2002-07-25-Inspired Living, Parts 1,2,3

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Topic: Inspired Living, Parts 1,2,3

Group: Marin TeaM

Facilitators

Teacher: Welmek

TR: Donna D'Ingillo

Part I

Opening

Welmek: Good evening! This is you friend and teacher, Welmek. I bid greetings to our newest member, R. Welcome! I hope you find this evening's instruction valuable and helpful.

Over the course of these last several months I have prepared lessons for you that were designed to help you test those inner resources of faith and to find a greater commitment within you to follow the leadings of your spirit; to follow the will of our Father.

Lesson

Spirituality

Tonight I wish to present the first in a series of discussions entitled, "Inspired Living". We have discussed the many ways you stay connected and contact with your inner spirits. Your Thought Adjusters work patiently, co-operatively, and valiantly within you in helping you discern the divine will for your life; to feel the divine love that is your birthright and is your destiny.

The workings within your mind of these spiritual endowments change you, mold you into a higher model of artful living and sublime spiritual enhancement of those ideals and values that you have come to know and cherish in human life.

Service, patience, understanding, tolerance, compassion are all qualities of a highly effective and highly attractive human being. And so I hope that you have felt within you that you have made progress in your spiritual attainment of these qualities; that you are becoming more lovely and more Godlike each day, each week, each month, and each year.

So now in this evening's discussion, I would like to present the idea of what is inspired living? You have been fed and nurtured by your spirit fragment of the Father. And that weaves and molds - conforming your sense of self - your personality expression into that which the Father has planned for you. And each of you here this evening has a certain level of commitment to following your divine path. And so I ask you now, what does inspired living mean to you? What inspires you? What makes life adventurous - enjoyable? Where does your spirit dare to lead you? What uplifts your idea of living life each day to the realm of that deeper commitment of contributing something of great value to your fellows and to your civilization?

I ask you to take this idea now into the stillness, and to spend a few moments in asking your spirit to reveal to you what is inspired living. And then when you are ready, please feel free to share your answers with me. (Pause.)

Student: Welmek, inspired living can be for me when I transcended my prejudices and likes and dislikes, and can see clearly other people in their needs and desires. And when I'm then freed to act naturally and be of service freely, and without too much attachment.

Welmek: Would you characterize your living now as inspired?

Student: Well, to an increasing degree I feel that I'm attuning myself to wisdom and awareness, but I realize I have a long way to go to live there unshakably and permanently.

Welmek: But you are striving, and that is what is most important, is it not - your heartfelt desire to grow in this capacity. And what would you say now is your greatest motivator within you?

Student: Well, to be relieved of the suffering that accompanies an egotistical approach to life, where my desires are always clouding my vision, and my likes and dislikes are always dictating my perspective.

Welmek: So to recap, your response would be your motivation is a relief from suffering. Would that be a correct restatement? (Yes.) Thank you. I will address your comments when everyone has shared.

Student: For me the experience of inspired living is consciously and even automatically living according to the highest values I know. And to function according to the feedback I get when I behave in that way.

Welmek: And what would you say would be the way you learned of those higher values? How do you, in your experience, come to realize them within you?

Student: Partly through trial and error in discovering what doesn't feel good within me, and have a positive effect on those around me. Partly through study with all of the resources that are more and more around, and are promoting a higher quality of life.

Welmek: Thank you.

Student: Welmek, as best I understand you, I would like to talk about - there are many things that are unfolding now; many desires that seem to be the Father's will. I believe the one that I would like to talk about now is, the one that seems to be of the greatest, most difficult and greatest benefit, is the one - the desire to write a manual of sorts on, parenting with God, as these things unfold in my family life - trying to bring, trying to learn how Michael raised His family - how Jesus of Nazareth raised His family; and take what I learned from Him and apply this to my own family.

And through this experience I would like to share this and write a manual of this nature, and somehow get it into schools as curriculum. A great project! A huge project! But this seems to be unfolding to me now, as I learn the Father's will, more and more. This is one of several, but it seems to be the greatest. So I would like to share that with you.

Welmek: I would classify your answer as something that you do in your unfoldment of your inspiration; but what is the inspiration indicative of in your life?

Student: The best I understand the question, it would be my desire to do the Father's will, my desire to add something to humanity that seems to be lacking. And most important, my desire to raise my family in such a way that they will be spiritually fragrant as they grow up, and be able to know the Father as I know Him.

Welmek: And what would you now say is your motivation to live an inspired life?

Student: It's my love for my Paradise Father, and love for His Son, my Father Michael - my brother Jesus; and the unfolding love for the Mother Spirit. (Thank you.)

Student: Yes, Welmek, initially I had a difficult time trying to pinpoint inspiration - what inspires me, because in reality, nothing outside me, inspires me except my children, and to watch them grow and to see the seeds within them grow and flower and bear fruit. But what inspires me, what gets me out everyday to breathe and to work day-to-day, is my communion with the Father, and to express who I am in this world - the qualities of God that I am in this world. That's my inspiration; that's all I am. Nothing really matters to me except coming from a place of honor and integrity. And to see each person as the Father sees me, and lives through me. So that inspires me; that is the source of my inspiration. In a sense, I am this inspiration.

Welmek: And what would you say is the direction your life is taking now with this inspiration, as it unfolds?

Student: That is like, that is where I feel like I'm at that crossroads where, I'm not really sure where it's going, where it's taking me, but I do know it's a good place - a place of perfection and love. And that's why I've been praying and meditating upon how I can best use my gifts and talents in this world. So, I'm still unsure about where I am going in this world, but I know that I dwell within the house of my Father.

Welmek: I am honored to be in the company of four such dedicated and earnest spiritual seekers of the truth and light. It is uplifting to me to see that which is within you, being born now, through those potentials that have been placed within you as a gift from our Father in the unfolding of His divine plan. Each of you has special qualities and talents that are configured uniquely that will find expression in your outward external life, and will bear a beautiful depiction of the love, the goodness and the truth of our Father. And you are all so embarked on this expression; and it will grow; it will harmonize with the best within you. And you will become increasingly more beautiful in time, and with your continued striving.

It is time now to rise from the degradation and despondency of the human condition that has mired the spirit from becoming all that God knows and wants for you. Use the resources within you now to not only cast-off the fear of discomfort in the human condition, but look deeply within to see the love that our wonderful, compassionate Father-Creator has for you, and use that as a springboard for finding all of the beauty, and unlocking the potential that exists within you.

How beautiful do you want to become? How much talent and ability do you want to use? You are very wealthy my friends and you are infinitely blessed. There is no end to what has been given to you - what lies within now. Inspired living takes you deep into this well of limitless resources, and matches that which is the best and brightest, with your talents and your abilities and makes them greater. It makes them whole. It adds breadth and depth to your soul and to your life.

And you find yourself in many new circumstances to use these talents and abilities to give back people the love that you have received - to share with them the goodness and the beauty that you have within you, that reveals the loving and compassionate nature of our Father and our Mother, and of the universe; and gives them new hope for them to grow their faith, for them to step-out in trust to find a new life rich with happiness and peace, and most of all the knowledge that, they too are beloved children of an infinitely compassionate and understanding Divine Parent.

When you so live through this internal inspiration, you will never feel diminished, incapacitated. You will always feel blessed and richly blessed. For you know, that everything that the Father has is freely shared with you. And there is nothing that, if you ask in sincerity, and has true spiritual meaning, that it will not be given to you.

How do you wish to live? How do you wish you could share your gifts with your fellows? This is the time to step-out and try new experiences; to push yourself; to engage yourself in activities that conserve and uplift the divine plan on this planet.

I know that there are times when you do not always know what that means, or how it will manifest; and that is fine, that is as it should be. For you will never really know what is manifest until you try, until you experience something new, and see what the outcome is - see how you respond. And so I encourage you to not think so much about what it is you should be doing, as it is to being in the love of the Father, and to asking that each day you be guided to new levels of service, to new levels of helping another person or persons to grow spiritually. And to ask for opportunities to share what you have learned and how you have loved with others.

