Daniel - More on Understanding Gods Love - Mar 14, 1993 - Pocatello, ID

Group: Pocatello, Idaho

Teacher: Daniel

Topic: Understanding the Love of God

March 14, 1993

Opening prayer and Prayer of St. Francis

Daniel: "Good afternoon my friends. It is I, Daniel, your teacher and guide. As I have come here to be your teacher, so, too, have I come here to be a student. As you have come here to be a student, so, too, have you come here to be a teacher. And the sharing that you do with one another has not only great impact upon you and your own personal growth and self awareness, but it also helps others, in seeing through your life examples of their own lives. It is in this sharing that you are able to grow tremendously. Continue to do this. Do not be afraid to speak out, to allow yourself the opportunity to grow. Each of you in your daily life walk the path that is of two natures. This path of duality, of humanism and spiritualism is most difficult in that as you allow yourself to know the Father, as you provide yourself with those opportunities to get to know Him, you are in this sense growing more in the spiritual realm. And this, my friends, often causes conflict within your human realm. It is by this, however, that you are looked upon by those who are descending with much respect and awe. It is by your experiences as a human that you are able to glean much soul growth. And by coming here and sharing as a group, you not only bring a more positive aspect in your human life understanding and domain, but also in this growth you catapult your spiritual growth immensely. And so my words are that this sharing is most valuable, very important.

Last week we continued with the discussion on the love of the Father and how it can be manifested in your daily life. I would now stop and give those who did not get a chance to give their revelations, their understanding, a chance to do so. And with this, then, by your having to think along one particular line/ thought and having to express it, you help to bring this into more of a part of your being. It becomes not so much an intellectual thought as one that begins to become a part of that which you are in daily life, or what you can be in daily life. And so, those who did not get a chance to share, please do so now."

C2: "Would you share how that love of God is revealed to us. Is that what I am hearing?"

Daniel: "How you understand the love of the Father, yes."

C2: "I guess I don't even know what image to use because there are so many. One of the images that I experience the love being is like a bright light that sort of enfolds and warms, the sun, s u n and S o n, rainbow colors in different colors that envelopes and encapsulates in many ways. So like light is transparent and so that love doesn't enfold me so much that I am encapsulated and off by myself, but is like a laser that thrusts me into places that allow me further opportunity to feel that love as well as to share that love. Another image would be of wings of a dove or a bird, soft and feathery and again enclosing me but like sort of bear me up. I am thinking of the image of the eagle's wings and being borne up and flying around. Those are images that come to me. And maybe the word is just being grace filled, sometimes in a little leaky vessel, but that's me, not God's love. I don't know if that's what you had in mind Daniel, but that's sort of how I envision and feel and experience that love."

B5: "Daniel, this is B5. It's a hard question. I heard C2 explaining things in human terms. I don't have any human terms to explain the feeling of God's love. There is nothing or any words I can use that describes the way I feel when I feel God's love. Although I do know that among the only times that I do feel the love of the Father is during the times when I am comfortable with myself, when I love myself, which, I'll be honest, isn't real often. I wish it were; I wish it were more often. So my understanding of the love of the Father is relatively limited. I hope to expand on that as time goes on."

L2: "I feel like I can really relate with B5. (This is L2.) But what initially comes to my mind is..sometimes when I am with E2 [her young daughter] I just want to hold her so tight and kiss her forehead. And she is just so precious. That's how I imagine God's love being for us, that He just loves His children the way we do, unconditionally; and even when they...like I'm going through potty training with E2 and it's so frustrating! But it is just instant forgiveness, there is no 'forgiveness', because it is just forgiveness always. I don't know how to expand on that. But if you can, anybody here can imagine how you love a child. I saw a friend's newborn baby yesterday and cradled that baby and loved that baby. And it was so precious that I just wanted to not put her down. That's how I envision God's love."

