomes less and less a part of the process, the Teacher gets more and more of an opportunity to teach. Gerdean, for example, never knows what we are going to discuss or who, if anyone, is coming to visit. She is as entertained by the process as you other listeners.

It's a simple matter of showing up and being willing, to the extent, of course, that you want to show up or that you remain willing. Everyone is able to contact spirit reality now. There are no evil spirits out there, and so there is no reason to disallow access to your mind. If you understand that you are reaching for contact with a spirit reality, a personality in truth, your mind wanders naturally into that realm where that personality may attempt to manifest to you.

For instance, the essence of a celestial artisan may visit and may accompany you on your artistic ventures; you can feel free today to call upon the celestial artisans to help you in your creative works and they are delighted to do so. The midwayers who have been your cousins and co-workers for centuries are always happy to be acknowledged, to attempt to work with you in your united goals. The personal teachers that are assigned to help you to bring your own configuration into alignment with the Father and his will for you are invaluable assistants, and the Teachers in the Teacher Corps are all interested in finding that relationship with an individual with whom they can effectively work, that they may establish a Teacher Base, such as I have in Pittsburgh.

Jim:    Question.

TOMAS:   Yes.

Jim:   What's the process to get there? How do we make ourselves more receptive? What does a person do to make themselves open?

TOMAS:  In terms of the Fifth Epochal Revelation and the readers of the Book, many of whom do not respect the intentions and motives and realities of the Teaching Mission, go back to your group and lovingly present them with what you have heard and pray that you all ponder in your hearts what direction He, the Master, would have you go. If they opt not to go forward into this Teaching Mission, embrace them in the spirit of love as the Master did and does do. If they opt, in their private meditations, to proceed with investigating the Teaching Mission and the processes involved, then as a unit of believers, seekers, students and teachers, request a Teacher be assigned to your group. Request this aloud, and as possible, reaffirm your decision by a second request -- that is, two of you -- and then wait.

Do not wait passively, but wait eagerly, and observe in your own mind, if you have made the determination that you want a Teacher, are you willing then to be a transmitter for the Teacher? Observe your body chemistry, your electro-chemical system. Sense if it is "going through changes." Are you hearing your brain begin to tick? Are you getting muscle tightening in your neck? Are your ears beginning to hum? These could be indications that your circuits are being adjusted to allow for teacher contact.

It is not a painful process. There are no mechanical devises involved. But there are adjustments to your circuitry, essentially in the back of your skull in and around your ears and your inner mind, that enable this process to take place.

I am going to leap far here and suggest, at the risk of offending someone, that this is not channeling in the way that you have heard of channeling. I am not setting it up as something superior or channeling as being something lesser, for all things that introduce concepts of faith and belief have value. But in this process the mortal has free will, and always is the free will of the mortal honored.  Never does the teacher come in and take over a mortal mind. That will never happen.

As you allow the Teacher to prevail by your free will choice, he can teach then, or she can teach, through accessing your language center and utilizing your vocal mechanisms, but it is not the mortal who teaches. It is the mortal who learns and sits listening to the teachers as you do.

Never will a Teacher ask a transmitter/receiver to deliver information which the transmitter/ receiver cannot accept by their own free will choice. If the mortal opts not to transmit something the Teacher would like transmitted, this is honored. And so sometimes a T/R, as they are called, will not opt to state what a Teacher feels are certain truths. This is primarily true having to do with facts, figures, names and the more logical ilk.

Jeff:     I have a question.

TOMAS:   Yes.

Jeff:   How do we know, as a group, we are ready for someone to become a T/R? Is it just by prayer? The reason I say that is many of the physical things you have explained, I have been experiencing myself. It is not really my concern to become one, but what you said just blew me away. I'm not ready willingly to do it, but if it has to be done, I'm not going to back out either, so I don't know if you can explain that.

Jim:    I've had the same feeling and I'm more than willing and ready at any time.

TOMAS:  I commend you both and congratulate you both for your sensitivity and your willingness, relative and otherwise. For those of you who are not feeling the inclination, do not assume it is because you are not willing or worthy, for the Father uses his children in whatever ways they will allow in order to serve the greater good.

You will know because you know, as you know that God is. It does not require proof. The Spirit of Truth has spoken to you, and even though you stand alone, you stand shoulder to shoulder with Reality, greater reality, that of Michael and his Spirit of Truth -- that of your Thought Adjuster and the reality of your belonging to divinity. Those are inalienable feelings, as it will be when you begin to perceive the presence of a Teacher's influence in your language center, in your mind.

Have patience with yourself. Allow the process to develop naturally. Do not do yourself a disservice of trying to control the process, but rather always say "Thy will be done in your time, Father; I await your time. How may I serve?" Allow this process to develop naturally and egolessly and you will be amazed, and you will have fun.

Jeff:   Should we force ... No. How do you, for lack of a better word, convince members of the group that this is required? Do we have to do anything or would the teacher ...?

TOMAS:  This is not required. It is not required. You recall when after the Master fed the multitudes he had a great following and some wanted to remain with him but he said, if you seek miracles, you might as well return to your homes, and he sent them away to return home in good faith as disciples, but the apostles trudged on with him, and in some ways it is the same, for there are many who will not put up with the rigors involved of exposing the soul to true growth. Let them return to their homes in peace. In fact, there will come a day, my son, that you yourself will look to them with envy and say, "I wish I had remained with my simple God, my simple lifestyle. I am tired of this stuff."

Jeff:    I am saying this now!  (Group laughter)

TOMAS:  But trust me, those moments are fleeting and brief and they become lesser and lesser as you become stronger and as you are bolstered more by your friends in the flesh and in the spirit. We are a family. We are a growing reality. The brotherhood, the sisterhood of humanity is for real. The living gospel is that --it is alive. It is not in a book; it is not in a theology. It is bigger than that.

Ch:     Someone has suggested that we have an intermission.

TOMAS:  Let us then take a recess and stretch and ponder what further inquiries might lead to. Farewell.

Group:   Thank you.

INTERMISSION

TOMAS:  We welcome one another back. I perceive that you have slid into density. (Group laughter) It is always the case when food is ingested. One day we will "get our ducks in a row". In the meantime I have faith that as we persist, you will rise above the comfort zone of your tummies. At least we can make that attempt. Are we ready?

Group:   Yes.

TOMAS:   Then let the questions begin.

Judy:   I'd like to ask a question about natural healing. I'm very much interested in furthering myself in that regard. I have great inadequacy, in that, I'm burdened with low self-esteem and I feel that I cannot do it and I very much would like to do it, with hands on healing.

TOMAS:  I am eager, then, to minister to you and to bolster your spirit, both human and divine. I will speak in general regarding healing and that is to say that healing is one of the more obvious and needed services to be performed in this time, this Correcting Time. The two primary themes thus far seem to be serving as a transmitter/receiver or as a healer. These are the most current, popular roles to play; however, there are many, many more services that will be brought to light and I want to say that these services are important and as you are called to serve, you are then assisted in your endeavors.

You have been gifted with the electro-chemical system that provides for adequate availability to the healing processes, the healing energies, and you are encouraged and appreciated for that which you do now and for your desire to continue to serve and to serve more better ("mo bettah" is a Hawaiian phrase; it is not good English but it speaks the truth).

The Life Carriers are eager to assist in healing. They are part and parcel of your Reiki techniques but the Life Carriers can go even further. There are many spirit helpers that are intrigued by and interested in supporting your work in the healing arts. I am not in the least reluctant to commend you to their overcare.

Your matters of worth and self-esteem will give way as you become a student of the Teachers who will help you set aside your lesser opinions and lesser expectations and allow the spirit to operate for you are truly just the vehicle. As you are willing to help guide the vehicle, you are helpful in serving, but without powers greater than yourself you are impotent to heal.

Put your trust, therefore, in the Eternal Parent, in the Universal Mother Spirit who oversees the healing realms as physical energies and love energies contributory to the physical, emotional, mental, psychic and so forth realms. It is necessary work, valuable work, satisfying work in the field. Have you considered sacral/cranial development?

J.N.:   I am particularly fond of polarity. I feel that there is really something tuned in ... I'm very willing to develop myself in polarity, but I am not sure how to go about it.

TOMAS:  Pursue your dreams. Allow for the synchronicities of time to bring you into contact with those who will help stimulate your thinking along these lines. Help them as they will help you and allow the spirit to direct your forward progress. Sometimes it is necessary that you branch out alone, that you step out in faith into that which you know to be true in and for truth itself rather than because you have been told or commended or instructed by a peer.

Forerunners have the ability to step out and lead the way. Find those avenues that then are supported by others of like mind. Be fearless. Be advised of our assistance, for you are not alone. You are entering realms of service that you can only go because you are a mortal, but we can go with you because you are spirit. Work with us as we will work with you in leading humankind into new realms of healing, into new realms of light and life.

J.N.:    Thank you.

TOMAS:  It is growing late, my friends, and the snow is still falling. A beautiful sight, but potentially treacherous to you material creatures. Let us ponder one more question or concern before I help you call it a day.