You gain confidence in your abilities. You gain truth in your faith. You gain strength in the hope for a bright future, rich with abundance and blessings. You have everything to gain in reaching into this well of love and inspiration you have within you, in allowing yourself to be led - by asking that your will be aligned with the Father's will for your life. For you are so deeply loved, and tenderly guided, that there is nothing to fear about growing in this way; in putting yourself now in a situation in your own mind that says, "I wish to rise to this challenge. I wish to be challenged today to live this inspired life."

We have talked about being your ship with your pilot guiding you. Hoist your sails now my friends! Take your rig on the high seas and see where your journey takes you!

Do you have any comments or questions at this time?

Dialogue

Student: I have a question. And I'm very appreciative of the awareness that I've been hearing tonight. And I think I heard something about not worrying about what to do, and to emphasize being in the will of that infinite source. So my question is, is there a particular way to be even more effectively tuned into what to do - according to that will - practical things, daily living, and all of the other mundane responsibilities?

Welmek: I would suggest that you split your perspective of living into two camps: One camp is that which you do to maintain your material existence - basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. And the other camp being that which you do to maintain your spiritual connection. And in so doing, know that there are times when these activities may overlap, but for the instruction this evening I encourage you to think about this in two different realms.

In your spiritual life, I would encourage you to spend time in worshipful communion, in being in that centered and still place within you, where you feel loved, connected and guided; and to honor that place within you with reverence and devotion. And spending as much time as you can in letting yourself be nurtured in this way.

In time you will sense within you when it is time to move ahead, and to do those things in your material life that more easily suit your personality and foster a greater spiritual expression in your life. This is the natural unfolding of your divine life plan, and it happens over a long period of time. But it is a natural unfolding when you allow the process, in and of itself, to lead you in a way that matches your inner leanings with your abilities and talents, so that you will never be put in a position where you feel that you cannot perform with confidence and with assurance that you are being guided. Does this help? (Yes, thank you.) Do you need any further clarification or elaboration on this idea?

Student: I know there is a lot of very practical things going on right now in my awareness. And there is some reviewing of options on how to proceed spiritually as well. I'm ready to simplify and act now. So I'm wondering, perhaps there may be something specific regarding such things as where to be located. What kind of work to do. Is any of that something you can address at this time?

Welmek: Much of what occurs in your material life such as where you live and how you live is your free-will choice and how attached you want to be to any particular place or lifestyle commitment.

I would suggest that you start in the spiritual realm, by asking your spirit, "What do I need now to grow spiritually. Guide me to that understanding which will foster the greatest growth in my life." And spend some time in worshipful communion in letting your spirit minister to you in this fashion. You may gain a greater sense of longing, or a desire within you in how you wish to express this in outward and material life. Your interests may become more refined, and your sensing of what it is that you wish to do become more clarified within you. Do you understand?

Student: I do. Yes! Thank you. (You're welcome.)

Student: Welmek, I'm feeling so honored to be in your presence this evening and to receive your teachings. I feel extremely inspired to become more than what I am - to the unfolding of God's will and His divine plan for me. I thank you for your time!

Welmek: My brother, I so cherish our times together. It fills me with such joy to see my Urantia brothers grow and strive. I cannot portray how this fills my heart. You are all so deeply loved. I wish you could feel all of the spiritual personalities who witness and cheer you on in your life.

This is, however, a pale comparison to the love that lies within you - carried deeply within those potentials of your body and mind and spirit, that feed your soul, that are expressions of your Creator's love for you. It is my wish for you, that each of you feel this more deeply and more constantly each day. For there is nothing so inspiring and so beautifying as living in this love, and being the most exquisite human creations that you can possibly imagine.

If you look at the life and the beauty..(of Jesus of Nazareth?) (Tape ends.) . (I daresay that I can envision?) yourselves as having this same potential too. I daresay it would motivate you within your soul even more to go within even deeper - to dive into that pool of unconditional love that is your heritage and your destiny. What more can I say. It is this love that is your fuel for your long eternal career. And so, why not drink deeply now, in this lifetime - to immerse yourself - to saturate yourself with as much as you can possible feel.

For each day you will find yourself retaining more and more and more. And this is why we encourage the stillness practice so consistently, because this is where you receive your nourishment. You receive that which your soul is languishing and thirsting for. This is all there is. You can feed your body with food and drink, but until you nourish your soul with the love of your Divine Creator, your life will not become that which you want it to be, and which you know inside, it can be.

So each day, my friends, spend time and allow yourselves to be filled to overflowing with the love that has no end; the love that is yours for the asking.

Student: Yes, Welmek, this is D. And as you were speaking earlier; and there's this small part of me that says, this is too good to be true; and especially amidst what is going on in this world. But I've been experiencing lately - As you probably know, I got baptized on Sunday along with R. And on Monday I was in meditation here, and I had a question about, how can I best use my talents and gifts and all the things that I have come to understand in this world - to be of service in this world?

And as I went deeper and deeper in meditation and stillness, I kind of came across the Father within me. And what He said to me was, I don't have to be anything, I don't have to do anything. Just allow. Just live and evolve. Just be here. And then yesterday, in meditation and in prayer at the sonship group, I again went deep into meditation and deep into my Father within, and He said to me, "Welcome home."

I can remember a couple of weeks ago I said, "I want to come home. I'm tired of this world. And then last night He said to me, "Welcome home. Welcome home, my son." And so it's like I feel this presence within me and I want to go out into the world and share what I have come to understand. But there's this little trepidation of being a stranger in a strange land. And not being up to the challenge of what I can do in this world. But I do desire to get through that, and to live the life - the inspired living, as you have mentioned.

Because I have said, there is no other way for me. And it's like - and I said just last night that there is a magnificent portrait of perfection that I wish to express and experience and share with other people. That each person in this room is created in the image of God; and it is a magnificent portrait of perfection and perfect love. That's what I want to share. That's what I want to give and express. But am I up to the challenge?

Welmek: And my friend, why wouldn't you be up to the challenge? You have come to a deep and profound understanding within you. To put your arm around someone and to look them in the eye, and to send the love that you feel within your heart into that other person is all you need to do. Words are not necessary. It is the feeling you wish to convey to them.

You see, sometimes in human lives you feel you must convince someone with the words you speak of the validity of what you have experienced, and there is a time for that. To be an effective minister of the Father's love only requires that you share what you feel. In this world people are languishing for lack of love, for lack of that human touch. For lack of someone to come to them and say, "I care about what you are experiencing. Tell me your troubles; I will listen to you. Come let me put my arm around you and comfort you. Let me hold you and let me love you." This is the challenge of sharing your love with others. Are you up to this?

Student: That sounds, for me, pretty easy to do that.

Welmek: Why not start with this simple way and see where it takes you?

Student: Have you noticed the change in the relationship between my roommate and myself?

Welmek: I do not wish to comment on this at this time. I would encourage you to conduct this matter in a private session if you so desire. Are there any more comments or questions on this topic before we move on to general questions? (Pause.) Are there any other questions then, this evening?

Student: Welmek, I have a question that's been on my mind that's been concerning me a little bit lately. I'd like to just air it, if I may. I spoke with you about it, earlier today. Would it be OK to speak with you, with the group, now?

Welmek: If that is your wish? Yes!

Evil, Urantia

Student: I know the Lucifer Rebellion has been adjudicated. Are the spirits - the capricious and, I guess I would use the word, evil spirits; has the planet been cleansed of these spirits or are they still around to interfere with one's contact with their indwelling spirit?

Welmek: There are no evil spirits lurking on the planet, conspiring to create confusion within the human mind. However, this does not mean that all evil has been expunged from the planet. Do you understand the distinction or do I need to clarify this for you?