B4: "I guess the way I do it is just in my calming feeling, that when things are really bad, a lot of times, it is just this calming feeling.. like I should be upset, but I'm not. Things are going to be OK, and I sure that's my major indication that God is there and God is with me because things are flying all over the place and it's like, 'I can handle this'. I'm good! You know, and it's just a really calm feeling, He's there. Life is kind of like this game with all these variables and there is really no possible way of winning it but you just have to keep going and that is winning it. You just don't stop. And as long as you keep going you are there."

N1: "This assignment has been really difficult for me and has been part of this feeling of inadequacy and expecting reprimand and not doing this perfectly, because I realize that a lot of my understanding of God's love is much more of an intellectual exercise than actual experience. Or at least that is what I think. And so that has kind of bothered me, that why do I shut that out? But I relate to that sense of calm and that peace and I see it manifest in my life. And the things that I really need always seem to be there, so that things fall into place no matter how difficult they may appear. The one piece is given to me. And I have kind of been seeing God's love around my house as I have been putting it together. Because it seems like things sort of fit and I bought things...and I don't really know if this is God's love, but I have seen it as God's love. But I bought things in the past that didn't really fit with anything or go together but when I'm putting this house together they are perfect how they blend together. So I see that as God's love where we are given pieces when we really can't see how the puzzle is going to come together but it is sort of like that faith and that trust, accepting of the piece and carrying it around, because it feels right to do that. And then much later the pieces start to form a pattern. I guess that's how I'm seeing God's love in my life right now. Funny that I should feel so wrong that I wouldn't have anything to say."

N2: "I think that the one way that I see and visualize God's love is when there comes an occasion in my life, I have done something that God's love would have called me to do like when I do a patient act when I feel impatient or when I say a soft word when I really want to say an angry one. Then it comes about as a feedback. An analogy that I can think of is what athletes talk about, the 'sweet spot'. It's when you hit a tennis ball and it hits the right part of the racket and goes where you directed it; you throw a dart at a dart board and it goes where you intended for it to go. And it's that feedback when maybe you can't regain it right away, you also know that you did everything just right, and things happen the way they should have. So to me when you have done something that Michael or God would have done, the feedback comes. That's the way I visualize. (pause) I guess it's back to you, Daniel."

Daniel: "Thank you for sharing this information with your brothers and sisters. Indeed, the Father reveals Himself to each of you in many diverse ways. For this is the nature of the Father, that His Being is so grand and encompasses all. And it is right that you carry pieces to the puzzle of life around with you. For at any given moment that piece which has laid dormant for you suddenly awakens and becomes the special piece necessary for your next step, your next spurt of growth. The Father is all of these things and more. His love can only be felt when you allow it. And so to each of you let me as your friend and one who has travelled a little along the universal path advise you in this regard. Whenever you are feeling shame, guilt, remorse, whenever you are feeling unforgiving, intolerant, angry, whenever you are enveloped in the negative, it is that point in your life that it is most important that you open up the seal on the envelope and allow the light of the Father to shine in; for that light is His love, and His love is that which carries you on and on. It is the sad commentary on this planet when so many have sealed themselves within an envelope of darkness. This is tragic in the fact that you not only cut off the life flow of the Spirit, but you also are cutting off the life flow of your humanism, and every situation, relationship, every step that you take in life you meet with obstacles that become overwhelming and hard for you to handle. If you are cut off in your humanness and cut off from your spiritualness, indeed, do you feel that you are boxed in. Indeed, does hope and those things necessary to understand life's purpose fail to inspire you.

As your friend I ask you to take a few minutes at those times when things are the darkest and ask the Father for His light. Allow the immanence of the Holy Spirit and your Indwelling Spirit to fill your being. If you could but really understand the great treasure that is within your individual self, no longer could the chains of all of your negativeness bind you or box you in! For if you understand His presence within you, your human bounds are only what you make them yourself! In life, my friends, you are the ones who walk the path, that make the choices. If the choices you make are coming from a desire to be with Him, then you have allowed both channels of your humanness and your spiritualness to be bonded. And the choices you make will in time and over time work to fill in the puzzle pieces of your life with much more clarity. This evening I would like to address an issue that has come up several times this evening, that of being shameful or full of guilt. It is understandable for one to feel a sense of guilt or shame when one willingly turns their back on the Father and His love when one, indeed, is so bent in following error, so guided to following error. But, you see, each of you is of the Father and each of you has a part of Him within you. That part, at some point in your ascent, will be one with you, fusion complete. When shame and guilt are upon you, seek that Indwelling Spirit. Realize that this part of you is free of shame and guilt and that you are only trapping yourself in your own shame and guilt, your own ego trip, so to speak. When you take time with the Father you grow in self awareness. Self awareness brings about understanding.

