2015-07-16-Wonder of Equality
Lightline #473
Contents
• 1 Heading
o 1.1 Topic: Wonder of Equality
o 1.2 Group: Lightline TeaM
• 2 Facilitators
o 2.1 Teacher: Michael
o 2.2 TR: JL
• 3 Session
o 3.1 Opening
o 3.2 Lesson
o 3.3 Dialogue
o 3.4 Closing
Topic: Wonder of Equality
Group: Lightline TeaM
Facilitators
Teacher: Michael
TR: JL
Session
Opening
Dear Michael and Mother Spirit, we welcome you as we hope and try–with all of our hearts and minds–to open, and feel, and understand the meaning of what you have for us. Tonight I had some requests, Michael, for you to extend your talk on equality. Just what is it, because we are surrounded by, and even voluntarily welcome and accept, so many varieties of authority, power, and influence. These are all the ways from the most rigid military authority of rank that is demonstrated right on the collar or sleeve, but also the authority of position that extends down to small businesses. So we would welcome some more understanding about this “quality of equality”–if you would. Amen.
Lesson
MICHAEL: Good Evening, my children, this is Michael, and Mother Spirit and I accept your gracious welcome. This “quality of equality” is something that is so precious we have talked on it a few times now. Mother Spirit addressed the equality between the sexes by mentioning your beloved Urantia Book, where it says you can judge a civilization in a major way by the equality the sexes enjoy between and among themselves.
My last lesson was trying to broaden the scope of this precious quality because it means so much in terms of your soul wealth. Your soul is mostly filled with experiences of those others around you with whom you can have this sense of equality, because this enables you both to share so much. The conversation, if you will, is equally both ways and not just one person dominating the other.
The wonder of equality
This is what you will carry with you–these other people, these other soul/personalities you have been able to exchange so much with. They include even those momentary instantaneous touches of equality when passing a stranger on the sidewalk of a city–those shared glances of acknowledgment, acknowledging another, sending them good wishes and a touch of love, a touch of intimacy, and maybe a little smile. Think how that warms you and stays with you.
Tonight I would like to get into what you asked about, and that is the hierarchies of authority and power, sometimes even the prestige of position between folks. It’s how you can create, welcome, and offer equality within that hierarchy.
For this let me humbly repeat some wonderful political words that most of you are familiar with. They start out: “We hold these truths to be self evident. That all men are created equal, and they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. And among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It goes on to state that governments are formed to secure these rights, deriving their just power through the consent of the governed.
Self-evident truths?
So in a wonderful, democratic sense, this is how you can accept these various hierarchies all around you that you are involved with every single day of your life. Consider the single principle that you are confronted with, called unity of command. This is not only in a very rigid hierarchy like the military, but also in almost all human organizations. In order to get something done, all the people in an organization have to be arranged in such a way that they are not immediately bogged down in endless discussions, unless it is a debating society and that is their purpose. As you mentioned, even in a small business some one person has to make decisions that influence everybody.
One person has to have the authority commensurate with their responsibility. Who is responsible for running things, for making these decisions? Authority has to go hand and hand with this in order to achieve as near a perfect balance as possible. It is the recognition of this principle that leads to wonderful, peaceful cooperation and creativity.
Just as governments derive their just power from the consent of the governed, so in all your human institutions this other principle applies as well. This is another meaning of the word liberty–where people have the right and the authority within themselves to come and go, to accept or not accept the situation, or the position that is being offered. This is where the principle of equality comes in.
When certain truths are not self-evident
Because on one level certainly, this truth is not self-evident. Unfortunately at your stage of worldly civilization, there are whole societies and segments within societies where these truths are not self-evident at all. There are people living their entire lives, sometimes tragically cut short by others, where the opposite is self-evident. They experience and live with no power, no authority within themselves. The slightest assertion of their own individuality is ruthlessly suppressed. I’ll say again, as Mother Spirit and I have repeated so often: in the eyes of spirit, , this violence, or even the threat of it, is what is truly obscene. This is a greatest example of inequality.
Yet even in relatively free societies, there are those poor, so totally distracted souls who, in a group of people, feel as if they are barely there. On the other extreme, there are the supreme egotists who feel his or her presence so totally outweighs that of everybody else combined. Both these poor souls are lacking that inner spiritual home base that we’ve talked about. It’s the sense of themselves in connection with higher spirit, their Creator—as mentioned–who wishes them, and bestows upon them at least the possibility of unalienable rights–their very life, and their liberty and abilities to pursue happiness.
It is to these individuals that Mother Spirit and I address the possibility of a spiritual home base, a sense of self that is very distinct from what you call egomania. Rather it’s a sense of self that gives you a real humility of being in touch with that which is greater than you, and extends, wonderfully at times, to those whom you acknowledge are equal–in conversation, in joy, and fun, at play and in work.