Student: Would you clarify it just a little bit more, if you don't mind?

Welmek: As you read in your Urantia text, there are varying levels of violation of divine law and Father's will. Is this not so? (Yes.) And each of these varying levels creates an energy force, an energy flow, as it was, and minds can gravitate into this force-flow and follow the path of where that takes - into the realm of sin and iniquity - that which you have come to understand as the conscious and consistent violation of divine law. There are those on the planet who are iniquitous. There are those who are feeding this momentum of evil.

You do not need to have spirit personalities perverting human thinking in violation of the Father's will and the Father's ways. There is this existent energy circuit that is still on the planet that allows for evil to still exist. Is it being eradicated? Yes, but it is slow; and it will take time. And it will require the effort of spiritually led individuals like yourselves, through prayer - through collective, prayerful, intentional, mindal overcontrol - to help eliminate these deranged levels of thinking that are still existent on the planet. This is one of the reasons that group prayer is so important and can be so successful in beginning to erase that which no longer is welcomed here.

There is much celestial activity to diminish the effects of evil, but by-and-large it is through human choice and human striving that the evil will finally be completely eradicated from this planet. But I daresay my friends, you will not live to see the full effects of this completely erased nor the full effects of what your efforts are now currently producing. Do you understand?

Student: Thank you for that clarification. I appreciate that!

Welmek: Are there any other questions before we conclude?

Afterlife

Student: Welmek, how will we, or more specifically, how will I survive this existence. I'm wondering what connection I will have with earth, if any, after my mortal life is through, and what I might expect or look forward to, if anything beyond this life; and will I have a memory of this life, and if so, when, after leaving it?

Welmek: Upon completion of the mortal career, your soul and your personality will move on to enhanced levels of living. And you have a wonderful and glorious destiny ahead of you, if you so choose to participate in God's plan for you in the eternal career. And that which has been delineated in your Urantia text will comfort and inspire you, even to a greater understanding than you have already comprehended. And I encourage you to revisit this place and spend time allowing those words to fill your soul.

You all have a rudimentary awareness of life on this planet at first; and then as you gain more experience in your new life, you will have those memory experiences - which made you into the person that you are becoming - activated within your mind. But there is no time frame, specifically, when this will happen. It is a matter of your own spiritual growth and reckoning that allows this to occur.

So my friend, you have everything to look forward to. Everything of value that you learn here you will take with you. Nothing is lost. And you only add more beauty and goodness and truth as you grow. Does this help?

Student: Yes. It helps very much. It addresses my perhaps greatest fear that I wouldn't take the little wisdom I've garnered here at some great expense in some cases. I'm glad that I will take that with me on an eternal career. It's very comforting. Thank you.

Welmek: You will only grow more in wisdom and understanding and judgement and ability to have all of these attributes harmonized and magnified within you. I assure you, you will be most pleased when you re-awaken in the new life and see what awaits you.

Closing

My dear friends, life is so full and rich. And I know you live on a difficult world, and you face unsettling times. And this is why we are here - to help you grow strong in that foundation of spirit which gives you the peace, the encouragement, and the stability that you need so that you can be the pioneers on your planet; to change your world into the world of spirit and light. Good evening.

Part II

AUGUST 1, 2002

Opening

Good evening. This is your friend and teacher Welmek. I do so look forward to our weekly sessions together, and I hope that you have had a fruitful week in spending time with the Father and in incorporating some of the previous lessons into your daily living experiences.

Lesson

Daily living is quite a challenge on your planet, is it not? How many of you, had you known what you were in for, would have signed up to come to Urantia for your human life? That was a jest. Perhaps you did not find that humorous?

But we do understand some of the difficulties that you have here, for some truly are consequences of the divergence in your evolutionary workings of the divine plan. And some of the difficulties are manifestations of your own human mind: rampant thoughts, unspiritized belief systems, improper communication between your body and your spirit that would enable greater ease in your thinking. Some of these things are under your control, and I wish to address these tonight as part of the discourse on "Inspired Living".

Habit, Freedom

For it is your choices now in how you live your life, and how to stay inspired to overcome these habits that keep you from achieving all that you wish to as a child of God. So I ask you to go into the stillness now, and ask your spirit to help you understand what is the one habit now in your being that is holding you back. And I will not ask you to share this with me as much as I will ask you to share with me how having this habit makes you feel. So go now into the stillness, and when you feel ready to share your feelings about this particular habit, please offer it.

Dialogue

Student: I didn't hear the nature of the habit.

Welmek: In going into the stillness, you ask your spirit to show you, to whisper to you, what is that habit that is holding you back now. Each person will have a unique habit. (Pause.)

Student: Welmek, for me, the habit, if I might mention it is, not practicing stillness conscientiously. I have wonderful moments throughout the day, spontaneous communications of a spirit nature, just a feeling of thankfulness and worship, like "thank you, God". But in not doing a regular program of meditation or stillness, it's a feeling of guilt, of not doing my share, my half, you might say, of the work.

Welmek: And do you find that this guilt hampers a feeling of connection that you share with the Father?

Student: Yes, very much. Guilt is like being driven, with somebody behind you with a whip, rather than somebody out in front of you kind of teasing and coaxing you along. And I've done my best in one way to devalue this sense of guilt, because it is a waste of time and energy. The trick for me now seems to be coming into a heightened sensitivity, moral sensitivity, and yet using it as we talked about as a compass, simply pointing out the right way and not to worry too much about how short my will is always going to be from that perception of what would be nice, what would be better.

Welmek: We will move into another phase of the exercise to help you overcome this guilt when everyone who wishes to share has done so. Thank you for your comments.

Student: For me the habit which I think holds me back is being scattered and not in focus and 'stick-to-itiveness' in one area that would be fruitful to me. My mind moves very rapidly from one idea to another. So I feel if I could somehow practice the stillness and get really into it, it would make a big difference. But I have this business which I have trouble in harnessing.

Welmek: And when you feel yourself in this rhythm of busyness, what effect do you feel within your body? Could you articulate what it is you experience at that point?

Student: I think when the lack of focus occurs, I'm not even aware of my body. I think I'm probably out of touch with it. There is a feeling of anxiety in my chest area. (Thank you.)

Student: I find it hard to pinpoint one specific blockage; and perhaps that's the blockage. And the effect is that I don't always catch and grasp and follow through as fully as would be useful - the optimum choice in the moment. I feel less connected at those times with inner guidance and therefore my results are less than I would otherwise, could otherwise, accomplish. (Thank you.)

Student: Yes Welmek, this is D. I too had a hard time pointing out any precise habit. But I do dwell a lot on, at least at this time, my financial situation, and the debt that I owe. And the feelings that I get from time to time are a feeling of despondency, and feeling limited, especially in this world. (Thank you.)

Welmek: Each of you has shared something very real living inside of you. It is actually a living thought energy that prevents you from achieving all that you can. It grates against your potential, and it diminishes the relationship that you should share with the Father. This is an important idea to be aware of now. As you are all on a very serious and concerted path of rugged spiritual growth. And I say rugged because you all have challenges in life to face in exercising and developing greater depths of faith within you.

So now, as a continuation of this exercise, I wish you to take this feeling that the habit produces within you into the stillness. See yourself feeling this in your being - guilt, anxiety, loss of connection - whatever it is, feel this. And when you feel this, ask the Father to give you the feeling that He wishes you to experience; to exchange what you feel for what He wishes you to feel. And when you have ascertained or intuited or felt what the Father wishes you to feel, please share those with me as well. (Pause.)

Student: Welmek, this is J. I think I'm just realizing this sense of guilt leads to a kind of depression. It's a kind of numbness. And I think the Father wants more than anything else, for me to feel. Just that: just simply feel the life within me and all around me.

