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RAF9310- The Teaching Mission Teachers – Part II – The Lessons P-R

1993-01-01. The Teaching Mission Teachers – Part II – The Lessons P-R

PART II

THE LESSONS:    


PAIN

Q:       Is your continued ability to experience pain an aid to your growth and development at your stage in the mansion worlds and in your work here on the planet with us mortals?

RAYSON:        I do not care for pain anymore than you do, and yet Father does not waste. He does not create anything without purpose. I believe that the pain that I still experience is partly a reminder that I am still part animal in my nature and that it serves as a continued reminder to me that I have very, very far to go.

It is said that once the journey to Paradise has been completed, there is no more pain as we know it. Whether being in the presence of God obliterates the pain or you have already achieved a condition in which you do not any longer experience pain prior to your audience with Father is not clear to me, but I can tell you that I believe I sense less pain now than when I was a material being on my planet of origin.

Q:       Rayson, are we talking about physical pain or emotional pain, and does everybody experience that when they leave this planet?

RAYSON:        Do you mean physical death?

Q:  Yes.

RAYSON:     For some, death is not painful at all. Do you wish to rephrase the question, or would you like me to elaborate on death itself?

S2:      I believe the question was whether or not you felt pain after you left this life, at the next stage of existence. Is that correct?

Q:       Yes. And is it physical or emotional pain we’re talking about?

RAYSON:        Most of the pain that you experience in your present state is a composite of physical discomfort which is contributed to by emotional anguish based on frustration of animal drives and spirit longing. As you grow in your spiritual development, the former will decrease in their contribution and the latter will increase proportionately. However, spirit longing is a different sort of feeling than physical pain as you know it. Have you not ever had the sense of your own incompleteness?

S: Many times.

RAYSON:    That is something like spiritual pain or longing. It can be very uncomfortable, can it not?

Q:  Yes.

RAYSON:    And yet you would not characterize it as the same thing as, for example, suffering a cut or a broken bone, would you?

S:        True. Right.

RAYSON:        What do you think is the difference?

S:        I’m not sure how to answer that. It seems to me one’s more emotional, and the other’s more physical.

RAYSON:        You think the spiritual pain is physical?

S:        Well, ok, one’s more spiritual and one’s more physical then.

RAYSON:        Does anyone else have a comment?

S2:      Well, I would think that the physical pain is carried to the brain through the nervous system, and the emotional pain is not located in any particular place, but is carried to the conscience by the psyche perhaps, something of that nature.

RAYSON:        And the spiritual?

S2:      The Bible talks about spiritual groanings and longings which I think that we all have. We do not identify that as pain. Perhaps it is pain, but I have not thought of it as being pain. It’s simply an unfulfilled, deep longing, a hunger for –

Q:       Are both physical and emotional pain rooted with spiritual undertones? I remember reading of Jesus and His comments to afflicted people experiencing pain, both emotional and physical. Many times their faith would be the healing factor of overcoming both emotional and physical pains and longings.

RAYSON:        Your faith will help not only in subduing the discomfort you experience from the physical and the mental but will also help greatly to allay the discomfort of spiritual longings. When I speak of pain myself, I speak more of my own sense of imperfection, my imperfection, for I am in company with perfect creatures who do not know this feeling that we speak of and, like yourselves, I compare myself to them, as you would compare to another.

Q:       Is there an element of sadness then that is part of the sense of pain, a sadness at one’s own imperfection?

RAYSON:        Yes, you could say that. And yet I have had enough mota lessons to know logically that it is a wonderful endowment to be imperfect.

Q:       Rayson, is pain a positive thing in the sense that it contributes to the striving for perfection?

RAYSON:        Some say that is the reason for its existence. Animals certainly experience pain and you know that we are evolved from animal. I can honestly say that I do not fully understand all of God’s reasoning for endowing us with pain, but He is perfect, and His plan is perfect. So it is placed with a perfect motive, and what you suggest may very well be part of that motive.

Q: I have been under the impression that physical pain was the device by which we’re notified that something is physically wrong so we can correct it. Is spiritual pain the device by which we’re notified of things that are spiritually wrong, so we can correct them?

RAYSON:        Yes, but it is more than that, for you need not have acted in error in order to experience spiritual pain. Your action at any given time may be in accord with God’s wishes, and yet you may still have pain.

Q:       Is an example of that the feeling that Jesus had before the crisis at Capernaum when He isolated Himself from His apostles and was apparently in great agony before He voluntarily submitted Himself to the embarrassment, I should say, of having His own people reject Him?

RAYSON:        He was also torn by a great turmoil related to the trial of Lucifer, for His life on Urantia as you know was a key argument presented to the Ancients of Days against the rebuttals of Lucifer in his own defense. So Jesus, the man, at the time – He was fully aware of His complete identity and purpose – experienced far, far more pain than any Urantia mortal has ever been subjected to, or most likely could ever withstand, and yet remained alive physically.

S:        I’m amazed. I didn’t realize that the life of Jesus had been presented to the court of the Ancients  of Days in the trial of Lucifer, Gabriel vs Lucifer. That is an amazing concept. I certainly agree with you. I see now how it had to be, but I hadn’t even thought of that before.

RAYSON:        Yes, it is somewhat different from your own legal practice.

S:        It’s difficult for us, with our limited knowledge of Jesus’ life from the writings we have on our planet, to picture fully all the things that He was doing in the latter part of His life on earth. He was helping to govern the planet, helping to deal with the rebellion, and still carrying out His Father’s mission here to help us understand Father and Father to understand us. It’s a marvel that He could do it all.

RAYSON:        Yes, it is one of the wonderful mysteries of the cosmos. As Urantia evolves and its peoples advance in their evolution, there will be yet more revelations. It is likely that when this planet enters light and life, a day by day, almost hour-by-hour account, of the life of Jesus will be available to all for review.

S:        I’m anxious to review it. (01/02/94)

*********************


PATIENCE

RAYSON:        Since we have a somewhat smaller group than usual, we can be a bit more intimate in our discussion which will probably be to your liking.

Patience. This is a topic which will be reinforced from time to time because the engineers of this teaching mission are very keenly aware that there is great trial and tribulation in your existence on Urantia at the present time. Not only have you to deal with the residual of the rebellion, but there is also going to be a certain amount of turmoil among the masses due to the reestablishment of the universe circuits and the intermittent upstepping of the power of the transmissions. Those who are less well-prepared than yourselves will find themselves to be more irritable, more easily agitated than had been the case in past.

This is because their Thought Adjusters will respond to the increasing signal by attempting stronger, stronger, efforts within, and the mind of the given being set in certain animal ways that – not necessarily defeat, but make it more difficult for the Thought Adjusters cooperative efforts to proceed – will set up a turmoil within the conscious mind.

To restate this, those humans on Urantia who have not been working in concert with the Mystery Monitor within up until recent months will be the ones who become somewhat unstable and this in turn may lead to some social repercussions and the appearance, at least, of social destabilization.

But do not be alarmed, my friends, because this is only a temporary situation. Remember that no change is wrought in the cosmos without some rearrangement of existing structures, whatever they may be, and at times it is necessary to eliminate old and no longer necessary forms. With the upstepping of the energy of transmission, the social destabilization that results will ultimately lead to this end, that is,       mankind on Urantia will be one step closer to light and life when all the dust settles. How long this will take I do not know.