How do you get this inner self-confidence, this ability to approach others with equanimity and be there for them, and yet not be overbearing? How do you achieve this living balance in which equality can come forth, and blossom, and souls can exchange their wealth?
Becoming personal
It starts with being alone with your Creator. It starts with being here and now–in this eternal now—with and for your unique self and your Creator. In other words: you choose to be. This decision is most directly achieved by what we call stillness meditation. Yet we realize that for many, when they first try to be still, it is almost the exact opposite. Instead of being here-and-now and feeling their existence, their life, it’s almost as if they disappear. When they are alone by themselves, it’s like no one is there.
This is where it takes the utmost courage and determination just to stick it out, just to be there in spite of seemingly no one there. It’s a little like God himself stirring around in the midst of nothing, and out comes a whole creation. Because there is the God-given personality of every single one of you, and of Mother Spirit and myself. And it’s your God-created personality that your Declaration of Independence addresses in those words I repeated tonight. This is what they are pointing at.
The origin of equality
This is what equality addresses–your God-given, God-created personality. Because obviously all the other aspects of your person—your body coming from your mother and father, your mind much the accident of whatever culture you were born into, that means so much to you and your soul experience: these are all unique and so various to each individual. Yet that all men and women are created equal? This is their personality. In your practice of being still, alone with yourself and your Creator, this is what comes forth. It’s you in your uniqueness, in your God-created origin, endowed with your own creative spirit co-creating your entire reality–this whole universe around you.
So you try for even five minutes, or ten minutes; and again; and something begins to be there. You begin to emerge because you are still, and little bit by little bit you’re getting your own independence from all the rest of your busy life. Something begins to develop, and this is you. This is where you begin to grow a sense of here-and-now, and experience equanimity with all around you, even with your own past and your own soul-wealth of experience. The past is the past because you are living in an eternal now that begins to emerge for you. You get to feel how this moment never happened before, and will never happen again.
This is your equanimity, and poise, and balance within your ongoing experience of life. Then you leave your stillness. You re-engage and become active. You rejoin the world of others. But now you are!—and you have something/someone to offer. With this inner security that you are, you can meet others without–as you know, yourselves–without “being too needy” is your expression. You have something to offer. Ironically, now you are voluntarily approaching and engaging others, you can have the supreme confidence to let yourself go. You can be totally there for them, and take them in. Feed your soul with this other person.
Let go yourself to take in another
This can only happen when you let yourself go, unafraid, because again and again and again, in the stillness being alone with your Father, and Mother Spirit and me, you have earned that confidence to lose yourself, and then reappear. This personal self-confidence is where the equality between people comes in, even in spite of all the other trappings of power, prestige, and position. For this is the essence of sharing your life with others. We can only pity those poor souls who get so caught up in their own position, or wealth, or power that they lose the ability to connect with others–equally.
This is what you learn: how to share your life and achieve the great wealth of equality that fills your soul with these other “little walking infinities”–as we call you. Cherish this quality that you can nurture and feel grow as you welcome all these others into your life. It is truly a gift of God’s that all men are created equal, and their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are truly unalienable. They cannot be alienated from you once you have earned this inner strength. So carry on, my children. Carry on in that pursuit of happiness that you can share with others. This is your gift to them. Now if you have any questions or comments this evening, this is what I enjoy.
Dialogue
Student #1: Michael, can you talk about worship?
Worship as appreciation
MICHAEL: Oh yes! Yes, my son–that is always another delight. As you know, this is one of those Spirit-and-Mind Adjutants of Mother Spirit’s, literally a dimension of her consciousness that gives a boost to your own mind and creative spirit. She gives a little boost right within you insofar as you are now living, and breathing, and thinking, and realizing your life right within her–her space presence.
We like to think the closest English word to “worship” would be “appreciation.” It is something that characterizes you as a human being, and not just the most intelligent of animals. They have their own kinds of joy and happiness, and things; but they don’t have true personalities like I talked on this evening—and how you can realize your own personality through stillness, to begin.
Worship is appreciating–first of all–that you have this life, and you can even grow some sense of freedom, of liberty. As I taught when I was among you, worship does not in any way have to be a kind of formal repetition. Rather, the spiritual community appreciates it most when it is just a kind of overflowing that you can’t help but express: just, “Dear Father, thank you. Thank you for me–thank you that I am!