I'd like to thank you Welmek, and my friend here, and this community now, the Church of Jesus - Christ Michael, because more than anything else, it leads me to feeling. That is both a trial and a wonder!

Welmek: My dear friend, you have been blessed with a richly sentient form. And I know that the difficulties on your world can be numbing to the bone, because the pain can be so great, and the despair such a wide gulf to traverse. But in staying connected to your source, by going into the stillness, by communing with the Father, the feelings that you experience are ones of connection - connecting you to peace, connecting you to hope, connecting you to strength and courage, and everything that you need to surmount the difficulties that you face in your life.

Put the guilt aside, my friend. No longer settle for this numbness as a means of being or living. Come into the world and experience the wide variety of feelings that are yours as being a child of the Father. You will experience emotional pain at times; you cannot avoid it on this world. But now you know where to return when you do feel those bitter pangs of daily life, and asking to exchange that for which the Father wishes you to experience. And when you do this, you will find a depth of emotional riches within you that will feed you and replenish your soul, and give you new inspiration to live your life each day in cooperating and in partnership with the Father and with your spirit within.

Live each day with this in mind, and you will find new joy and new dimensions of love coming your way many, many times over. Do you understand my meaning?

Student: Yes Welmek, very much. It is something I am experiencing more and more. And if I could share one final thing - it is an understanding to go through our day-to-day life sometimes in contact with dozens of people. There's a social contract of being self-contained, of not expressing one's feelings more than what the other person or persons want. And this social contract is not a cynical thing, but sometimes, actually, love. And it is this restraint of feeling in a general social sense that makes it wonderful to have a community of deeply feeling friends, that is a respite from this other social contract, that makes the Church of Christ Michael so very, very important to me right now. This is another social contract within the church; I cherish it very much.

Welmek: As we observe the humans on this planet, we are quite stricken by the emotional numbing that we see here. For truly your world is a veil of tears, and for some that is the only true escape. And so while this social barrier of sharing feelings exists in your culture, and you have found a new community with whom you can share your feelings; I encourage you to be more forthcoming in sharing your love with those who you sense are in this state of numbness. And you do not have to do this in an overt way or way that would distress them. I would say to amplify your kindness and compassion. Amplify your patience and understanding to the degree that they can sense that there is something different about you - you do not respond to them as other people do. And this will serve to whet their appetite, particularly if you can be around them on a day-to-day basis.

It does not take much in the way of bestowing love to reach your brothers and sisters. There is so much starvation that a little nourishment makes a great impact. Do you understand?

Student: Oh yes! Yes Welmek, I'm working on that, and I can just say with a great, great delight it works! One of the best tools of all is to tease; a little smile, a little unexpected joy or whatever. I never let myself be fooled by other person that the other person also feels necessary to put on, because every person is an infinity. And that is sensitive. And that responds.

I would just disagree that this is a "veil of tears". But again, I don't know exactly how callous I am sometimes, until I come into the contrasting love of other more overtly spiritual people.

Welmek: You are doing your best, and that is all that is ever asked of you. And you are growing. And you are experiencing more and more each day; and that is good. And that is as it should be. (Thank you, Welmek.)

Student: I feel, if by focusing on the feeling of anxiety, I can bring things together, and to notice the feeling in my body. I will practice that.

I, too, as my friend J pointed out, I'm very grateful for the Christ Michael community. It is a very remarkable context in which I can live and have my being. And it is taking me on a journey I never would have anticipated. And I'm grateful for it, and your participation in it!

Welmek: We are all brothers and sisters in the same universe family. We share a common spiritual heritage, and we are all here to learn and to live and to love.

In your stillness time, I encourage you to look beyond the anxiety you experience, and to ask for those places in you where you feel anxious to be filled with the Father's peace and steadiness. Let your mind relax into the idea of being upheld by the arms of the Father. Imagine that when you are rising from your chair there is someone behind you, lifting you underneath your arms, and actually standing you up in security and in strength. Anxiety often short circuits certain bio-chemicals in your physical body, and it is important now as part of your healing to ask the Father to help you diminish those anxious places within you.

So when there is this sense of anxiety in you now draw on His peace, call in the idea of being steadied, call on his ability to actually balance you and strengthen you; and that each part of your being retain that quality within it, so that your cells can mend themselves in accordance to his will for you. Do you understand my meaning? (Yes)

This is very important to remember, this is very vital now for your continued progression, and so I encourage you to keep this in the forefront of your consciousness, so that there is something within you to serve as this constant reminder to be steadied and balanced throughout your day. You have a challenging path ahead of you in restoring your body to health. And your spirit must be nurtured so that it provides you the foundation of the faith you need to keep you moving forward, and to use this as a reminder will stimulate your faith and keep you inspired to attain that level of healing you so desire. Do you understand this?

Student: Yes, I do. I think that I need to carry the image in me, in peace, as much as possible.

Welmek: What will you use as a reminder to carry that with you throughout your day?

Student: I think I'll carry a picture of a dove, and that will remind me to center myself.

Welmek: I think that is a most appropriate symbol picture for you, and I would encourage you to keep this with you; and perhaps even to get a figurine of a dove that you could stroke and feel, and allow that feeling of peace to come into your body as you stroke this dove. It could be a soft and smooth symbol figurine that will help you to feel in your fingers, in your cells, in your body, that which you wish to evoke in your emotions. Does this help? (Thank you, that fits.)

Student: Well, I'd like to speak up now. Earlier I said that I wasn't in touch with a feeling and that was my blockage. I realize now how accurate that was, that the blockages were a protection, has been a protection from feeling. I feel all too much, and that this feeling, or set of feelings, the sadness, the sorrow and grief in particular - and that I feel too much of all that is going on around me, and that I have had to deliberately, consciously, avoid acknowledging the reality of those things. And yet, I still felt on another level that has been debilitating and keeping me from acting more effectively. So the way to go somehow is to open up to feeling in a way that acknowledges the reality of what's going on around and not assuming responsibility for it. And yet, taking a stand that all of the things that need to be different are well on their way to happen. And that whatever the will of the Father for me is clearly and fully happening too.

Welmek: Use the pain of the world as a catalyst for greater light and levity and love to enter into your being in a way that transcends the immediate difficulty that you experience, into a greater perspective of what awaits you and what you can experience now by being with and in the Father's love for you. It is almost as if you will sense a duality of feeling. It will be somewhat of an emotional paradox, I daresay, for it is a heightened sensitivity of the difficulties and the pain at one level, but on the other end of the spectrum there will be a heightened sense of joy and a sublime recognition of peace. Just as you feel these deeper, sad emotions, you have an equal capacity to feel the heightened spiritual feelings that are yours as a child of the Father. God understands the pain of this world. And you have within you access to a Creator Father who had intimate personal human experience of this pain and knows how to handle those human emotions that you are so well experienced in feeling.

So, my brother you have many spiritual resources within you that will help you overcome, and understand, and put into perspective that which you have felt; and will actually give you a heightened sense of perspective (end of tape side one) [and compassion] in your emotional range, and make you more useful in loving service - for you will be able to empathize with those individuals who come from the depths of despair. And you will be able to show them how to find the love that lives within them, as you have experienced it too. It has worked within you, to transcend you from sadness to joy. Let yourself experience these feelings. Do not fear them! They are not the end in and of themselves. They are a means to find that which the Father wishes you to experience. And in so doing this you will find the liberty and the release that you need to continue life more successfully. Do you understand this?

Student: More or less. I think I need a lot more of the joy part.

Welmek: What do you do now in your life that produces joy within you? What activities do you find particularly uplifting to you?

Student: I'm not sure what to say at the moment. I feel somewhat disconnected to the knowing what the answer is.