Julie:    I have a question, please.

TOMAS:   Yes.

Julie:   I am going through a time of severe emotional stress and am very busy, will be very busy and will not have a lot of time to sit or to walk or to pray like I would like. I don't see that I'm going to be able to get up in the woods, and I'm wondering if there is some sort of mantra or something that will enable me to reach a somewhat centered and relaxed state in as little time as possible so that I can reach that state of centeredness.

TOMAS:  Yes. The ability and skill surrounding the practice of stillness, like any habit, is time-consuming at first, but when once developed and polished it can be done quickly and effectively. There is no short cut for stillness. There is no substitute for quality time spent with the Father. The drag is the time necessary and as you perfect your technique of centering, you can do this without it taking luxurious chunks of time. Indeed, there does reach a point in the evolution of a meditator that the stillness is a luxury, a true indulgence, that it is more fun to spend time in stillness with spirit help and companionship than it is to walk those difficult paths of earthly endeavor.

I have always found the Teachers to push their birds from the nest when it is time for them to fly and perhaps, my child, this is your opportunity to learn to fly. That it is an act of faith that you are with the Father and that He is with you. That although you do not have time now to sit in the nest in the woods, you have the understanding that you were born to fly and so take the leap in faith that you are being upheld, that you are doing what is natural for you to do. Fear not.

Jeff:   Tomas, this is not a question, but I would just like to thank you on behalf of those who have visited here and on behalf of the other group members. It has clarified a lot of things for me and I would ask for your help and your prayers as we take this explanation up to the rest of our group and I would ask if you can help convey this message and let them know how important this is. And an invitation that you can come and visit our group at any time.

Jim:    Any time.

TOMAS:  Thank you very much. I cannot express to you, also, what a privilege it is for me to spend time with you. I sincerely have been very engaged in observing and, to some extent, participating in the evolution of your several growth situations that have resulted in today's gathering. I am intrigued with the process and very happy at your contributions in making this day possible.

It is a privilege to be part of the Teaching Corps and to help to oversee the furtherance of the Mission into new realms.   As it is the work of the Thought Adjusters to work with you individually, it is our more sociologic approach to the brotherhood that we visit and attempt to assimilate you as neighbors into the family, and so yes, you are welcome, and thank you in return.

I always look forward to the opportunity to visit with you cognizably as in these formal situations, but I want you to know that it is possible to attain contact with me through your meditation practices as you learn to access the energies of the personalities of the celestials.

I wish you well in your efforts on that count. I have every faith in the circuitry and in the system and in the ministry of Michael and his many associates. I look forward to our development and our next encounter and have ever so much enjoyed my time here with you today. If there is anything that comes to your mind that you want to ask a Teacher, never hesitate to post a question to any of the teachers at their teacher base.

Indeed, it might be an interesting project to see what Will in Florida, or Welmek in Indianapolis, Tarkas in Cincinnati, Daniel in Pocatello, Tomas in Pittsburgh, etc, etc, how they respond to your questions. It is an interesting experimental avenue if your group should be interested in such an experiment.

Jim:    Please come to Canada.

Jeff:    What is our teacher's name, please?  Before we close?

TOMAS:  One moment. There are two Teachers who have been hovering in the area of Hamilton: a female teacher by the name of Muriel, and a male teacher by the name of Bertrand. If you should happen to find them picking your brain, do say "hello."

Leah:   I have a question. Is this the same Bertrand as from California?

TOMAS:  Always are the Teachers interchangeable in terms of visitations, but when a Teacher is assigned to a base, that is his name, and so if there is a Teacher in California by that name, it is not the same as the Teacher assigned to Hamilton. There may be a difference in their name spelling, as there is in my name spelling (no "h") as compared to Teacher Thomas of Kansas.

Jim:    What can one do to make contact with either one?

TOMAS:  Sit in stillness and anticipate their presence in your mind, somewhat as we discussed earlier. The practice of stillness, meditation is key -- a key factor. Sit and in the stillness of your mind. Seek spirit. Seek guidance from the spirit, from the Father. You will be guided. You will be led. And it may come to pass that you will be contacted by a Teacher who will work with you if you are available, if you are willing.

Jim:    You talk directly to the Father then and it will come down to, say, Bertrand?  Or do you talk to Bertrand directly?

TOMAS:  Always speak directly first to the Father, to remember your Source. He will introduce you, then, in good conscience, in good faith, to that which he would have you know, that which is an answer to your prayer, you see. Then you in good faith can say, "I recognize this as an answer to the prayer."

Jim:    Is Christ Michael the same Source and Center for that?

TOMAS:  Essentially, yes, for they are One, with obvious differences, but since no one sees the Father except through Michael, they are one. "I and my father are one" says he and so to many extents and purposes that is the overview. Pray to Michael; worship our Father; and receive guidance from whence it may appropriately come in the universe. It is a friendly universe, once and for all.

Daughters and sons in the spirit and in the flesh, I embrace you and bid you temporary farewell.

Group:   Thank you so much, Tomas.  Good night.

*****

DATE:  December 14, 1996

LOCATION:  Pittsburgh, PA, USA

T/R:   Gerdean

TEXTUAL STUDY:

The Urantia Book 

The Foreword

TEACHER SESSION

CLUTCHING THE ILLUSION

TOMAS:  Greetings. I am Tomas. I am your teacher, your companion, your guide and your friend in our ascent.

Group:   Greetings, Tomas.

TOMAS:  It is good to be with you once again. I have been busy meandering around and planting seeds, as have you … and as many of you are today who are not in attendance. The work of the realm is consuming for many reasons.

I would like today to discuss with you to some extent the word "illusion" for illusion consumes most of your lives. Let me define for you what I mean when I use the word illusion, so that we understand each other in this discourse.

You read in your text today about perfection, relative perfection and imperfection, but I am speaking more in terms of reality and illusion and relative reality.  You who are finite are born into a finite existence and, although it is absurd from our point of view, you are taught that this is your only existence, and so you approach your life under very circumscribed conditions. You believe that this is your reality, even your ultimate reality. When you have been born of the spirit, however, and the dawn breaks to the greater reality, you have an ability then to see what is real and what is illusion, and I would like to reaffirm that although this life in the flesh is finite, it is not necessarily entirely illusion, for that which has spirit reality, even that which has potential, is real.

Your relationships - even temporary, pleasure-seeking, profit-motivated relationships - may give birth to value and thus, to that extent, the relationship is real, although much of the interaction in the relationship could be construed as illusion. When you walk in the forest with divinity, even though you are in a finite environment, a finite being, you may walk in perfection and greater reality because of your attitude and approach to life, to the walk. But the thrust of my words regarding illusion have to do with the many individuals who perceive that this realm of reality is the reality and thus they are deluded; they live within an illusion of reality, a false reality.

Far be it for you to tell someone else that their reality is not real, that they live in and believe in an illusion. You will not make points testifying to such a truth. You will not create avenues for communication, bridge gaps and open doors. It is necessary then for you, as a seed planter, as a kingdom builder, to honor each individual's understanding of reality, even that which is illusion.

It is difficult for evolving humankind to see into the reality that lies ahead, but it is not impossible for those of you who have advanced to appreciate the relative reality left behind, and so as you advance, as you evolve, as you grow in the spirit, you may look with loving-kindness on those who have not yet attained your understandings of reality.

And now for those of you who have an understanding of reality, who are surrounded by those who live in the illusion. It is necessary for you to maintain your connection to the Greater Reality through prayer and meditation, through Stillness, through contact with your Indwelling God Fragment, and augment that relationship with your relationships with your spiritual peers, for without connection to spirit reality you yourself lapse into the illusion of a circumscribed time and space existence.

I thought it would be worthy to discuss this, this afternoon, for I have witnessed many of you succumb to physical illness lately and I have seen your lights extinguish. When you are under the weather, when you are trapped in your physicality, it is difficult to keep your head above water and to maintain any degree of spiritual strength, for all of your energy seems to go into the healing of the body. Even the mind feels/ becomes/ reacts as if it were sick/ tormented/ constrained to that lesser reality, indeed, that illusion which, in your illness, you regard as true reality.

It is understood that you are finite beings and that you are having a human experience, but as you counterbalance your human experience with the spiritual experience, you walk a balanced path. Surround yourself with symbols of spiritual association. Listen to music, which soothes your soul. Reach out and touch those who will reaffirm your spirit path, your spirit connection. Be patient as you allow your light to come on, as you gain strength, as you gain momentum.

This same truth holds not only for physical illness, but for psychological circumstances that present themselves in which people become ensnared. A person gets involved in a situation, it becomes the limited reality, their light goes out and they are living blindly in the illusion. It is no wonder that many of you despair, that many of you become confused. It is no wonder that your peers are frightened and lost.  And so have patience and have mercy upon those who are lost, who are ill, who are caught in the illusion, for you know how miserable it feels to be there. You know what an uphill climb it is to the sunlight of the spirit.