Understanding brings acceptance, tolerance, and eventually love. Far too often do the ascending mortals fail in this self love and by doing so continually find entrapments of the body, the spirit, and the mind as well. Time spent with the Father brings you into that awareness of your spiritualness, your humanness and in your godliness. That is the path and ascent that you must take to be with Him. You become more aware of His will for you. Know that the Father has already forgiven human error. It is you, yourself, that must let go that you can change and grow. Change is not possible with anyone if it is predicated on a 'have to', and outside influence. Change can only come about through an internal desire and wanting. Change can come about when one realizes that any situation in their life, any person or relationship in their life, cannot be the factor that distracts you from the Father. That distraction must come from within you, not another outside force.

Those who are willing to change do so from an inner desire. Those who are willing to change accept their human aspect as well as their spiritual. Those desiring to change do not allow external factors or relationships to hold them back. For it the choices you make in any situation or within any relationship that will make the difference. When you can forgive yourself and others, when you can love yourself and others, then does the path to the Father make more sense. Another piece of your puzzle is laid. This week, actually you will have two weeks, work on seeking and looking into your own life. And ask yourself, 'Is there some shame or guilt that I truly wish to get rid of, that I truly wish to let go of?' During the next two weeks, work on asking yourselves many questions regarding any shame or guilt. And strive over this time period to let go and allow the Master to, indeed, walk beside you. You will not be asked to have a 'true confession', so to speak in the group. This is a personal and private matter. But it is your assignment, if you would please do so, to work on ridding yourself of one less piece of baggage. Allow that the Father is definitely a part of you. And this part is very special. But it is not, and cannot be any more special than the whole creation which the Father made in you in potential. When you can begin to see it in that light and realize your specialness, your wonderfulness, your goodness, then you are freeing yourself to follow the Father. I will now accept questions."

C2: "Daniel. This is C2. I have often thought that guilt is the feeling we have that is sort of imposed from the outside when we don't meet others expectations, and shame is that which we might feel when we let ourselves down. Can you say more about the difference if there is that difference between shame and guilt, please?"

Daniel: "Either one of these can be poison to the soul, no matter if it is externally imposed or internally imposed. Shame and guilt are often words that are synonymous in many people's book. If one were to break it down and be more definite, guilt is that which one feels because of outside circumstances, because of mores, because of conditions imposed from the outside. And when one has erred in any of these areas there does develop a sense of guilt. And so 'externally imposed' could be a way of defining it.

Shame, on the other hand, often is that which the individual feels personally and does often play a greater role in a person's inward experience of having erred. Yet to harbor either one of these for any extension of time creates blockages. One must understand or come to terms with why one feels guilt or shame and then deal with it so you can let go and again open up to the Father. Both create those boxes, those fenced in feelings for the individual. Both lead to further and further self incrimination and less self love. When one loves the self less and less the prospect of being able to love the Father grows ever more remote. Hence, it is important to deal with any errors as they occur so that you can grow toward the Father, rather than away. To say that shame or guilt, one is worse than the other, is not necessary. For both create the same problem in the end. Both must be rectified, dissolved, and done away with. Do you see?"

C2: "Yes, thank you. Is it appropriate to say that we really cannot love ourselves too greatly? And I mean that in not this selfish, separating oneself apart way. Did I understand that the more we love ourselves the closer we can become to that love and that at-one-ment with God, with our First Source and Center and all of that which is desired for us?