Welmek: I would encourage you to go out and play more. Find some recreational activities that reestablish the feeling of mirth and childlike glee within you. Laugh, be playful, ask your spirit to move you into those activities that will foster this joy for you. It is not good to be in this state of blockage, as you say; and while you may find yourself somewhat cautious about feeling the sadness, you will have more incentive to move through this when you have immersed yourself in joyful activity. And so I encourage you in the coming weeks to do this to your soul's content. Does this help?

Student: It sounds like a good idea. I am willing to do that.

Student: Yes, Welmek, this is D. The initial word that I intuited was the idea from the Father, the idea of freedom: spiritual and material and fiscal freedom. Because of my present financial situation, or my material situation, I feel a sense of entrapment and limitedness. But when I go into the stillness I commune with our Father, I do feel this sense of expansiveness, within and without. So I am learning to perpetuate this habit, a new habit of freedom, of being free in the moment, no matter what my outward situations might be.

Welmek: Always in your life on this planet will you sense those attachments which try to bind you and to inculcate within you a sense of obligation. Your choice, my friend, is to determine how much you wish to be dominated by these attachments. And there are certain attachments in the realm of material stability that you must in your own mind come to determine how much they will affect you. And so it is your choice. Some people will live, not realizing they have a choice. But you, my friend, have realized that there is another alternative. And that is to look to the spirit realm to find that freedom from these obligations. And now you are in the midst of attaching yourself, as it were, to this idea of freedom in the Father; living in the moment. And this is good and this is encouraged.

You will find that your financial obligations will always be with you, but it is a matter of choice now in how you will perceive these obligations. Will they weigh you down? Will they persecute your soul? Or will you cut your attachment to them and realize that as a child of the Father you have certain privileges of being taken care of, and so that your material needs are cared for. But you must do your share - by providing - by working, and setting those financial goals that you wish to achieve.

This is one area where our Master was able to achieve a certain degree of practicality. For he understood the movement of money in the society, and he well understood the overcare of the Father; and was able to do those things necessary to meet the demands, the financial demands, of his family life. You only need to ask Him to teach you how to be a good steward of your financial resources, how to meet your obligations, and how to transcend your attachment to them; so that this feeling of freedom you wish to maintain can be more of an inspiration to you in your daily living - and not be overburdened by the considerations of your debts. He will show you, each time you ask him, for those, I would call them 'insights' or 'tricks' of dealing with financial obligations in a spiritual way.

This is one area that has been greatly misunderstood on your planet. And while we encourage all of you to be good stewards of your financial obligations and know that you must work to maintain your material existence, the master can give you higher meanings of how you can use this idea of money to work more for you, instead of diminishing your spiritual connection.

This is a great challenge, for so much of your culture is rooted in this economy of money; and as you are learning now the economy of faith, you are ready to learn a new relationship with dealing with your material life. And there is one who achieved a high understanding. And you have access to His experience. Do you understand?

Student: Very much so, very much so. I feel this is a great, will be a great leap of faith in me. Even now I feel the knots of the situation slowly unbinding; and I can a feel in a sense that freedom, that spiritual freedom that will pervade my entire life.

Welmek: A life of freedom is yours, my friend. For there is liberty in the spirit, and the Father wishes you to be unencumbered so that you can achieve your potential. You can do this here and now. Do not wait until you reach the mansion worlds. Let all of your attachments now be made through the Father. Anchor yourself in him, even more fully than you have. Let your spirit challenge you now to go this next step, and let the Father lovingly show you how wonderful, how abundant, how blessed life is, in Him.

Closing

There is no lack of inspiration living within each of you. And while much of this is now your choice, there are those habits within you that have worked to prevent you from achieving this. I hope this evening's instruction has been informative and helpful for you to use, to achieve, to find, to experience this inspiration within you. Your path is assured. You are well on the way. The habits you are overcoming now are losing their grasp on you, each day you spend time in the stillness and asking for the Father to give you what you need now to make new attachments in your understanding of His will for you. Seek only the inspiration that you need. You do not need to linger in what it is you must overcome. Seek only that which inspires you, and know all the things of the past are fading away. Good evening, my friends.

Part III

AUGUST 1, 2002 (same date as part II)

Opening

Greeting to all! This is your friend and teacher Welmek. I am pleased to see you on this Friday evening, for in your culture this has been an evening of play; and I am honored that you have come here to spend your recreational time with me.

Lesson

Spirituality

Spiritual living has its moments of challenge, especially when you are confronted with a task you have not faced before and applied certain spiritual principles and skills you have learned. But life in the spirit is also playful and refreshing. It enlivens the soul. It brings new depth of meaning and value to your life. And are not all of these elating to the spirit? So it is in this light I wish to continue our topic tonight on Inspired Living.

It is this sense of joy and lightheartedness that I wish for you to experience; wish for you to incorporate more fully. The drudgery and monotony of living on this planet can sometimes dull or dim the senses. It casts a pall upon the spirit, and further distances you between your relationship with the Father, and diminishes a certain willingness to live. This is a spirit poison.

And so tonight I wish to encourage the idea of inspired living as a sense of playfulness, even in the midst of your day-to-day routine. Even in the midst of what you might consider to be mundane and repetitious tasks. Even in the midst of doing things that you find distasteful and disheartening. This is the secret to finding happiness in life - to make joy out of something where you see or sense a lack of energy and life and vitality.

So, my friends are you interested experiencing this tonight? (All say yes or lead on.) I thought you would enjoy this one. I did understand that you would all identify with what I was speaking of in this drudgery of life.

So let us take this idea into the stillness. Find the one thing in your life that you dread to do. I'm sure it will not be difficult to recall this. But allow yourself to sense this now. And again, it is not so much the task or idea that I am interested in; it is what the feeling that that evokes in you is. So let yourself experience this, and when you have had enough of it, please share that feeling with me. (Pause.)

Dialogue

Student: What I would like to do is to organize my apartment. I have many books and magazines and articles. And what comes up for me is it's an impossible task. I have no system devised. So it comes up for me, that when I contemplate doing that, I either don't have the energy or the method.

Welmek: And would you say you sense mental inertia? (Yes.) And would you also sense a physical inertia as well? (Yes.) Thank you.

Student: Welmek, for me it's the last several months have been in a kind of classical situation of one foot in the boat and one foot on the dock.

Being caught in transition, and not knowing, not having the ability to assess sometimes, where I am. Feeling tired or with a certain mental inertia, and not knowing whether it's a kind of laziness or actually a need for rest, because I am deeply involved in some very interesting but very exhausting work. It's that not knowingness leads me from a sense of guilt of just being lazy, clear to the other extreme of thinking I'm getting a lot done and I just need to rest. So this kind of dread has been in my life lately. And I don't even know but what it's because I've been praying for more perfection hunger. And maybe that's just really kicking in?

Welmek: I would say that you are experiencing a good dose of perfection hunger. But I will address everyone's comments in a few moments, after everyone who wishes to, has shared.

Student: Welmek, I've been experiencing dread and inertia and being uninspired, and maybe even a little depressed. I'm getting a little of that lately. And the feelings, the sources are many, like fear, and it feels uninspired, and lazy and stagnant. And I'm not sure how to pull myself up by my bootstraps as they say. It's hard to shake it off right now, so I'm looking forward to becoming inspired.

Welmek: And I hope that if you bear with this exercise, you will find that which you seek at the end.

Student: Welmek, I couldn't actually think of something that I dreaded. So I thought that, I was thinking of how I detested doing my laundry. But that didn't seem to be deep enough for this exercise, but then I realized there is something that I dread; and that is, I dread preaching in church. And I have considerable anxiety about that. So I think that's a good one for this exercise.

Welmek: I was referring to some of the more physical tasks at hand, but for this purpose of this exercise, we can address both levels. For what it is that is preventing you from sensing this inspiration whether it is occurring for something that has spiritual significance, or is only a passing task of material maintenance, does not really matter. It is the way you feel; it is the way you respond to it - whether you have a sense of vitality, or whether you have a sense of avoidance. So we will address this later in our discussion. Are there other comments?