Be patient with yourself as you grow, as you go through your cycles of growth, and always reflect your growth to your brothers and sisters that they, too, shall come to this point of seeking reality and they will begin their ascent into the spirit realms, your siblings in truth. Be tolerant of one another as you waver back and forth between the realms of reality and illusion, for as you know, ultimate perfection is a long way off. Rather, try to enjoy one another, savor the creative expressions of understanding in your peers, and be merciful on those who fear the spirit, who clutch the illusion.

I am glad to be back with you.

Group:   Good to have you here.

TOMAS:  I have been away much of the time that you all have been ill. I have been working with the Canadian Teaching Mission and we are quite thrilled at the prospects there in our extension.

Mrs. M:  That's great.  Great news.

TOMAS:  It is great news. It is also wonderful to hear of your travels, daughter, to foreign countries and romantic places in the realm of body, mind and spirit. Welcome home.

Ms. McD:   Thank you.

TOMAS:  Are there questions regarding the lesson or anything that we could enlighten one another with or entertain each other with this afternoon?

Leah:   I'm curious. The language you used about our lights going out. I would have preferred that you said that they dimmed. Do they actually go out?

TOMAS:  You realize, of course, that the very analogy is defective and so there is no hard and fast rule here, but I tell you true, it is my perception that they truly go out, for although the Thought Adjuster is alive and well, you are almost entirely disconnected from association with the spirit, and so your personal light has gone out.

It is only in and as you aspire to associate in and with the spirit that your light is steady. Even as you attempt to follow spirit guidance, your light will flicker as you encounter doubt and overwhelming challenges. But when you are ill or when you are cut off from faith or hope, your light dies. Only as you return to the spirit are you re-illuminated, are you re-connected, does the light begin to flicker and gradually become bright. It is not to say that you are spiritually dead, but you are spiritually asleep. Unconscious, if you will.

Which is why I urge you to keep your light burning, even as a dim night light, with soothing music, ministrations of a loved one, reminders of your finiteness in need of nurturance. Have someone read to you, surround yourself with healthy things as you are under the weather and this will help to remind you that this is a temporary set-back, a temporary condition.

Even as you become lost in your experiential realms, the same is true. Surround yourself with symbols of beauty and light and life that you may one day return to an understanding of the greater reality and not be content with the illusion. Has that clarified?

Leah:   Yes.

Loreenia:  Sometimes the person is so sick, apparently, with the body - and the mind is caught up in it - and becomes so befuddled, it's almost as if you're incapacitated in the physical realm.

TOMAS:  This is what I witnessed; this is what you experienced. And I tell you this is true. But it is a temporary lapse into illusion. I am glad to see everyone so well recovered.

Group:   We are glad to be recovered!  (Laughter)

Leah:   Are there any lights flickering here?

TOMAS:  Yes, your lights are flickering. I am not perceiving them to be blinding lights today, but they are on, certainly.

Mrs. M:  Well, I was trying to tell some people at my mother-in-law's funeral about the fruits of the spirit. I don't think I was too successful. I think that one of my young nephews -- and I always think of him as quite spiritual, but I wasn't quite getting through -- but I'm not going to give up yet.

TOMAS: I understand what you are saying and I think I see what you are doing. You are attempting to philosophize the fruits of the spirit for an intellectual understanding to those who have not experienced the fruits of the spirit in their life. It is necessary that they be born again in order to understand the concept of fruits, that they comprehend an understanding of spirit. You say that he is a spiritual lad. Rather than deluge him with mere words and intellectualizations, once again, daughter, experience these truths and realities with him.

Instead of trying to tell him, for example, about enlightened honesty, sit with him and share enlightened honesty, by your actions, by your interactions with him in your relationship. Share with him your heartfelt thoughts and feelings and emotions regarding your life from the standpoint of an aspiring soul, for he too has an aspiring soul and that will awaken in him a frame of reference, the frame of reference that you are trying to activate and titillate in him and in your relationship with him.

Mrs. M:  That sounds good to me.  I'll think about that.

TOMAS:  This is the importance of understanding that word "experiential." You are experiential.  You are having an experiential experience. It is so easy to become caught up in the intellectualizations of these marvelous concepts, but the gospel is alive. It is living. Not in the brain, but in the arena of the heart.

Mrs. M:   Thank you.

TOMAS:   Thank you.

Mrs. M:  Well, I think I'm intimidated by this age group because I think they don't trust anybody over 30, and so I'm trying to figure out, you know, what I could say that would be interesting to this young man.

TOMAS: Remember that Jesus' technique was to ask them questions and to ask for help. If you ask them to perhaps carry something for you because you cannot lift it, they will understand that. They will appreciate their own youth and vigor, and as you walk together, they carrying your burden, you can engage them in a conversation that will lead them into the fields of promise.

Mrs. M:  That's good.

TOMAS:  You are being true to yourself and you are not being artifical with them,

Mrs. M: I'll be seeing some of them again in January and I can certainly prepare my mind a little bit.

TOMAS:  Good. It is wise to anticipate the opportunity to serve. You must remain open, however, for the spirit to guide and direct your encounter for the opportunity may be presented for you. It is still well and good to think creatively in terms of how to promote the gospel, how to plant seeds that will come to pass as food for others, spiritual food for their own growth.

Mrs. M:  I think I'd like to throw it open to input from others on when you have been successful in saying things that would interest these various age groups that are quite different from your own.

TOMAS:  So you would like to open to the group a discussion on how their ministries have worked and compare notes? An excellent idea.

Mrs. M: That would be a discussion I would be pretty interested in, especially since I'm going to see all these relatives in January. They're all coming to Pittsburgh for the second part of a funeral.

TOMAS:   I trust that that is a mortal situation.

Mrs. M:  It is my mother-in-law's final internment.

TOMAS:   A celebration of her passing.

Mrs. M:   Yes.  She was a wonderful person.

TOMAS:   And still is.

Mrs. M: Oh, she is. She's wonderful. And we all have that in common. We all love to talk about her. That's a good starting point, probably.

TOMAS:  Indeed, you may share your understanding of her manifestation of a fruit of the spirit.

Hester:  I ask all of you, or some of you, that tomorrow I'll be doing a funeral, to do exactly what you said, Elizabeth. All the grandchildren and the great grandchildren and one son will be in this group. And the son had ten children and the grandmother was fantastic, so hold with me. It's going to take a lot of energy. A lot of energy was drawn in the death chambers.

TOMAS: I would refer back to our earlier words having to do with the light going out, for when there is a death, it is often the case that the survivor's light also goes out in grief, in despair and sorrow of the loss and sense of abandonment. It is indeed wise to help these people keep their light burning, not only the light of faith that their dearly departed will resurrect, but that they themselves will resurrect to the joyousness of understanding the release of the one gone and their own release from pain at the natural process, that they indeed may find the light of love in each other to help sustain them in this earthly path.

It is delicate work that you perform tomorrow, Hester, and I will also attend and the heavenly helpers also will lend a hand.

Hester:  Thank you. We've already started it. We've asked them all to write a letter, and then any of them who desire can read the letter.

TOMAS: And you have begun the healing process.

Hester: I hope.  That's what I felt was coming.

TOMAS: Well done.

Hester: Thank you.

Mrs. M:   We're looking forward to celebrating (Christmas) for a couple of weeks now, Tomas, and I'm so glad you're being with us.  It's really a special, wonderful time here.

TOMAS:   Some find it so.

Mrs. M:   I guess not all, that's true.

TOMAS:  It is a very difficult time of year for many. Indeed, you may use this season to manifest some of your fruits.

Mrs. M: Yes.

TOMAS:   Yes.

Leah:   Well, a woman came knocking on our door at a quarter of one in the morning. Her engine had gone, and she was quite distraught, and telling us about her personal situations, and I listened to her and I felt kind of badly. I just gave her a cup of coffee and was thinking after she left it was an opportunity to have said something about God or something, and it was a missed opportunity. As it turned out the next day she came by and I got to push her car and she started talking about how her life was falling apart and I said to her, "Have you tried God?" and she just kind of looked at me. I was grateful just be able to say that, but ... I was grateful that she came back.

Hester: I think we all try too hard sometimes.

TOMAS:  I would like to say something about that, and that is that I am glad you have reflected on that having been a possible opportunity to enlighten or expand her grievance against life. Do not beat yourself up for not having all the answers and in being able to act on the spot, but as Mrs. M is preparing to approach her young people, you, since you spend so much time on the highway of life and encounter more than an average of unusual sets of circumstances with strangers, develop a method of connecting with them as perhaps in telling stories.

There are people who always have to tell a joke. You could become a storyteller and always have to tell this story of those who are in your debt, and then as you tell your tale, you may capture them, entertain them and open up an avenue for their understanding in the process. It is an affectation, yes, but it is also a conscious contact with someone who has crossed your path. If you have a desire to serve, if you wish to be able to affect people, if you regret after the fact that you were not able to do more, you might develop such a technique as telling a story.