How can you best get through this period? That is where patience comes in. Remember again the life of Jesus on this planet, the model of patience. Your religionists have attempted to persuade their followers that by following Jesus’s example one would be enabled to have a life without fear, without material worry, indeed some have promised great wealth and total freedom from worry, pain, violence. Of course, you know this is not true. Recall the manner in which Jesus died on Urantia, if you need any reminders. But He died without fear. And He died with his faith intact, His manly faith as opposed to His spiritual knowledge because of His awareness of His identity. And most of all He patiently bore all that occurred.

If the Son of God and the Son of man could be patient and endure a period of life in the flesh on Urantia, then this is, or can be, of much comfort to you. And when you one day meet Michael of Nebadon and are privileged to share with Him your memories of life on Urantia, the patience with which you bore        your own personal tribulations will be a very special thing, a shining facet. To think that you could have that in common with a Creator Son is marvelous indeed, is it not?

One cannot have patience dwelling in mortal form without faith. You may think that your faith is shaky, but it is not. It may grow faster now, slower then, and this may be what contributes to the sense of shakiness. But it is not shaky, not at all. Remember your faith, your knowledge that there are many, many beings here observing, many helping, and that you are much loved. And remember also that this material form is but a passing thing, but an embryonic stage in your lifetime as a being in the cosmos.

I know that the increments of time in your lives seem so long. This was true for me also. But they are so very brief on the scale of the universes, barely discernible even to those in the mansion worlds. When you hear of individuals who have existed for 10,000 years or 25,000 years or more, this may seem incredible to you. But it is such a small time. If you compare your minutes and hours and years against a childhood lasting 50,000 years and an adulthood that goes on for eternity, it may give you some idea of the time scope of spirit life.

Remember this, my friends, when you are pressed and your animal origins strive to come to surface, remember that what happened to you in the last week or month or decade has only just occurred on the scope of universal time, and will be totally resolved and forgotten by the same criteria. As I mentioned  in our last lesson, the reality of material life is very real to you – as it must be in your present form – but  it is not a reality that you will continue to maintain when you pass on to your next form and the ones beyond. It will be very much like your time in the womb is to you now. Do you even remember that? Do the events of that 40 week period touch you now in a conscious way? So too with your present life.

And let me assure that when you were in the womb you had an awareness of sorts, also, an awareness that was as real to you then as this awareness is to you now. But you survived that period of preparation and you shall survive this one as well. You can compensate for deficiencies in the womb, if you survive to parturition. And you can compensate for deficiencies in the flesh, if you survive to death, speaking of spiritual survival, of course.

But would you not like to reach the moment of your death as well-prepared as possible for the next step beyond? So be patient. Stand by your faith and remember that Father in Paradise loves you, loved you enough to create you, loves you enough to send you these lessons and to provide helpers for you, and to have a plan for your work in the cosmos beyond, so that you can be a true living extension of Paradise now and forever.  This concludes our lesson today. I will take questions now.

S:        Thank you, Rayson. I’ve been impressed with your lesson on patience. It’s very appropriate at the present time. When the Gods decided to embark upon the grand adventure of time and space, they used both simultaneously, and all things – all physical things – require time. Just as an acorn cannot become an oak instantaneously, so do many of our experiences require time to play themselves out. Is that correct?

RAYSON:        Yes. There are many fascinating things about time, much of which is inconceivable to you because of your present form and capacity for perception. But what you say is true within the limits of material life, yes. And since the time, as you say, must play out, patience is a useful, a helpful adjunct. Do you not agree?

S:        Yes, I certainly agree. Patience is the antidote to the creature’s argument with the Creator about the time it takes to do things. Maybe we should yield to the Creator’s will instead of wanting to argue with it.

RAYSON:        That is stated most interestingly, yes. One could say, to put it in terms that you would understand, it is as if you are in your vehicle riding along a road toward a destination, and you must drive to reach the destination. There are no exits, no stops. You could park your car and scream at the skies, sleep, eat. This would not enable you to proceed, would it?

S: No.

RAYSON:   Or you can get in your car and drive crazily over the road, zigzagging, speeding, becoming a nuisance to others, causing damage. You will eventually reach your destination, but in what condition and with what consequences. Is it not easier to simply drive on the path that has been laid down for you, taking care not to harm others, showing kindness, and being patient despite the seemingly endless length of the journey?

It is not endless. You can see the destination. Death is a certainty, not to be dreaded nor necessarily embraced, but simply to be accepted as a marker of one’s moving on to the next stage. Do you want your car to be in good working condition when you reach that destination? That is what patience enables you to accomplish. So much of the work done on mansion world number one is body shop work, to continue the analogy.

And yes, you have eternity stretching before you. But when you have a greater awareness of spirit life and destiny, you will not welcome time in detainment for rehabilitation purposes. And if you have not learned patience by this time, you most certainly will for the period required. It could take as long as 10,000 years, more than the lifetime of any man on Urantia.

Actions have consequences, and consequences can stretch far, far beyond. Because of this at each stage in your existence you will be tested for your judgment, your faith, courage, goodness, love, honesty, because as you progress toward Paradise with each step you take toward Father your power to do harm increases, also. Do you understand? (I think I do.)

Even in this mortal existence on Urantia you have significant power in the spirit terms. Father would never allow you to move forward, crashing and burning, so you either rehabilitate yourselves now or later. It is your choice.

Yes, there is an escape from this, you can simply will it to be. You can will your Thought Adjuster to leave, and when you die in the flesh, it will be as if you had never been. Yes, there is an escape. You can pull off the road, puncture your tires, rip out your engine, and walk away, the liberty that Lucifer referred to. Indeed, he elected to do this himself.

S:        Rayson, when you were talking about driving I thought about the times that I’ve driven across the country with my children in the car, and how many times they asked, “Daddy, are we there yet? How much time’s it going to be?” Human beings are like children in the car crossing the country. We always want the answer. We have faith that we’re going to get there, but we really want to do it all at once. I appreciate the illustration.

RAYSON:        That is an apt analogy, and did the children not pester you for goodies along the path? (Absolutely.) So that they could reach the destination with rotted teeth and obesity.

S:        You said there is more turbulence due to the Thought Adjuster responding to increased signal and attempting stronger efforts within the minds of humans. Is the turbulence due to the resistance that the individual has to that Thought Adjuster or just…

RAYSON:        Yes, that is one way of putting it. The animal part does not seek spirit goals. Because it does not seek and does not understand when it is drawn away from animal strivings for food, sex and survival, the animal will seek to continue in quest of these three goals of its own rather than expend energy and time on other strivings. Does that help?

S:        Yes. What I can do to in my interactions with persons who have resistance to their Thought Adjuster and are making that known in their behavior? I understand that the lesson states that patience is the answer, but I’m wondering if patience means simply accepting where they’re at, the particular point they’re at on that road with their car? Or if they’re tailgating me, should I pull over? I mean, I don’t   know. Should I try to help them or simply be accepting of where they’re at and pay attention to my own path?

RAYSON:        You have very good intentions, and you earnestly wish to help. The greatest service you can render to your fellows however is to refrain from spirit persuasion. They have helpers, spirit helpers, who will guide them if they seek such guidance. The best you can do is to be kind, patient, like Jesus. How would Jesus handle a tailgater? Can you imagine that?