Student: Yes Welmek, I feel that I tend to - as I get older, it seems as the testosterone level goes down, my gregarious instinct goes up, and I dread separation more. So I notice that more - leaving work crews at the railroad, and with my kids and my older daughter. Although I can see it as an inspiration in long-suffering or something like that, but still I think that feeling of dread or a lessening is difficult. (Thank you.)

Student: Yes, Welmek, the only time I feel any sense of dread, as you put it, is if I overwork myself. If I overextend myself and don't take care of my other needs - spiritual and emotional and physical. And then sometimes in the morning - so I've got to go back to work after working a ten-hour day, the day before. So, but if I do stillness beforehand, then the dread seems to go away. But I do notice I do get a sense of frustration if I overextend, especially like today, if I set myself out to only work a certain amount of hours so that I may have some time before coming here - this is the way I'm going to do other things for me, and I find myself not obliging myself, and I'm rushing around to get here, then that's when I feel a sense of frustration.

Welmek: Thank you. Thank you all for your honesty in sharing something that has been rather unsavory in your lives. For as I said, there are many things in life that leave a bad taste in your mouth, and what I would like to do is to whet your appetite for continuous life in tasting the beauty and the joy that is yours when you live in alignment with the spirit in the Father's love and in the Father's will for you. It is a quite distinct differentiation, and I wish now to focus on this distinction with you.

There are times in life when you must do things for your material maintenance - managing your needs - maintaining a balance in your physical body, in your outer life, in the setting you live in, maintaining certain tasks. There is a balance between your mental activity and mental relaxation. There is a balance between spiritual exertion and spiritual replenishment. And all of these are done in an environment of your inner life as juxtaposed with your outer life - the life you live and interact with others. So there is this constant interplay at these various levels and you can see that maintaining balance is quite an exquisite art.

And as you know from reading your Urantia text, there is one person who was able to deftly balance this at all times, for He achieved that symmetry and harmony of His personality attributes, that afforded Him this juxtaposition between spiritual intake and outtake, physical intake and out-take, and mental intake and out-take. And He did this in an attitude of love and joy - for were not His words, "Be of good cheer", the motto he would most share with his friends and apostles? These were His words - to look on the bright side; to be hopeful and optimistic. And I wish you now to take this idea be of good cheer into the stillness; and make your appeal directly to the human Jesus now - the one who understands this delicate balance of maintaining the inspiration of living in the Father's love while living a very mundane and routine and uncertain physical life.

Take this idea of the activity that you shared with me and ask Jesus now to shine His light on this - to take your hand and to show you how to relate to this that will turn the dread to an opportunity to experience joy, and a greater level of forward motion to move you out of your spiritual and mental inertia into a place of rigorous faith growth and soul achievement. And when you feel that you have received instruction from the Master, please share that with me. (Pause.)

Student: I'm not clear on the instructions. Are we supposed focus on the issue we have or on how Jesus helps us to be of good cheer?

Welmek: The instruction is to ask Jesus now to show you how to look at this situation that will give you the attitude of cheerful or joyful while you are doing it. (Thank you.)

Student: Welmek, I think I have the answer to this. I've been working on this lately, and at church it has opened us up more to Jesus' heart warmth. And it seems that the solution for me, and I realize I've done it in the past - when I have a dread of separation and consequently or possibly along with it a dread of rejection, I can use that as a catalyst, as you've said in other sessions, for my missionary zeal which is a big thrill for me, and aggressive outreach. And I know that formula works; it's just a matter of making it more of a habit.

And also possibly from doing autopsies, realize it's not to the death - this rejection may hurt, or this threat of separation, but it's not to the death, and it whets the appetite for service. I'm thankful for this session tonight to make that more clear in my own mind.

Welmek: So would you say that you have in your own experience turned to the Master in an attempt to ameliorate the feelings of separation you experience when you in the midst of this longing to be reconnected?

Student: Yes, and I think it brought out early, a prayer from childhood - a Catholic prayer, "I offer up my works, joys, and sufferings of the day". It's one of the good things about Catholic methodology in that you dare to offer up your sufferings and mistakes as well to Jesus; and that brings out the warmth of Jesus, and the even the humanness.

Welmek: And what would you say in your experience is a trigger for you to remember to turn to Jesus in the midst of this anxious feeling of separation?

Student: Well, it's that feeling right in the heart that gee, there's nothing more I can do here to bring spiritual joy. It's almost - the pain is almost the solution.

Welmek: So the pain is for you a trigger to remember to appeal to the Master? (Yes, I think so.)

Welmek: This is a significant insight. For all of you will experience some kind of discomfort at times, whether it is emotional or actually physical. But there is a trigger in the pain response that indicates in your mind and in your brain that something is out of alignment with that of the Father's will for me. Pain is not a punishment, much as your psychological therapies of punishment and reward have been depicted, but it is a reminder to you that you have stepped out of the alignment with God's wish for your life.

I would like you to think about this for a moment: Pain is a reminder that I have stepped out of God's wish for my life. (Pause.) While this answer is directed to V., it applies to all of you. When you are in the stillness time, ask now for a deeper conscious awareness now to be impressed upon your mind of this statement. That the discomfort is only a reminder that you have stepped out of the Father's will, and for you to return to the embrace of Jesus, so that you can feel His response, His warmth, His Love, and He will then be able to connect that which is His to give and yours to receive within you. Use this now as a deeper understanding and enriched tool so that you can overcome these pangs of separation, and even isolation that you may feel at times. Do you understand? (All say yes.) And do you need any further clarification or elaboration on this point tonight?

Student: Welmek, do we find this in stillness or in exploring interactions with the outside world?

Welmek: I would say that it is both. For it will be your experiences that will trigger certain responses within you; either that of discomfort or that of alignment, and you will develop your sensing abilities to the point where you can tell one from the other quite readily.

However, in the stillness, while the mind is generally relaxed and receptive your spirit has a great sense and opportunity to impress upon your mind that which it can bring to help you remedy the situation. And that, being the conscious reminder to ask to receive from Michael, from Jesus, what it is that will move you forward will change your attitude and perspective while you are living through the experience. Do you see the distinction I am making here? (I think so? It's sinking in.) How may I further clarify this for you this evening?

Student: Well, if I'm experiencing inertia, for instance, and a lack of interest in moving forward in any way, I guess that I can receive inspiration through silence, and instructions during silence on how to manifest in the world more progressive behaviors?

Welmek: A few moments ago when I instructed all of you to ask Michael to help you through this experience of inertia and drudgery, did you experience an alleviation of this unpleasant feeling?

Student: Well in my case, I felt a certain motivation to try to find love in my life, and to create it by serving others in some sense and thereby creating an energy flow that was beneficial to both the other being and myself.

Welmek: So you did get a sense of what it is you could be doing to move you forward? And so you were in stillness for a moment, and you received an insight and guidance, and now it will be your decision whether or not to act upon that and to see what fruits it bears in your outer experience. So I would suggest that you put this to the test now, and you see what this does for you. How does it make you feel while you are interacting with this person as you create this love and service? What does it do to your attitude? What does it do to your sense of being in a fog of spiritual inertia? Does the fog lift, and do you receive more inspiration and motivation?

These are the kinds of ideas and feelings to sense while you are living through them. And then when you have a moment to reflect upon this, take this into the stillness and ask for your spirit to integrate this experience into you more fully, and allow the deeper and enriched meanings of what you have witnessed to in your life to take over and blend into your soul more harmoniously.

I want you to think about this this week as you re-read this transcript and this response to you. This is a challenge of daily living - to continually strive to do this in your habits of thinking. And as we spoke last week, you are exchanging the old habits for the new. You are asking for the habits that God wants you to have now to be more prevalent in your life. And you are allowing the new habits to take root in you so that they eventually become as effortless as breathing. Do you understand my meaning?