Mrs. M:  Well, I had an experience on the plane that was wonderful, and it made me feel as if God the Father was very close, and that is that we had to take the last two seats, the last three seats on the way to Chicago, and I just knew that I was going to meet somebody wonderful. I took the first seat that I saw and I sat next to the most magnificent Afro-American woman named Vicki and she and I talked all the way about our ideas about God and it was a wonderful encounter. It was a really wonderful moment in my life, and I thought she too was feeling that way. And she told me, "Thank you for talking with me, because otherwise I was just going to review my work, which I already reviewed three or four times, because I'm nervous about a presentation, and I'm so glad I didn't do it and talked to you instead," so it was an absolutely wonderful moment of closeness.

TOMAS: I am glad of the experience for both of you. I reflect back on a lesson of not long ago having to do with merciful ministry and yet I perceive this situation was not so much a ministry as a comfort and a sharing of peers.

Mrs. M:  And maybe was it confiding trust, because I confided in her and she confided in me so many very deeply felt things.

TOMAS:  Yes, indeed, and it is odd but many of you find it easier to share with a congenial stranger than with your own immediate friends and family, that somehow if you can confide your deep dark feelings to someone you'll never see again, they are safe, and yet you have deprived yourself and your immediate family, loved ones, of that same closeness, that same opportunity to bond and unite in the spirit and in the heart.

Mrs. M:  Well, I'm going to work on that first week-end in January. In my heart and in my mind.

TOMAS:   I take it then that you are anticipating a busy season.

Mrs. M:  Yes, very much so. But a good one, because my husband's family has a kindness that -- they will be together and try to decide some very contentious problems that most families can't seem to let go of, and so I see this family as trying to be different.

TOMAS:  Perhaps the passing of the grandmother will open a door to heal some of these contentions. These are emotional denials, in effect. We were discussing this recently in the Butler group, that many times these defenses go up and it may take generations or centuries before they dissolve. It falls under the heading "enlightened honesty." If these things could be approached and worked through from a spiritual point of view, a spiritual standpoint with enlightened honesty and confiding trust and merciful ministry, these would heal. This is an opportunity also for you, Mrs. M., to serve, and I will pray for your successes and the successes and growths of the various members of that family as well as the greater family that they belong to.

Mrs. M:  Thank you very much because they have all the possibilities in the world of tremendous growth through this experience because this is a very beloved person and some of them haven't had the joy of faith too much but this might be an occasion that might prompt them to think about these things.

TOMAS:  Yes. Radiate your joy in the resurrection and do not overmuch apply that adage of "misery loves company."

Mrs. M:   Right.  I thank you.  I can do that.

TOMAS:  Have we accomplished anything of substance this afternoon in our discourse?

Mrs. M:  I feel pretty good about my projected effort and your help about it is good.

TOMAS:  I am happy to serve. If I am not able to serve, I am not necessary and will find another arena in which to serve. It therefore is gratifying that you have found our time together beneficial. I am glad of it, but I tell you I have the added advantage of seeing, from my vantage point, how much you have grown and so even if you did find me replaceable, I would know in my heart that I have done some good. I have served, for I have seen your growths.

It is a testimony to you, dear children, and your willingness to allow spirit guidance, and for you to take the time to ponder in your heart some of these concepts. Although the soul develops and grows a life of its own and in its own time, it is of benefit when you nurture that growth and when you associate with those who also encourage the nurturance and growth, and so I say to you I am grateful and thankful to you, Pittsburgh Pumpkins, for your platform, for the ability for me to be your Teacher here.

I am thankful for you, not only as students, but as associates. Our first year together was dynamic and progressive and effective and I have no reason not to believe that this year will also be fruitful, particularly since we have already established some good foundation, we have produced some good work, we have spread many seeds, and in unity, anticipate that the Father will water the seeds we have planted.

Leah:   I would like to thank you for acknowledging to us that you notice our spiritual growth because we're glad for our Teachers to give us a little gold star every once in awhile.

TOMAS:  Yes, Leah, that is understood and it was and is my purpose in discussing, as an overview, our growth of this past year that you have earned high marks. Your personal development has been dramatic and your growth as a group has been even more noteworthy. The brotherhood/sisterhood has taken deep hold here. Indeed, it is good for it now can support others, for as others come in they will sense and feel the solidarity of purpose, the unity of faith among you. Even though there remain remnants of contention among individual personalities and other human weaknesses, the strength that is generated by your appreciation of each other and the Teaching Mission and the spirit gods and goddesses of Paradise, make this experience real and thrilling and worthwhile. Not just for you but for all of the above. Consider yourselves A students.

Mrs. M:   Oh, that's a Christmas present.

TOMAS:  In your understanding you may certainly to construe it thus. I had not intended to gift wrap it, but to convey my appreciation of you, dear child of God and dear student.

I have given some thought to our up-coming year study plan, but it will be some while in the developing stages. I have rather concluded my lectures having to do with the fruits of the spirit but I will constantly refer to them as part of our actuality here.

Mrs. M:   That's a good idea.

TOMAS:   There is some rumor that they will be published.

Mrs. M:  Oh.  That's good.

TOMAS:  But throughout the holidays, it is expected that there will be emotional diversions and social outbursts which may preclude a serious study or in-depth discussion, so I am prepared to evolve the lessons of the following year to due course.

Having now expounded to some extent on a lot of professorial junque, I am going to prepare to take my leave that you may continue to enjoy each other and to enjoy this young and lovely day and to carry your lights into your arenas to commingle with the Christmas lights and the candle lights of the season.

Go in peace.  Farewell.

Group:   Thank you, Tomas.  Farewell.

*****

DATE:    December 21, 1996

LOCATION:   Pittsburgh, PA, USA

T/R:    Gerdean

Textual Study

The Urantia Book: Foreword;

Paper 1, The Universal Father

TEACHER SESSION

CHRIST IS BORN

TOMAS:  Good afternoon, my friends. I observe as you up-reach for contact with the spirit, we down-reach to make contact with your mortal consciousness, that in your mindal realms we may find understanding, that in your heart you may know we love you, and that in your soul you may aspire toward infinite perfection and contentment with your finite perfection reality.

Merry Christmas, my friends. Your festive occasion is in the spirit of children who receive gifts from the Jolly One Himself, and who give gifts of yourself to each other. I am very pleased with your gift to me, this charming plaque* which I may "hang on my wall" testifying to your appreciation of me, and I turn around and give it right back to you, for without you I would have no classroom, no students, and no honor and privilege of performing this capacity as your friend, your guide, your companion and your teacher, and so thank you for your acknowledgement.

As is usually the case, I have not advised Gerdean of my topic for you today and so she is in the dark, clueless as to what may come wafting through her mind, but bear with me and with her, for I know that your reflections of your own spirit lives will reflect to me what I may discuss for you, for as you know, it is my intent to serve and to reach you where you are in your growth.

Nuances aside, it is, of course, understood in your culture that you are all aware of the holiday wherein Christ's birth is celebrated. I would like for us today, in keeping with our festivity, to ponder in your mind the meaning of his birth upon Urantia and reflect what that means to you, in light of your understanding of your natal sphere, Urantia, a planet darkened by default and rebellion.

What do you surmise has your Urantia been privy to and subject to as a result of Michael's seventh and final bestowal here? For surely you must realize that he understood the deficiencies of this world before he arrived. Do you suppose he had any idea, before he came, what he would encounter experientially? Do you suspect he knew he would die a brutal death? Or do you think that he may have thought that he would live a somewhat normal life and leave by natural circumstances?

Do you ever wonder about the decisions he made in his day and age, in his defying the traditional authority of his revered teachers and of his beloved and devoted parents? Where do you suppose this lad derived his courage? How do you suppose he was so guileless in his relations with his friends and family that he became so cherished among them? Have you considered the decision he made to allow himself to remain without defense against aggressors? Have you compared your life with his and reflected on the integrity of this boy, this man, who walked upon Urantia?

His life exemplifies the living mandate to be perfect in our realm as the Father is perfect in His realm, and in this you may compare yourself to Jesus. You may aspire even toward perfection in your life, but it is not done through naivete. It is born of a deep yearning to know God, to do His will ~ constantly.

In your culture, prior to Christmas, suddenly children become good. They do their chores without being asked. They go to bed without a fuss. They keep their bickering quiet among themselves so as not to disturb the parents. They are helpful in the kitchen, in baking cookies and cleaning up after dinner, for they are aware that in due course they will be rewarded as good little boys and girls with gifts and sugarplums.

You children also anticipate and experience the gifts and sugarplums of the arrival, the birth of Jesus on Urantia. You have also the gift of The Urantia Book, which upholds and clarifies and resonates the truth of Michael's life here, clarifying his death. Ponder, then, his life; his perfect matchless devotion to the highest ideals; his loyalty to his ever-increasing awareness of the Father in heaven; his increasing trust and faith in the Divine Upholder; his consecration of will. "It is my will that your will be done." It is our will that His will be done.

And so the present this year, my flock, is a reminder of the realization that we have each other as lit candles in the darkness, that we share with each other those gifts of truth, beauty and goodness which even Michael shares with us. And give to Him in Paradise that gift of devotion as fair recompense for the greatest gift, the gift of Life, to be born and to be born again.