S:        It’s difficult to imagine in a way. I mean I don’t think of Him as being in a car.

RAYSON:        He was baited, harassed. How did He deal with that? He turned the other cheek, did He not?

S: He did turn the other cheek. That’s always been a phrase that I wonder if it’s to be interpreted literally. Does it means go ahead and let somebody continue to bait you or whatever? Or does it just mean that you don’t resist? I have a hard time articulating my question. I’m not sure what it means to turn the other cheek. Does that mean put myself in harm’s way?

RAYSON:        No, no, not at all.

S:        Or remain in harm’s way, if I’m there?

RAYSON:        Jesus in His dealings with men gave recognition to good when He encountered it and was indifferent to bad. (OK.) No, He did not put Himself in harm’s way. Now you may say “What about the crucifixion?” The crucifixion was allowed to happen for reasons that go far beyond Urantia itself and have to do with administrative matters. As ghastly as it was, much good came of it at the cosmic level. However there has been enormous confusion on Urantia since then, particularly among religionists, as to the significance of the crucifixion.

S:        Right, atonement and all that, that confusion.

RAYSON:        It has played into pre-existing pagan beliefs about human sacrifice and buying the favor of God and so on. These are not valid to the actual situation, however. Father’s Son certainly would not wish to remain on a world where He was not welcome by the established form of culture, and although He carefully selected His earthly home, and it was indeed the best of what was available, still it had flaws, as your own culture has flaws. And who can say but that a similar thing might not happen today? Or worse?

S:        With respect to turning cheeks, I remember a passage in the Urantia Book where Jesus remonstrated with an apostle, I think it was Nathaniel, for asking a question which he took literally, something which was given as a spiritual example. And He indicated that the apostles should look for  the spiritual meaning rather than physical meanings of His illustrations. I think that answers the question of turning the other cheek or walking the second mile. Look for its spiritual content and not its physical content.

S2: Right.

RAYSON:        Yes. There is no need for you to become a martyr. That is not in your best interests spiritually certainly, and it gains you nothing materially.

S:        It’s not in my character anyway, so that’s good.

RAYSON:        Remember again, my friends that spirit growth in man does not occur by virtue of outside influence, material outside influence. It cannot be forced, persuaded, bought or arranged in any way by another being. It is and always shall be a matter of an individual decision to accept and work with the indwelling Thought Adjuster. There is every example imaginable of this happening in the face of love, kindness, terrible cruelty and torture, enormous handicap and great wealth. There is no easy formula that you can follow to influence your fellows. You must lead your own personal life as you, in contact with your Adjuster and your own sense of universe message, deem appropriate. You are responsible for yourself while on this planet, and by conducting yourself as Jesus did you will be doing the most that  you can do to positively affect this planet and your fellow beings. I know that this is hard for you as it was for me.

One asks but is there not more that I can do. Please, please tell me where can I spread my wealth? How can I spend my time? Who can I speak to? What can I do? It must be more complicated than that. Well, the material acts of giving, speaking, doing, while well-intentioned are not the way to influence spirit growth and actually are far easier than working on one’s self. As you endeavor to lead your life truthfully, kindly, with love and goodness, your example will be observed by one and all, and your light will be perceived at least by the Thought Adjuster of others, if not by their conscious minds, and there will be a deep awareness of your goodness and your courage and faith. It requires great patience to persevere in this way. Have faith. But consider the lighthouse. It does not go to ships, swim across waves. It faithfully turns. And as the lighthouse mechanism turns, the searchlight flashes across the waters, through the air rendering service to one and all who perceive its brightness. Be like the lighthouse, my dear. Does that help?

S:        Yes. Thank you. It’s a beautiful image. It does help indeed.

I ask for your comment on something that, since it is a small group I feel I can bring this up. When I was a small child, I had a recurring dream of people behind the wall. There was, in the dream, a circle of people behind the wall. They all seemed very kindly and as though they were conferring together and interested in my safety. I guess, I don’t know. I remember that I slept in an upper room in the house, and in my mind-picture of that dream they were located behind the wall of this upper room. And it was always a little startling but not really frightening. And the memory of that dream has stayed with me all my life. I’m about to be 40, and it’s just in the last few years it occurred to me that perhaps that was, on some level, an awareness of ministering spirits. Can you comment on that?

RAYSON:        The most that I can tell you is that dream life does sometime manifest perception of your indwelling Thought Adjuster, and that may well have been the case in the instance you refer to, Certainly the ones who are there to help you in your spirit growth and development could fit the description that you offer, benevolent, attendance, not frightening to one with faith. There have been ones on Urantia who have been very fearful of such perception, and this certainly has contributed to much of your lore about ghosts and demons and so on. Does that help?

S:        Yes. Thank you. As an adult I’ve looked at that dream as a metaphor because, since they are behind the wall, the wall could be the physical realm. And ministering spirits are beyond that wall of material existence. Anyway, it was just a little personal story I thought I’d share with you, Rayson.

RAYSON:        Thank you.

S:        Rayson, would you address the relationship between patience and faith. I know that an acorn can become an oak with the passing of time without its having faith that it will. Children crossing the country will ultimately get where they’re going without having faith that they’ll get there. I think that  faith is more identified with the goal and with the certainly of it, the existence of the goal. But I’m not sure about that. Would you address the relationship between faith and patience?

RAYSON:        Yes, although this is material that can be turned into a complete separate lesson or two. To revert to your analogy again, the children must have an element of faith to remain in the car. Were they to abandon the car, they would not reach the goal. Would they? (No.) So it is, at some level, an article of faith that keeps them in their seats. Is that right? (Yes.) Even if they are not particularly patient about the trip.

S:  Yes.

RAYSON:   So it is with your journey at present. You may leave the car at any time. And if you become sufficiently impatient, despite a glimmering of faith, your animal urges may become so strong that you will elect to do so, that is, leave the path forever. Faith and patience are both spirit qualities that, once started in development, continue to grow with continued exercise like a muscle we could say.

Faith is the certain knowledge on the part of, in this case, an imperfectly created being, that God exists,  is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving. And an important element of faith is that it is entered into without direct perceptual input, that is, you have not seen God, you have not heard God, you have not with your fingertips or your other body parts felt God, and yet you know that there is God.

S:  Yes.

RAYSON:    That is your faith. You know it beyond a shadow of a doubt, do you not?

S:  Yes.

S2:      Yes, but paradoxically, not intellectually.

RAYSON:        Well, faith is not an intellectual construct. And intellect, although it can be very sophisticated and clever, is still an outworking of animal mind. It can indeed benefit much from spirit mind and can become higher mind thought because of this, but do not be deceived. All the grand words and ideas are still of animal origin.

S:        That’s a very good point.

RAYSON:        That is why so many high intellectuals lack faith, perhaps. Remember that Jesus said that cleverness was not the same as spirituality.

S:  Thank you.  I would like to suggest that even an atheist has faith that there is no God.

S2:      That’s right. I’ve always maintained that myself.

RAYSON:        Many who call themselves atheists are actually anti-religionists who have great and strong faith in God but object strenuously to the intellectualization of pagan religious practices, and therefore call themselves atheists when what they actually mean is that they protest forms of organized religion. If one were truly, truly an atheist, lacking all faith whatsoever, one would be iniquitous. Is that not true?