The universe resounds at that joyous cry: “I am!” For in this you are most like your Father, most in his image. This realization can be conscious, and even self-conscious, and still be very genuinely humble. You can choose and decide to focus your worship towards another, and not only to God, our Universal Father, but in appreciation for all of his creation, of which you are an active, interpreting part. For you are co-creating all that you experience. All of that you experience is partly you, because no one else is right where you are my son, neither with your unique perception of things, nor your understanding of them.
What you can share with God
Your soul wealth of your entire life is being held sacrosanct by God himself within you, so just to be aware of all that you are and have been given is one of the most sincere forms of worship–to be conscious of all this, and appreciate it. Your appreciation is what the presence of God within you can also feel, for it is what the two of you can share. Because in this above all, my son, you are free. Worship is your free choice, and it is most appreciated by him. Does this give you some feeling for how we ourselves appreciate that little word called “worship?”
Student #1: That was excellent. Thank You.
MICHAEL: Be in my peace.
Student #2: I get the equality in democracy, but in the power of the people? I know it is qualified somewhat as the Urantia Book talks about governing on a neighboring planet. Can you talk more about the qualification of equality of the people in government?
The origin and basis of democracy
MICHAEL: Well yes, my son. This is why I talked tonight about people having some sense of themselves, and some sense of co-creating their own reality–what they themselves are creating. It’s a feeling of being endowed with creative spirit, and so, being able to respond to the situation around them–their response-ability. Their freedom relies upon their accepting this responsibility as a social creature, right?—being part of a society. It is upon each individual accepting this responsibility for the part they can play, because at first, freedom is only potential–until they act.
But once they act to–as you say–put their two cents in the game, they’re expressing their unique personality as it relates to all those around them. This is where it starts, this sense of individual responsibility. Then it’s taking those measures to insure that they have some voice, some say in their society. This is the essence of politics. This is the way people join together with folks of like mind so then, as a group, they can influence the general society around them.
Now in your Declaration of Independence, that is an ideal being expressed–the principle that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. For as history has shown, and as you look around your world today, there are other people you call tyrants who have and are, in a number of different ways, assuming an enormous amount of political power whose very essence is in suppressing and totally overriding the consent of the governed.
Always and forever up to the people
Human nature being such, tyrants will not give up their power voluntarily or they would not be where they are; they would not have spent their whole lives accumulating their power and position. It is only when the people themselves, clear to the point of laying their life on the line, demand that they can choose who is governing them. This has been the story of mankind from the very beginning, from the tribal stage right on up to the present, through all the revolutions over hundreds of thousands of years–from the tribal level clear up to your modern states.
It is only when the people themselves choose to exercise their power that you have what you call democracy. And now, of course, this is so dependent upon what you call a free press–the fourth estate–the freedom of expression–so captured in the First Amendment to your Constitution, that people can freely communicate and associate, get together to share ideas and influence their political life.
The origin and necessity of individuality
But it all starts with what I gave my lesson on this evening, on the sense of who you are, and what are your values. Then it’s how can you share these with others so that your voice can be heard. Does that give you a sense of the origin and the necessity of being individuals, to create a democracy?
Student #2: Oh yes. Thank you.
MICHAEL: : Be in my Peace.
Closing
MICHAEL: Well, my dear ones, if there are no more questions or comments, let me close this evening by emphasizing the quality of individuality in working towards those societies and political organizations that promote and encourage the full expression of each God-created reality–the uniqueness of each personality coming from him. Again: this was definitely an ideal being expressed–that these truths are self-evident to all. This was and remains a hope, in a way, like my Spirit of Truth, pointing towards a development over time.
The development of liberty
For it’s on into the future that this truth can grow and become self-evident to all, that all men and women are created equal. This is their personality, the unique individuality of each of you, of each of us. This is what I taught in my time among you, and what every authoritarian type of government, or organization, tries to suppress. It’s the inner failure of the tyrant to realize the glory of equality. These are poor, fear-driven souls who gained their position by such obscene acts of violence that they now live in fear of the very methods they employed.
A supreme spiritual irony
The supreme irony is to compare them with the humble person who lives a full life experiencing a boundless equality with all of his friends–all of her acquaintances–all that can be shared on a spiritual level. It’s the soul wealth that comes from the spontaneity in this kind of association. There are some supreme ironies here. You have to pity the poor egotist, the poor tyrant who has a tiger by the tail and has to live his fearful, driven life without truly knowing another straight across, soul to soul, by way of equality.
Keep growing
So, my dear ones, keep growing. Keep growing in your ability to forget yourselves and embrace, let in, experience, register others–straight across, equal to equal. This is the joy that has no boundary. This is the God-given delight.
Students: Thank you, Michael.
MICHAEL: I enjoy so much just being able to visit with you this way. I appreciate the intention in your minds and hearts. So: good evening, my dear ones. Be in my peace.
