2002-10-18-Stop Listening to Negativity, Listen to TA
Pocatello #230
Contents
• 1 Heading
o 1.1 Topic: Stop Listening to Negativity, Start Listening to TA
o 1.2 Group: Pocatello TeaM
• 2 Facilitators
o 2.1 Teacher: Daniel
o 2.2 TR: Bob S.
• 3 Session
o 3.1 Opening
o 3.2 Lesson
o 3.3 Closing
Topic: Stop Listening to Negativity, Start Listening to TA
Group: Pocatello TeaM
Facilitators
Teacher: Daniel
TR: Bob S.
Session
Opening
Unknown celestial (Bob S.): Listen to these words from a brother from afar. Shall we pray. To Him Who is able to keep you from falling, reach Your hand down to touch the lives of these, our younger brothers and sisters, who, in their immaturity fail to see all that is before them. We seek, oh God of all, Your words of wisdom, Your truths of the universe, Your example of examples, so that we may all one day be before You as personages who have accomplished all that You have set before us. Amen.
DANIEL: (Bill): Greetings, my friends. I am Daniel, your guide, your teacher, your friend, and your companion.
Lesson
DANIEL: Ah, indeed, is the mortal life a struggle on a planet such as this one, despite the fact that it is always an arena of difficulty for all spheres in all realms! You are stalwart students, my friends, for you persist to struggle with words which, while they make sense in your minds, do not always strike a resonant tone in your souls. But you haven’t tossed in the towel and turned and left the ring. You haven’t surrendered to the temptation of doubt, discouragement, depression, pessimism, or cynicism. Yes, I know that you are somewhat familiar with these moods, but, I say, you do not submit.
You are, indeed, an inspiration to many, not only among your friends and acquaintances, but to many high beings who observe the behavior of this group and others as you strain against the negativity of your culture to press forward and constantly increase your potential by displaying it in actual terms. You are like a runner who is running the marathon, and instead of slowing down as the miles fly by, you strain harder and continue to improve your time.
Thoughts were expressed tonight which made it clear to us that it is hard for you to accept encouragement, at times. Your self appraisal seems to disagree with the words of encouragement which come to you from your teachers and in particular, your Master Teacher, Michael. It is difficult to swim upstream against the currents which constantly buffet you and sap your strength. Your faith is tested when we tell you things that contradict what you really believe about yourselves. So we are back on familiar ground, my dears. We are back on the ground of the fundamental reality of God’s love as a Parent.
All of you, when you are parents, are a reflection in a dim mirror, as it were, of the Parental love of the First Source and Center. But even that dim reflection, the reality of love which you experience as a parent, is powerful and is of the same nature as our great Parent’s loving kindness. Think about how you feel toward your children.
When they err and make mistakes , is it your first instinct to condemn, to criticize, to sarcastically rebuke them? No, it is not your first instinct. Unfortunately, there have been parents who were not properly parented themselves who continue to share this discouragement mode. But it is not instinctual. It is learned. Your instinctual reaction is to admire your child, to understand that growth and progress inevitably involves making mistakes. Your instinctive reaction is to lift up the little child who has fallen in an attempt to walk and say, “It’s okay. You’re doing so good. Keep trying. You’ll get it.”
Your instinctive reaction is to be proud when your child masters a milestone, develops a courtesy of manner or begins to show altruistic inclinations as they grow older. Well, I could go on, but you know what I am saying. Our Father and our Mother are great Parents, having the same quality of encouraging love as you experience, only at unimaginably greater intensity and purity. You hear me say these things, you hear Michael describe his humanity, and yet you hear the conditioning of the culture which eagerly focuses on the mistakes of other people and makes headlines out of their sins and errors. So I say, my friends, it is like swimming upstream.
I know you all desire to love yourselves better. Yes, we all need to love ourselves in the same way that God loves us. Any person who admits to a mistake or even to sin and repents, that is, changes their mind and wants to go in a different direction, is completely supported and encouraged by God and His servants. There is no condemnation for mistakes or even for sin forsaken. None! The only tragedy is the person who does not repent, who does not turn around, going his or her own way into self oblivion and non-existence.
So, why do you struggle so much with this issue when there is an answer and a method to change your self appraisal from the shame and guilt consequent upon the Lucifer Rebellion and Calagastia debacle to an attitude which is of the same quality as the divine attitude of the Creator of all?
Yes, there is a way. In a manner of speaking, it is very simple! It entails “stop listening” and “start listening”. “Stop listening” to the negative messages of your culture. Limit your exposure to negativity. As much as possible, reduce it. Challenge, when you have to listen to this sort of thing, challenge the authenticity of the message. Ask yourself, “Is it really true that people are basically evil, born under a racial guilt? Is it really true that most people . .., etc?” Challenge those messages when the balance between good media presentations and negative ones are so heavily in favor of the negativity. Challenge them and ask yourselves whether this is the way most people live: killing others, cheating others, committing all of these acts that have caught the attention of the media.
But most effectively you need to start listening to your Thought Adjuster…and, yes, you can hear. Hearing is at several levels. For some it is just an unconscious impression, a very vague, on the edge of consciousness, sense of the value, beauty, and goodness of some person, situation, some concept. But as you grow spiritually those thoughts become more conscious and whole concepts come through with either visual impressions or possibly word by word communication.
I know that it scares some of you to think you could actually hear from your Thought Adjusters. But, after all, that has been our goal with you all along! To be able to hear a teacher is wonderful. But it is no more difficult to learn to hear your Indwelling Mystery Monitor, as I said, at several levels. No more difficult. Your reluctance, if you have it, could be due to the fact that there is always the possibility of fanaticism, of mistaking the voice of God for one’s own unconscious mind. Yes, this is a concern. At the same time it should not stop you from listening to the encouraging words. Again, we are talking around the general theme of stillness and where you focus your attention.
When Jesus had difficulties, (which he had virtually all the time), he did not consult with the opinion of the public. Instead, he retired to a private place where he was not disturbed and talked it over with God, his divine Adjuster. He learned that practice early in his childhood and he carried that on throughout his life. It is simply a fact…that if you ask, you shall receive! If you knock, the door will be opened. If you truly desire to do God’s will (and I know you all do) then trust that you will get the guidance, however that comes to you, so that you will be doing God’s will. Jesus had so much confidence in people because he had the same mind as God the Father. He had the confidence that a parent has in their child; and when he exuded that supportive confidence to people, they felt it. They knew it! They knew they could do what this man said they could do. They knew his estimate of their ability was more accurate than their own.
I suppose I sound like a coach before a game, trying to pump you up and get you to believe that you can win. Well, if I do, so be it! Only this is not a mere football game. This is reality. We are not “playing” here. We are living. I am not putting medicine into your mouth laced with sugar. (Maybe I am putting medicine into your souls, but it is not artificially sweetened).
I tell you the truth. No one who gets up after they fall and keeps on walking is ever criticized, demeaned, or put down. Everyone who strives forward is cheered on by an innumerable host, invisible to your eyes, but nevertheless surrounding you. Haven’t you felt at times that you were not alone; that the room was filled with encouragement? At some point haven’t you had that experience? When the writer of Hebrews
[Ed. Note: The New Testament letter of Hebrews] said that we are surrounded by an innumerable host, he meant just what he said. He was right in that regard. You are surrounded by innumerable hosts. This room is filled like an auditorium during a sporting event. The bleachers are crammed! They are all cheering for you, my friends. They know you will win the race. You will become the victors over all the difficulties that you struggle with.
Closing
DANIEL: I desire to close this time without questions and have you repeat in unison the Serenity Prayer. Let us conclude our meeting.
All: God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.