S2:  Yes.

S2:      Well, that is the argument that some professed atheists disclaim. They say that it isn’t necessary for them to believe in a higher power in order to be humane. They say that it is of the utmost  importance, since they believe that this is their only existence, that they live and let live, or so I’ve heard some say.

RAYSON:        Spirit lead behavior is not possible in an imperfectly created being without faith. And though it be denied, you can be certain that what you call humane behavior has a basis in spirit leading and Adjuster input.

S:      I think that it does as well. It’s just the argument that I’ve heard. It’s almost as though there’s an ego issue there, that one will not give credit to some higher power for one’s goodness. This is just me. That’s how it feels.

RAYSON:        Yes, again, the battle between intellect and spirit. To get back to the original question which was the difference between faith and patience. Patience is more like a form of what you call discipline. It is the strength and courage based on your faith of Father’s existence and benevolence to restrain from acting, to restrain from protesting, and to accept certain situations for what they are. One can have patience without faith in the animal sense. Think of the animal that waits for long hours in freezing weather for its prey. But one cannot have patience with situations that require spirit-driven behavior, kindness, goodness, love, truth, without faith in God. The wolf who waits for the rabbit is not playing out the time in good behavior. Is he?

S:  No.

RAYSON:    But the one who drives a car and continues to be courteous and thoughtful in his behavior despite honking and discourtesy from a fellow driver is displaying patience. Is that so?

S:  Yes.

RAYSON:    His behavior is spirit lead. There can be faith without patience, but the combination (of faith and impatience) ultimately can lead to very, to unfortunate ends. Remember that Lucifer was faithful once.

S:        That’s right.

RAYSON:        And do you recall he lacked patience. Is that so?

S:  Right.

RAYSON:    So as you work on your faith, please attempt to strive for patience, also. It does not help to develop one muscle without learning to use it properly. Does that help?

S:        Yes, yes. It helps. (10/23/93)

*********************


PERFECTION

RAYSON:   Today I shall speak on perfection and imperfection, for I sense that the time has come to give consideration to this important and unifying concept. It has been said that this area of perfection and its counterpart, imperfection, causes more frustration, pain, and time delay in spiritual progress than any other area of consideration in the education of imperfectly created beings. Indeed, I myself continue to wrestle with this topic, and it was the lever, if you will, that was used so adroitly by Lucifer to draw support to his rebellion. He correctly perceived that the subject of perfection and imperfection in the universe is an area of much misunderstanding that begets highly emotional responses from not only beings of imperfect creation but also the equivalent of emotional response from beings created perfect. Indeed, you will spend well over a million years of your existence learning and struggling with this concept and still will not have a complete knowledge of it.

So what is perfect then? Perfect is Father. Perfect is the Trinity and all that emanates there from, unless   it be deliberately created with imperfect potential. For they cannot do otherwise than to create perfect, except by most careful and deliberate engineering. You may be interested to know that the Most Highs considered it to be a major breakthrough in the creation plan when the first imperfect creation was made. That may even seem absurd to you, but the devising of imperfection by the Most Highs was a grand step forward in the history of the cosmos and the unfolding of future, present, and past time potentials over all that is.

So then what is imperfection? Ah, this is a far more difficult definition, for me especially, because like yourselves I do not have a complete knowledge of the perfect and the imperfect, however I will give my humble best of my own knowledge of what imperfection is. Imperfection, as I understand it, is that capacity to make a choice between behaving in the fashion set forth by Father and the Most Highs, or not. That which is not consistent with Father’s plan is said to be imperfect.

For example, the behavior of Lucifer was imperfect, and yet you may ask was not Lucifer a perfectly created being? It remains for me a mystery as to how Lucifer, said to be a perfectly created being, was able to behave in such an entirely imperfect fashion. But perhaps the lack in my comprehension is due to my own imperfection, and it is important for you too, my friends, to understand that having been created imperfect you will necessarily have gaps in your understanding of the cosmic plan.

When we are created imperfect, you and I, much is given to us. Again a paradox perhaps, but it is not every being in the cosmos that has the capacity to choose other than Father’s way. However, because we have that ability, we are in ways that I certainly do not understand deprived of other abilities that generally accrue to perfectly created beings, such as understanding the nature of the cosmos in certain ways.

We imperfect beings must learn so much that comes innately to the perfect, however my understanding also is that because of our innate imperfection we are able to serve as co-creators with the Most Highs in unique capacities that are not available to our perfect counterparts. We serve as scouts, if you will, into certain areas of what is that cannot be reached by the perfect beings of creation, and for some reason that I do not understand and may never understand, this ability of ours is required for the ultimate settlement of the outer universes.

Has it not puzzled you that the outer universes are not yet settled? I know that it has perplexed me, and yet that is the condition at present. There is so much to discuss about perfection and imperfection, but what I have given you so far I believe is quite enough for one sitting and is ample information for discussion, so I shall pause at this point and receive questions and comments.

Q:       Rayson, thank you for a very provocative presentation of the question of perfection and imperfection. The Urantia Book says that Havona and all of the personalities within it are created perfect. Is that not correct?

RAYSON:        Yes, aside from beings of mortal creation who are passing through?

Q:       The creation of the universes of time and space was, according to the Urantia Book and according to my thinking, for the very purpose of allowing imperfections to exist. Was it not?

RAYSON:        Yes, in part.

Q:       At least the purposes that we’re concerned with, there may have been other purposes that I don’t know about.

RAYSON:        Yes, the purposes of Father, of course, are never wholly known to us.

Q:       So the universes of time and space were created with the possibility of evil existing in creatures that get further and further away from Havona and from the Original Source of the Father. One definition of imperfection is the possibility of evil, is it not?

RAYSON:        Yes.

Q:       And although it is not necessary that any created personality actually do evil, they are created imperfect in the sense that they can do evil. Is that not correct?

RAYSON:        Yes. They have the choice, unlike their perfect counterparts.

Q:       So the concept of freewill creatures then entails the ability to do or not do the will of the Father which we would describe as being imperfect. Is that not correct?

RAYSON:  Yes.

Q:  And it is only through this plan of having imperfect creatures choose to do the will of the Father that we create the Supreme, that we create our own soul. Is that not correct?

RAYSON:        You personally did not create your own soul.

Q:       We co-created this.

RAYSON:        Yes, you permit its presence by your choices. That would qualify as co-creation.

Q:       And it grows in the sense of being born again. Does it not?

RAYSON:        I would not use that term because of other connotations in your culture that are erroneous.

Q:       Yet it was the very essence of Jesus’ teaching to Nicodemus that you must be born again.

RAYSON:        That is true, but the idiomatic use of that phrase at present in your culture reflects an incorrect understanding of Jesus’ intent when He uttered it originally.

Q:  I presume that some people think of being born again in those terms, but I prefer to think of it as being as Jesus taught it. And I think that those who are familiar with the Urantia Book feel comfortable with that language.

RAYSON:        Yes, my friend, but remember that in future times our present discussions will be reviewed most critically by some who are not friendly to our cause nor to the Urantia Book, so we must be most cautious in our use of language in these recorded discussions.

Q:       You’re very wise in looking ahead to others unfriendly. I wasn’t thinking in those terms. I apologize.