Student: Yes, I think so, and I see that there's at least a brief period of feeling kind of guilty about where I have been, and a little bit of unpleasant feeling looking back on that. And so it's a minor challenge, but I think it even helps to serve to establish a new reality, even more. Perhaps that's the value of guilt, a form of looking in the past, and helping the change.

Welmek: I would caution you on the use of the word guilt, for it has a somewhat devaluing notion in the human psyche. It is good to reflect upon past behavior and to evaluate it. But if you judge yourself, which is part of the makeup of guilt, then you will diminish your sense of self-respect. And while it is always good to be objective about your shortcomings, the best way for you to re-evaluate and re-establish your sense of self-respect is to ask to see yourself from the Father's eyes. For He does not judge you, and He in His Love understands the difficulties that you face. And when you see yourself from this perspective, you will realize that your mistakes are understandable and correctable. And there is no reason to assess yourself so harshly as to produce those guilt feelings that so demean you. Do you understand? (Yes, thank you. It's very illuminating!)

Student: Welmek this is J. Thank you so much, for what you mentioned to C. addresses my situation. Everybody here is mirrored with certain kinds of optical illusions - checkered patterns of light and shade, which could be seen in two different ways, but not at the same time. And I have the same problem of focusing sometimes on the cutting edge of evolution; trying to evolve and grow, focusing on that cutting edge and loosing sight and feeling of all - and appreciation especially - that I have done, and all the distance I have come. So I'm not sure quite how to do them both at the same time. Even my dancing instructor was saying, you have to be careful, because ambition is good, it keeps moving you ahead, but you can get so ambitious that it takes all the fun out of it. You get so concentrated on being the better dancer that you loose ability just to enjoy what you've already figured out.

Welmek: And there's a rhythm, is there not, in this dancing? And there is a time to learn new steps, and to fumble over your feet for a time while you are allowing the circuits of your memory to intersect in your mental corridors. And there will be a time of mastery, when your body responds to your commands and you move with grace and ease across the floor.

And always will there be in your life, this rhythm of learning and mastering. And so you will not look at the situation from quite the same perspective, will you? For you do not see yourself in the same way when you are learning, as when you are mastering at this point-in-time. But in adopting a more fluid and more bird's-eye vantage point view of your life; that to know that this is part of the learning process: this time of stumbling and bumbling, and the time of effortless mastery and grace.

So in your own mind's-eye, begin to see the two levels of achievement, and to look upon them with equal pleasure, and to know this is how you learn; this is how you grow. And so you must never evaluate your sense of self because you have not mastered anything right at that moment. Allow yourself the time you need to grow into the experience in this natural way. And I think, if you can begin to see yourself from this higher perspective, you will be able to see how you can achieve, one with the other, in this one fluid motion. Do you understand?

Student: I think so, Welmek, because my feeling during the exercise, was a greater flexibility to not get stuck in this analytical mode and be so analytical. It's just like a surgeon who's knife can only cut, can't heal. I have to be flexible somehow or other to go from this analytical.

It's also like this inner perfection-hunger. As soon as you get hit with a dose of perfection-hunger, you notice all your imperfections. And there is a big wart on the end of your nose. And what do you do about it? It's like C. said, it's hard not to get a guilt then, because all of a sudden all of your imperfections are manifest. But I think with this bird's-eye view you mentioned, Welmek, you can see that, first of all, accept and actually embrace with joy the perception, because now you can actually do something about it; you can move ahead. Your not caught in an unconscious (Tape ends.)

Welmek: My friend, in the perfecting process, there is beauty in the imperfect being, for is this not a part of God's plan, to be a creature of evolutionary status - to be moving forward in greater harmonization of all that the Father is? And so while you identify with those warts and bumps as you say you see, the Father sees this also, but He sees what the warts and the bumps produce, and there is great, great beauty in the becoming; great beauty in the striving; great beauty in being just as you are now, because each day you grow more beautiful. See the beauty where you are each moment, and appreciate that as part of the Father's plan for you as well.

You will only be able to see this, if you see yourself from the Father's perspective. The materialistic influences of your life and your culture have cast, I would say, a negative look on anything that is not perfect or right. But the Father in His wisdom, knows that evolutionary creatures only reach perfection through a long and dedicated process of refinement and striving. And since He sees you as beautiful in the becoming, He asks of this for you too to adopt His perspective. I hope you will consider this very deeply this week as you go about your daily activities. For I do believe that it will help you diminish some of these feelings of unworthiness or guilt that you may still harbor within you. For it is not God's plan for you to continually to feel like this, for this is not how He sees you at all. Does this help? (Yes! Thank you Welmek. Yes, it does!)

Are there any other experiences that you wish to share with me in this exercise of asking Jesus to help you be cheerful as you go about your tasks?

Student: Yes, I must say, I have a method, all I need to do is take a very small bit that I can organize every day. I've had that in my head for years and years and years, but it's very, very simple - a little bit, no matter how small it is, until I will have this place organized. It will also give me a lot of satisfaction, because I have a lot of energy committed into those books and articles. He's basically saying, it's not complicated, just do a little bit each day. And that rings true to me.

Welmek: When you attempt any task, and you are not sure how to accomplish this, you can always go directly to Jesus and ask Him to assist you. You have the dual benefit of divine-human experience that will give you a twofold understanding of the best way to do things. The human Jesus was very adept at organizing and executing his work. He was a highly disciplined and skilled craftsman, and so he well understood the demands of big projects and how to complete them in a timely fashion.

And then, of course, you have the perspective of the Divine Michael, who is the Creator of the universe, and is very well equipped to handle all of the problems inherent in running a large organization. So with all of this assistance at hand, you only need to go within and ask Him, "Will you give me a hand with this? I do not know how to tackle this project", and He will gladly show you. He will hold your hand, guide your hand, and give you the stamina and the fortitude you need to move through the project with ease and good cheer. You will find that the task is completed quite within an efficient time frame. And you might find yourself even enjoying yourself immensely while you are doing it.

What will serve in your mind as an effective reminder for you to turn to Jesus to ask Him to assist you in this capacity? Do you have an idea what you would use?

Student: Yes, I think I could just have a 2 by 5 card on my desk, which says, "Just ask Jesus".

Welmek: He is the universe efficiency expert. So you do not need to go very far to get the perfect and the best way to handle your task. Let Him lovingly guide your hand and embrace you while you are engaged in your work. Does this help? (Thanks)

Student: Welmek, I remember in a previous discussion, you mentioned how stress and anxiety are also indicators of not being in alignment with the Father. And that really stayed with me. And so no matter how rushed I am in the morning to get to work, I always put aside five minutes to a half-hour or how long it takes to commune with the Father, and to be in stillness or to pray, or even to worship as whatever moves me. And it seems to set me right in going and meeting the day. And I always tell my roommate when we climb into the truck, "another day in Paradise", and he laughs. But when I do feel those moments like as the day drags on, I do stop for a moment, and Jesus mentioned this to me again, just to go into the stillness, and just to stop and look around me, and take in the beauty that is around me in nature.

And also I use humor a lot to kind of get me through that frustration or dread, as you call it; and it seems to lift me up into a greater, "this recharges me", so-to-speak. And I know this job will get done, and I will get my needs met in time. So that's it.

Welmek: You are very blessed, my friend, to have your work in a beautiful environment with the flowers and plants and the vegetables you so lovingly tend.

As you minister to these glorious manifestations of the universe, allow the essence of the beauty to echo in your soul the patterns of the plant's energy and information. For you will find there is great intelligence that is a reflection of higher spiritual laws and representations of the Father's personality. And you will find a great refreshment in this as you touch, smell, see, and ask for this information reflecting of the Father's love and the Father's goodness and the Father's truth in these plants come more deeply into your being, so you will grow more unified in being a child of the planet, and a child of the universe. This will give you great enjoyment throughout your day, for it will stimulate your intellect as well as refresh your soul. And when you do this, all of the problems will begin to align, and you will find that gravity of spirit to propel you to new understanding on how to handle the balance of life. For you will see it in the actual depiction of how this delicate balance between nature and the Father's reflection in it co-mingles together. And you have access and are just as much a part of this as the flowers and plants that you tend. Do you understand my meaning?