How are you, dear friends?

Group:   Fine.

TOMAS:  I commend you. It is my hope that as you experience the substance of my lessons -- not so much the words but the comprehension -- that you take these into yourself as food for reflection, not in the intellect, but in the deep mind, where the mind and spirit converge, to feed the soul, to nurture your growth, that you may become more vibrant spirit beings and more effective human beings.

Reflection is a Christmas gift. Enjoy it well. Angels are heralding the Christ. Trust me on that one. Are there questions?

Loreenia:  Yes, Tomas. There was a transmission put through a being that said that when he was on his planet of light and life, that when the population reached approximately 70-75-80%, that within the week most of the people were seeing the spiritual beings and I would like to know how close is Urantia coming to the 75-80% of the people believing, who are candle-lighted?

TOMAS:   Not quite, but the percentages are significant.

Loreenia:   About 50?

TOMAS:   Approximately.

Loreenia:   We're moving pretty fast then!

TOMAS:  There is a great harvest. There are many beings, human beings, being woken by the reconnection of spiritual circuitries. It is time, and so you know we need more workers in the field, to hoe the weeds off these young seedlings, that they can grow strong in the Spirit of Truth. There are many tares among the wheat. It is a great effort. We are reaching that point but there is still much work to be done.

You must think I am a very tedious fellow with my constant reference to work, when we have just experienced a basking in reprieve of stressors, and then along comes this plodding Tomas and gives us back a pitchfork and a hoe, but this is work in the fields of joy and love's labor, for together, working in harmony, you can get up a rhythm and accomplish your work early enough to whistle while you walk back for supper. The harvest is great. It remains only for you to see that this is so, that you may help in the harvest.

I have a fun and easy as well as an important assignment for you all in the upcoming week. Inasmuch as the Christmas spirit prevails, inasmuch as Jesus is making one of his annual debuts in the consciousness of your people, I am going to ask you each to consciously go into your arenas and make eye-to-eye contact with as many strangers as you can.

I am going to ask you to address your Thought Adjuster to their Thought Adjuster, even as they look away from you, and invite them in the spirit to look upon your countenance that you may look upon theirs, and smile in the spirit of the season. As you cross the street and encounter people wending their way opposite your flow, look into their eyes, and when they look into yours, smile.

This is your assignment: to look into the eyes of as many people as you can, strangers, and bring the love of Jesus alive to them by your contact, by your cheery hello, by your comforting smile, by your intimate eye contact. Count these occurrences, lest you imagine you have done too many or you have not done enough, so that you have an idea of how you can plant seeds of contact with your brothers and sisters. It is a happy time of year.

Remember that there are many who are not happy, and so to those smile encouragement, smile courage. Remember that when Jesus smiled upon a man, that man was instilled with the courage then to go about his manifold problem-solving with invigorated strength of purpose, and so can your smile be so effective, so infectious in its power. Give the gift of companionship, the gift of light and life, the gift of love.

Questions or commentary?

Celeste:   It used to be, Tomas, that we would say, "Smile and the world smiles with you!" but now we say, "Smile and the heavens smile with you!" (Group delight)

TOMAS:   Indeed, there is much to smile about, but forget not that those who suffer require compassion, not some goofy grin. Love is contagious.

Loreenia:  Another question in the context of the week that the people started seeing on a new planet which light and life -- that first week when they first started seeing -- were they shocked or stupefied or what? I mean, I see with my feelings most of the time, but to see with the eyes would be different for me. I've never been shocked by that but some people may be. How would people, in that first week of seeing the age of light and life, some of them react?

TOMAS:   I cannot use ....

Loreenia:   Have you not experienced that?

TOMAS:  ... use the example that you cited for I was not on that realm, but on my world, yes, there was advancement adequate to indicate on-going morontia activity between the mortals of the realm and the spirit realm. It was not uncommon in my country to not only see the secondary midwayers but to work with them. We were, on occasion, able to witness angels (although not often) and if we were visited by a student visitor, we were often able to focus our attentions conjointly that we could perceive each other with the morontial eye. And so these were a natural part of our understanding of our relationship with the non-material realms; it was a natural part of our lives.

As you describe the circumstance of this other world, where individuals were suddenly seeing, it is almost as if popcorn were exploding and it is a dramatic analogy. Perhaps in its inception it is even accurate. But where I was, where I lived, it had been in existence long enough that we were not discomfited or overly excited by it. Of course, if it were to happen to someone who was not accustomed to it, it could be exciting or alarming.

Loreenia:   Are there those of us who are being brought on a little faster to help others when it happens? On this planet?

TOMAS:  You are being brought along forward, but not necessarily to help others see the unseen realms.

Loreenia:   I mean, to accept that which they see all of a sudden? Through mass openings of the people.

TOMAS:  Of course, one of the purposes of the Teaching Mission is to train those who are willing to be the vanguard in this spiritual movement forward and to help stabilize the existent environment while allowing for the spiritual upsurge to continue. Part of our purpose is for stability in an emergency situation. Part of my somber aspects is to instill in you an understanding of the critical pinnacle of your world at this time. Of course the Father will prevail, but we also have seen on your planet that one wrong decision can bring about unfortunate results for thousands of years for untold millions of people, and we are in the process of tilting that back to the other side of the ledger where we begin to grow. We cannot topple here.

I do not mean to discourage your enthusiasm for seeing spirits, but it is not so much that you see them as you have faith that they are there and that you are working together. The most important thing, the most important spirit, the most important contact is that between you and your indwelling Thought Adjuster.

Understanding that there are myriad angels and heavenly hosts and spirit helpers embarked on the Father's plan of ascension with you and for you is comforting and enthralling, but even as it begins to happen that you "see," this initial excitement will also subside, and so part of our foundation building is to see to it that your faith foundations are so strong that when your initial enthusiasms subside, you do not give up hope, you do not perceive failure.

There are rewards along the way, but to seek for the rewards is error. To seek to know the Father is the path. The rewards will follow naturally. "Seek ye first the Kingdom and all these other things will be added unto you," including visualizations of your helpers. Have patience and appreciation for your mortal condition, for your planet Urantia, mother earth, your natal environment. Be a man among men, a woman among women, and give credence and validity, value and joy, heartfelt deep joy to your experiential path as a mortal in fellowship with other mortals.

Yes, it is important that you continue to reach up, and it is important for us that we continue to reach down, that we may meet, converge, and share realities. But do not become content in the flesh, as I will not become content in the spirit. I long for you to come with me. It behooves you to long for your brothers and sisters to also search for the Father and find Him and live the life that He would have us live.

Loreenia:   Knowing what we know, to comprehend that this could happen to all of us during this short period of time … if that's possible, it behooves us to be aware so that we can help each other and others that are not aware along the way as we go, and it stabilizes and -- I for one, unless I completely lose my head -- faith has always been my foundation stone. It's what's gotten me this far. But these little things of knowing that something could happen, in advance, and to psychologically prepare ourselves for it, with the Father's help, to be prepared for such a happening is like having a -- being able to see spiritually a little further than what you are if you are unknowing.

TOMAS:  Yes, your faith has served you well. And your fellowship among fellow believers is also a bulwark for you and the others. Yes, it is our mission that we stabilize the spirit reality of Urantia, that it not become fanatical or superfluous, but that it stand firm with its roots deeply imbedded in the rock, for there are windy days ahead, there are windy days behind.  Remember that your planet has been recipient of trauma and so part of your legacy is to expect trauma. That is a long-lost legacy now. 

It is necessary to stabilize, and so part of our work involves stabilizing the growth, the spiritual growth of this time, lest it become fanatical or superfluous, and so we seek REAL truth, beauty and goodness; we seek contact with the First Source and Center; and this is always why when we talk about something bad or negative, I lean toward the positive to remind you of the other side, and when we get too far afield into "happy, joyous and free," I bring you back to the anguish of those who still suffer, for I am trying to help you develop an appreciation of balance, that you understand balance, so that you can carry this solidarity of purpose with you wherever you go without getting caught up in the feeling too good or the feeling too bad -- just in case you had wondered about my motives in sometimes pulling or swaying in opposite direction of where you seem to want to go.

As you are stabilized in your understanding of your relationship with your indwelling Thought Adjuster, that aspect of true divinity, as your appreciations have been weighed against the reality of your peers, the resultant army of workers in the field will hold firm, will hold fast, will provide that solidarity which will see this precipitous and exciting era into that positive side of the ledger, that ascension growth.

We must not fail. We will not fail. And these are part of the steps necessary to see that Urantia does not default again, that to the extent of her imperfection, she is salvaged, soothed and sent on her way to happy pastures of future greatness.

Loreenia:   I was requesting knowledge on that subject for that very reason -- to be prepared, then I wouldn't be as shakeable and maybe be able to help another if they experience an imbalance of fear or whatever.

TOMAS:  Absolutely, my prize pupil. You have been paying attention to our lessons, those of which I have spoken and planted seeds, and even now you are testimony to an understanding of what we do together. Well done.