RAYSON:        But consider this. Is it not a lovely plan for Father to create beings who are imperfect and yet are born, live and progress in the continual presence of God with choice potential for the ultimate purpose  of settling an area which is entirely bereft of God’s presence. Have you not ever wondered why it is that all beings of mortal birth have such strong pioneering instincts, such an urge to go into the wilderness where none have been before? Has that not ever intrigued you?

S:        I think it probably has intrigued me because I feel that urge and have felt it.

RAYSON:  Yes.

S:   I think it’s a creative urge, however.

RAYSON:        Well, yes. It certainly is, but it is notably absent in beings of perfect creation.

S:        I never thought of that.

RAYSON:        And yet you will see it in animals. This is certainly something very interesting to think about.

S:        Yes, I think animals are controlled by the adjutant mind spirits, the first five certainly lead in that direction.

RAYSON:        Yes. The continuing presence of God, but, ah, how different it may be once you have journeyed to Paradise to strike out into the void. It may be most familiar to you, having lived in your present material form in a planet subject to rebellion and severance of the universe circuits, but, of course, you will not be abandoned ever again. Nor will you strike out into that void without much connection to Paradise which is comforting to us. We will be most thoroughly tested and most expertly prepared before we take our space walk.

S:        To answer your original question, I certainly do find it thrilling to participate with the Deity in the creation of something from nothing, to give Him experiences in overcoming evil, to worship Him because of His own beauty instead of because I was created perfect to do so. All of these are very thrilling to me.

RAYSON:        Yes. Do you not see how easy it would be for a Lucifer to subvert the entire outer universe?

S: Lucifer chose the correct key to potential success in appealing to the ego of the personality of the individual, and I’m certainly glad that he was isolated and his arguments were not heard beyond his area of influence.

RAYSON:        Yes. In the ascension career of you, as an imperfect creature, it will be certified beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will not become a Lucifer.

Q:        Rayson, I’ve forgotten already, this discussion is so fascinating, did you say it was the Ancients of Days that were so awed and marveled so much at the success in creating imperfection, the potential for imperfection, or beings with that potential?

RAYSON:        They were awed, as were all the Most Highs, for there had been long-standing discussion regarding the impossibility of such happening, and yet all knew that God would do what He set about.

Q:       Following up on that, would you say that even though they saw the potential for evil and other distractions in the plan of the Father, they were like our modern scientists when they discover something destructive? The breakthrough in the scientific creation was so much of a triumph that they appreciated   it for the triumph of creating something new rather than worrying about the consequences of what would follow from that.

RAYSON:        Well, you are correct in part, but you will learn later about the age-long commentaries regarding potential adverse outcomes stemming from the creation of imperfect beings, and indeed some of the predictions made in those commentaries have come to pass. But the universes still exist, and experience of adversity, even for God, is conducive to growth.

S:        It’s interesting to think of the Father as growing. We think of Father as being all already.

RAYSON:        But you yourself are one measure of His growth in your ascension career.

S:        Interestingly enough I’m grateful for being created an imperfect being because I’m enjoying this experience. Its greater glory to Father is that we can choose, and will choose, to do His will.

RAYSON:        Yes. Lucifer was much jealous of the imperfectly created being and yearned sincerely that he had been so himself. This is helpful in understanding why he behaved as he did.

S:        In your studies, has something of the settlement of the unoccupied spaces been presented to you? Or do you still have the limited knowledge that we do about finaliters being able to help settle these areas. It is a fascinating challenge, something I would very much like to participate in, a new experience. It is part of the goal of reaching Paradise. Besides, trying to give Father one more triumph is that one could qualify to do this. I sense in you an anticipation of this activity.

RAYSON:        Yes. Yes, you are right. My knowledge is only slightly more than yours regarding this area, and as we have mentioned in recent discussions, there is much, very much work ahead for all of us. This is not an undertaking for the lazy. It will be arduous, sometimes painful, but very much real and rewarding to the one who enjoys being productive and participating in Father’s plan. Any who feel differently will not progress, and you could call an attitude of that sort evil and be correct.

Q:        Rayson, I have an idea about imperfection that I’d like to check out with you. In order for Father to be everything, universal, inside of the concept of universal is imperfection because that is something. But He’s also a perfect being. So, in order to personally experience imperfection, He placed a part of

Himself inside of us imperfect beings. He could experience imperfection and sort of be along for the ride as we make our way back to Paradise. Is this correct?

RAYSON:        Yes, but not only so that He could experience your imperfection, also so that He could be there as a guide.

Q:       Rayson, I think it is probably a matter of semantics, but I understood you to say that Lucifer was created a perfect being. I may be wrong on that, but my thinking on the matter is that in order for Lucifer to rebel he had to have been created an imperfect being, that is, with the possibility of doing evil, or not following God’s plan. I wonder if you would comment on this. How does a perfect being do evil?

RAYSON:        By learning about imperfection. We do not know those at my level, how Lucifer made the transition from perfect to imperfect. It is indeed a paradox, but it has certainly occurred in the history of the universes in the past and one hypothesis is that beyond a certain level of sonship highness there is sufficient spirit capacity and sufficient contact with Paradise that, if the being would will it, it may be possible to discern some of the secrets of imperfection. We believe that this may account for Lucifer’s capacity to behave imperfectly.

Q:       The Urantia Book, as I understand it, says that when Christ Michael and the local universe Mother Spirit created Lanonandek Sons, They gave them more liberty or more freedom than most Creator Sons gave their Lanonandek Sons, and that it was because of this ability to choose evil that Lucifer was able to rebel. Is my understanding correct?

RAYSON:        Yes, but he did not simply arrive with this capacity. He had to work it through as a puzzle or a problem and had the earnest desire to reach that goal of imperfection and imperfect choice. He worked hard to reach the capacity for sin. Other Lanonandek Sons have never sinned, most others. But you see because this liberty, if you wish, was afforded, it also has given Michael’s Lanonandek Sons enhanced capacities as co-creators with Michael and Father, and it is part of what makes this universe quite special. Do you understand?

Q:  Yes.  Rayson, How should I be thinking? When I’m toiling, when I’m doing my day-to-day work, I seek perfection. I know I’m imperfect, but I always seek to do the job better, more efficient, less wasteful each time I do my work. Is that the correct way to think, to seek perfection?

RAYSON:        Yes, you are exactly right.

Q: Well, I’m happy. You always come when we ask you to come, you stop and drop everything you’re doing, and you’re with us. Are there questions that you want to ask us? About what we are? I know you’re teaching, but you’re also learning, too. Do you understand my question?

RAYSON:        Yes, but it is not appropriate for one in my capacity to probe. I gladly and gratefully accept all that you offer me, and am quite happy to be with you and share your experiences.

Q:       Did Lucifer … do perfect beings have Thought Adjusters? I suppose they do have. They’re in constant communion with Father. Is that correct, or not, because our Thought Adjusters are here for us imperfect beings to guide us. Do perfect beings have those same sorts of guides?

RAYSON:        Perhaps (S) could comment.

S:        I don’t think they have Thought Adjusters because that’s a fragment of the Eternal Father that has been given to each normal-minded free will creature, not only to be with them during their experiences in overcoming evil but to lead them to perfection. There is no need for Thought Adjusters at that level. But they may have some spiritual guides that we don’t know about. Is that an appropriate answer, Rayson?