Student: Yes I do. I had a couple of experiences today where we were at this one house - it was real warm today - and we walked into this one house and there is three peach trees that are growing, and you can just smell the peaches as they are on the tree, and the taste of them was so delicious. And this brings you into a kind of oneness at that moment. And then another time I was cutting back this stem of geraniums, and just the aroma was so intoxicating that it was enjoyable to work even in this heat. And it was the aroma that stayed with me. So I do see what you are saying, and the deeper meaning beyond that.

Welmek: Ask the flowers and the plants and the vegetables to teach you what is it of the Father's plan that you can share with me that I need to learn. And let that essence permeate into your cells and eventually into the very pores of the beauty you are becoming, as not only a child of the Father, but as a cosmic citizen of this immense and wonderful and glorious divine plan.

And while I address this to D., it still applies to each of you. For you have the benefit of living in a climate where you can be outdoors and be in nature, and to enjoy the beauty and the wonder that is always available to you by being outside. And so let this be a teacher to each and everyone of you, so that you never need to be bored while you are in your activities. There are always lessons to learn. There is always a deeper manifestation of the Father to understand no matter what it is you are doing and no matter where you are.

When you adopt this attitude, you are effectively creating that mental stimulation that is the harbinger of deeper mental activity - cultivating the environment within your conscious mind to permeate to the level of spirit so that your Thought Adjuster has more opportunity to inlay that which the Father wishes you to understand as you live your life. In this way, even the most simple and mundane task can have rich spiritual value. And you are all now growing into the spiritual habits that allow this deeper awareness to become more incorporated into your very cells, and to overtake some of the natural biological processes; to make this an automatic response in not only your thinking but your feeling and being, and total enjoyment for your life.

And so, I would call on the one who has not shared at this very end of the evening. Are there any comments you wish to make at this time?

Student: I shared a little, Welmek. Well I really enjoyed what you had to say tonight. As far as adopting the Father's perspective of us, I'm still processing it.

But I have another question if you have time to answer another question that isn't about your lesson tonight?

Welmek: I will answer that after I have shared something I wish to with you, if I have your permission to do so? (Please.)

I sense within you, if I may be so bold as to say this, a sense of tension in your effectiveness to convey the Father's loving message through you. And so I encourage you to find that place within you that is a striving to know God - that is the center of your heart's desire to love and know the Father. Center yourself in this place. And when you are doing this, and I encourage you to feel this with me at this moment. You might want to use an opening remark something to the effect of, "Father, we all have innate longing to know You, to also love You, and even though it may be buried and masked, place this within us until it is real and it is a treasure. And I now ask You to begin to reveal that treasure for me, and for each of us here tonight."

And if you use this as a springboard or as a possible way of opening, you do not worry about what words will come forth. Stay in this place and know that what the spirit will move you to say will be what is right for the audience to hear. Take this idea now into the stillness, in your daily activities of communing with the Father. Ask for a deeper anchoring in your desire to love and know the Father. And believe me my friend, you will never run out of anything to say! Does this help. (Yes, Welmek. Thank you.)

Do you have any needs for further elaboration on this? (No.) So you may now ask the question.

Personality, Soul

Student: While I was reading one of Abraham's transcripts today, and he characterized personality as a verb and our soul as a noun. And I was wondering if you would care to elaborate?

Welmek: One moment please. While personality is, from your reading in the text, a changeless attribute that is bestowed by the Father, it nevertheless has the capacity to harmonize and coordinate, and that is an action. It is doing something. The idea of the soul as, how you say, a noun is that the soul is the actual entity, and it is being acted upon by the Father's personality circuit. It is your true self; it is the body, the substance for the morontia energy-form to be constructed around. And the personality is ever the integrator. Do you understand? (Somewhat.) How may I further clarify this for you? (I have to think about that.)

What was the idea of personality and soul that you had that triggered this question when you read Abraham's words?

Student: Well, I think you started by addressing that right away. Because of course, as you pointed out, we're familiar with the personality being unchangeable, so that when I read about it as a verb, I began to wonder what that meant. And I can see how you're using it - that coordinating is a verb. But yet somehow I don't get an in-depth connection with that.

Welmek: Personality is more than the sum characteristics of your being; it is an actuality of the Father that defines who you are. And so while the vehicle of your personality is fixed, you are an evolving creature, are you not? And so there must be a component of the personality that acts to integrate all of your experiences into this magnificent and harmonious creature that you are becoming. And it is within the Father's personality circuit that this is allowed to happen.

Think of the growth of a flower. A rose is a rose; it changes as it grows from seed to shoot to stem, bud and blossom, but it is still a rose, is it not? There is something within it that allows it to become more beautiful. This is the action of the personality circuit. And I believe that this is what was being referred to in the lesson. Do you see the distinction I am making here? (I'm trying!)

This would be an excellent opportunity for you to take this idea into the stillness, and ask the Father to help you see more clearly in your own mind's-eye the distinction when personality is being used in the changeless fixed sense, and when it is more active and dynamic. And perhaps you will be able to see a deeper understanding in the illustrations I was sharing with you this evening. (Thank you.)

Are there any more comments or questions before we conclude this evening?

Student: Yes Welmek, I have been wondering about this ever since we discovered the Urantia Book. It mentions that we've inherited from Adam and Eve more of a sense of humor than of music. Yet I find in my funniest, drollest New England humor, that it doesn't even touch the Moonlight Sonata or Russian choral music, so I wonder how do you see the fact that we've inherited humor to an inspiring degree to somebody on your level, but very hard for us to put that into perspective - especially with our crude television humor?

Welmek: To me, what you have described is not humorous or humorful. It is a glorification of the baser functionings of human nature that have been popularized and appeal to an immature and degraded mockery. It is unfortunate that you classify this as humor.

Humor

Humor from our perspective is the relaxation of spirit - the release of tension from the evolutionary struggle - to make light of that which we have experienced and to appreciate that which we have gained in learning, and to understand the juxtaposition between the struggle and the achievement. You have a tendency to appreciate this, but you have not developed this to the degree that you would immerse yourself in gleeful remembrance of your evolutionary struggles. You still mire yourself in dreamy escapism.

And so part of this evening was to help you to see that there is joy and mirth in your day-to-day activity; and to see the value and the beauty in that which you do and that which you have come to find distasteful. Because there is such a paucity of spiritual perspective on your planet, you have not cultivated this tendency to its full realization. I would encourage your humorists to look at this idea, because it can be used in a higher sense and be more of a catalyst for spiritual growth.

The base mockery of human biological functions, and the degradation of the human spirit does nothing to inspire you to those higher achievements which can be found in spiritual growth in seeking to know the will and the ways of the Father - seeking to align the human condition to that of the Divine Plan. So from that standpoint, you have great potential. And you did receive a great gift from the Adamic pair. But like so many things that have occurred on Urantia, it has not yet lived its fullest expression.

Student: I really appreciate the frank comments about our humor. And the genetic component, I'm glad to hear that it is undeveloped because I really worried about that.

Closing

Welmek: Think about this the next time you wish to crack a joke. It will take some practice, I daresay. And so on this note of levity; let us conclude this evening's lesson.

Life and laughter are all here to help you alleviate the burdens of daily living. You have someone who understands what you are going through each moment of every day, and He always had a cheerful disposition as He went about doing good. And so I encourage you, my friends, to adopt this motto of the Master: Be of good cheer, and let Him show you how light and joyful are the ways of living in the spirit of the Father. Good evening!