Loreenia:  I only reflect what my teacher has taught me. If I'm a prize student, I've had an extremely good teacher.

TOMAS:   I, too.  Anything else, my friends?

Jude:    Good afternoon, Tomas.

TOMAS:   Good afternoon, Jude, my son.  How are you?

Jude:  Just fine.

TOMAS:   It is good to have you with us today.

Jude:   I haven't been able to attend too regularly because of the cold weather, the long distance that I have to drive and several other things but I just wanted to touch base with you and say that I haven't quit. I have slowed down a little, but I am as determined as ever and I have a possible job coming up here which is going to take a lot of time, but I will study and read in the spare time that I have. Thank you, Tomas.

TOMAS:  Thank you, Jude, not only for your report but for your personality presence. We are fully aware of your faith and your determination to persist in your spirit development and we are heartened by your integrity. Do not feel left behind, for you are on parallel growth with all of us, and as you stay eager and willing, you will grow in your time sphere as we in ours, and it is all harmoniously overseen by the Infinite Spirit.

You do well to pursue your studies and to seek out those with whom you may share your spirit and your understandings of life in the spirit, as you also pursue your earthly career and seek for guidance, learning, understanding and companionship. You are not behind. You are an eager student, as I believe you know in your heart. It is good that you are here. It is always good when individuals step forward and testify to their intention of learning and serving the Father.

Also bear in mind, not only Jude but all of you, that your personal teachers are in constant contact, the midwayers are fully aware of your presence and will help you and work with you whenever possible.  The angels themselves are responsive to your supplications through the Father. The Father is ever present, as is the Mother.  And myriad personalities can be accessed if you but have faith. It is the most thrilling aspect, perhaps, of this new age, the realization that you are not alone, that isolation has ended, and that you are emerging from the dark cocoon into the flight of light and life.

Stay in touch with each other. It is important that you reaffirm each other. Do not grow weary or self-satisfied in your faith, but seek to serve, to uphold others that they too may uphold you. And so now I will send you forth to extend your ministry to strangers, strangers on the street, in this most charming season. Smile, and tell them by your smile that "Christ is born."

Amen and farewell.

*The plaque reads:

A TEACHER IS A GUIDE -

someone who not only helps us set goals,

but who also helps us reach them.

A TEACHER IS A COUNSELOR -

someone who not only listens,

but who also knows just what to say.

THE BEST KIND OF TEACHER

is not only a guide and counselor,

but also A FRIEND.

Dear Tomas,

Thanks for being a teacher who REALLY CARES!

Your Pittsburgh Urantia Group, with all our love!!!

*****

DATE:    December 28, 1996
LOCATION:   Pittsburgh, PA, USA
T/R:    Gerdean

TEXTUAL STUDY
The Urantia Papers
Foreword (III): The First Source and Center
And Paper 1: The Universal Father;
Section 2 (The Reality of God) and
Section 3 (God is a Universal Spirit)

TEACHER SESSION

BERTRAND AND TOMAS

Agondonter Requires Faith

TRUST AND JUDGMENT

Understanding a Fellow

A "Hand Jive" Exercise

BERTRAND:   Children, I greet you on behalf of the Teaching Corps under Melchizedek and for Michael and his creation - all of his far-flung creation of Nebadon - for our work with you also affects and touches a wide range of observers and learners. The experience that we gather here with you is also taken and taught to others, who will serve on other realms, other worlds salvaged from quarantine.

The presence of the archangel circuit on Urantia is like a large radio broadcast, and as we feed into it our experiences with you, your (local) universe is known throughout the (super) universe. I tell you this not for your self-consciousness, but to raise you up and out of your simple conclave of loyal friendship which meets regularly, to develop a trust in one another in and through the help of these supernal helpers, for as you learn to trust, as you begin to comprehend our purpose, then your efforts reflect our growth - and the entire universe rejoices.

We therefore are highly appreciative of your involvement, your willingness to expose yourselves to each other and to us. Your motives are our focal point and as you all readily well know, we are not here to judge. The truth is that we supernals understand that concept far more clearly than you do, for we have learned to relinquish judgment, and so we do not judge your growth, but rather honor your light and your intentions to foster and serve the God of all creation, the First Source and Center.

You who fall under the loving care of the Creator Son, Jesus of Nazareth, we observe your gatherings, your developing fraternity with more than idle curiosity, for you reflect what true growth entails. You are examples of why we are engaged upon Correcting Time, and the work that you do in and for yourselves in the development of your own God-consciousness, personality motivation and spirit intent is that which will encourage and stimulate further growth in others.

And so for all of your finite interpretations of reality, we admire the courage that it takes for you to step out in faith and voice your humanness, your agondonter status. (Pause)

Leah:   Who is speaking? Gerdean:   Not Tomas.

BERTRAND:   Bertrand.

Elizabeth:  Well, you were talking about "agondonter status" and that was so interesting.

BERTRAND:   Let me, Bertrand, conclude my remarks, for I am not here today to teach or to discourse, but to give you an understanding of how it is that we perceive your growth and how we appreciate your efforts to evolve your spirit consciousness, how we respect your desire to comprehend character as you deem it desirable to emulate in your life - that which Michael emulated in his human life. That is all.

TOMAS:  I am Tomas. I am glad to be with you. I am glad that you also enjoyed the visit by my brother, co-teacher Bertrand, who is experiencing a day in the life with us.

You will forgive my more informal approach, for we know each other. I will tell you that when the visitors hover over your arena in observation of your many discourses and fragmented conversations, they and I am challenged often to determine truly where you are in your growth that we may then address your soul needs, for sometimes, dear ones, it appears that you are so replete you have no need of lessons, and sometimes you are so empty of value we could talk about nearly anything. (Group chuckle)

I had rather enjoyed the discipline of the series on the fruits of the spirit, and as I indicated in an earlier lesson, I have been formulating a format for our upcoming period of time, and to some extent it has been evolving already. We don't like to make growth changes too abruptly, you see, for it causes consternation and resistance. The easy flow is the more natural way, and so let us flow today into a conversation that will lead into a deeper understanding on your part of your personal study of character and how that understanding affects your relationship with others - immediate and in your working realm - and even into the far-flung universe.

I have invited conversation along those lines. Were you heading also in that direction, Loreenia?

Loreenia:  I don't think so. I was interested in what the power energy surge Bertrand had on me; it made me very sleepy. What is his specialty? That's where my interests lie.

TOMAS:   He is a teacher in the Teaching Corp.

Loreenia:   Yes, but they also teach with tones and...

TOMAS:  He is a male, an experienced being of authority, and you, as a sensitive, are aware of those energies and that authority. You were once also impressed with me, but you have become used to me.

Loreenia:  You didn't put me to sleep, Tomas! He didn't bore me. I was literally -- not going to sleep, but -- affected in such a manner…

TOMAS:   That would have to do with his message.

Elizabeth:  Well, he was talking about agondonters and I got really excited because I was so amazed and so completely enthralled that we were the last of the agondonters, and I thought we should really appreciate this status which has certain ... wonderful things about it, and our children will not have that privilege -- but they will have other great things.

TOMAS:  Let me discuss that to some extent for I do not want to deprive your children of their birthright of being agondonters, for even though you will begin to perceive that you are not alone in the universe because of your association with supernal teachers, even though your faith will have had it proven to your satisfaction that the greater reality is in fact truth, you still must act and believe in faith, for even were a Melchizedek to materialize, that even requires faith.

All the way to Havona you will always be an agondonter because of your experience here in a realm which requires believing without seeing.  And so, even for generations you will be agondonters, because it requires faith. Those who are born into worlds well advanced, where the temples are already constructed of morontial materials, and where midwayers are clearly part of your society, may not have the status of agondonters, but your planet does not promise to manifest these proofs of divinity in the next generation or two.

Elizabeth:  I see. That's reasonable, certainly. Thank you. I'm glad I got that straightened out.

TOMAS:  In your own mind you may understand the reality of divinity, but you are still an agondonter for it still requires faith.

Elizabeth:  Would it be likely, then, that in several generations, that group of our grandchildren, great-great-great grandchildren, they would not be then? Is that the way it seems?

TOMAS:  If we are following logic, but this is not entirely a logical situation.

Hester:   This is not individual, Tomas?

TOMAS:  No, it is global. As the next epochal revelation comes around - which will not be in your lifetime nor shortly thereafter - by then you may have attained, as a race of people, sufficient spirituality to have advanced out of the status of "agondonterism" but that depends upon many things and you know we are not here to predict the future, to crystal-ball gaze, or to tell you in advance what you may expect, for that is your adventure.

Elizabeth:  Bertrand commented that you all have a way of not being judgmental towards us, and I guess it would be really neat if we could understand it on an intellectual level … even if we can't have actually practiced it on an emotional level. We find it so very delightful to have that trust in you that you are not judgmental.