RAYSON:        Yes. Remember that they have ongoing access to the universe circuits which is the equivalent of continuous communication with Paradise.

Q:       So Lucifer just chose to ignore those circuits or..?

RAYSON:        No, he made much use of them but only to further his own goals rather than those that he knew quite well were appropriate and consistent with Father’s plan.

S:        I remember reading that now. (12/04/93)

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PLAY, REST AND RECREATION

Q:       I’d like to know what you do personally for recreation.

RAYSON:        At my stage of education, I guess you would call it, I spend a proportion of my time under the tutelage of experienced reversion directors. Their company is most refreshing and… [turn over tape] The reversion directors with whom I work are most gracious in guiding me in my play. We have a lot of what you would call fun together. And it is for this time in my existence very much like the play of a      human child, in the sense that I expend large quantities of energy in a seemingly effortless fashion. I always leave these encounters feeling replenished.

Additionally, I am assigned periods of time for contemplation, meditation, visitation, to what for my level you might consider to be a garden, a place of peace. You may recall that Jesus engaged in such activity while on your planet. These periods of time are also part of my education and like all my activities are closely monitored and recorded so that I shall not ascend to the next administrative level until I have accomplished all of those growth tasks which are appropriate for this phase of my being. Does that answer?

Q:  Yes.   You say that you are under the tutelage of reversion directors. Are they teaching you the most enjoyable ways to relax and refresh yourself?

RAYSON:        I would say that they are teaching me the most efficient ways to improve my worship skills and by improving my efficiency in that manner, I achieve what you call relaxation. Not exactly the concept of beings in white garments cavorting on clouds with harps.

S: Don’t forget the wings.

RAYSON:     Yes, they would get in the way.

Q:       As long as you find enjoyment in this I assume then that it is in accordance with Father’s plan for all that their enjoyment increases as their skills develop?

RAYSON:        Yes, yes, you are right. What greater wonderment could there be than to draw closer to Father? And you see when a Urantia mortal progresses in his or her life appropriately, there will be that period of physical striving and gratification of animal drives. And there will be the period of intellectual striving and – through the intellect – gratification of the animal drives. And then there will be, if one is fortunate to escape accident, there will be that period of spirit striving and attainment. The one who becomes superlative in the intellectual striving, but never passes beyond, the one who excels in the intellectual effort and never graduates to the spiritual has not, for whatever reason, managed to exploit the potential which exists now on this planet. The one who never goes beyond the physical has been even more retarded, you might say, for there is ample opportunity to transcend the physical and        intellectual and achieve that spirit level of growth during a normal time span of life on Urantia now. The channel suggests that I evoke the image of Neapolitan ice cream.                              (11/21/93)

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Our lesson today is on the subject of play, rest and recreation, which is a natural correlate to our previous discussion on work. Play, rest, and recreation are just as vital to the functioning of the cosmos as our work. This is not to say you cannot accomplish work in the course of your restful activities.

However, for the purposes of this discussion, we will separate the two areas.

In your present material mode of existence, there is a far clearer demarcation between work and play,   toil and leisure, than you shall ever experience again. It has often been said that the most difficult part of any project is the laying of the foundation, and you are now laying the spiritual foundation for your long, long universe career. Therefore this period is difficult for you, very difficult, as your perception of the level of difficulty is most likely greatest now compared to what you will perceive at any later time in  your existence. Because of this difficulty that is built into the imperfect and material existence on an imperfect planet, every unit – no matter how small – of work is experienced as an ordeal and the  departure from work has heightened meaning in contrast. On your planet you call the activities you choose to participate in when not working, “playing”, “leisure”, “recreation”, “rest”, among other things

I shall define the three areas that I wish to address in this discussion: play, recreation and rest. We shall start with rest. Rest encompasses the activities that the being undertakes in order to allow it’s functioning parts to re-achieve homeostasis after their use, just as an engine, for example, would need a period of non-use between periods of use to optimize it’s overall function. This is also true for living beings, and indeed the tissues of your body are composed in such a fashion that periods of rest enable them to repair any damage done, replenish energy supplies, and sometimes grow to meet ongoing demands for performance. This applies to all tissues of your body, including not only your connective structures such as bone, tendons, muscles, but also your organs, heart, liver, kidneys intestines, brain, glands; all of your working parts require rest.

Additionally, rest enables your Thought Adjuster to more gracefully depart when necessary and to work out useful strategies to assist you in your life mission, including your own personal growth and development. So you can see, my friends, that rest is indeed critical to you.

Play is different from rest although your participation in play activities can enhance your rest periods. Play is that set of activities in which one undertakes self-mastery in order to achieve solutions to problems of spirit growth and development. Your Thought Adjuster is quite active in it’s interaction with you during your periods of play, and you are – believe it or not – frequently in direct communication with Father when you are truly at play. This definition of play may be surprising or even startling to some      of you who may have understood the concept quite differently. But there is no part of play that     involves conflict with fellow beings, faulty pride, greed or other of the base elements of behavior that we know accrue to imperfectly created beings of animal origins.

Play is a very important part of your activities that contribute to personal spirit growth. You learn how to play from your parents, from your siblings, peers and friends. If you desire to improve your capacity for play, you may wish to consult with your indwelling adjuster during periods of quiet time.

Recreation involves activities which are outer directed although they do not necessarily involve direct interaction with other beings. You will find as you review your own life that much of your personal recreation is in the company of others.

Recreation may be defined as that set of non-work activities by which, one means or another, fellowship is enhanced between yourself and others. Yes, this may include your quiet time alone. It may be an adjunct to your work activities, or your worship activities, or even your play activities. But what sets recreation apart is that quality of fellowship attainment which invariably results when true recreation has been achieved.

You may ask, “Is this meeting a recreational activity?” and the answer is “most likely.” There are elements of recreation in this particular meeting because of your interactions with the others who are present. Certainly recreation is a vital element of this teaching mission. It is much hoped that the fellowship of the participants and their cap to further capacity with others will be enhanced through this mission. And we have indeed seen evidence to support this thus far.

Now you may ask that those definitions of rest play and recreation do not fit with our present cultural definition of these activities. And the answer is “yes, that is true.” But the definitions I give you, my friends, are not meant to be in accord with your present state, but rather the next step of evolutionary development beyond this one. And indeed, the definitions of rest, recreation and play will change and change again with each step forward that you take as you ascend in your universe careers. However, their basic elements will remain the same.

You may ask; “Do perfect beings require rest, recreation and play?” And the answer is “Yes, but for different reasons than you do at this stage of your development.” Although perfectly created beings do not “wear out”, so to speak, with the passage of time or the burden of work.

Nonetheless, rest is required for spiritual purposes in these beings. Indeed, even Father in Paradise requires rest. But a perfect being knows when to rest and an imperfect being must learn. I shall stop our lesson at this point, and receive questions.

S:        Rayson: Is fasting rest?

RAYSON:        In what respect would you call “fasting” rest?

S: By not eating, the body is not working doing digestive work. Is that important? Because doing fasting …

RAYSON:        Only if you are not hungry and do not require nourishment to function, although the rest that you receive during your sleep periods is not generally accompanied by the taking of nourishment. This does not mean that you may not feed while resting. In fact, if your body requires nourishment after particularly arduous work, it might be important for you to eat during your rest period.