Daniel: "You heard correctly, taken in the perspective of self love; not as one of cockiness or of love of the outer shell/appearance, but deep inner love of oneself, of one's humanness, of one's personality, one's potential to be with the Father, of one's soul identity, of one's love of his being as a human and spiritual being combined. As you become aware, more and more, of who and what you are, you become even more able to make those corrections necessary to further follow the promptings of the Indwelling Spirit to find the Father. In this you grow in more self love. You grow in confidence in your being as a human and as a spirit. As you grow in this confidence you, of course, are more open, therefore, to following the Father. And you can, because you are in understanding of who, where, and what you are at any given time, become able to follow the Father more closely and grow closer to Him. Any time that you have doubts or times in your life when the love of self dwindles, there is a period, then, of stagnation; and growth is not as apparent, is slower, is not as smooth flowing as when there are those times when you are in alignment with your inner self. Whenever you are lacking in self love you allow blocks to be put up. And any blockage can slow down the pace of your ascent to the Father. As those who have accepted the ascension, your path will at some point be with the Father. And the time element may vary for each individual. The important aspect of being able to love oneself is that by doing so you open up your being to the love of the Father, being able to love Him and you fellow brothers and sisters. In being loving, then, you serve and Father and you serve one another. Does this help?"

C2: "Yes and I am sitting here trying to articulate what an irony it is that often times people desire change because we don't feel good enough, when what is coming through to me intuitively is that we change because we do feel good enough, we do feel love, because we are self aware about ourselves."

Daniel: "Life and the path to the Father is often filled with irony and aspects that are not always understood, that puzzle piece you must carry. And, indeed, when the time is appropriate there is that change and the piece is now ready to be put in place. If every ascending being on every sphere could take the time with the Father, then change does not come out of a lacking, of not being good enough, but from the understanding and reality that because of the son or daughter that you are, and because of the Father Fragment within you are good enough and therefor you will change."

C2: "Thank you for helping me identify yet another paradox in this wonderful truth that we seek. Thanks, Daniel."

Daniel: "Of course."

V1: "Daniel, you alluded to this when you first starting speaking tonight and it is a question that I had written down anyway. Is it true that as mortal here on this plane, if we attune ourselves with the Father we would be able to progress much faster and further spiritually than if we were to wait for the morontia worlds? Am I correct in that or would you just address that?"

Daniel: "In the light of the Father's understanding there is no time frame, and you are already at your potential. In a time/space reference of which you only know, of which I only know, it is hard to conceive of no time. And to put it in understanding for you at this point: you have been given a special place in being a material being, in having a material body. And the growth and progress that you can make on this plane definitely will aid in your progress at a faster rate to be with the Father. And here again is another paradox in that the Father already sees you complete! You, yourself, are limited by what you know, what you perceive at any given time. Those who hold in faith that the Father is, ever was, and will be; your faith is intact, will continually bring you closer and closer more rapidly to be with Him. Does this help?"

V1: "Yes, Daniel. You know I am just a time reference person and realize that. That was very beautiful, overwhelming to realize that God sees us as complete. That is just incredible! And I know that time is instantaneous with the Father. So, yes, thank you."

B1: "Daniel, we are glad to see B5 back with us and he brought a friend. I would like to have him introduce him at this time."

B5: Daniel, this is B5. I haven't been here for a while, along with me I brought a friend named C7. He is from Rigby. We have talked a little bit over the last ten months about the Urantia Book, about some of the papers, about God's love, about the purpose of our lives and why we are here, are where me might possibly be going. C7 and I think a lot along the same lines, even though he is roughly ten years younger than I am. Maybe you could give him some insight as to what the teaching mission is and so on."