TOMAS:  I am going to present you then with some words of wisdom, and that is that emotionally you can and will transcend the habit of judgment. That is a character assignment. It is immature to carry judgment with you. It denotes a lack of trust. It colors your relationships with others. It is dishonest to yourself, for you open yourself up to reflect unreality back to you...

Leah:   Could you ...?

TOMAS:  ... and it separates you from your siblings in the spirit. Yes, Leah?

Leah:   Could you elaborate on the statement you just made about dishonesty to yourself for judgment, how that would...? Could you give us an example, an explanation or something?

TOMAS:  You want to know how it is that when you pass judgment on your fellows you have been dishonest with yourself for you are then reflecting back to yourself your own judgment? Is that your question?

Leah:   I think it is. It's in reference to the statement you made previously. I think that's kind of paraphrased, what you said.

TOMAS:  Let us go back and see what I said. [Tape rewound and replayed.] In the face of that review, do you still need elaboration?

Leah:   No, I misunderstood the quote. I thought you said reality and not unreality. I think that's clarified now. I understand that you always see your state of mind if you are judging.

TOMAS:  I will speak for a moment on what you have reflected back to you. There seems to be some misconception here. You are of limited understanding, and often what you perceive is being reflected is not so, and yet you will take it as a lesson in point when it is not meant to be so. Your perceptions are imperfect, for they are constantly adjusting to external situations. It is partly why you become weary of the journey in terms of your relationships with people; it is partly why you find people exhausting and troublesome.

That they manifest a reality that they perceive as their reality, it is not necessarily that that is a reflection of your own reality. Because someone (and this is extremely simplified) projects that they are blue, because they believe that they are blue, and you see blue when you look at them, does not mean that you also are blue. You well may be pink, but unless and until you know who you are, (your own reflection of your own self through a reflection of divinity) you are constantly then bumping into unreality and taking it upon yourself.

And herein is where you run into trouble regarding judgment, for someone may present a perception of what they understand and you have immediately personalized it and passed judgment when this is not required; this is not a good idea. If they feel that they are blue, let them be blue -- for God's sake. You know you are pink and it does not cast any negative reflections on you to allow yourself to be or to allow them to be also.

Even if either of you is in error, it is better to allow your understandings and reflections of divinity to be based upon love than on lesser judgment.

Leah:   I understand what you're saying. I'm just saying that if you find yourself judging somebody -- as you said, you can allow it to be, they can be blue or whatever color they want to be, but if you find yourself judging them for thinking they are, then you are discovering that you are in a state of judgment. That's what I'm saying, is that you see your state of mind when you're judging them.

TOMAS:  If indeed you are mature enough to realize that you are in the process of forming a judgment, then you are also mature enough to set that judgment aside and not choose to make it.

Leah:   True. That's what I meant when I said that when you judge somebody you are only seeing your own state of mind if you're judging them.

TOMAS:  And so we must do away with judgment, for it convolutes the clarity of seeing love reflected. If you don't see love reflected from your peers, seek it from the Father, (who is) the Source of love for it is only through the Father that love can be made manifest. These are character-building lessons.

Leah:   Did the supernals who speak to us -- were they able to let go of judgment in the mortal realm?

TOMAS:  You throw a large blanket. You must understand the tremendous range of previous experience in and throughout the universe, and even in the teachers who come to help guide you in your advancement, for we have been drawn from a large spectrum of experiential backgrounds and life forms.

Some, yes. And so, depending on the advancement of the finite realm was that creature experience available. You have and we have had (and still have, to the extent necessary) opportunity to learn this lesson today. Over time my judgments have diminished. Even as a human long, long ago I had advanced beyond many judgments -- but not all, certainly.

Judgment was part of my work, part of my career, and I am certain that this is true for you today, that there are circumstances wherein, as a member of society, you are justified, or feel justified in making judgment.  But inasmuch as your society is not well advanced, I would not take lessons from it (group laughter), but think in terms, rather, of assessment, for it is appropriate to assess circumstances and situations and understand what is comprised without judging or condemning or concluding.

Leah:   So it would be more like an evaluation.

TOMAS:   Yes.

Leah:   The other thing I wanted to ask about.  Are the supernals who speak to us (although I know you couldn't answer directly or qualifiedly or whatever -- it's like a judgment), do they go thorough the same evolutionary process like we do with the suspension of judgment? or ...?

TOMAS:  By and large, yes. There are so many millions of nuances, it would be fruitless to go into those, but by and large, ascension to perfection entails the same lessons, the same growing experiences, the same adaptations across the board, and so do not feel alone in your learning process. How do you suppose it is that we were sent here, collected as a group of volunteers, trained and sent here to help you, if we had not had similar or like experiences?

Leah:   I don't know. I just figured you were a terrific bunch of guys.

TOMAS:  We are. But we are terrific to you because we have advanced understanding of your experiential path. We have rolled out the red carpet that we wove.

Leah:   Thank you. I guess that "whereof I speak" (at the end of today's chapter) really stuck with me. I wanted to know if you walked a mile in my moccasins.

TOMAS:   I have.

Hester:   Several miles.

TOMAS:  Indeed.  And here again we return to a nuance of character-building and non-judgment in your phrase about walking in someone's moccasins, for unless and until you understand your brother, your sister, you cannot love them, you will pass judgment, so it is necessary for you to understand each other.

Celeste:  Tomas, this is going to be a kind of wonderful thing to work on, not judging another person. That's going to take some work on my part, but I'm looking forward to it.

Hester:  That's one of the first laws laid down in Genesis, to "judge not...."

Celeste:  I know, but it's so easy when you've been working on one of your own traits, and you feel you've accomplished something there, and yet you find a child or somebody that has that very same trait!

Hester:   "... for it shall be meted to you likewise."

Celeste:  That's true. I've learned that many times in my life. But in living my life, I sort of forget that.

Hunnah:  What would you suggest, as the most effective way to deal with something you found offensive or disappointing?

TOMAS:  Your range is way too broad. The entire life experience can be regarded as a disappointment or your selection of Whitman's chocolates.

Beatrix:   You mean in relation to judging?

Hunnah:   I dump it in the category of being human.

TOMAS:  It is too easy to do that. It is too easy to say, "I can't because I'm only human."

Hunnah:  No, I mean judging them. I tell myself that, because of their conditioning, I can't really do a thing about it. What would you suggest that we do?

Beatrix:  We should say more about judging, actually, because you have judging, and discrimination.  There seems to be a rough spot around the word. I mean what are we talking about, actually? Because the whole time we were having this conversation, I was thinking about the word "discrimination" or there were a couple of other words that may sound a little different, but in choosing what you have to choose constantly in your life -- you have choices, you have political choices, choices of friends, choices of relationships.

There has to be some way to understand, some way to discriminate.  But what you're talking about, it sounds like a different kind of judging. That might not be real clear. I think you did say something like "completion."  Like not bringing someone to completion. In other words, not boxing someone in. "You're this and you can't be anything else" is part of the definition.  But how do you ever know anyone at all if you don't start this? You could be more, but I understand that.  Don't box them in, not condemning. Those were the two words you used that made sense.

TOMAS:  Thank you, Beatrix. You have given me some direction in this assignment of dealing with the question Hunnah presents regarding judgment.  [Tape turned; inadvertent "intermission"] It becomes more and more clear that these intermissions are so that you can let off steam.

Let me return then to the discourse that was ongoing regarding judgment, and having to do with understanding, for it has been said that you cannot love another individual unless you understand them, and so you set out to understand your fellows so that you may love them, for as you love each individual, you are surely socializing your beliefs and doing the will of God. It would behoove you to learn to love another individual each day and this would extend the kingdom generously.

But as you allow judgment to block your appreciation and divine love for your fellows, then you thwart the growth of the Supreme. What does it mean to understand your fellow? It means to appreciate where they come from, what they stand for, what their motives are, what their failings are, what their background is, what their gifts are, what they desire, what they have experienced as disappointments, what they have gained, what they have lost, what do they have to give and what do they take?

A thorough-going understanding of an individual will lead you to love them, for you can feel them and sense them now in your deep heart, not with your mind or your superficial values. You can love them as Christ loves them and do it personally.

On the other hand, you cannot love by a mere act of the will. You cannot say, "God is love; I am in God; I therefore love everyone." This is rhetoric. It is ideology. The Kingdom will only prevail as you actualize living love, and as we have said time and time again, it is difficult to love unlovely mankind. It is not fun to feel powerless in knowing that millions of your brothers and sisters are starving, are dying of disease, are being warlike with each other. How can you love them when they behave so badly or when they suffer so? How can you understand such suffering yourself, and who would want to?

The choice is yours. But as you choose to become real, to develop value, to serve and to be, you will stretch yourself, you will put aside judgment to sit side-by-side with your brother or your sister and learn to understand them and learn to love them, and thereby bring love, and accept love, and share love, as an actuality, as a reality. As long as you maintain judgment against your fellows, you shut the door on the potential of this divine interchange. That is all.