S:        I have a question concerning the lesson, on play and recreation. You talked last week about your method of playing with the Reversion Directors, and of your level of play and recreation. Do you have options during these times as to what you do, what you divert to? Like we can go skiing, or play catch, throw things around and have fun – we have these different options and choices – do you still have those same choices?

RAYSON:        Yes, but my memory record is made available to my personal Reversion Director who selects areas where I have the choice to work or play in those areas or move to others.

Q:       Do you have access at all times to your memory records?

RAYSON:        I can access them if I wish, however I have many other obligations and not so much free time for such activities. It is best for me to contain a review of my memories in the period assigned to the Reversion Director.

S:        Then usually your Reversion Director has a pretty good idea of your efficient use of time.

RAYSON:        Yes.     (11/27/93)

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Q:       In recreation, no matter what we do – whether it’s rest, recreation, or toil – to keep the mind on God is the good thing to do. Is that correct? It is the intelligent thing to do, correct? Am I understanding that correctly?

RAYSON:        Yes.

Q:       Are drugs or alcohol considered part of recreation? Or do they take the mind away from God? Can you comment on drugs or alcohol, as recreational?

RAYSON:        Yes. As I have defined recreation, drugs and alcohol play no role.

Q:       In recreation?

RAYSON:        Yes.

Q:       Are drugs and alcohol strictly animal things?

RAYSON:        Yes.

Q:       That makes sense.

RAYSON:        And, in fact, animals are well-known to partake of substances that alter their bodies’ chemical activities and their sensory perceptions for the same reasons that mortals do such things.

Q:       So it’s neither good nor bad, it’s just animal?

RAYSON:        The taking of substances is neither good nor bad, but the behaviors that emerge after can be either good or bad.

S:        I understand. That’s happened in my case, both ways, for sure.

RAYSON:        Certainly by using drugs or alcohol or other substances you are not likely to experience spiritual growth.

S: Thank you.

Q:       Are you saying that hallucinogenic type drugs cannot help anyone in their spiritual growth, even though they visualize Deity in a unique way?

RAYSON:        The hallucination may be the visualization of Deity, but it is extremely unlikely that that is the fact. (S: Thank you).

Q:       Would it be correct to say that if there is spiritual growth at the time one takes drugs…

RAYSON:        To elaborate on the last question that was asked, which was if any spiritual growth occurs during the taking of drugs or alcohol: might it not be in spite of, rather than due to, such substances? My answer is this: you all know that there are times during which the Adjuster departs for various purposes. Most likely when you use exogenous substances that alter your mind thought, your Adjuster will depart. You will not grow spiritually unless your Adjuster is there with you. Does that answer?

Q:       Yes, except it would seem that when one takes those drugs, that’s when you would need the Adjuster the most, and that they would know this and would not depart.

RAYSON:        It all depends on the circumstances, but when the Adjuster senses that the being in which it dwells is not receptive to spirit promptings, that is always a cue for departure. Now, it may be that when you use whatever you are doing so with the goal of spiritual work and progress, in that case your Adjuster might remain. But if you were to plan a debauch with the sole purpose of behaving in an animal fashion, it is very unlikely that the Adjuster would stay to observe, for the capacity for spirit  growth would be almost nil. Your personal guardians might stay to help to protect you, unless you dismiss them. Does that help?

S:     I believe that when we talk about drugs and alcohol it’s too general a way to phrase it because I don’t think many of us here do hallucinogenic drugs on a regular basis. The drugs that we do tend to be things like aspirin, caffeine, nicotine – for some people, alcohol, prescription drugs – and I don’t believe that with the taking of those that the Adjuster would leave under any circumstance.

RAYSON:        I answered the question with the linguistic assignment of non-medication substances to the word “drugs”. Perhaps this was a misunderstanding.

S:        It was correct from my point of view, because I asked the first question, sir.

S2:      My understanding is illicit drugs.

RAYSON:        A more precise way of describing such substances as what one questioner called “drugs”, as opposed to “medications”, would be to use the term “mind-altering substances” consumed with the specific intent of mind thought alteration. Very few medications would come under this definition, although there are some which are used for behavior adjustment in the case of neurological diseases. But it is my understanding that substances which are consumed, including food at times, for animal gratification purposes do not promote spirit growth and development, except by accident.

S2: Your definition and qualification of the words are appreciated, and it makes what you said previously more exact, and I thank you for that. And, I guess, the last part you were talking about, that even such commonplace drugs as caffeine, or even food items such as sugar when consumed in quantity, can also produce deleterious effects which tend to counter your spiritual leadings from your Adjuster. Is that correct?

RAYSON:        Yes.

Q: Could I follow up on his subject by asking if the Thought Adjuster leaves because of the person’s turning to mind-altering drugs without seeking a heightened spiritual experience, can the being invite the Thought Adjuster back, and would He come back?

RAYSON:        Yes, the being can invite the Adjuster back, but the Adjuster will only return if it detects sincere desire for communion. (12/12/93)

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PRAYERS

Q:       I’m curious as to how prayers are answered.

RAYSON:        First, the issue of how is prayer answered. Yes, that is a most fascinating subject and actually will be the object of a lesson in the future. I shall attempt to answer as briefly as possible at this time.

When you pray you actually – if you follow instructions and are sincere – you actually tap into the universe circuits and, through means that are not clear to me, your prayer is routed all the way to Paradise. This is a most amazing thing – and I never cease to wonder at the miracle of it – that so many, many, many beings in all the universes could, by the simple technique of prayer, could have access to the Father in Paradise. But this is indeed what happens.

And once the prayer is received, a decision follows and through the universal administrative channels orders are given for certain actions to be taken in answer to the prayer. Now these are not always what the prayer has in mind. Few will wake up and find a new car in your driveway, or your debts are erased, or a suitcase full of money in your bed, and therefore some would say that prayers are not answered. But of course, these are material considerations and prayers are not answered in a material fashion. But be assured that when you pray there is an almost instantaneous response to your prayer in the form of celestial guidance, assistance, and – in ways deemed appropriate by the Father – you are given help that  is sought.

[In response to a question about the Lucifer rebellion and Caligastia betrayal Rayson said:]

It takes such a small amount of difference in direction on the universe scale to have the enormous effect over the course of time. A fraction of a degree difference in direction, that is all that Caligastia’s behavior affected, and yet the result was to essentially derail the basic plan leading toward the establishment of Light and Life on Urantia quite severely.

The major impact of Caligastia’s disobedience was the severance of the universe circuits to Urantia and other planets involved in the rebellion, because when this severance occurred man was left far, far more to his own physical being than would have been the case otherwise. If you starve a living creature of one essential nutrient the creature will live, but its function will be impaired. A good example is vitamin or mineral malnutrition. This is analogous to what happened when the universe circuits were severed to contain the rebellion. Man continued to live but did not thrive as had been intended because of a stunting of spiritual growth.