Daniel: "B5, I am so happy to have you back with us in physical presence, even though in the spiritual realm you have not been away. I have been with you often, my friend. And I would like to congratulate you in your striving for growth, even though it is difficult to come to terms with, indeed, the purpose and function of life. Your sharing with C7 is evidence of your solidness despite your upheavals in human difficulties. The spirit is strong and will continue to flourish, my friend, when you take and make the effort. Indeed, does the Father love you. And C7, welcome. And I and many of the beings here enjoyed a good chuckle in your reference to age. For you all are babes to us!(much laughter)

And it is wonderful that in this group tonight we have two teenagers, so to speak, that are in such a wonderful state of openness and searching and willingness to accept a different path than the norm. C7, realize that life cannot be stagnant; that in order for there to be progress there must be growth. And growth can only come about when the individual himself is willing to look and be open to greater possibilities. The problem with many of the religions of today is that while they were founded on many solid truths and solid precepts that could bring the individual to the Father, the religions have often not allowed for change and growth, have limited the possibilities that are there. Any time one limits possibilities there becomes stagnation and growth is stunted. My young friend, know that you cannot limit the Father, you cannot limit yourself. There are many here that would take delight in further explaining this Teaching Mission to you. My words are this: take time to know yourself, take time to sit with the Father daily and your path will find its route to Him."

C7: "Daniel, this is C7. I would just like to say that me and B5 got to talking about the Urantia Book when my grandfather passed away a couple of months ago. And I got to kind of wondering after he had died what 'stuff' was like and B5 talked to me. And I started getting deeper and deeper in discussions. And what he told me made a lot of sense. I understand what he says and it's help me come to terms with the things that have gone on. It has just helped me a lot."

Daniel: "And my friend as you are so young in this life plane, you are so fortunate to come to many of these realizations at such a time in your life that you can bring about a greater perception/understanding for yourself and those around. Continue to be a seeker of truth. Continue your search to the Father. For you see, as you reach up to Him and allow Him to be a part of you, know that He is reaching down to you, my friend, and upholding you."

L2: "Daniel, this is L2. I am really grateful for your talking to us about guilt and shame because that's been a real heavy issue with me for quite some time. But what I would like to know is how to release it, how to specifically go about releasing it. Do we just ask for it, visualize, do we affirm? What avenues can we take to release the guilt and the shame and the fear that stems from that and those negative things that seem to be overwhelming me frequently, lately?"

Daniel: "An excellent question; one most difficult to answer! In any of these kinds of things one must first of all come to the realization that there can be no release, there can be no peace, so to speak, until you are willing to let go. And often will say, 'But I am willing. I have tried.' And yet there is still this lingering on. And that is the point where you are now. You have released much, let go of much, but there are the tail endings, so to speak, that still grip you and hold you in this limbo land. And to break loose of this, one must view it from various levels. There is, of course, the obvious of there not really being a total desire for release; that the release that you are hoping for is still somewhat motivated by external realities. When you can come to wanting to release from an internal perspective, because this is what you desire, this is what would motivate you, then release is much easier, is more assured.

Because you are human and because you have memory and a mind set, you are also part of a pattern. And if you will, let me give you an analogy. In the use of homeopathic remedies one takes a potion that is diluted many times over to cure a certain element. This potion is diluted many, many, many times; so much, in fact, that one would say that the original molecule from which this potion was at one time known, is no longer viable, it is so spread out, is so diluted. Yet when this remedy is given, the more diluted it is the more effect it has on the person. And the reason being is that the patterning of this potion is still in place. All of you, my friends, are like this remedy, in that no matter how much you dilute and break down the solid barrier of the guilt or shame or whatever it is you wish to release, there is still within your being this patterning. And often times this patterning can be more potent than the whole molecule. Do you see? And so when you can understand that, then when these types of emotions or feelings come up, if you will remember that it is but the patterning that is coming up only, and no longer the solid molecule, at that point, then, you are more able to release and let it go. No longer, if you truly desire not to have the shame or guilt, no longer will it be the solid full molecule, but will be diluted. And each time you dilute it and dilute it, it becomes less and is only more a pattern. And the pattern, then, is that which you can deal with, because you can see and realize that it is but a pattern.