Hunnah:  I wish it wasn't "all". What you said is: we heard it all. Everyone here is living what you're talking about, and it's getting better and better, but I had a conversation with my friend this morning and she said "I cannot meditate" (it's around 9:00, and I guess that's appropriate), and I said, "Well, I guess you'll have to do what my other friend does and get up at 5:00!" Well, that didn't sound too good to her because she felt like meditating when she wanted to, but in our busy lives, if we don't have a few disciplines and carry them through -- which is what I find difficult to do -- then we're not going to be able to apply what you're talking about.

If I were to get off the mattress and get up and give myself time and prepare for my day properly, like thousands of teachers have told us, then I would have -- another teacher says "milk in the pail."  We would be able to go out and effortlessly - pretty much effortlessly - enjoy our day and be non-judgmental, like it would be wise to be. But if we don't give time to empty out and fill up with the truth of our being, then how are we going to have anything to give away?

What you say is true, and it is words, and we have been inundated with words -- not just from you, but from a thousand books.  And my prayer for myself is that I will be able to make that effort to get up so that when the house is quiet and my worldly doings are not at my heels, that I can prepare for the day, and then it becomes a celebration. Otherwise, I am plowing through white water.

TOMAS:  You have struck upon the key, certainly, to learning how to live your life, and that is through Stillness and through the direction you receive in Stillness, in your meditations and in your relationship with the infinite God of your understanding, your Indwelling Spirit. As you experience this reality, as it sends you forth, as you are amenable to its guidance, your path will alter - unquestionably.  And it may be more effortless in some ways, but it may also be more poignant in others. I commend that.

I also want to remark about your preface that your friend called lamenting she did not have time to meditate, which is her lament, and you said, "Well, I guess you'll have to ..." and that was judgment.

Hunnah:   It was a suggestion.

TOMAS:  You intended it as a suggestion.

Hunnah:  As a solution.

TOMAS:  But to say, "Well, I guess you'll have to ..."

Hunnah:  What would have been an appropriate response?

TOMAS:  It is not so much the words, again, dear one, it is the attitude, and I will tell you that you have a defensive attitude, which invites judgment, and it is a result of your societal conditioning. I am not saying this is a fault or that there is something wrong with you to make you feel defensive. I am calling it to the attention of the others because they also do the precise same thing, and it is a result of your defensive attitude that leads your words to sound defensive and be received as judgmental, even though you don't mean that.

Elizabeth:  Excuse me. How is that defensive? I'm a little foggy on that, Tomas. How is that defensive?

TOMAS:   What can she do about it?

Hunnah:   Well, there are children in her life, and you cannot meditate in traffic, traffic of home, a house full of activity, or the traffic of an office.

Elizabeth:  I'm trying to figure out what Tomas said when he said "defensive" because I can't figure that out. Sorry. In what way?

Hunnah:  Critical.

TOMAS:  No comment.

Hunnah:  Thank you.  You've given us something to think about.

Beatrix: I would also like to add that all the hustle and bustle and hurry that somehow we seem to fit in a category of -- that's not living, but it's -- this calmness, and then we have the direction to be able to practice everything, that's true, but -- I also think that the busy-ness and the hectic-ness that you call white water is also, can also be very much living the spiritual life.

Hunnah:   Oh, it is!

Beatrix:   It's how it's looked at and how it's offered.

Hunnah:   You pilot your ship in rough water if you ...

Beatrix:   It's nice if you can have both.

Elizabeth:  That's nice. You're right. You do, if you get on top of it before the day starts.

Hunnah:  Or you say, "My schedule's full enough; I'm not going to put myself through the ordeal of trying to do that, too!"

Elizabeth:   Yeah.

Hunnah:  But you get better at deciding how much there is of you to go around.

Beatrix:  I've had experiences, though, when I think everything is so okay and together and can be calm and then that's when everything explodes, and I've had other times where everything is totally, overwhelmingly impossible, and then it's all cleared out.  Not by my doing it, but, you know, it just happens that way. People cancel or whatever. So that it can be done.  So I don't know that you can get such control, that you do with certain things. I don't know about that.

Elizabeth:  I was talking about lack of control in my life, Tomas, to Andrew, and they always would bring me back to what Hunnah did say, which is that, if you could spend time in Stillness, a lot of these things would fall in place, and I guess that's really true.

TOMAS:  Many times your relationship with the Father is sufficient, and as you are right with Him you can carry yourself and see that all is right with the world.  But to the extent that you involve yourself with others, which is necessary, you avail yourself then of growth difficulties, communication difficulties. It is always good to return to the Father in silence or even in a moment to remember your divinity Source, even as you are embroiled in a situation, even an uncomfortable situation with a fellow human being.

To remember to stay close to the Father is a way of bringing him into your life to help it along, even to help along in the relationship development at hand. As you isolate yourself with the Father, however, and disallow interchange, intercourse with your fellows, you are thwarting the growth of the Supreme. It is perhaps an isolationist technique of survival that I am addressing, for if you can stay isolated in your citadel and hold judgment, disallowing others to get close to you, you will survive.

This is a sad commentary on the human condition but one which is, and as you accept that and become aware of that, you can begin to work with that. You can begin to work toward developing confiding trust in someone else that they, too, would like to break down the isolation, the aloneness of this existential existence in order to share experientially with others.

I am going to live dangerously. I am going to give you a peculiar assignment. You may enjoy it. I do not want it to result in hostilities, but it is a very human thing to do, that is a way of communication. You have that meddlesome habit of pointing fingers (which in some ways represents judgment), and so as you, this week, perceive any kind of judgment, either on your part or on the part of someone else, raise - conversationally - your right hand or finger, in [a way that shows] that you are aware of it and you here are aware of it but others are not.

And as you perceive that you are being controlling or that you are being faced with other's control over you, manifest your understanding of that, your acknowledgement, with your left hand or your left finger. Have you understood my peculiar assignment?

Group:   Yeah.  Uh-huh.  Good.

TOMAS:  Judgment —

Leah:   -- is the right hand; discernment is the left hand, is what I got out of it.

Beatrix:   Left is control!

Hunnah:   All right.  Right is react and left is respond?

TOMAS:  No. Control is the left; judgment is the right. And this is so that you can be aware of these aspects of personality infiltrating your thinking and the thinking of your peers, your society. You will be amused to discover that your hands are in the air most of the time.

Hunnah:   Are we talking about our own response or either way?

Beatrix:   Both sides.

Hunnah:  So if we're talking and she is telling me how to live my life, then I can put up my left hand to identify that?

Loreenia:  You can put up both! Because I'm making a judgment of what you are and trying to control your ...

TOMAS:  It will help you understand these very insidious reactions - defensive reactions to life. They are defenses. They are also dishonest. And so it is a way of revealing to yourself in your own time and space, in this peculiar game way, that you are beginning to understand what judgment is when you give it, when you receive it, and what control is, when you try to give it and when it is thrust upon you. I have added control because it is closely related to judgment.

I have definitely done my damage for today.

Group:   (Laughing) You certainly have!

Leah:   Would you care for a report on our last week's assignment?

TOMAS:  I would like to hear your feedback if we could keep it one at a time. Leah.

Leah:   For myself, I found it very difficult, although I have done that assignment on my own (where you have eye contact with other people and you try to connect with their Thought Adjuster), but I was in a bar for six hours and I tried and tried and tried and I

might have made contact with maybe two people, and there must've been 80 people at least in that place.

Loreenia:  I personally each day tried. I lost track of how many people I looked into their eyes. Some of them I saw several times in the course of a day or in a week's time, so I guess I came up with roughly 80 to 90 people, losing count, so I don't know how many I did, but it was very effective, for me as well as them. It boosted my spirits!

Since I was a child, I withdraw from society for security reasons, and dealing - just looking at somebody and having them smile back, or even if they don't smile back! That's okay, too, at least I tried. And if they look in my eyes, or even look at you! How many? Did you count?

Celeste:   No, I didn't count.

Loreenia:   It's difficult to keep count, isn't it?

Elizabeth:   Is Tomas still here?

Loreenia:   Yes.

Leah:   We're reporting on our assignment of looking into people's eyes last week.

Loreenia:  But there's one -- last night was a very telling, strange experience. I was in the car, waiting, and I would think about people who were coming out, thinking about looking into their eyes, and they would come out and come near my car, which was at the far end of the parking lot from them. I'd open my eyes and be looking into their eyes. They'd come by my car! It's almost like my TA was talking to their TA and they'd actually come out and go by my car! For whatever reason, I noticed it happened twice in a row.

Elizabeth:  I, too, have been doing that for a long time, but especially with my little children in my Sunday School. When I want to make a point, I make sure they look right into my eyes and I look into their eyes, because they will remember some of the good things -- and you know I'm trying to get rid of some of those negative things. I do know that.

TOMAS:  It is time for me to make my exit. My transmitter is, in her words "fried" and I am going to give her a reprieve as well as you all. Carry on in the spirit of the holiday. We will meet after the New Year and perhaps then we will be embarked on some clear direction forward. Enjoy the holiday. Be safe. And do "the hand jive."  Farewell.

*****

[End of Volume III, Part 4 of 13]