Yes, prayers were still answered, but through a detour – if you will – and less expeditiously than otherwise would have been the case. Yes, there were beings – are beings – here to help you, Midwayers and beyond. But because of lack of access to the universe circuits it was immeasurably harder for these helpers to assist man as he sought daily guidance in spiritual growth. (05/22/93)

S:        I have a feeling that my strength and my security lie only in my faith, is that correct? Faith makes it possible to talk with you. Frankly, I’m uncomfortable, it’s a new experience. I mean the fact that you exist and the way that you communicate is not-its so foreign to conventional thought. I feel like I’m standing in a valley, about to climb a mountain, and the mountain is covered in clouds. And then you come along and the Urantia Book comes along, blows away the clouds and I see this mountain, its 350,000 years high, and you are on the same mountain. Is that right?

RAYSON:        That is just the foothills.

S:        Are you that little guy way up on top?

RAYSON:        Somewhere there. Your faith is not your only strength and support. It is a crucial one, yes, but you have your Adjuster. You have your spirit guide, your Guardian Angels, the ones who love you. You have your own unique personality and your capacity for prayer to connect you instantaneously to Paradise. You have your ability to worship, and grow and co-create with the Most Highs. You have so many areas of strength and connection to Father.

S:        It’s nice to know. I understand that the Presence of the Father is closer than breathing, nearer than hands and feet. What I’m confused about is praying out loud. When you are praying out loud, is that only for the fellowship of those of like mind? Is that the only purpose of praying out loud, since the Father is within us?

RAYSON:        There is no purpose other than those which you assigned to such prayer. Believe me, when to seek to pray, even the quietest whisper of your mind-thought is heard loud and clear.

S:        That’s how I prefer to pray, by being quiet.

RAYSON:        Then you certainly may do so, my friend. (11/27/93)

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PRIORITIES

[A student is commenting on her absence at a commemoration of Jesus’ last supper on the occasion of His birthday on August 21,1994.]

Q:       Yes, Rayson, this is (S). I want to, on one hand, apologize for not making it to Michael’s dinner, but my best friend’s father died about ten minutes before I was to leave. I had the feeling that you all on the other side would know that. I want to make it known that I felt sadness at not being able to be there, but I really couldn’t find it in my heart not to go to my friend in this time. His father was in his home. I just want you all on the other side to know. It was just a choice I made, so I hope it’s OK.

RAYSON:        This matter of dinners and meetings and so on is really immaterial as long as you take the lessons to heart and express them in your actions. It sounds as if you made the appropriate choice given your personal circumstances. God does not keep the guest list, contrary to what some religionists would have you believe.

S:      I know, I wanted to be there. I knew that was a very special, and I would think powerful, time. I had all kinds of great intent and food to go there that night. I knew in my heart that my choice was fine, along the lines of worship. (08/28/93)

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PSYCHOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY

Q:       Rayson, with regards to these lessons, doesn’t personal ministry, then, effect a balance of psychology and spirituality? Isn’t it impossible to avoid the psychology in personal ministry?

RAYSON:        I am not clear on how you mean “psychology.”

Q:       Meaning that it’s difficult to “minister to someone that’s ailing or seeking answers spiritually if you are not conscious or attuned to their psychological context? It seems that Jesus was incredibly perceptive in terms of the people that He came in contact with – where they were at, emotionally, psychologically, at that moment. And that affected what He could reveal or how much he could affect them spiritually.

RAYSON:   That is correct. Jesus was adept at seeing into a person’s soul, and assessing what they really needed in spite of what they may say they wanted or needed. For example, the boy who was afraid, who declared that he did not want to interact or need anything, and as Jesus engaged him, saw that, immediately knew, he was dealing with fear unsuccessfully, and then engaged him in a way which bolstered his confidence as he was in actuality helping him.

Q:       This was when he asked for directions?

RAYSON:        Yes. However you must keep in mind that often what a person verbalizes is not what they really crave. The spiritual is always the bread of life. So psychology can be used in two ways: one is your ability to assess where the other human is at and what their real needs might be, and two, the other person’s own psychology of using mindal mechanisms to deny spiritual needs, or disguise spiritual needs. And these are two different usage of psychology in that situation. Your own ability to see others clearly will depend in part on your spiritual sight to see beyond the external to the soul within.

Q:       So then that feeling, then, that (S) is capable of, and that I have experienced, sometimes it’s really like spiritual sight, and sometimes it feels to humans like X-ray vision.

RAYSON:   Yes.

Q:  And do you counsel that?

RAYSON:    Absolutely.

Q:  Because X-ray vision is not necessarily a manifestation of ego, then. Sometimes it’s  looking through spiritual eyes.

RAYSON:        Correct. (05/29/93)

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SCIENCE

S:        Rayson, at what stage of advancement or what stage of development in your curriculum is the universe studied from a scientific point of view? Have you reached that stage yet?

RAYSON:        Yes. You have done this yourself already. Have you not?

S:        Well, I thought maybe my amateur astronomy would be very insignificant compared to the knowledge the celestials might have. For example, (S) was asking me yesterday about black holes and whether I thought that you had ever visited a black hole or knew what one was.

RAYSON:        We do not use such terminology for the phenomenon to which you refer. Remember that your technology, although it is marvelous for what it is, is still quite limited, and most of what is considered knowledge on Urantia is really grand speculation based on very tiny bits of fact.

S:        I have assumed from my reading the Urantia Book that black holes are really sites of the Power Directors as they seek to balance the universe, and that they represent the different stages and positions  of Power Directors and other celestial beings having to do with the conversion and distribution of power to the local universe.

RAYSON:        It is true that there are foci which the Physical Controllers and Power Directors arrange in the cosmos, but I cannot affirm or deny that your black holes are these. Is it appropriate for a kindergartner to be given post-doctoral theories?

S:        It depends on how much intelligence the kindergartner has.

RAYSON:        Perhaps a kindergartner is best served by the kindergarten experience of learning to play, socialize, count, control one’s physical functions.

S:        Or the polliwog.

RAYSON:        Exactly. Why instruct a polliwog in fly-catching? Or a caterpillar in flight? There is much that could be explained to you in the area that you question, but it may not be very meaningful to you at this point of your experiential progress. This is not meant to be a criticism, but rather to afford you some perspective.

S:        I’m just getting a little impatient. I’m a polliwog, and I want to learn how to eat flies.

RAYSON:        Do not be so impatient, little polliwog, that you fling yourself out of the water that you require to sustain your life.

S:        Good advice.

RAYSON:        One step after another, and each step to be closely monitored, gauged for its appropriateness. You are doing what you should be doing right now, and you are struggling, as we all struggle with the constraints and difficulties of the material condition. But as difficult as this may be for you to understand now, these most fundamental lessons that you master now will be crucial to your progress when you journey beyond Paradise. Have you not found it to be so even now?

S:        Certainly, they are useful to me now.

RAYSON:        That your normal life experiences have been continual sources of information in later, more complex activities? (Yes.) So have faith. What would a polliwog do on a jet plane?

S:        Expire.

RAYSON:        Well, this polliwog would probably want to be the pilot. How would you like to be his passenger? Fasten your seat belt. A true case of auto pilot.

S:        Well, we certainly can’t go through this life in auto pilot, can we, Rayson?

RAYSON:        No, well, you could try, but you would not get very far.

S:        Before you crashed.

RAYSON:        Yes, you would be as if you had never been. What excuse would there be for you in the cosmos?

S:        None, really.

RAYSON:        No. And you would have increasing potential for damage. Are there further musings or questions? Then we shall conclude this lesson? (12/04/93)

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