It is nothing that can hold on to you unless you hold on to it. And while that pattern may emerge, you have the power to change it. To affirm, to visualize, to do any of these things is helpful. The most effective way is to daily ask the Father for guidance, daily dilute this so that it no longer has the power over you. And throughout life, throughout all of your life, those things which have been a part of you will at times emerge. You do not have to be the victim of them! You can hold the power over them, if you truly desire to, if you truly wish to break the cycle. Prayer spent with the Father will help. Often times and this is not held out to be a situation for you, my friend, L2, but for all of you and for all of those who read these transcripts, often times those trapped by guilt and shame or the like are unable to let go because there is another underlying motive for keeping that guilt and shame a part of you. The motive can be attention from others, can be many things. Those who truly wish to change must examine motives, must be able to take the higher road. It is like the person who is hearing the alarm go off in the morning. And while you are not feeling like you wish to get out of bed, you are rather wanting to pull the covers overhead and stay there. This is nice. You also realize that by not getting up and getting out of bed, your job is on the line! What motive will you follow? Which is more important? Does this help?"

L2: "Yes, thank you Daniel."

N1: "Daniel, I just wanted to thank you for tonight's lesson and for your answer to L2 just now. Several big things have come up for me in the course of it and I will be thinking about them further. I just wanted to thank you very much."

Daniel: "You are most welcome."

V1: "And Daniel, I also thank you because that is something that certainly has been a part of my life. And it is a continual struggle. And your illustration was beautiful, that it can be just a patterning and that we don't have to react to that pattern. Thank you very much."

Daniel: "You are welcome."

B5: "Daniel, this is B5. This pattern that you speak of, is this the type of thing that creates chaos and problems in so many parts of our lives years after the fact; that so many of us have a really hard time dealing with, and don't really realize what the problem is?"

Daniel: "You're asking if it is necessary to identify the problem?"

B5: "Sort of. I guess what I am asking is..a lot of us in our past..things have happened that we feel shame or guilt over and thought we had dealt with them at the time. In many people years down the road, as it turns out, they start having problems in their lives and questions they are having a hard time answering, possibly because it stems from these things we haven't completely dealt with that we thought we had. Does that clarify any better?"

Daniel: "Question understood. It is not always possible for the individual to at all times deal with a problem, in that often times the whole picture of which we have spoken of frequently tonight, is not there for you. And there are still bits and pieces that you are carrying around and at some point in your life something will trigger and bring up another piece which you must then deal with. If you, in fact, have felt that you could handle or had dealt with the situation once, then hold it up as a goal for yourself that you can again handle and deal with it; that perhaps this, too, is nothing more than patterning, only the patterning has taken on a bit of a different shape; but it is still the pattern.

Often times when these situation arise, it is very easy for the individual to want to place blame or guilt on an outside situation. And in doing so, you are doing nothing more than feeding into the pattern. Once you realize a situation, when you realize the cause or its root, you have the choice of hanging on to it or letting go. And this is the underlying precept that you must realize; that no matter what has occurred, it can keep coming up for you and occurring if you allow it, but if you can see it as something that cannot hold on to you, you are better able to let it go. Reliving situations, rethinking it, hanging on to the thoughts only makes it more real. Recognizing that, yes, I have that thought again, but that thought cannot harm me unless I choose to dwell on it.

Because you have the mind that you do, the memories will always be there. But they are the memory; they aren't there now attacking you or doing whatever. Hanging on to the memory and continually gloating on it will only make this a barrier for you. Recognizing it as a memory, as something that at one time had potential, but no longer does, will stop you for a moment, but will over time allow you to move forward. Those who have long seated disequalibrium, disharmony, of course, have a greater challenge on their life's path. But, you see, challenge should be your friend and not your enemy. You are from the Father, you have the Father's Fragment within you, and when you believe you can overcome, so you shall! Does this help in any way?"

B5: "Yes, it helps very much. And I believe my question was well understood. Thank you, Daniel."

Daniel: "My friends. In the future we can perhaps discuss this more. For now this has been quite enough!!(laughter) Please take it upon yourselves this week and next to come to better terms with your being. Know the Father's love is with you. I will now go. My love and peace to you all. Good evening."

Group: "Good evening, Daniel. Thank you."

END